# US 11,993,114 B2 · Cable system for a truck trailer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,993,114 B2 - Document ID: US11993114B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/340,049 - Filed: 2023-06-23 - Published: 2023-12-21 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-29 - Assignees: Grote Industries, Inc. - Applicants: Grote Industries, Inc. - Inventors: Adam Slade; Sankalp Pampattiwar; Cesar Perez-Bolivar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993114B2 ## CPC - B60D 1/62: involving supply lines, electric circuits or the like - B60R 16/0315: {using multiplexing techniques (multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J)} - B60D 1/64: Couplings or joints therefor - B60R 16/0239: {Electronic boxes} - B62D 63/08: Component parts or accessories - B60Y 2304/01: Minimizing space with more compact designs or arrangements - H01R 2201/26: for vehicles - Y02T 10/92: Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles - B60D: VEHICLE CONNECTIONS - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A cable system for a truck trailer for reducing the number and/or size of wiring in a commercial trailer cable system from seven to four, three, or two, while also facilitating bidirectional communication with all connected electronic devices in the trailer. The cable system has a ground cable, a power cable, and zero, one or two additional communication cables that may carry analog and/or digital communications between the control circuit and components of the trailer such as turn signal lamps, brake lamps, backup cameras, environmental sensors, and the like. A transformer for increasing the voltage on the power cable is disclosed, allowing the power and ground cables to be smaller without reducing power delivered to the trailer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A digital-to-analog adapter for a trailer electrical system, comprising: a first connector having at least four metal pins adapted for receiving both electrical power and digital electrical signals; a second connector comprising: a female analog electrical power connector; and a female analog electrical neutral; wherein the second connector is adapted to connect to and power an analog device of a trailer; a control circuit electrically connected to both the first connector and the second connector; wherein the control circuit is arranged and configured to selectively provide 12-volt electrical power to an analog trailer component via the female analog electrical power connector and the female analog electrical neutral; and wherein the control circuit is configured to accept the digital electrical signals and the electrical power from the first connector, and to selectively adjust the power provided to the trailer component via the second connector according to the digital electrical signals received from the first connector. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The digital-to-analog adapter of claim 1, comprising: a voltage regulator electrically connected to separate power and ground pins of the first connector, wherein the voltage regulator is configured to provide an output voltage to the female analog electrical power connector of the second connector that is less than an input voltage provided power in of the first connector. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The digital-to-analog adapter of claim 2, wherein the voltage regulator is operable to decrease the input voltage from 24 volts or more to the output voltage of 14 volts or less. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The digital-to-analog adapter of claim 2, comprising: a microcontroller electrically connected to the output voltage of the voltage regulator, wherein the microcontroller is arranged and configured to receive the digital electrical signals from the first connector via an electrical connection with at least one digital input pin of the first connector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The digital analog adapter of claim 4, comprising: a switching device around electrically connected to: a control output terminal of the microcontroller; the output voltage of the voltage regulator; and the female analog electrical power connector; where the microcontroller is arranged configured to selectively control power to the female analog electrical power connector according to input received from the control output terminal of the microcontroller. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The digital-to-analog adapter of claim 2, comprising: a transceiver electrically connected to the output voltage of the voltage regulator, wherein the transceiver is arranged and configured to receive the digital electrical signals from the first connector via an electrical connection with at least one digital input pin of the first connector, and wherein the transceiver includes at least one data output terminal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The digital-to-analog adapter of claim 6, comprising: a microcontroller electrically connected to the output voltage of the voltage regulator, wherein the microcontroller includes at least one input terminal electrically connected to the at least one data output terminal of the transceiver. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The digital-to-analog adapter of claim 6, wherein the transceiver comprises: a Control Area Network CAN controller electrically connected to the output voltage of the voltage regulator; a CAN transceiver electrically connected to the CAN controller and the data output terminal of the transceiver; and wherein the CAN transceiver is responsive to commands received from a master control circuit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The digital-to-analog adapter of claim 8, wherein the digital electrical signals conform to the Control Area Network (CAN) protocol. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The digital-to-analog adapter of claim 7, wherein the microcontroller is configured to retain a trailer component address in a memory of the microcontroller, and wherein the trailer component address identifies a trailer component coupled to the second connector. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The digital-to-analog adapter of claim 10, comprising: a set of switches electrically connected to address inputs of the microcontroller, wherein positions of each of the switches defines the address of the trailer component coupled to the second connector. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The digital-to-analog adapter of claim 1, wherein the at least four metal pins include a power pin, a ground pin, and two data pins.