U.S. patent application number 16/855410 was filed with the patent office on 2020-11-19 for tractor trailer vehicle area network with trailer sub-network.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sensata Technologies, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Sensata Technologies, Inc.. Invention is credited to Philip Catherwood, David Galbraith, John Greer, Paul McGrotty, Alan Millen, Pete Tasker.
Application Number | 20200366520 16/855410 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005192190 |
Filed Date | 2020-11-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20200366520 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Greer; John ; et
al. |
November 19, 2020 |
TRACTOR TRAILER VEHICLE AREA NETWORK WITH TRAILER SUB-NETWORK
Abstract
A method establishes a vehicle area network on a vehicle having
a tractor with a tractor wireless hub, the tractor being connected
to a first trailer having a first trailer wireless hub. The method
activates the tractor hub and the first trailer wireless hub, and
shares credentials between the tractor wireless hub and the first
trailer wireless hub in accordance with out of band pairing
techniques. Typically, the tractor wireless hub acts as an access
point for the vehicle area network but the access point can be
centralized by: searching down a length of the vehicle to determine
relative locations of the tractor wireless hub, the first trailer
wireless hub and the second trailer wireless hub; determining a
centrally located hub based on the locations; and establishing the
centrally located hub as the access point.
Inventors: |
Greer; John; (Randalstown,
IE) ; Galbraith; David; (Comber, IE) ; Tasker;
Pete; (Staverton, IE) ; Catherwood; Philip;
(Coleraine, IE) ; Millen; Alan; (Coleraine,
IE) ; McGrotty; Paul; (Newtownabbey, IE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Sensata Technologies, Inc. |
Attleboro |
MA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Sensata Technologies, Inc.
Attleboro
MA
|
Family ID: |
1000005192190 |
Appl. No.: |
16/855410 |
Filed: |
April 22, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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62849339 |
May 17, 2019 |
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62849343 |
May 17, 2019 |
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62849344 |
May 17, 2019 |
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62849347 |
May 17, 2019 |
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62944981 |
Dec 6, 2019 |
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62951561 |
Dec 20, 2019 |
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62951594 |
Dec 20, 2019 |
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62951660 |
Dec 20, 2019 |
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62951734 |
Dec 20, 2019 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 12/40 20130101;
H04L 2012/40215 20130101; H04W 4/44 20180201; H04L 2012/40273
20130101; H04W 4/46 20180201 |
International
Class: |
H04L 12/40 20060101
H04L012/40; H04W 4/44 20060101 H04W004/44; H04W 4/46 20060101
H04W004/46 |
Claims
1. A method for establishing a vehicle area network on a vehicle
having a tractor with a tractor wireless hub, the tractor being
connected to a first trailer having a first trailer wireless hub,
the method comprising the steps of: activating the tractor hub and
the first trailer wireless hub; and sharing credentials between the
tractor wireless hub and the first trailer wireless hub in
accordance with out of band pairing techniques, wherein the tractor
wireless hub is activated by a key fob being in proximity to the
tractor.
2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first trailer
wireless hub is activated by a power line connection or CAN
connection being made between the tractor and the first trailer,
and the credentials are shared autonomously via the power line
connection.
3. (canceled)
4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of
using a pairing device to establish communication between the
tractor wireless hub and a plurality of sensors on the tractor.
5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising a step of
providing at least one transmitter/receiver for relaying signals
from the plurality of sensors to the tractor wireless hub.
6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the vehicle area
network includes a tractor subnetwork based on the tractor wireless
hub and a first trailer subnetwork based on the first trailer
wireless hub, wherein the tractor wireless hub acts as an access
point for the vehicle area network.
7. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising a step of
coupling a second trailer to the first trailer, wherein the second
trailer has a second trailer wireless hub that is activated upon a
power line connection being made between the first and second
trailers.
8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising of
centralizing the access point based on having more than one trailer
by: searching down a length of the vehicle to determine relative
locations of the tractor wireless hub, the first trailer wireless
hub and the second trailer wireless hub; determining a centrally
located hub based on the locations; and establishing the centrally
located hub as the access point.
9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps
of: establishing communication between the tractor wireless hub and
a telematics device; establishing communication between a first
plurality of sensors on a first tractor and the tractor wireless
hub; establishing communication between a second plurality of
sensors on the tractor and the tractor wireless hub; and processing
data from the first and second plurality of sensors to determine
proper action for the vehicle.
10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the proper action is
selected from a group consisting of: displaying a warning on a
dashboard in the tractor; changing a tire; modifying an autonomous
control of the vehicle; and scheduling a maintenance
appointment.
11. A tractor-trailer vehicle comprising: a tractor that having at
least four tires, two of which can be turned to steer a direction
of travel of the tractor; a first wireless hub that is integrated
with the tractor; a trailer that is removably connected to the
tractor, the trailer having a front portion that is adapted to
connect to the tractor, and a rear portion with at least two tires;
a second wireless hub that is integrated with the trailer; at least
one tractor sensor that is integrated with the tractor; at least
one trailer sensor that is integrated with the trailer; and a
telematics module integrated with the trailer; wherein: the first
wireless hub communicates with the second wireless hub by way of
WiFi with a first network protocol, thereby establishing a first
level of a vehicle area network (VAN) comprising the first wireless
hub and the second wireless hub; the first wireless hub establishes
a first subnetwork in and around the tractor with a network
protocol different than the first network protocol, and
communicates with a first sensor of the at least one tractor sensor
via the first subnetwork, the first subnetwork being within a
second level of the VAN; and the second wireless hub establishes a
second subnetwork in and around the trailer with the network
protocol different than the first network protocol, that is
separate and distinct from the first subnetwork, and communicates
with a second sensor of the at least one trailer sensor via the
second subnetwork, the second subnetwork being within the second
level of the VAN.
12. The tractor trailer of claim 11, wherein the at least one
sensor that is integrated with the trailer comprises a
tire-pressure-measurement sensor that is located inside one of the
at least two tires and communicates data to the second wireless hub
wirelessly.
13. The tractor trailer of claim 11, further comprising: a
transmitter/receiver that is integrated with the trailer, and acts
as a range extender for the at least one trailer sensor when the at
least one trailer sensor and the second wireless hub communicate
with one another.
14. The tractor trailer of claim 11, wherein the telematics module
wirelessly connects to the either the second wireless hub on the
trailer or the first wireless hub on the tractor and allows
communication of data from any sensor on the VAN to external
networks over a cell tower infrastructure.
15. A method for establishing a vehicle area network on a vehicle
having a tractor with a tractor wireless hub, the tractor being
connected to a first trailer having a first trailer wireless hub,
the method comprising the steps of: activating the tractor hub and
the first trailer wireless hub; sharing credentials between the
tractor wireless hub and the first trailer wireless hub in
accordance with out of band pairing techniques, wherein the vehicle
area network includes a tractor subnetwork based on the tractor
wireless hub and a first trailer subnetwork based on the first
trailer wireless hub, wherein the tractor wireless hub acts as an
access point for the vehicle area network; coupling a second
trailer to the first trailer, wherein the second trailer has a
second trailer wireless hub that is activated upon a power line
connection being made between the first and second trailers; and
centralizing the access point based on having more than one trailer
by: searching down a length of the vehicle to determine relative
locations of the tractor wireless hub, the first trailer wireless
hub and the second trailer wireless hub; determining a centrally
located hub based on the locations; and establishing the centrally
located hub as the access point.
16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the first trailer
wireless hub is activated by a power line connection or CAN
connection being made between the tractor and the first trailer,
and the credentials are shared autonomously via the power line
connection.
17. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising a step of
using a pairing device to establish communication between the
tractor wireless hub and a plurality of sensors on the tractor.
18. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising a step of
providing at least one transmitter/receiver for relaying signals
from the plurality of sensors to the tractor wireless hub.
19. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising the steps
of: establishing communication between the tractor wireless hub and
a telematics device; establishing communication between a first
plurality of sensors on a first tractor and the tractor wireless
hub; establishing communication between a second plurality of
sensors on the tractor and the tractor wireless hub; and processing
data from the first and second plurality of sensors to determine
proper action for the vehicle.
20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the proper action is
selected from a group consisting of: displaying a warning on a
dashboard in the tractor; changing a tire; modifying an autonomous
control of the vehicle; and scheduling a maintenance appointment.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 62/951,734, filed Dec. 20, 2019,
U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/849,347, filed May 17,
2019, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/951,561, filed
Dec. 20, 2019, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/849,344,
filed May 17, 2019, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.
62/951,594, filed Dec. 20, 2019, U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 62/849,343, filed May 17, 2019, U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 62/944,981, filed Dec. 6, 2019, U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 62/849,339, filed May 17, 2019,
and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/951,660, filed Dec.
20, 2019, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field
[0002] The subject disclosure relates to vehicle area networks in
communication with subnetworks and sensors, and more particularly
vehicle area networks for a tractor-trailer vehicle having one or
more communication hubs to create sub-networks and provide
telematics with quick, robust and easy connection of one or more
trailers to a tractor of the tractor-trailer vehicle.
2. Background of the Related Art
[0003] In the United States, the Dwight D. Eisenhower National
System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the
Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access
highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the
United States. Construction of the Interstate Highway System was
authorized by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956. The Interstate
Highway System extends throughout the contiguous United States and
has routes in Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico.
[0004] With great roads, trucking is an essential component of the
economy infrastructure. Indeed, a tractor-trailer vehicle cruising
down the Interstate Highway is common. Trucking is involved in the
delivery of not only almost every consumer product but industrial
products as well. Truck drivers are often independent drivers who
may or may not own their own trailer but, in any case, contract to
deliver one or more full-load or part-load trailers. Indeed, being
a truck driver is one of the most common jobs in America.
[0005] A paradigm shift is on the horizon as the asphalt highway is
integrated into the information age. Such vehicles will be equipped
with a suite of technology to connect to the information
superhighway and image the physical superhighway. The vehicles will
form a virtual image of the road that is processed for navigation
and control. The technology will include cameras, LIDAR, RADAR,
sensors of all sorts, motors and of course a large processing
capacity (e.g., processors, memory, power supplies etc.).
[0006] Problems of efficiency and timeliness with transport by
tractor-trailer vehicle remain despite the longstanding and
ubiquitous use. Mobile vehicles have been slow to beneficially
utilize the potential benefits of interconnection and analysis.
Other obstacles stem from the typical driver not being comfortable
navigating use of sophisticated electronics or various equipment
configurations that are simply not interoperable. Further, without
drivers, many more tasks and maintenance activities must be
automated. Thus, a need exists for easy, automatic connection and
operation of vehicles with more sophisticated communication and
networking technology on vehicles, particularly tractor-trailer
vehicles.
[0007] Still further obstacles remain in that innovative hardware
to solve longstanding problems has not yet been invented to solve
such problems. For example, drivers may have to forage through
large lots of trailers to find the desired trailer. In view of
this, there is a need for hardware and a method to quickly and
easily help the driver locate and connect to the desired
trailer.
SUMMARY
[0008] In view of the above, the present disclosure is directed to
systems and methods for establishing a vehicle area network on a
vehicle having a tractor with a tractor wireless hub, the tractor
being connected to a first trailer having a first trailer wireless
hub. The subject technology includes the steps of: activating the
tractor hub and the first trailer wireless hub; and sharing
credentials between the tractor wireless hub and the first trailer
wireless hub in accordance with out of band pairing techniques. The
first trailer wireless hub can be activated by a power line
connection being made between the tractor and the first trailer,
with the credentials shared via the power line connection.
[0009] In one embodiment, the tractor wireless hub is activated by
a key fob being in proximity to the tractor, or the driver pressing
a button on the key fob and the like. The vehicle area network
components may also be activated any time the tractor is running.
When not running, the vehicle area network may be in sleep mode
where the vehicle area network components only periodically check
for activity that would prompt activation.
[0010] A pairing device can establish communication between the
tractor wireless hub and a plurality of sensors on the tractor.
Transmitter/receivers act as range extenders for relaying signals
from the plurality of sensors to the tractor wireless hub. The
vehicle area network including a tractor subnetwork based on the
tractor wireless hub and a first trailer subnetwork based on the
first trailer wireless hub, wherein the tractor or one of the
trailer wireless hubs acts as an access point for the vehicle area
network.
[0011] A second trailer can also be coupled to the first trailer,
wherein the second trailer has a second trailer wireless hub that
is activated upon a power line connection being made between the
first and second trailers. With the additional trailer, the access
point can be centralized by: searching down a length of the vehicle
to determine relative locations of the tractor wireless hub, the
first trailer wireless hub and the second trailer wireless hub;
determining a centrally located hub based on the locations; and
establishing the centrally located hub as the access point.
[0012] The method can also establish communication between the
tractor wireless hub and a telematics device as well as
communication between a plurality of sensors throughout the
vehicle. By processing data from the plurality of sensors, proper
action for the vehicle can be determined, whether the action be
taken automatically in an autonomous vehicle, by the driver and/or
by service personnel. Examples of possible proper action are:
displaying a warning on a dashboard in the tractor; changing a
tire; modifying an autonomous control of the vehicle; scheduling a
maintenance appointment; and the like.
[0013] Still another embodiment of the present disclosure includes
a method for automatically recognizing an order of a first and
second trailer on a tractor to form a vehicle, the method
comprising the steps of: creating a vehicle area network including
a first subnetwork on the first trailer, a second subnetwork on the
second trailer, and a wireless hub on the tractor and in
communication with each subnetwork; capturing, by the wireless hub,
a received signal strength indicators (RSSI) and a time of flight
(ToF) from each subnetwork to form a set of data; determining a
highest RSSI and lowest ToF in the set; and if the highest RSSI and
the lowest ToF are from the first subnetwork, identifying the first
trailer as being immediately adjacent the tractor.
[0014] The method can also include identifying the second trailer
as being behind the first trailer if the highest RSSI and the
lowest ToF are from the first subnetwork and no other subnetworks
are present. When the vehicle includes a third trailer with a third
subnetwork, the method can capturing, by the wireless hub, a RSSI
and ToF from the third subnetwork and add the third subnetwork RSSI
and ToF to the set of data. To further determine trailer order, the
method determines a second highest RSSI and second lowest ToF in
the set. If the second highest RSSI and the second lowest ToF are
from the second subnetwork, identifying the second trailer as
between the first trailer and the third trailer.
[0015] And yet another embodiment of the present invention includes
a method for locating a trailer for a tractor-trailer vehicle by
providing a beacon on the trailer that transmits a signal
wirelessly to an external network. The beacon signal includes
global positioning system (GPS) data indicating a location of the
trailer so that the GPS data is sent from the external network to a
tractor for use by the tractor. The display may include driving
directions for review by the driver or execution by an autonomous
vehicle. In one embodiment, the beacon includes a LED light that is
activated when the tractor is within communication range of a
communication hub on the tractor. Once the trailer is located, the
method automatically pairs the communication hub with a subnetwork
on the trailer to form a vehicle area network.
