Apparatus, method and system for monitoring towed vehicles in a tractor-trailer vehicle

A tractor controller comprising:

• an electrical control port for transmitting an electrical control signal to a tractor pneumatic source;
• a communications port for receiving data;
• a processing unit comprising control logic, wherein the processing unit is in communication with the electrical control port and the communications port, wherein the control logic is capable of:
• transmitting an electrical sync signal to the towed vehicle train;
• transmitting, an electrical start signal and an electronic pressure signal to a tractor pneumatic source at a predetermined time period after transmitting the sync signal;
• receiving a first data signal comprising a first time value and a first unique identification at the communications port from the towed vehicle in response to transmitting the electrical start signal and the electronic pressure signal;
• calculating, at a predetermined response time, the position of the first towed vehicle in the tractor-trailer vehicle based on the first time value received.

A towed-vehicle controller of a tractor-trailer vehicle comprising:

• a first electrical control port for receiving an electrical sync signal and an electrical start signal from a tractor;
• a second electrical control port for receiving an electronic pressure signal from a pneumatic source of the tractor;
• a communications port for transmitting data;
• a processing unit comprising control logic wherein the processing unit is in communication with the first electrical control port and the second electrical control port and the communications port, and includes control logic capable of:
• transmitting a data signal comprising a time value and a unique identification to the tractor in response to receiving an electronic pressure signal from the pneumatic source of the tractor.

A method for monitoring a vehicle train of a tractor-trailer vehicle, the method comprising:

• transmitting an electronic sync signal from a tractor vehicle to a first towed vehicle of the tractor-trailer vehicle;
• transmitting an electrical start signal and an electronic pressure signal to the first towed vehicle at a predetermined time period from the sync signal;
• transmitting a first data signal from the first towed vehicle to the tractor vehicle, the first data signal comprising a first time value and a first unique identification in response to transmission of the electrical start signal and the electronic pressure signal;
• determining, at a predetermined response time, the position of the towed vehicle based on the first time value received.

A system for monitoring a tractor-trailer vehicle comprising:

• a pneumatic control valve;
• a stoplight switch in communication with the manually-operated pneumatic control valve and a towed vehicle of the tractor-trailer vehicle;
• a tractor pneumatic source which is in communication with the pneumatic control valve and the towed vehicle of the tractor-trailer vehicle;
• a tractor controller comprising:
• an electrical port for receiving an electrical sync signal and an electrical start signal;
• a communications port for receiving data from a towed vehicle of a tractor-trailer vehicle that receives the electrical sync signal and the electrical start signal;
• a processing unit comprising control logic, wherein the processing unit is in communication with the communications port, wherein the control logic is capable of:
• receiving a first data signal comprising a first time value and a unique identification which corresponds to the towed vehicle at the communications port from the towed vehicle that responds to the electrical start signal;
• determining, at a predetermined response time, the position of a towed vehicle in the tractor-trailer vehicle based on the data signal received.