US 2026/0175637 A1Published application

Load distribution in trucking transportation and control of parameters of cargo inside trailers

AssigneeMouse Scale LLC

InventorsAndriy HAPYUK, Yaroslav HAPYUK

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Abstract

Methods and systems for generating axle weight and load distribution value estimates that include receiving a pressure associated with an air-ride suspension of a drive axle of a vehicle or a trailer axle of the vehicle, receiving vehicle information associated with a characteristic of the vehicle, receiving load information associated with a load of the vehicle, and calculating a weight value estimate including at least one of a gross weight of the vehicle, a single-axle weight for the vehicle, or a tandem-axle weight for the vehicle or a load distribution value estimate based on the pressure, the vehicle information, and the load information. The methods and systems can be used to determine and control the weight of cargo inside trailer, the location of its center of gravity and make determinations regarding additional weight capacity of the truck without moving the fifth wheel.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A system for generating axle weight estimates and load distribution recommendations for a vehicle with an air-ride suspension, the system comprising:
a memory configured to store vehicle configuration data and weight distribution coefficients;
and
a processor configured to execute instructions to:
receive pressure data associated with an air-ride suspension of at least one of a drive axle of a vehicle or a trailer axle of a trailer coupled to the vehicle;
receive vehicle configuration information including at least:
a base distance between a steering axle and the drive axle, a plurality of available positions for a fifth wheel coupling, fuel tank capacity information, and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) tank capacity information;
retrieve, from the memory, stored weight distribution coefficients including:
a fuel weight distribution coefficient representing a proportion of fuel weight distributed to the drive axle, a fifth wheel weight distribution coefficient for each of the plurality of available positions, and a DEF weight distribution coefficient;
calculate, based on the pressure data, the vehicle configuration information, and the stored weight distribution coefficients, current weight values for a plurality of axles including at least:
a steering axle weight, a drive axle weight, and a trailer axle weight;
receive legal weight limit data corresponding to a route of the vehicle;
determine that at least one of the current weight values exceeds a corresponding legal weight limit or will exceed the corresponding legal weight limit after a planned change in vehicle status;
calculate a plurality of predicted weight distributions based on a plurality of simulated adjustments, each simulated adjustment selected from:
moving the fifth wheel coupling from a current position to a different position of the plurality of available positions, moving trailer tandems to a different position, adding a specified amount of fuel to a fuel tank, or adding a specified amount of DEF to a DEF tank;
identify at least one simulated adjustment from the plurality of simulated adjustments that results in a predicted weight distribution satisfying the legal weight limit data;
and
generate a suggested action comprising instructions to perform the at least one identified simulated adjustment.

15 more elements

A method for calibrating and operating a vehicle weight distribution system, the method comprising:
a calibration phase;
and
an operational phase;
wherein the calibration phase comprises:
performing, by a processor, a first weighing operation with a vehicle having full fuel tanks and full diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) tanks with an empty trailer attached, the trailer tandems being in a front position;
receiving, by the processor, first weight measurements for a steering axle, a drive axle, and a trailer axle from the first weighing operation;
performing, by the processor, a second weighing operation with the vehicle having full fuel tanks and full DEF tanks with a loaded trailer attached;
receiving, by the processor, second weight measurements for the steering axle, the drive axle, and the trailer axle from the second weighing operation;
performing, by the processor, a third weighing operation with the vehicle without a trailer attached and having full fuel tanks and full DEF tanks;
receiving, by the processor, third weight measurements for the steering axle and the drive axle from the third weighing operation;
receiving, by the processor, dimension measurements of the vehicle including at least
a base distance between a center of the steering axle and a center of the drive axle,
a distance from the center of the steering axle to a center of gravity of a fuel tank,
a distance from the center of the steering axle to a center of gravity of a DEF tank,
a distance from the center of the steering axle to a fifth wheel position, and
a distance between adjacent fifth wheel positions;
calculating, by the processor and based on the first, second, and third weight measurements and the dimension measurements, a plurality of weight distribution coefficients including
a fuel weight distribution coefficient K(fuel)=a/base, where a is the distance from the center of the steering axle to the center of gravity of the fuel tank and base is the base distance,
a DEF weight distribution coefficient K(DEF)=b/base, where b is the distance from the center of the steering axle to the center of gravity of the DEF tank,
a fifth wheel weight distribution coefficient K(n) for a fifth wheel position n, where K(n)=p(n)/base and p(n) is the distance from the center of the steering axle to a fifth wheel pin in position n;
and
storing, by the processor, the plurality of weight distribution coefficients in a memory;
and
wherein the operational phase comprises:
receiving, by the processor, pressure data from an air-ride suspension system of the vehicle;
receiving, by the processor, current vehicle status information including:
a current fuel level, a current DEF level, and a current fifth wheel position;
calculating, by the processor and based on the pressure data, the plurality of weight distribution coefficients, and the current vehicle status information, weight estimates for the steering axle, the drive axle, and the trailer axle;
and
generating, by the processor, an output comprising the weight estimates.