[0016] The subject technology is also directed to a tractor-trailer
vehicle including a tractor that having at least four tires, two of
which can be turned to steer a direction of travel of the tractor.
A first wireless hub is integrated with the tractor and a trailer
is removably connected to the tractor. The trailer has a front
portion that is adapted to connect to the tractor, and a rear
portion with at least two tires. A second wireless hub is
integrated with the trailer. At least one sensor is integrated with
the tractor and at least one sensor is integrated with the trailer.
A telematics module is integrated with the trailer. In operation,
the first wireless hub communicates with the second wireless hub by
way of WiFi with a first network protocol, thereby establishing a
first level of a vehicle area network (VAN) comprising the first
wireless hub and the second wireless hub. The first wireless hub
also establishes a first subnetwork in and around the tractor with
a network protocol different than the first network protocol, and
communicates with the first sensor via the first subnetwork, the
first subnetwork being within a second level of the VAN. The second
wireless hub establishes a second subnetwork in and around the
trailer with the network protocol different than the first network
protocol, that is separate and distinct from the first subnetwork,
and communicates with the second sensor via the second subnetwork,
the second subnetwork being within the second level of the VAN. The
second wireless hub communicates data to the telematics unit
wirelessly. The at least one sensor that is integrated with the
trailer preferably includes a tire-pressure-measurement sensor that
is located inside one of the at least two tires and communicates
data to the second wireless hub wirelessly. Preferably, the
tractor-trailer vehicle also includes a transmitter/receiver that
is integrated with the trailer, and acts as a range extender for
the at least one sensor when the at least one sensor and the second
wireless hub communicate with one another.
[0017] It should be appreciated that the subject technology can be
implemented and utilized in numerous ways, including without
limitation as a process, an apparatus, a system, a device, a method
for applications now known and later developed or a computer
readable medium. These and other unique features of the system
disclosed herein will become more readily apparent from the
following description and the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] So that those having ordinary skill in the art to which the
disclosed system appertains will more readily understand how to
make and use the same, reference may be had to the drawings.
[0019] FIG. 1 is an exemplary tractor-trailer vehicle utilizing a
vehicle area network in accordance with the subject technology.
[0020] FIG. 2A is an exploded view of a wireless hub in accordance
with the subject technology.
[0021] FIG. 2B is a block diagram schematic view of a wireless hub
in accordance with the subject technology.
[0022] FIG. 3A is an exploded view of a range extender in
accordance with the subject technology.
[0023] FIG. 3B is a block diagram schematic view of a range
extender in accordance with the subject technology.
[0024] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a beacon in accordance with
the subject technology.
[0025] FIG. 4B an exploded view of a beacon in accordance with the
subject technology.
[0026] FIG. 5 is another exemplary tractor-trailer vehicle
utilizing a vehicle area network in accordance with the subject
technology.
[0027] FIG. 6A is a portion of a flowchart for automatically
ordering the trailers of the vehicle of FIG. 5 in accordance with
the subject technology.
[0028] FIG. 6B is a portion of a flowchart for automatically
ordering the trailers of the vehicle of FIG. 5 in accordance with
the subject technology.
[0029] FIG. 6C is a portion of a flowchart for automatically
ordering the trailers of the vehicle of FIG. 5 in accordance with
the subject technology.
[0030] FIG. 6D is a portion of a flowchart for automatically
ordering the trailers of the vehicle of FIG. 5 in accordance with
the subject technology.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0031] As noted earlier, tractor-trailer vehicles are moving into
the digital age, where customers and operators of such desire to
employ numerous data collection devices, and to in turn,
communicate that data from the tractor-trailer vehicles into the
cloud. One major issue associated with this is the lack of an
installed hardware base, yet a clear market demand for such
capabilities exists. With that in mind, there is a clear need to
provide easily retrofittable solutions to tractor-trailer vehicles
that were originally not manufactured and fit with modern digital
sensors, area networks, and telematics equipment. Further, there is
also a commercial need to develop such systems that can be easily
integrated into originally manufactured tractor-trailer vehicles
with minimal engineering. Additionally, it is valuable to provide
such systems that are easily integrate-able and connectable with
various sensors, and other equipment used for data collection and
manipulation, and transmission.
[0032] The subject technology addresses many of the above noted
issues. The advantages, and other features of the system disclosed
herein, will become more readily apparent to those having ordinary
skill in the art from the following detailed description of certain
preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings which
set forth representative embodiments of the present invention and
wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural
elements.
[0033] Referring now to FIG. 1, an exemplary vehicle 100 is shown
utilizing a vehicle area network (VAN) 101 in accordance with the
subject technology. The vehicle 100 has a tractor 102 for pulling
two trailers 104a, 104b. The tractor 102 may haul just a single
trailer or multiple trailers, and as many as five. It is typically
the responsibility of the truck driver to not only ensure the safe
and proper operation of the vehicle 100 but to also connect and
disconnect the trailers 104a, 104b. The tractor 102 also includes a
cabin 103 having a dashboard (not explicitly shown) for presenting
information related to the trailers 104a, 104b. The tractor 102 has
front wheels 105a, which can be steered to control direction of the
tractor 102. The tractor 102 also has rear wheels 105b. A dolly 106
facilitates mechanical connection of the first and second trailers
104a, 104b. The trailers 104a, 104b and dolly 106 also include
wheels 107.
[0034] The trailers 104a, 104b and dolly 106 are equipped with a
plurality of sensors for monitoring position, speed, temperature,
pressure, weight and the like for various purposes. In FIG. 1, the
components of the VAN 101 such as sensors 110a-c are shown
schematically to illustrate possible locations and configurations.
The driver is provided with a pairing device 275 for making
wireless connections between the VAN 101 and the sensors 110. The
pairing device 275 also can monitor the status of the trailers
104a, 104b as well as connect to the devices of the VAN 101. The
pairing device 275 may be a tablet, smart phone, or specialized
controller and the like.
[0035] The VAN 101 establishes communication between numerous
components of the vehicle 100. Individual components can be
connected wirelessly, wired and combinations thereof. The
connections may utilize various communication protocols, as will be
discussed in more detail herein. The VAN 101 can utilize WiFi to
establish a high bandwidth backbone, in effect a first level of the
VAN 101. The VAN 101 may include any number of sub-networks, in
effect second levels of the VAN 101. For example as shown in FIG.
1, the VAN 101 includes a tractor subnetwork 112 and a trailer
subnetwork 114. Each subnetwork 112, 114 includes one or more
wireless hubs 130a-d. The first trailer 104a includes the wireless
hub 130b, the dolly 106 includes the wireless hub 130c and the
second trailer 104b includes wireless hub 130d. As the tractor 102,
trailers 104a, 104 and dolly 106 are often reconfigured with other
trailers and dollies, quick and easy pairing to establish the
subsequent vehicle area network is beneficial.
[0036] The VAN 101 also includes a first telematics module 116a on
the tractor 102 and in communication the tractor hub 130a as well
as a second telematics module 116b on the first trailer 104 and in
communication with the first trailer hub 130b. The telematics
modules 116a, 116b also communicate with external networks 118
having external devices 120. The telematics modules 116a, 116b
communicate with the external networks 118 via cell towers 122.
Preferably, the tractor 102 has a chassis CAN bus 124 over which
the tractor hub 130a and the telematics module 116a communicate.
The trailers 104a, 104b may be substantially identical or quite
differently configured not just in terms of hardware but software.
