Reconfigurable zone-based architecture for trailering applications

A system for communicating trailer information from a trailer to a vehicle, the system comprising:

• a plurality of zone-based modules configured to communicate with at least one of sensors and actuators of a vehicle;
• and
• at least one command center module configured to communicate with the plurality of zone-based modules;
• wherein at least one of the plurality of zone-based modules includes a configuration sub-module configured to, by a processor, facilitate communication of the trailer information from the trailer to at least one other of the plurality of zone-based modules,
• wherein each of the plurality of zone-based modules includes a configuration sub-module configured to, by a processor, facilitate communication of the trailer information between the plurality of zone-based modules,
• wherein the plurality of zone-based modules are configured to pack subscription information into multicast frames and communicate the multicast frames via at least one trailer path port, wherein the subscription information includes trailer signals that a vehicle application wants to subscribe to;
• and
• wherein the at least one command center module includes a configuration sub-module configured to, by a processor, facilitate communication of the trailer information between the plurality of zone-based modules and vehicle applications.

A method for communicating trailer information from a trailer to a vehicle, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a first zone-based module of a plurality of zone-based modules, trailer information from the trailer;
• configurating, by the first zone-based module, a first communication port between the first zone-based module and an other zone-based modules of the plurality of zone-based modules based on the trailer information;
• configuring, by the first zone-based module, a second communication port between the first zone-based module and a command center module based on the trailer information;
• communicating, by the first zone-based module, the trailer information from the trailer to at least one other zone-based module of the plurality of zone-based modules via the first communication port;
• communicating, by the first zone-based module, the trailer information from the trailer to the command center module via the second communication port
• coordinating, by the command center module, communication of the trailer information between the first zone-based module and vehicle applications of the command center module;
• and
• packing, by the first zone-based module, subscription information into multicast frames and communicating the multicast frames via the first communication port, wherein the subscription information includes trailer signals that a vehicle application wants to subscribe to.