Automated gain and boost for a brake controller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11440516-B2
Application number	US-201916517852-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2019
Priority date	Dec 7, 2016
Publication date	Sep 13, 2022
Grant date	Sep 13, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure includes a system, method, and device related to controlling brakes of a towed vehicle. A brake controller system includes a brake controller that controls the brakes of a towed vehicle based on acceleration. The brake controller is in communication with a speed sensor. The speed sensor determines the speed of a towing vehicle or a towed vehicle. The brake controller automatically sets a gain or boost based on the speed and acceleration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
at least one sensor operatively determining a parameter associated with at least one of an environmental condition and condition under which a towing system is operating; and
a brake controller comprising an accelerometer and a processor, the processor in operative communication with the at least one sensor and configured to receive data from the at least one sensor, and
wherein the processor determines at least one of a gain level and a boost level based on the data received from the at least one sensor; and
wherein the processor initiates a calibration process to determine at least one of the gain level or the boost level based on an occurrence of a triggering event and wherein the processor operatively overrides the determined gain level or boost level in response to receiving a user request to override the determined gain level or boost level.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is an environmental sensor.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the environmental sensor comprises at least one of a wind speed sensor, wind direction sensor, and humidity sensor.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the environmental sensor comprises a windshield wiper sensor.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the windshield wiper sensor sending data to the processor that wipers of a vehicle are on for a predetermined amount of time causes the processor to adjust at least one of the gain level and the boost level.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is towing system sensor.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the towing system sensor comprises at least one of a fifth wheel hitch module sensor, a gooseneck module sensor, coupler module sensor, a jack assembly module sensor, a sway control module sensor, and a weight distribution module sensor.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the towing system sensor communicates data related at least one of usage, wear, safety chain engagement, actuation open or closed, proximity to cab and connection or disconnection.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the towing system sensor comprises a fifth wheel hitch module sensor whereby the fifth wheel hitch module sensor communicates data related to at least one of identifying connection of jaws of a fifth wheel hitch, usage of the fifth wheel hitch, second lock latch status, load status of the fifth wheel hitch and disconnect status.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the towing system sensor comprises a gooseneck module sensor whereby the gooseneck module sensor communicates data related to at least one of identifying goose pop up, load status of a gooseneck hitch, usage of the gooseneck hitch, safety chain engagement or disengagement and disconnect status of the gooseneck hitch.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the towing system sensor comprises a coupler module sensor whereby the coupler module sensor communicates data related to at least one of a coupler safety pin being operatively engaged, whether a coupler is connected or disconnected, load on the coupler, usage amount of the coupler, vibration profile of the coupler, usage of the coupler and misuse or wear of the coupler.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein the towing system sensor comprises a jack assembly module sensor whereby the jack assembly module sensor communicates data related to at least one of a load applied to a jack, cycles performed by the jack, usage of the jack, position of the jack, travel of the jack, pivot location of the jack, and amount of lubrication in the jack.

13. The system of claim 6 , wherein the towing system sensor comprises a sway controller assembly module sensor whereby the sway controller module sensor communicates data related to at least one of road profile data, wheel speed, number of occurrence of sway control, magnitude of occurrence of sway control, trailer conditions, load applied to a sway controller, usage of the sway controller, pin weight of the sway controller, and number of times a warning message is provided to a user.

14. The system of claim 6 , wherein the towing system sensor comprises a weight distribution module sensor whereby the weight distribution module sensor communicates data related to at least one of load applied to a weight distribution system, usage of the weight distribution system, status of a pad on the weight distribution system, number of bar disconnects on the weight distribution system, status of a clip on the weight distribution system, load at a head of the weight distribution system, and level position of the weight distribution system.

15. A system comprising:
a network connected user equipment device; and
a brake controller comprising an accelerometer and a processor, the processor in operative communication with the network connected user equipment device and configured to receive data from the network connected user equipment device,
wherein the processor determines at least one of a gain level or a boost level based on the data received from the network connected user equipment device; and
wherein the processor initiates a calibration process to determine at least one of the gain level or the boost level based on an occurrence of a triggering event and wherein the processor operatively overrides the determined gain level or boost level in response to receiving a user request to override the determined gain level or boost level.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the processor transmits data to the user equipment device.

17. The system of claim 15 further comprising at least one sensor operatively determining a parameter associated with at least one of an environmental condition and condition under which a towing system is operating.

18. The system of claim 15 further comprising at least one sensor operatively determining a parameter associated with a braking event.

Assignees

• Horizon Global Americas Inc

Inventors

• Kulkarni Chandrakumar D
• Jegadeeson Muthukumar

Classifications

• B60T17/18

  Safety devices; Monitoring · CPC title

• B60T8/323

  Systems specially adapted for tractor-trailer combinations · CPC title

• B60T7/20

  specially for trailers, e.g. in case of uncoupling of {or overrunning by} trailer (inertia-actuated overrun brakes B60T13/08) · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title