However, the VAN 101 can automatically integrate components so that
the driver is needed for little pairing activity with the smart
device 275 if any at all. Telematics modules and services are
available commercially from numerous suppliers, such as CalAmp of
Irvine, Calif.
[0037] The wireless hubs 130a-d are powered by a wired power line
communication (PLC) cable, typically connected by the driver when
mechanically coupling the trailer 104a, 104b to the tractor 102.
The wireless hubs 130a-d communicate using WiFi with a 802.15.4
thread network protocol and/or over the CAN bus 124. The wireless
hubs 130a-d can also communicate by common lower power friendly
means such as Bluetooth or 433 Mhz technology. The wireless hubs
130a-d can also use near-field communication as well as with any
other wireless communication protocol now known or later
developed.
[0038] The hubs 130a-d can be connected to one or more components
or each other using a wired connection. For example, the tractor
hub 130a can be connected to the front trailer hub 130b with a
wired cable connection. The wired cable connection can optionally
provide power from the tractor hub 130a to the trailer hub 130b
while simultaneously allowing communication through PLC techniques.
The wired connection can allow the tractor hub 130a and the first
trailer hub 130b to automatically pair upon making the physical
connection. During pairing, the hubs 130a, 130b communicatively
connect utilizing the PLC connection to share credentials of the
VAN 101 in accordance with out of band pairing techniques.
Similarly, the hubs 130c, 13d can also be hard wired and
automatically integrated into the VAN 101.
[0039] Each wireless hub 130a-d acts as central communication or
access point for devices within the respective local area or
subnetwork 112, 114 of the vehicle 100. To that end, the tractor
wireless hub 130a creates the tractor subnetwork 112 for all
devices in and around the tractor 102 of the vehicle 100.
Similarly, the first trailer hub 130b creates the trailer
subnetwork 114 for all devices in and around the first trailer
104a. Further, a wireless hub 130c on the dolly 106 is part of the
first trailer subnetwork 114 but could even form another
subnetwork. Other subnetworks may also be included, for example,
for other additional trailers, dollies, and/or areas of the
truck.
[0040] Still referring to FIG. 1, the tractor wireless hub 130a
establishes communication to the tractor telematics module 116a,
the pairing device 275 and the first trailer wireless hub 130b to
establish the tractor subnetwork 112. The tractor hub 130a can
communicate with the first trailer hub 130b by PLC and/or WiFi,
with the pairing device 275 by WiFi, and over the CAN bus 124 with
the telematics module 116a. In one embodiment, the tractor hub 130a
uses Thread networking communication technology based on the IEEE
802.15.4 radio standard for low power consumption and latency. The
communication protocol may include AES 128 encryption with a media
access control (MAC) layer network key.
[0041] The tractor 102 also includes a plurality of sensors 110a.
For simplicity in FIG. 1, only one sensor 110a is shown
schematically, but represents any kind of sensor in any location.
In order to facilitate communication between the tractor hub 130a
and the sensor 110a, the tractor subnetwork 112 can include a range
extender transmitter/receiver 170a paired with the sensor 110a.
Depending upon the sensor configuration, the sensor 110a may also
communicate directly with the tractor hub 130a. The
transmitter/receiver 170a and sensor 110a may utilize Thread
networking communication technology among others.
[0042] For example, communication between the transmitter/receiver
170a and sensor 110a may be via Bluetooth communication. The
transmitter/receiver 170a acts as a range extender for the sensor
110a. However, Bluetooth is susceptible to eavesdropping so that
out of band (OOB) pairing is needed. The pairing device 275 is used
to accomplish the OOB pairing. The pairing device 275 can use
near-field communication (NFC) with the hubs 130a-d, sensors 110a-d
and transmitter/receivers 170a-d.
[0043] Pairing the components 110a-d, 130a-d, 170a-d can use
multiple technologies and techniques in any combination. The
example given here is based on the normal commissioning/pairing
process for a Thread device. The pairing device 275 can use WiFi or
even read a barcode to link to the hub 130a. Once linked to the hub
130a, the pairing device 275 can use RFID technology such as an NFC
tag to establish the OOB (Out of Band) pairing connection to the
transmitter/receiver 170a and sensor 110a. NFC technology is
desirable because the pairing device 275 could simply be a smart
phone running an application and held in proximity to the
transmitter/receiver 170a or sensor 110a. The OOB pairing link can
use datagram transport layer security (DTLS), which is a
communications protocol that provides security by allowing
communication in a way that is designed to prevent eavesdropping,
tampering, and message forgery. Additionally, access can be
protected by using a pre-shared key (PSK) generated by an algorithm
such a J-PAKE.
[0044] Once the pairing device 275 establishes communication
between the hub 130a, sensor 110a and transmitter/receiver 170a,
the tractor subnetwork 112 is established. In a similar manner, the
trailer subnetwork 114 can be established. The first trailer hub
130b establishes the first trailer subnet 114 that also includes a
plurality of sensors 110b. Again for simplicity, only a single
sensor 110b is shown schematically representing, for example, a
TPMS. A transmitter/receiver 170b is paired with the sensor 110b.
The first trailer 104a also includes a telematics module 116b and
beacon 200, both of which are part of the first trailer subnetwork
114. The telematics module 116b communicates with external networks
118 via a cell tower 122 as well. The beacon 200 may also
communicate directly, whether wired or wirelessly, with the tractor
hub 130a.
[0045] The tractor hub 130a is also paired to the trailer hub 130b
so that the respective subnetworks 112, 114 are in secure
communication. To pair the hubs 130a, 130b, the OOB pairing link
can use a physical connection with ISO 11992, which is a CAN based
vehicle bus standard in the heavy-duty truck industry for
communication between the tractor and one or more trailers. The
pairing of the hubs 130a, 130b can share a unique data key such as
a key generated by AES-128 encryption.
[0046] The beacon 200 provides a separate means of transmitting
information wirelessly. In particular, the beacon 200 can be
configured to act as a GPS, transmitting location data for the
first trailer, allowing a remote user to locate the trailer. The
beacon 200 is particularly useful for tractor drivers who are
picking up a trailer from a large lot of many trailers. For
example, certain lots tend to store an enormous number of trailers
and are not well organized or marked, requiring drivers to search
to locate a particular trailer. Typically, the driver is tasked
with seeking out the trailer through a particular identifier on the
trailer, such as a license plate. This inefficiently requires the
driver to look individually at the license plate of each trailer on
the lot to determine whether it is the correct trailer. Further,
license plates can be difficult to read accurately from a distance,
requiring the driver to approach each license plate within a
reasonable distance or even get out of the tractor. As such, the
beacon 200 improves the manual searching process by providing a GPS
signal to the external networks 118 which ultimately is received by
telematics module 116a in the tractor 102. Thus, the beacon GPS
signal can be used by the driver to quickly and easily locate the
trailer 104a within the lot. It is envisioned that the dashboard of
the tractor 102 may display not only the location of the beacon 200
but assist with directions on how to drive to the beacon 200. The
beacon 200 can also include a clear visual identifier, such as a
blinking light of a specified color or a display showing an
identifier, to alert the driver when the driver is close to the
correct trailer 104a. The beacon 200 eliminates the need for the
driver to carefully search the entire lot and allows the driver to
quickly and easily identify and connect to the proper trailer.
[0047] Still referring to FIG. 1, the dolly 106 and second trailer
104b also include respective hubs 130c, 130d that become part of
the VAN 101. The hubs 130c, 130d similarly communicate with a
plurality of sensors 110c, 110d and any transmitter/receiver 170c,
170d paired with the sensors 110c, 110d. Depending upon the
configuration, the hubs 130c, 130d may form subnetworks or simply
communicate with the first trailer hub 130b, which relays the
information to the tractor hub 130a. The second trailer 104b can
include a telematics module, beacon and other hardware as
needed.
