# US 2022/0036664 A1 · Vehicle operational diagnostics and trailer health status system combination

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- Number: US 2022/0036664 A1
- Document ID: US20220036664A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/948,099
- Filed: 2020-09-03
- Published: 2022-02-03
- Earliest claimed: 2020-07-28
- Assignees: Airgo IP, LLC
- Applicants: Airgo IP, LLC
- Inventors: Peter Jankowski
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220036664A1

## CPC

- G07C 5/008: {communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C)}
- B60C 23/001: {Devices for manually or automatically controlling or distributing tyre pressure whilst the vehicle is moving}
- B60C 23/00327: {integrally with the hub caps}
- B60C 23/0408: {transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver}
- B60C 23/0479: {Communicating with external units being not part of the vehicle, e.g. tools for diagnostic, mobile phones, electronic keys or service stations}
- B60P 3/1033: {on a loading frame, e.g. the vehicle being a trailer (B60P3/1008 takes precedence)}
- B62D 53/04: comprising a vehicle carrying an essential part of the other vehicle's load by having supporting means for the front or rear part of the other vehicle
- B62D 53/06: Semi-trailers
- G06V 20/56: exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
- G07C 5/0816: {Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction}
- H04W 4/48: for in-vehicle communication
- G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES
- B60P: VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS (vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00)
- 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)
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