28 more elements

13:

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to implement a weight distribution coefficient system by:
storing, in a memory, calibration data comprising
(a) a plurality of weight distribution coefficients including
(1) a fuel weight distribution coefficient K(fuel) representing a proportion of fuel weight distributed to a drive axle,
(2) a plurality of fifth wheel weight distribution coefficients K(n) for a plurality of fifth wheel positions, wherein each coefficient K(n) is calculated according to K(n)=K(0)+n×(d/base), where K(0) is a coefficient for an initial position, n is a position number, d is a distance between adjacent fifth wheel positions, and base is a distance between a steering axle and the drive axle,
(3) a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) weight distribution coefficient K(DEF), and
(4) a passenger weight distribution coefficient K(passengers);
(b) baseline weight values comprising
(1) a baseline steering axle weight M(steering·base),
(2) a baseline drive axle weight M(drive·base), and
(3) a baseline trailer weight M(empty·trailer);
receiving pressure data from sensors disposed within an air-ride suspension system;
converting the pressure data to estimated axle weights based on a linear relationship between pressure and weight, the linear relationship being specific to the vehicle and determined during calibration;
receiving current vehicle status information comprising
a current fuel weight,
a current DEF weight,
a current passenger weight, and
a current fifth wheel position number n;
calculating a weight bearing on a fifth wheel coupling (M(front)) according to
M
⁡
(
front
)
=
(
M
⁡
(
drive
)
-
(
M
⁡
(
drive
·
base
)
-
dM
⁡
(
passengers
)
×
K
⁡
(
passengers
)
-
dm
⁡
(
fuel
)
×
K
⁡
(
fuel
)
-
dm
⁡
(
DEF
)
×
K
⁡
(
DEF
)
+
M
⁡
(
fifth
)
×
(
n
-
k
)
×
d
/
base
)
)
/
K
⁡
(
n
)
,
where
M(drive) is a current drive axle weight estimated from the pressure data,
dM(passengers) is a difference between the current passenger weight and a calibration passenger weight,
dm(fuel) is a difference between the current fuel weight and a calibration fuel weight,
dm(DEF) is a difference between the current DEF weight and a calibration DEF weight,
M(fifth) is a fifth wheel weight,
k is a calibration fifth wheel position number,
n is the current fifth wheel position number,
d is the distance between adjacent fifth wheel positions,
base is the distance between the steering axle and the drive axle, and
K(n) is the fifth wheel weight distribution coefficient for position n;
calculating a current steering axle weight (M(steering)) according to M(steering)=M(steering·base)+M(front)×(1−K(n))−dM(passengers)×(1−K(passengers))−dm(fuel)×(1−K(fuel))−dm(DEF)×(1−K(DEF))−M(fifth)×(n−k)×d/base;
calculating a gross weight of a vehicle and trailer assembly (M(gross)) according to M(gross)=M(steering)+M(drive)+M(trailer), where M(trailer) is a trailer axle weight estimated from the pressure data;
calculating a cargo weight (M(cargo)) according to M(cargo)=M(gross)−M(bobtail)−M(empty·trailer), where M(bobtail) is a current vehicle weight without the trailer;
and
generating output data comprising at least the current steering axle weight, the current drive axle weight, M(trailer), M(front), and M(cargo).