[0048] Generally, a transmitter/receiver 170a-d is positioned
proximate a respective sensor, which may be pressure, temperature,
speed, position, or other sensors. The transmitter/receiver 170a-d
receives measured data from one or more sensors and reports that
data to the local hub wirelessly. The transmitter/receiver 170a-d
may also use the 433 MHz frequency band for communication. In other
cases, the sensors 110a-d are wired directly to the local hub
130a-d, or are connected wirelessly directly to the local hub
130a-d.
[0049] It is envisioned that the subnetworks 112, 114 can be
established in advance. In other words, for the trailer subnetwork,
pairing the sensor 110b, transmitter/receiver 170b and hub 130b can
be accomplished during assembly by a technician using a pairing
device 275. As noted above, the pairing may be very automatic, and
to the extent needed, performed by the driver upon connection of
the trailer 104a. Many sensors and such devices can be difficult to
physically access so that pairing upon installation is
advantageous. A sensor, for example, might be located on an axle of
the vehicle or within a vehicle braking system. The driver or
technician's pairing device 275 may be able to read a code from the
sensor, such as a QR code or NFC tag. The technician's pairing
device 275 will be trusted by the VAN 101 (e.g. having passcode
credentials for the network, or the like) and/or can be manually
connected to the VAN 101, whether wired or wirelessly. The pairing
device 275 can then pair the sensor 110b to the hub 130b using the
code from the sensor 110b, thereby connecting the sensor 110b to
the subnetwork 114 and, ultimately, to the VAN 101.
[0050] Once the transmitter/receivers 170a-d are paired for
wireless communication to corresponding wireless hubs 130a-d,
information can then be transmitted from multiple devices across
the VAN 101. The data can be processed and provided to a central
location of the vehicle 100, such as within the tractor 102 where
the driver can see alerts, or other feedback related to the
readings of the sensors 110a-d.
[0051] In some cases, one or more of the tractor 102 and trailers
104a, 104b can include a 3rd party, on-board telematics device
116a, 116b. In the example shown, the tractor hub 130a is in
communication with a first telematics device 116a and the first
trailer hub 130b is in communication with a second telematics
device 116b in the first trailer 104a. Each telematics device 116a,
116b transmits data to a third party source. In the example given,
the data is transmitted to an external cloud platform where the
data can then be obtained by external devices 120, such as
computers, smartphones or the like (e.g., the pairing device 275).
The data can then be relied upon for fleet and asset management
functions, such as checking health of various components of the
truck. In other cases, the telematics devices 116a, 116b can
transmit to mediums other than a cloud network, such as a wide area
network or directly to third party devices.
[0052] Once information from the VAN 101 is transmitted out of the
vehicle 100 to the external networks 118 and devices 120,
additional data review, analysis and insight can be ascertained.
The analysis and insight can then be sent back to the trailer 102
for review by the driver. A suite of warning strategy functionality
can be general or specific to particular needs. The algorithm that
develops the warnings is optimized by ongoing data analysis. For
example, the vehicle behavior is characterized so that particularly
identified parameters can be measured. Some parameters are tire
pressure with reference temperature, spare tire pressure, system
temperature, system pressure, and gross vehicle weight (GVW). The
external device 120 may have specific data such as a range or
maximum allowable limit. Since the maintenance of these parameters
is ongoing, if the GVW is over limit or out of range, or a tire is
under low pressure or unsafe to drive on, a warning message can be
sent to the driver for investigation and corrective action. For
another example, a fast pressure loss in a tire would generate an
alert to the driver.
[0053] The subnetworks 112, 114 for the vehicle 100 are part of and
in local communication within the broader VAN 101, with one
wireless gateway hub acting as an access point for the VAN 101. In
some cases, the access point for the VAN 101 can change to a
different gateway depending on the number of trailers 104 attached
to the tractor 102 such that the access point is in a central
location of the vehicle 100. To centralize the access point, the
tractor hub 130a searches down the length of the vehicle 100 for
additional hubs 130 to determine a centrally located hub 130. Since
the hubs 130 will be somewhere along the length of the vehicle 100,
the VAN 101 can determine hub locations through a linear search,
rather than by searching a broad surrounding radius.
[0054] If, for example, only a single trailer 104a is provided, the
access point can be the wireless hub 130 in the center of the one
trailer, which all devices (e.g., transmitter/receivers, sensors
and the like) in the trailer 104a or tractor 102 can wirelessly
reach. If the second trailer 104b is included, the access point
could still be located within the first trailer 104a at a location
central to the vehicle 100 or, alternatively at the dolly hub 130c
which is also centrally located. If additional trailers are added
(e.g. a third and fourth trailer), the access point can be changed
to a new hub at a central location of the vehicle 100, or can use
multiple interconnect access points to leap frog wireless signals
through the entire length of the vehicle 100. Alternatively, a full
WiFi mesh system could be used to connect many hubs at locations
across the vehicle 100. Having wireless hubs 130a-d which control
the central communication at each area of vehicle 100 allows many
devices to quickly and easily communicate over the VAN 101, even
when devices within the VAN 101 may be changed (e.g., sensor
repair), or new or additional trailers and dollies may be added to
the vehicle 100. In each case, each new device need only be paired
and connected to one wireless hub, and data from all devices can be
shared across the VAN 101. From the above, it should be understood
that the exact number and arrangement of the components shown in
FIG. 1 are exemplary only, and should not be construed as
limiting.
Autonomous Vehicles
[0055] As vehicles become self-driving, the subject technology
wills seamlessly integrate with the suite of autonomous technology.
For example, the data analysis from monitoring the sensors can be
used to control speed or even redirect the autonomous vehicle to a
service station or rest stop to attend to repairs. The data
analysis may also require the autonomous vehicle to enter an
emergency mode where the vehicle may be pulled over for towing or
control ceded to a remote operator.
[0056] In one embodiment, the tractor and the trailer are merged as
one. As would be expected, the integration of sensors on the
trailer portion into the vehicle area network on the merged
tractor-trailer is only required initially. The merged
tractor-trailer can still connect and carry additional
trailers.
Wireless Hubs
[0057] As used herein, a micro controller, computer or smart device
is one or more digital data processing devices. Such a device
generally can be a personal computer, computer workstation (e.g.,
Sun, HP), laptop computer, a tablet computer, server computer,
mainframe computer, handheld device (e.g., personal digital
assistant, Pocket PC, cellular telephone, etc.), information
appliance, printed circuit board with components or any other type
of generic or special-purpose, processor-controlled device, with or
without application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), capable
of receiving, processing, displaying, and/or transmitting digital
data. A controller includes random access memory (RAM), mechanisms
and structures for performing input/output operations, a storage
medium such as a magnetic hard disk drive(s), and an operating
system (e.g., software) for execution on a central processing unit
(CPU). The controller also has input and output devices such as a
display screen, a keyboard and mouse and the like.
[0058] A CPU generally is logic circuitry that responds to and
processes instructions that drive a controller and can include,
without limitation, a central processing unit, an arithmetic logic
unit, an application specific integrated circuit, a task engine,
and/or any combinations, arrangements, or multiples thereof.
Software or code generally refers to computer instructions which,
when executed on one or more digital data processing devices, cause
interactions with operating parameters, sequence data/parameters,
database entries, network connection parameters/data, variables,
constants, software libraries, and/or any other elements needed for
the proper execution of the instructions, within an execution
environment in memory of the digital data processing device(s).
