Trailer brake control system
AssigneeAGCO International GmbH
InventorsPhilipp Kirmaier, Josef Ammann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for controlling operation of a trailer brake system associated with an agricultural vehicle, comprising: determining a coupling force associated with a coupling point for providing a coupling between the vehicle and a trailer, determining, in dependence on the coupling force, the presence of a trailer coupled to the vehicle at the coupling point; and controlling one or more components of the vehicle in dependence on the determination of the presence of the trailer.
Claims17
A control system for controlling operation of a trailer brake system associated with an agricultural vehicle, the control system comprising a vehicle control unit, and being configured to:
- determine, at a plurality of time points within a braking interval, a coupling force associated with a coupling point for providing a coupling between the vehicle and a trailer, wherein the braking interval is defined by a trailer brake pressure signal provided by the control system for controlling the trailer brake system, wherein a first time point of the brake interval corresponds to a time point when the trailer brake pressure signal is controlled to provide an operating pressure level in at least one fluid line of the trailer brake system;
- determine, in dependence on the coupling force, the presence of a trailer coupled to the vehicle at the coupling point;
- generate and output a control signal for controlling at least one component of the vehicle in dependence on the determination of the presence of the trailer;
- and
- control a user interface of the vehicle to prevent issuance of a warning message associated with the trailer in dependence on the determination that no trailer is present.
A method of controlling operation of a trailer brake system associated with an agricultural vehicle, the method comprising:
- determining, at a plurality of time points within a braking interval, a coupling force associated with a coupling point for providing a coupling between the vehicle and a trailer, wherein the braking interval is defined by a trailer brake pressure signal provided by a control system for controlling the trailer brake system, wherein a first time point of the brake interval corresponds to a time point when the trailer brake pressure signal is controlled to provide an operating pressure level in at least one fluid line of the trailer brake system;
- determining, in dependence on the coupling force, the presence of a trailer coupled to the vehicle at the coupling point;
- controlling at least one component of the vehicle in dependence on the determination of the presence of the trailer;
- and
- controlling a user interface of the vehicle to prevent issuance of a warning message associated with the trailer in dependence on the determination that no trailer is present.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.