Methods and apparatus to determine vehicle trailer weight
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsAnton Rogness, Joshua Rajasingh, Andrew Niedert, Elliott Pearson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to determine vehicle trailer weight. An example apparatus includes a first sensor disposed on a hitch coupled to a vehicle to measure a first rate of change of a weight of the vehicle. The example apparatus also includes a second sensor disposed on a chassis of the vehicle to measure a second rate of change of the weight of the vehicle. The example apparatus also includes a controller to monitor the first rate of change and the second rate of change to determine if the vehicle is improperly loaded.
Claims19
An apparatus comprising:
- a first sensor disposed on a hitch coupled to a vehicle to measure a first rate of change of a weight of the vehicle;
- a second sensor disposed on a chassis of the vehicle to measure a second rate of change of the weight of the vehicle;
- and
- a controller to:
- initiate a trailer load measurement sequence corresponding to a coupling of a trailer to the hitch;
- and
- continuously monitor during the trailer load measurement sequence the first rate of change and the second rate of change, the controller to determine if a fault occurred during the trailer load measurement sequence by identifying a difference between the first rate of change and the second rate of change over the trailer load measurement sequence, the fault indicative of at least one of a passenger entering the vehicle or cargo being placed in the vehicle during the trailer load measurement sequence.
An apparatus comprising:
- a controller to:
- determine an initial weight of a vehicle;
- initiate a trailer load measurement sequence corresponding to a coupling of a trailer to a hitch of the vehicle;
- monitor continuously for the trailer load measurement sequence a first rate of change of a weight of the vehicle and a second rate of change of the weight of the vehicle while a load is applied to the hitch of the vehicle;
- compare the first rate of change and the second rate of change;
- in response to determining the first rate of change is the same as the second rate of change, determine a final weight of the vehicle when the first rate of change and the second rate of change reach a steady state;
- and
- in response to determining the first rate of change is not the same as the second rate of the change, determine a fault occurred during the trailer load measurement sequence, the fault indicative of at least one of a passenger entering the vehicle or cargo being placed in the vehicle during the trailer load measurement sequence.
An apparatus comprising:
- a first sensor coupled to a hitch of a vehicle;
- a set of sensors coupled to the vehicle;
- and
- a controller to:
- initiate a trailer load measurement sequence corresponding to a coupling of a trailer to the hitch;
- and
- determine a trailer load based on rate of change outputs from the first sensor and the set of sensors continuously monitored over a period of time, the controller to determine if a fault occurred during the trailer load measurement sequence by identifying a difference between a first rate of change output from the first sensor and a second rate of change output from the set of sensors, the fault indicative of at least one of a passenger entering the vehicle or cargo being placed in the vehicle during the trailer load measurement sequence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.