[0059] A module is a functional aspect, which may include software
and/or hardware. Typically, a module encompasses the necessary
components to accomplish a task. It is envisioned that the same
hardware could implement a plurality of modules and portions of
such hardware being available as needed to accomplish the task.
Those of ordinary skill will recognize that the software and
various processes discussed herein are merely exemplary of the
functionality performed by the disclosed technology and thus such
processes and/or their equivalents may be implemented in commercial
embodiments in various combinations without materially affecting
the operation of the disclosed technology.
[0060] Referring now to FIG. 2A, an exploded view of a wireless hub
130 is shown. Each hub 130a-d may be differently configured, but in
FIG. 2A an exemplary hub 130 is shown. The wireless hub 130
includes an enclosure 131 with a removable lid 132 that connects to
form a protected interior 133. The enclosure 131 forms opposing
recesses 134 for compression limiters 135 to maintain the joint
integrity of the plastic enclosure 131. The hub 130 includes a
printed circuit board (PCB) 136 having electronics, such as a
processor and memory (not explicitly shown) required to create
modules to carry out the functions of the wireless hub 130,
including data processing, storage, and transmission.
[0061] The wireless hub 130 has an antenna (not shown explicitly)
connected to the PCB 136 for wireless transmission. Additional
antennas may be included as needed to allow the hub 130 to transmit
and receive data with other devices as described herein. For wired
connections, the hub 130 includes connecting pins 138. The hub 130
may be powered by a battery and/or from a wired connection. In one
embodiment, the hub 130 is connected to a +12/24V supply 144 (see
FIG. 2B). The wireless hub 130 is configured to withstand large
temperature changes in the range of -40.degree. C. to +85.degree.
C. The hub 130 mounts external to the tractor cabin such as on the
chassis rail.
[0062] Referring now to FIG. 2B, a schematic diagram of a micro
controller 140 suitable for use as a portion of the wireless hub
130 is shown. Typically, the micro controller 140 is part of the
PCB 136 of FIG. 2A. The PCB 136 includes additional separate
peripheral modules 141, 142, 143, 144, 145 and such may be
incorporated into the micro controller 140. The micro controller
140 and modules 141, 142, 143, 144, 145 may include one or more
standardly available components or be fabricated as one or more
ASICs.
[0063] The hubs 130a-d can transmit and/or receive data between
other hubs and/or range extenders 170a-d using a WiFi module 141
with a 2.4 GHz frequency band. The WiFi module 141 creates
tractor-to-trailer transparent IP-based data communication. A
second 802.15.4 thread network protocol communication module 142
can send and receive additional sensor content and range extension.
A third communication module 143 can use sub-GHz (e.g., a 433 MHz
frequency band) with on-board decode and polling functionality for
low power modes. The third communication module 143 is particularly
well-suited for data from nearby sensors that are battery powered
and, thus, low power.
[0064] The micro controller 140 can also be connected for
communication to a CAN bus 145, which is typically located in the
tractor 102. The micro controller 140 can also be directly
connected to another wireless hub 130 so that the hub 130 can act
as a radio frequency (RF) to CAN gateway. The PCB 136 also includes
a 12/24 V power supply 144 with surge protection to power and
protect the micro controller 140 and other components from
electrical damage.
[0065] When the micro controller 140 is operating, hardware 147
creates a runtime environment (RTE) 146 so that the stored programs
are running (e.g., instructions are being executed). The hardware
147 includes a processor 148 coupled to memory 149 along with other
components not explicitly shown. Programs are stored in the memory
149 and accessed by the processor 148. A boot loader module 150
allows programming to the memory 148. An operating system module
151 allows the user to interface with the hardware 147. An ECU
abstraction layer module 152 facilitates uniform access to the
micro controller functions performed by peripherals and application
program interfaces (APIs). A MCAL micro controller abstraction
layer module 153 facilitates direct access to the devices on the
PCB 136. A complex device drive module 154 includes various
sub-modules 155a-c to implement drivers for the communication
devices 141, 142, 143 as needed. The boot-loader module 150 can run
the micro controller 140 for programming and writing information to
the memory 149.
[0066] As can be seen, the micro controller 140 is specifically
designed for use in the VAN 101. The micro controller 140 also
includes a power manager module 156 and a Truck to Trailer network
link software module 157. The micro controller 140 includes a TPMS
module 158 and onboard weight motor vehicle unit module 159 to
accomplish TPMS and MVU weight measurements in the VAN 101. The
micro controller 140 also includes a RF network management module
160 and a third party software component module 161 to facilitate
use of RF network components and third party software. Other
modules may be present in the micro controller 140 to accomplish
any desired features in the VAN 101. Further, the micro controller
140 features may be expanded by having hardware and software ready
to host additional software and support other components (e.g.,
additional sensors, hubs, subnetworks).
Transmitters/Receivers
[0067] Referring now to FIGS. 3A and 3B, an exploded view and a
schematic view of an exemplary transceiver/receiver 170 are shown,
respectively. The transmitter/receiver 170 includes an enclosure
171 forming a cavity 172 that is sealed with a lid 173 for
protection of a printed circuit board (PCB) 174. Again, one or more
compression limiters 175 fit in the enclosure 171 to maintain the
joint integrity of the plastic enclosure 171. The PCB 174 includes
the electronics to carry out all the functions of the
transmitter/receiver 170 including sending/receiving data, data
processing, and storage. The PCB 174 may include a processor,
memory, an antenna and other components (not explicitly shown).
[0068] For wired connections, the transmitter/receiver 170 includes
a connector 176. The transmitter/receiver 170 may be powered by a
battery and/or from a wired connection. In one embodiment, the hub
130 is connected to a +12/24V supply 183. The transmitter/receiver
170 is also configured to withstand large temperature changes in
the range of -40.degree. C. to +85.degree. C. Preferably, the
transmitter/receiver 170 can mount in any suitable location but
outside the chassis rail is preferred.
[0069] Typically, most, if not all functional modules, are created
by components of the PCB 174 but one or more peripheral components
181, 182, 184 could also be utilized. The PCB 174 may include one
or more standardly available components or be fabricated as one or
more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The
components of the PCB 174 work together to form a central
processing unit 180.
[0070] The transmitter/receiver 170 can transmit and/or receive
data to hubs and/or other transmitter/receiver 170 using a 802.15.4
thread network protocol communication module 181 as well as send
and receive additional sensor content. Thus, the
transmitter/receiver 170 can be used to enlarge the size of the VAN
101. A sensor communication module 182 uses sub-GHz (e.g., a 433
MHz frequency band) for low power modes to efficiently work with
nearby sensors that are battery powered.
[0071] When the transmitter/receiver 170 is operating, a runtime
environment (RTE) 183 is created so that the stored programs are
running (e.g., instructions are being executed). The PCB 174 may
include a processor coupled to memory along with other components
not explicitly shown. The programs are stored in the memory and
accessed by the processor. One program is an operating system
module 184 that allows the user to interface with the hardware 147,
typically using the pairing device 275.
[0072] A hardware abstraction layer module 185 facilitates uniform
access to the range extender functions. A supplier software
development kit (SDK) module 186 facilitates creation of
applications with advanced features specific to the
transmitter/receiver 170 and operating system module 184. The PCB
174 includes a communications stack module 187 to support the
802.15.4 thread network protocol communication module 182.
