Systems and methods for monitoring and controlling tractor/trailer vehicle systems

A communications system for connecting to a combination of a tractor and a trailer mechanically and electrically connected to the tractor to communicate a command from the tractor to a subsystem positioned on the trailer, the system comprising:

• a power bus which supplies electrical power to the combination of the tractor and the trailer;
• spread spectrum signal producing means, positioned on the tractor, for producing a spread spectrum data communications signal representing the command on said power bus, wherein said spread spectrum signal producing means comprises means for producing said spread spectrum data communications signal from the command;
• and
• controlling means, positioned on the trailer, for controlling the subsystem based on the spread spectrum data communications signal, wherein said controlling means comprises:
• spread spectrum signal receiving means, positioned on the trailer and responsive to said power bus, for receiving said spread spectrum data communications signal;
• and
• means for controlling the subsystem from the received spread spectrum data communications signal.

A communications system for a trailer for communicating a status of a first subsystem positioned on the trailer, the system comprising:

• a power bus which supplies electrical power to the trailer, wherein said power bus supplies power to the first subsystem and each of a plurality of second subsystems;
• spread spectrum signal producing means, responsive to the first subsystem, for producing a spread spectrum data communications signal representing the status of the subsystem on the power bus;
• spread spectrum blocking means, associated with respective ones of said second subsystems, for protecting the spread spectrum data communications signal placed on said power bus by said spread spectrum signal producing means from attenuation by the second subsystems;
• and
• status determining means, positioned remote from the trailer and responsive to the power bus, for determining the status of the subsystem from the spread spectrum data communications signal.

A communications system for at least one trailer, for communicating a respective status of a plurality of subsystems positioned on the at least one trailer, wherein the plurality of subsystems positioned on the at least one trailer communicate according to at least two different protocols, and wherein the communications system comprises:

• a power bus which supplies electrical power to the at least one trailer;
• spread spectrum signal producing means, responsive to the plurality of subsystems and positioned on the trailer, for producing spread spectrum data communications signals representing the status of the plurality of subsystems on the power bus, wherein said spread spectrum signal producing means comprises;
• a plurality of protocol specific transmitters associated with respective ones of said subsystems, wherein each protocol specific transmitter receives signals having a predetermined protocol and converts the signals to a standardized format;
• and
• means for producing spread spectrum data communications signals representative of the status of respective ones of the subsystems based upon the signals having the standardized format provided by the protocol specific transmitters;
• and
• status determining means, responsive to the power bus, for determining the status of respective ones of the plurality of subsystems from the spread spectrum data communications signals.

A communications system for at least one trailer, for communicating a respective status of a plurality of subsystems positioned on the at least one trailer, the system comprising:

• a power bus which supplies electrical power to the at least one trailer;
• spread spectrum signal producing means, responsive to the subsystems and positioned on the at least one trailer, for producing spread spectrum data communications signals representing the respective status of the subsystems on the power bus, wherein said spread spectrum signal producing means comprises a plurality of spread spectrum transmitters responsive to respective ones of the subsystems for producing spread spectrum communications signals representing the status of the respective subsystem, and wherein said spread spectrum signal producing means comprises self-diagnostic means associated with at least one of said transmitter and for halting further transmission by the respective spread spectrum transmitter to the communications system if said self-diagnostic means determines that the respective spread spectrum transmitter is being provided with inaccurate signals such that the remainder of the communications system will continue to operate;
• and
• status determining means, responsive to the power bus, for determining the status of respective ones of the plurality of subsystems from the spread spectrum data communications signals.

A method of monitoring a subsystem positioned on a trailer that produces a data signal representing a status of the subsystem and a power bus which distributes electrical power to the trailer and a tractor connected thereto, the method comprising the steps of:

• producing a data communications signal from the data signal;
• communicating said data communications signal over the power bus, wherein said step of communicating comprises the steps of:
• modulating the data communications signal to produce a spread spectrum data communications signal;
• and
• superposing the spread spectrum data communications signal on the power bus, at the trailer;
• and
• determining the status of the subsystem from the communicated data communications signal, wherein said step of determining comprises the steps of:
• receiving the superposed spread spectrum data communications signal;
• and
• determining the status of the subsystem from the received spread spectrum data communications signal.

A method of communicating a command from a tractor to a subsystem positioned on a trailer electrically and mechanically connected to the tractor, the tractor and trailer combination including a power bus which supplies electrical power to the tractor and the trailer, the method comprising the steps of:

• producing a data communications signal representing the command on the power bus, wherein said step of producing comprises the steps of:
• modulating the data communications signal to produce a spread spectrum data communications signal;
• and
• superposing the spread spectrum data communications signal on the power bus, at the tractor;
• receiving the superposed spread spectrum data communications signal, at the trailer;
• and
• controlling the subsystem based on the spread spectrum data communications signal.