A vehicle operational diagnostics and condition response system includes at least an axle supporting a cargo transport unit frame, a suspension disposed between and secured to each the cargo transport unit frame and the axle, a load detection device interacting with the suspension and communicating with a system controller, wherein the system controller is supported by the cargo transport unit frame, and a cargo transport unit health status system supported by the cargo transport unit and configured to communicate with the system controller. The cargo transport unit health status system provides state status information for monitored operational elements of the cargo transport unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A combination comprising:
a powered tow unit providing a first vehicle frame;
a cargo transport unit providing a second vehicle frame and configured to be mechanically coupled, electrically coupled and pneumatically coupled to said powered tow unit;
a first system controller supported by said first vehicle frame and in electrical interaction with the powered towing unit, said first system controller providing at least first control electronics confined by a first housing;
a second system controller supported by said second vehicle frame of said cargo transport unit, said second system controller providing at least a second control electronics confined by a second housing, said second system controller configured to communicate with said first system controller; and
a cargo transport unit health status system supported by said cargo transport unit and configured to communicate with said second system controller, and interacts with said first system controller when said powered tow unit is mechanically, electrically, and pneumatically coupled to said cargo transport unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The combination of claim 1, further comprising:
a power circuit provided by said powered tow unit and communicating with said first system controller;
a data circuit provided by said powered tow unit and communicating with said first system controller;
a ground circuit provided by said powered tow unit and communicating with said first system controller;
an auxiliary circuit provided by said powered tow unit and communicating with said first system controller;
a power circuit provided by said cargo transport unit communicating with each said second system controller and said power circuit provided by said powered tow unit;
a data circuit provided by said cargo transport unit and communicating with each said second system controller and said data circuit provided by said powered tow unit;
a ground circuit provided by said cargo transport unit and communicating with each said second system controller and said ground circuit provided by said powered tow unit; and
an auxiliary circuit provided by said cargo transport unit and communicating with each said second system controller and said auxiliary circuit provided by said powered tow unit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The combination of claim 2, in which said trailer health status system includes at least a vehicle status device, in which said vehicle status device comprising:
a housing;
a computing device supported by said housing;
a communication circuit supported by said housing and communicating with said computing device and said second system controller;
a display supported by said housing, communicating with said computing device;
an energy supply unit supported by said housing and communicating with each said computing device, communication circuit, and display by way of a cargo transport unit health status system power circuit, when said powered tow unit is mechanically, electrically, and pneumatically coupled to said cargo transport unit, wherein the cargo transport unit health status system power circuit is supported by said housing and controls power distribution to each said computing device, communication circuit, and display;
a global poisoning system supported by said housing and communicating with said computing device and said second system controller;
a firmware module supported by said housing and communication with said computing device;
a memory device supported by said housing and communicating with said computing device;
a cargo transport unit health analysis routine stored in said memory device and loaded on said computing device;
a display driver circuit communicating with the computing device and the display, the display driver circuit accepts signal inputs from the computing device and generates display signals of predetermined voltage, current, timing and demultiplexing, said display signals are transmitted to said display, wherein said display presents a desired text or image; and
a four-way toggle push button communicating with the computing device, said four-way toggle push button facilitates a review by the operator of the various status states associated with a condition status displayed on the display.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The combination of claim 3, in which said second system controller provides said vehicle status device with status information via said communication circuit, said status information comprising:
tire pressure of a tire supporting said cargo transport unit;
absence of a pressure leak of the tire;
state of a door of said cargo transport unit;
state of a plurality of running lights of said cargo transport unit;
state of a brake light of said cargo transport unit;
state of a turn single of said cargo transport unit;
state of an automatic braking system of said cargo transport unit; and
state of said second controller of said cargo transport unit.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The combination of claim 4, in which said vehicle status device further comprising a trailer health status indicator supported by said housing and communicating with said computing device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The combination of claim 5, in which said status information received by said vehicle status device from said second system controller is in turn provided to said computing device, which stores said status information in said memory device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The combination of claim 6, in which said computing device uploads said status information from said memory device and analyses said status information using said trailer health analysis routine, which determines a health status of said cargo transport unit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The combination of claim 7, wherein upon determining said health status of said cargo transport unit, said computing device relays said determined health status to said trailer health status indicator.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The combination of claim 8, further comprising a vehicle pairing system communicating with each first and second system controllers; and an obstacle detection system providing a blind spot detection circuit, said blind spot detection circuit supported by said second vehicle frame, said blind spot detection circuit alerts an operator of a coupled power tow unit and cargo transport unit of a presence of an obstacle in a blind spot of said coupled power tow unit and cargo transport unit, and wherein said vehicle pairing system further comprising;
a first pairing signal generated by a first pairing circuit of a first control electronics of said first system controller, said first pairing circuit transmits said first pairing signal to a second pairing circuit of a second control electronics of a second system controller by way of said power circuit provided by said powered tow unit communicating with said power circuit of said cargo transport unit, said second pairing circuit passing said first pairing signal to said second control electronics; and
a second pairing signal generated by said second control electronics and provided to said second pairing circuit, said second pairing circuit transmits said second pairing signal to said first pairing circuit by way of said power circuit provided by said cargo transport unit communicating with said power circuit of said powered tow unit, said first pairing circuit passing said second pairing signal to said first control electronics, wherein said first pairing signal includes at least a unique, randomly generated identification code, said second pairing signal includes at least an affirmation code, said affirmation code acknowledges receipt and acceptance of said unique, randomly generated identification code by said second control electronics, and further wherein upon transmission of said second pairing signal by said second pairing circuit, said second control electronics initializes a second wireless communication module of said second control electronics, and upon receipt of said second pairing signal by said first pairing circuit, said first control circuit initializes a first wireless communication module of said control electronics, said first wireless module establishes communication with said second wireless module, and in which said power tow unit is a tractor of a tractor trailer combination and said cargo transport unit is a trailer of said tractor trailer combination, else said power tow unit is a locomotive of a locomotive and rail car combination and said cargo transport unit is a rail car of said locomotive rail car combination, else said power tow unit is a towboat of a towboat barge combination and said cargo transport unit is a barge of said towboat barge combination.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The combination of claim 9, wherein upon initialization of said first and said second wireless modules, further data communication between said powered tow unit and said cargo transport unit is conducted wirelessly until such time as said powered tow unit is decoupled from said cargo transport unit.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The combination of claim 10, wherein upon a decoupling of said powered tow unit from said cargo transport unit each said powered tow unit and said cargo transport unit discard said unique, randomly generated identification code.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The combination of claim 11 further comprising:
an first axle supporting said second vehicle frame;
a first suspension disposed between and secured to each said second vehicle frame and said first axle;
a load detection device interacting with said first suspension and communicating with said second system controller, said second system controller supported by said second vehicle frame;
a second axle supporting said first vehicle frame;
a second suspension disposed between and secured to each said first vehicle frame and said second axle;
a second load detection device interacting with said second suspension and communicating with said second system controller; and
an obstacle detection system providing a blind spot detection circuit, said blind spot detection circuit supported by the second vehicle frame, said blind spot detection circuit alerts an operator of said coupled power tow unit and cargo transport unit of a presence of an obstacle in a blind spot of said coupled power tow unit and cargo transport unit.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The combination of claim 12, in which said cargo transport unit of said coupled power tow unit and cargo transport unit is a semi-trailer, and further in which said first system controller is in electrical communication with said second system controller, and further in which the operator is alerted to the presence of the obstacle in the blind spot by way of a visual prompt.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The combination of claim 12, in which said cargo transport unit of said coupled power tow unit and cargo transport unit is a semi-trailer, and further in which said first system controller is in electrical communication with said second system controller, and further in which the operator is alerted to the presence of the obstacle in the blind spot by way of a an audio prompt.