[0073] As can be seen, the transmitter/receiver 170 is specifically
designed for use in the VAN 101. The transmitter/receiver 170
includes a power manager module 188 and a packet forwarder module
189 for assisting with data conversion. The transmitter/receiver
170 also includes a diagnostic and commissioning module 190 that
provides a user interface via the smart device 275 for start-up and
troubleshooting purposes. Other modules may be present in the
transmitter/receiver 170 to accomplish any desired features in the
VAN 101. Further, the transmitter/receiver 170 features may be
expanded by having hardware and software ready to host additional
software and support other components.
[0074] The transmitter/receiver 170 is particularly beneficial when
retrofitting technology on to an existing trailer or tractor for
future incorporation into a vehicle area network. The
transmitter/receiver 170 may connect to various sensors, wired or
wirelessly, then pass along the data to a wireless hub. In effect,
the transmitter/receiver 170 is the additional hardware to bridge
communications with existing hardware to the new networked
components.
Tire Pressure Monitor System
[0075] Further, the sensors may also be retrofit. For example, see
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/119,109 filed on Aug. 31, 2018
entitled TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR WITH VARIABLE ANGLE MOUNTING, which
is incorporated herein by reference. In addition to sensors
indicating the tire pressure, the sensors may auto-locate or be
programmed to indicate wheel position. As such, when the VAN 101
identifies a pressure reading, the pressure reading is associated
with a specific tire. The tire-related data can include temperature
data as well, which is also an indication of proper and improper
performance.
[0076] It is envisioned that the smart device 275 can be used to
assist in refilling tire pressure alleviating the need for a tire
pressure gauge by having the pressure reading on the smart device
275 or other indicia, such as beeping the horn/flashing the lights,
to indicate that the pressure is within specification. If the tire
is equipped with automatic tire fill, the VAN 101 can trigger
refill and stop at the desired pressure. The sensors can also
provide an indication that the lift axle is lowered but the tire is
not turning. In this instance, a tire lock warning could be
generated and/or acted upon such as in an autonomous vehicle.
Similarly, a tire blow out can be detected quickly after the burst
event to send a warning indicating the blow out and location. In
the self-driving vehicle, the tire burst warning generates a
reaction for safety and control. Preferably, the sensors are
battery powered with efficient power usage for long life.
Beacons
[0077] Referring now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, a perspective and a bottom
exploded view of a beacon 200 in accordance with the subject
technology is shown. The beacon 200 may mount to the trailer 104a
magnetically, with a bracket or by any other fastener. A bottom
plate 202 forms two recesses 204. Screws 206 hold magnets 208 in
the recesses 204 so that the beacon 200 can simply be placed
against the trailer 104a for mounting and easily removed without
tools for wireless charging, relocation, repair and the like. The
bottom plate 202 has an indicia arrow 210.
[0078] The beacon 200 also includes a rechargeable battery 212 for
a power source. A printed circuit board (PCB) 214 has an LED 216
(shown in dashed lines) that illuminates to show such information
as the status of the trailer 104a (e.g., connected to the VAN 101
(e.g., solid light) or in process of being connected (e.g.,
flashing light)). The PCB 214 also has components to wirelessly
communicate with the hubs 130a-d and or transmitter/receivers
170a-d. The PCB 214 is also equipped to interface with a smart
device 218 that can use near-field communication (NCF). The PCB 214
also has a GPS module 220 (shown in dashed lines) so that the VAN
101 can locate the beacon 200, and in turn the trailer 104a at a
great distance as described above. The beacon 200 also has a PCB
top plate 222 for protecting the PCB 214. The PCB top plate 222 has
a translucent window 224 aligned with the LED 216. A top cover 226
couples to the bottom plate 202 to seal the battery 212, PCB 214
and PCB top plate 222 within an oval housing 228. Preferably, the
top cover 226, bottom plate 202, PCB 214, PCB top plate 222 and
oval housing 228 have features 230 for screwing together. The PCB
top plate 222 and top cover 226 also have a plurality of aligned
holes 232.
Multi-Trailer Ordering
[0079] Referring now to FIG. 5, another exemplary vehicle area
network (VAN) 301 for a tractor-trailer vehicle 300 is shown. The
components and functionality of the VAN 301 and tractor-trailer
vehicle 300 can be similar to the vehicle 100 and VAN 101 described
above, except as otherwise indicated herein. Thus, like reference
numerals in the "3" series represent similar components. For
clarity, several components are not shown.
[0080] The vehicle 300 includes a tractor 302 with three trailers
304a-c and two dollies 306, all including components similar to
those discussed with respect to FIG. 1. The VAN 301 allows for
communication between all of the components of the vehicle 300,
such as wireless hubs 330a-d, sensors 310a-f (e.g., TPMS, pressure
sensors, temperature sensors and the like), beacons 200, and the
like, as discussed above. The tractor 302 and each trailer 304a-c
have a corresponding subnetwork 314a-c within the VAN 301 which
connects the components proximate the respective trailer 304a-c.
Although not shown, it is envisioned that the VAN 301 includes
transmitter/receivers and other components as desirable for robust
performance. Each trailer 304a-c also includes a beacon 200 for
assisting the driver in assembling the vehicle 300.
[0081] It is advantageous for the VAN 301 to be informed of the
relative location of the trailers 304a-c and/or subnets 314a-c
established on the vehicle 300. The VAN 301 having the relative
location helps to identify where various sensors, and other
components such as the tires, are located. In some cases, it can be
a challenge for the VAN 301 to identify the exact ordering of the
trailers 304a-c. Further, even if this is manually calibrated,
trailers are often dropped off, and new trailers picked up and
attached to the truck, requiring the new trailers to be ordered
within the VAN 301. Therefore, it is advantageous for the VAN 301
to be capable of connecting to and establishing communication with
trailers automatically and determining an order of the
trailers.
[0082] Referring now to FIGS. 6A-6D, a flowchart 600 of a method
for automatically recognizing the order of three trailers 304a-c on
the vehicle 300 is shown. The method relies on data, including
signal strength and time of flight (ToF) to continuously monitor
and update the status of the vehicle 300. The flowchart herein
illustrates the structure or the logic of the present technology,
possibly as embodied in computer program software for execution on
by the hardware described herein. Those skilled in the art will
appreciate that the flowchart illustrates the structures of the
computer program code elements, including logic circuits on printed
circuit boards having integrated circuits that function according
to the present technology. As such, the present technology may be
practiced by a machine component that renders the program code
elements in a form that instructs a digital processing apparatus
(e.g., micro controller or computer) to perform a sequence of
function step(s) corresponding to those shown in the flowchart.
[0083] At step 602, the method starts with the micro controller of
each hub 330a-d being powered up and in normal operation to form
the respective subnetworks 312, 314a-c but, at this time, the
trailer order is unknown and the trailers 304a-c can be in any
order. At step 604, each subnetwork 312, 314a-c monitors received
signal strength indicators (RSSI) and ToF data from all other
subnetworks 312, 314a-c. If other hubs were not present, the same
data could come from range extenders or even directly from
sensors.
[0084] At steps 606 and 608, the tractor hub 330a identifies a
trailer subnetwork 314a with the highest RSSI and the shortest ToF.
The trailer subnetwork 314a with the highest RSSI and shortest ToF
should be the lead trailer 304a physically closest to the tractor
302. At step 610, the tractor hub 330a compares the subnetwork 314a
identified with the highest RSSI to the subnetwork 314a with the
shortest ToF. If the subnetworks of steps 606 and 608 do not match,
meaning the subnetwork with the highest RSSI is different from the
subnetwork with the shortest ToF, the method restarts at step 602.
