System for determining towing equipment compatibility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10543725-B2
Application number	US-201816159847-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2018
Priority date	Nov 10, 2017
Publication date	Jan 28, 2020
Grant date	Jan 28, 2020

Abstract

Disclosed is a system for determining tow equipment compatibility that includes a processing device having a processor and non-volatile memory. The system also includes a data input device configured to input at least one unique tow equipment identification code (UTEIC) identifying a specific piece of tow equipment and properties thereof. The processor is configured to receive the UTEIC from the data input device, receive a user input, determine tow equipment compatibility based on the user input and the UTEIC, and communicate tow equipment compatibility data to a user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for determining tow equipment compatibility, comprising:
a processing device comprising a processor and non-volatile memory;
a data input device configured to receive input of at least one unique tow equipment identification code (UTEIC) identifying a specific piece of tow equipment and properties thereof from at least one of: a user, sensors, a network or a combination thereof;
wherein the data input device is a hand-held device operated by a user;
wherein the processor is configured to:
receive the UTEIC from the data input device;
receive a user input;
wherein the user input comprises the UTEIC and user settings;

determine tow equipment compatibility based on the user input and the UTEIC; and
communicate tow equipment compatibility data to a user.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data input device further comprises one or more sensors that produce sensor data.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data input device receives weight data from a weight determination system.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data input device receives vehicle VIN data.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data input device is a QR code scanner.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein data the input device is an On Board Diagnostic device connected by a plug-in connector to a vehicle On Board Diagnostic port.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to send compatibility data to a vehicle computer server.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data input device receives and transmits data via a wireless interface.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the wireless interface utilizes a protocol of a Bluetooth, Bluetooth mesh, WIFI, NFC, RFID, BLE, ZigBee, Z-wave, LoRaWAN, Dash7, DigiMesh, ANT, ANT+, NB-IoT, 3G, 4G, 5G, LTE or combinations thereof.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile memory stores factory settings and user settings specific to each UTEIC.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to build a model of a tow vehicle and a trailer set-up for a specific vehicle connected to a specific trailer;
wherein the model determines compatibility based on data associated with a specific UTEIC for each specific piece of tow equipment for the model;
wherein the model is stored in the non-volatile memory;
wherein the system communicates compatibility for the model; and
wherein the system alerts the user to all incompatibility by identifying which UTEIC is non-compatible, along with specified ratings for non-compatible UTEIC.

12. The system of claim 2 , wherein the sensors convert sensor data to an electrical signal; and wherein the sensors comprise at least one of: electromagnetic; electrochemical; electric current; electric potential; magnetic; radio; air flow; accelerometers; pressure; electro-acoustic; electro-optical; photoelectric; electrostatic; thermoelectric; radio-acoustic; environmental; moisture; humidity; fluid velocity; position; angle; displacement; or combinations thereof.

13. The system of claim 6 , wherein the system is adapted to communicate with a cloud-based network;
wherein factory settings, user settings and sensor data are stored in the cloud-based network;
wherein the cloud-based network comprises a processor configured to:
determine ratings for a specific towing set-up of tow vehicle, trailer and all associated tow equipment to confirm tow equipment compatibility; and
transmit the tow equipment compatibility to the system based on a user command, the sensor data, the factory settings, and the user settings.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data input device comprises a cell phone, satellite phone, smartphone, personal digital assistant, tablet computer, laptop computer, remote control device, mobile transmitter, a mobile internet device or a combination of one or more of the same.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tow equipment is selected from a group consisting of a tow vehicle, trailer, hitch, ball, receiver, jack, lift, pin box, trailer, sensor, actuator, sway bar, stabilizer bar, weight distribution device, equipment connected to the trailer, equipment connected to the tow vehicle or combinations thereof.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises one or more energy storage devices.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises one or more energy harvesting devices.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system communicates the tow equipment compatibility data to the user via audible alerts.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system communicates tow equipment compatibility data to the user via visual alerts.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a network hub device for connection of the system to a network.

Assignees

• Hall Labs Llc

Inventors

• Hall Michael
• Hall David R
• Myer Seth

Classifications

• G06K19/06037

  multi-dimensional coding · CPC title

• H04W4/38

  for collecting sensor information · CPC title

• B60D1/62 Primary

  involving supply lines, electric circuits or the like · CPC title

• B60D1/248

  for measuring, indicating or displaying the weight · CPC title

• H04W4/40

  for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] · CPC title