# US 11,897,443 B2 · Antilock braking system for a towed vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,443 B2 - Document ID: US11897443B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/416,509 - Filed: 2019-12-20 - Published: 2022-03-17 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-21 - Assignees: Ozxcorp Pty Ltd - Applicants: Ozxcorp Pty Ltd - Inventors: Andrew Huett - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897443B2 ## CPC - B60T 8/1708: {for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations} - B60T 8/17616: {Microprocessor-based systems} - B60T 7/20: specially for trailers, e.g. in case of uncoupling of {or overrunning by} trailer (inertia-actuated overrun brakes B60T13/08) - F16D 55/225: the braking members being brake pads - F16D 65/18: adapted for drawing members together {, e.g. for disc brakes} - B60T 2230/06: Tractor-trailer swaying - B60T 2240/00: Monitoring, detecting wheel/tyre behaviour; counteracting thereof - B60T 2250/00: Monitoring, detecting, estimating vehicle conditions - B60T 2250/03: Vehicle yaw rate - F16D 51/20: extending in opposite directions from their pivots - F16D 65/22: adapted for pressing members apart {, e.g. for drum brakes} - F16D 2055/0016: {Brake calipers} - F16D 2121/20: using electromagnets - F16D 2121/24: using motors - F16D 2125/40: Screw-and-nut - F16D 2125/50: with parallel non-stationary axes, e.g. planetary gearing - B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES ## Abstract There is disclosed a control system for controlling braking of wheels in a towed vehicle comprising: an electric drum brake associated with at least one wheel of the towed vehicle for applying a braking force to the towed vehicle, the electric drum brake having at least one electro magnet for controlling application of the braking force; and a computer controller electrically coupled to each electric drum brake; wherein, the at least one electro-magnet generates an electric field through which a geometric or magnetic variation present in the electric drum brake passes through upon rotation of the wheel, the computer controller being configured to detect a response signal generated by the passing of the geometric or magnetic variation through the electric field, the response signal being indicative of the state of motion of the wheel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A braking control system for controlling braking of wheels in a towed vehicle comprising: an electric drum brake associated with at least one wheel of the towed vehicle for applying a braking force to the towed vehicle, the electric drum brake having at least one electro magnet for controlling application of the braking force; and a computer controller electrically coupled to each electric drum brake; wherein, the at least one electro-magnet generates an electric field through which a geometric or magnetic variation present in the electric drum brake passes through upon rotation of the wheel, the computer controller being configured to detect a response signal generated by the passing of the geometric or magnetic variation through the electric field, the response signal being indicative of the state of motion of the wheel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A braking control system according to claim 1, wherein the computer controller is configured to apply a sensing signal across at least one electro-magnet of the electric drum brake to generate said electric field. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A braking control system according to claim 1, wherein the state of motion of the wheel that is indicative of the response signal is the rotational speed of the wheel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A braking control system according to claim 1, wherein the geometric or magnetic variation present in the electric drum brake comprise studs for connecting the wheel to the electric drum brake. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A braking control system according to claim 1, wherein the geometric or magnetic variation present in the electric drum brake comprise cavities formed in an interior surface of the drum brake wall. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A braking control system according to claim 1, wherein the geometric or magnetic variation present in the electric drum brake comprise markings formed in an interior surface of the drum brake wall. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) A braking control system according to claim 3, wherein the response signal comprises an induced magnetic reluctance signal induced by passage of one or more studs, drum brake wall cavities or drum brake wall markings passing through the electric field. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A braking control system according to claim 1, wherein the state of motion of the wheels of the towed vehicle is used by a computing system associated with the towed vehicle to controlling the braking of the wheels. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) A braking control system according to claim 7, wherein the computing system of the towed vehicle receives the response signals and determines whether one or more of the wheels of the towed vehicle is in a skidding motion or not. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A braking control system according to claim 8, wherein the determination of whether the wheel is in a skidding motion is based on whether the computing system of the towed vehicle detects presence of a response signal or whether the response signal indicates that the wheel is locked or slowing down too quickly. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) A braking control system according to claim 9, wherein failure of the computing system of the towed vehicle to detect a response signal indicates that the wheel is in a skidding motion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A braking control system according to claim 10, wherein upon determining that the wheel is in a skidding motion, the computing system of the towed vehicle requests the electric drum brake associated with the wheel to release the wheel momentarily to prevent further skidding of the wheel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A braking control system according to claim 1, wherein the state of motion of the wheels of the towed vehicle is used by a computing system associated with the towed vehicle to control the swaying of the towed vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) A braking control system according to claim 12, wherein the computing system associated with the towed vehicle receives the response signals from each of the wheels of the towed vehicle to determine a reference speed of the towed vehicle; the computing system then monitors the speed of each of the wheels to compare the individual wheel speeds against the reference speed of the vehicle to determine the presence of unwanted movement of the towed vehicle with respect to the towing vehicle; and upon determination of unwanted movement of the towed vehicle by the computing system, the computing system applies at least one brake to at least one of the wheels to minimise unwanted movement. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) A braking control system according to claim 13, wherein the towed vehicle includes one or more additional sensors for determining unwanted movement of the towed vehicle and each additional sensor communicates with the computing system of the towed vehicle to transmit movement data periodically. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) A braking system according to claim 14, wherein the one or more additional sensors include, accelerometers, yaw rate sensors and force sensors attached to a body of the towed vehicle.