At step 612, if there is a match by both being subnetwork 314a,
subnetwork 314a is identified as being on the first trailer 314a
(e.g., the lead trailer). Further, if at step 610, there is only an
RSSI and ToF from the same subnetwork 314a, then the tractor
subnetwork 312 can identify the associated trailer 304a as the one
and only trailer present.
[0085] After the lead trailer 304a is identified successfully, the
lead trailer wireless hub 330b identifies the subnetwork 314b with
the highest RSSI and the shortest ToF with respect thereto,
excluding the tractor subnetwork 312 in both cases at steps 614 and
616. At step 618, if there is a match, then the respective
subnetwork 314b is identified as the second trailer 304b
immediately after the lead trailer 304a at step 620 as shown on
FIG. 6b. If there is no match at step 618, the method restarts at
step 602. In another embodiment, the method restarts at step 612 by
using the previously established lead trailer identification. If at
steps 614 and 616, there are only an RSSI and ToF from two
subnetworks 314a, 314b, then the tractor subnetwork 312 can
identify and order the associated two trailers 304a, 304b. In one
embodiment, the process end after successful identification at step
620.
[0086] Once the second trailer 304b is identified, any of the hubs
330a, 330b or the trailer wireless hub 330c of the second trailer
304b can identify the third trailer 304c. To that end, in the
following description the second trailer wireless hub 330c is used.
At steps 622 and 624, the hub 330c identifies the subnetwork 314c
with the highest RSSI and the shortest ToF excluding the tractor
subnetwork 312 and the lead trailer subnetwork 314a in both cases.
At step 626, if there is a match, it is assumed the identified
subnetwork 314c corresponds to the third trailer 304c (i.e. the
trailer 304c immediately after the second trailer 304b). The third
trailer 304c is identified at step 628 based on the third trailer
subnetwork 314c, as shown on FIG. 6b. If there is no match at step
626, the entire process is restarted at step 602 but may
alternatively return to step 620.
[0087] The steps to identify the next trailer in a line of trailers
can be repeated for additional trailers, as would be understood by
one of skill in the art. Assuming the vehicle 300 has three
trailers 304a-c, as in the example of FIG. 5, the first results
ordering the three trailers 304a-c have then be determined at step
630, which indicate an initial order of all the trailers 304a-c. If
at steps 622 and 624, there are only an RSSI and ToF from three
subnetworks 314a-c, then the tractor subnetwork 312 can identify
and order the associated three trailers 304a, 304b and end the
method or proceed with a double check as follows. For more
trailers, the method may continue.
[0088] After step 630 to double check, the process of determining
the order of the trailers 304a-c is then substantially repeated, in
reverse order, to get a second set of results for comparison to
determine whether the initial ordering was accurate. In more
detail, referring now to FIG. 6c, the method continues to monitor
RSSI and ToF data from all other subnetworks 314a-c at step 632. At
steps 634 and 636, starting with the identified third trailer 304c,
the third trailer subnetwork 314c identifies the subnetwork 314b
with the highest RSSI and the shortest ToF by comparing data from
all of the identified subnetworks 312, 314a-b. At step 638,
subnetwork(s) with the highest RSSI and the shortest ToF are
compared. If the identified subnetworks with the highest RSSI and
the shortest ToF are different, the method restarts to step 632,
but if there is a match, then the identified subnetwork 314b is
determined to correspond to the second trailer 304b. The
identification of location of the second trailer 304b is saved as
part of the second set of results at step 640.
[0089] At steps 642 and 644, the newly identified second trailer
subnetwork 314b then identifies the highest RSSI and the shortest
ToF excluding the third trailer subnetwork in both cases. At step
646, the second trailer subnetwork 314b compares the identified
subnetworks, typically subnetwork 314a for each criteria. If there
is a match, then the identified subnetwork (e.g., subnetwork 314a)
is determined to correspond to the lead trailer 304a and saved as
part of the second set of results at step 648. If the identified
subnetworks are different at step 646, the method restarts at step
632.
[0090] Referring now to FIG. 6d, the identified lead trailer
subnetwork 314a then identifies the subnetwork with the highest
RSSI and with the shortest ToF excluding the second and third
trailer subnetworks 314b-c, in both cases at steps 650 and 652. At
step 654, the lead trailer subnetwork 314a compares the identified
subnetworks. If there is a match, properly being the tractor
subnetwork 312, then the method proceeds to step 640 where the
identified tractor subnetwork 312 is determined to correspond to
the tractor 302. The method gathers and saves the information
related to the three properly located subnetworks 312, 314a-b as
part of the second set of results at step 658.
[0091] At step 660, with the subnetworks 312, 314a-b identified and
ordered a second time, the first and second set of results are then
compared. If the ordering determined in the first set of results is
consistent with the ordering determined in the second set of
results, then it is verified that order of the VAN subnetworks 312,
314a-c have been correctly determined and the method ends at step
662. Otherwise, if the order determined in the first and second set
of results is different, then the method starts over at step 602 so
a verified order can be determined.
[0092] In this way, the VAN 301 is able to automatically determine
an order of the trailers 304a-c based on the order of the
subnetworks 330b-d with no input from the user. The order of the
trailers 304a-c can then be relied upon to determine where various
sensors are located, and to easily take action based on a sensor
readings and/or alert. For example, if a tire pressure monitoring
sensor reports data that triggers a low pressure alert, it is
advantageous for the user to be able to narrow down the potential
tire(s) corresponding to that alert. A given sensor's subnet can be
used to determine which trailer (or tractor) the sensor is a part
of, based on the ordering of the trailers with no additional input
needed from the user. Thus, if the pressure sensor reporting the
alert is in the third trailer subnetwork 314c, the user can be
alerted that a tire of the third trailer 304c has low pressure.
This avoids the need for the user to spend time checking the tires
for the tractor 302 or the other trailers 304a-b. This can be
similarly used for readings and alerts for other known sensors as
are known in the art.
[0093] It is also envisioned that the dollies 306 can have wireless
hubs that form separate subnetworks rather than part of the trailer
subnetworks 314b-c, respectively. In this instance, the dolly
subnetworks would be similarly identified and ordered in the method
of ordering the subnetworks. The process described herein can use
shared specifications for standardized information. The shared
specifications allow the process of linking trailers to the VAN
101, 301 and ordering the trailers to be easily carried out across
multiple truck and trailer brands. Preferably, no secondary user
action is required to determine the ordering of the trailers 104,
304. For example, the method for ordering the trailers 104, 304 can
be activated upon making the electrical and/or pneumatic
connections between the tractor 102, 302 and the trailers 104, 304,
as well as between the trailers 104, 304. The method can also be
triggered by using the smart device 275.
[0094] As would be understood by those of ordinary skill in the
pertinent art, the subject technology has broad applicability. For
example, the subject technology would work equally well on trains,
trolley cars, and containers in shipyards and on large ships and
the like. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the
pertinent art that the functions of several elements may, in
alternative embodiments, be carried out by fewer elements, or a
single element. Similarly, in some embodiments, any functional
element may perform fewer, or different, operations than those
described with respect to the illustrated embodiment. Also,
functional elements (e.g., modules, databases, interfaces,
computers, servers and the like) shown as distinct for purposes of
illustration may be incorporated within other functional elements
in a particular implementation.
[0095] All patents, patent applications and other references
disclosed herein are hereby expressly incorporated in their
entireties by reference. While the subject technology has been
described with respect to preferred embodiments, those skilled in
the art will readily appreciate that various changes and/or
modifications can be made to the subject technology without
departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by
the appended claims.
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