114 more elements

17:

A distributed transportation network system comprising a central server and a plurality of vehicle computing devices, wherein:
each of the plurality of vehicle computing devices is associated with a vehicle having a processor configured to:
(i) receive pressure data from air-ride suspension sensors of the vehicle,
(ii) calculate current axle weights based on the pressure data and stored weight distribution coefficients,
(iii) determine a cargo weight and a position of a center of mass of the cargo,
(iv) calculate an available additional load capacity based on legal weight limits and current axle weights, and
(v) transmit vehicle capacity data including the cargo weight, the position of the center of mass, the available additional load capacity, and current GPS location to the central server via a wireless communication network;
and
the central server is configured to:
(i) receive and store the vehicle capacity data from the plurality of vehicle computing devices in a database,
(ii) receive load requests including a requested cargo weight, requested cargo dimensions, a pickup location, and a delivery location,
(iii) identify compatible vehicles from the plurality of vehicles based on:
(a) whether the available additional load capacity exceeds the requested cargo weight,
(b) whether available spatial positioning in a trailer, calculated based on the position of the center of mass of existing cargo, accommodates the requested cargo dimensions,
(c) route compatibility between current vehicle location, destination, and the pickup and delivery locations, and
(d) predicted compliance with legal weight limits after adding the requested cargo at calculated optimal positioning,
(iv) rank the compatible vehicles based on at least one optimization criterion selected from minimizing deadhead miles, maximizing capacity utilization, minimizing total route deviation, or minimizing environmental impact, and
(v) transmit load matching notifications to mobile devices associated with drivers of the ranked compatible vehicles, the notifications including the requested cargo information and predicted impact on vehicle weight distribution.

15 more elements

20:

A computer-implemented method for reducing deadhead miles in commercial trucking, the method comprising:
continuously receiving, at a central server, vehicle status data from a plurality of vehicles, each vehicle status data set comprising:
(a) current axle weights calculated from air-ride suspension pressure measurements,
(b) cargo weight and center of mass position,
(c) available additional load capacity calculated based on legal weight limits and current vehicle configuration,
(d) current GPS coordinates,
(e) planned route and destination, and
(f) trailer tandem position and fifth wheel position;
maintaining, in a database, a dynamic inventory of available capacity for each of the plurality of vehicles, the dynamic inventory being updated as vehicle status data changes;
receiving load requests from shippers or freight brokers, each load request specifying a cargo weight, cargo dimensions, pickup location, delivery location, and time constraints;
for each load request, executing a matching algorithm that:
(a) filters vehicles having available additional load capacity sufficient for the requested cargo weight,
(b) calculates, for each filtered vehicle, whether the requested cargo can be positioned within the trailer while maintaining legal weight distribution, using the stored cargo center of mass position and trailer configuration data,
(c) determines route deviation for each filtered vehicle by comparing the pickup and delivery locations to the vehicle's planned route,
(d) calculates a deadhead reduction metric representing miles saved by accepting the load versus traveling empty, and
(e) selects a subset of highest-ranked vehicles based on maximizing the deadhead reduction metric while satisfying time constraints;
transmitting load opportunity notifications to mobile devices of drivers of the selected vehicles, the notifications including:
(i) the load request details,
(ii) calculated optimal positioning for the cargo within the trailer,
(iii) predicted axle weights after loading, and
(iv) estimated deadhead miles saved;
receiving acceptance of the load opportunity from a driver's mobile device;
updating the dynamic inventory to reflect the reduced available capacity of the accepting vehicle;
and
generating loading instructions for the driver, the instructions specifying optimal cargo placement based on the center of mass calculations and current trailer configuration.

22 more elements

Facts

Application: 19/541,290Filed 16 Feb 2026
Priority: 14 Aug 2023
Published: 25 Jun 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

B60G 17/0182
Characterised by the use of a specific signal treatment or control method: involving parameter estimation, e.g. observer, Kalman filter
B60G 11/27
Having fluid springs only, e.g. hydropneumatic springs: wherein the fluid is a gas
B60G 17/017
The regulating means comprising electric or electronic elements: characterised by their use when the vehicle is stationary, e.g. during loading,…
G01G 19/02
Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups: for weighing wheeled or rolling bodies, e.g.…

Family

Application63/519,442Us provisional application · filed 14 Aug 2023
Application63/767,430Us provisional application · filed 5 Mar 2025
Application63/902,646Us provisional application · filed 21 Oct 2025
Application19/541,290Continuation in part
US 2026/0175637 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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