Embedded vehicle trailer circuit tester

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12360148-B2
Application number	US-202217720691-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2022
Priority date	Apr 14, 2022
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

Abstract

A trailer test module of a vehicle is electrically connected between a trailer tow electrical connector of the vehicle and a wiring harness of the vehicle that carries electrical signals for a trailer such that when the electrical connector of the trailer is attached to the trailer tow electrical connector, the trailer tow electrical connector is between the trailer test module and the electrical connector of the trailer. The trailer test module includes circuitry that replicates an electrical load of the trailer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical system of a vehicle comprising:
a trailer tow electrical connector configured to receive an electrical connector of a trailer; and
a trailer test module electrically connected between the trailer tow electrical connector and a wiring harness of the vehicle that is configured to carry electrical signals for the trailer such that when the electrical connector of the trailer is attached to the trailer tow electrical connector, the trailer tow electrical connector is between the trailer test module and the electrical connector of the trailer, wherein the trailer test module includes circuitry configured to replicate an electrical load of the trailer.

2. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the trailer test module further includes bypass circuitry configured to carry the electrical signals to the electrical connector of the trailer when attached.

3. The electrical system of claim 2 , wherein the trailer test module further includes a microcontroller programmed to selectively direct the electrical signals to the circuitry or the trailer tow electrical connector.

4. The electrical system of claim 3 , wherein the microcontroller is further programmed to selectively direct the electrical signals to the circuitry responsive to user input.

5. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry includes a plurality of drivers and corresponding resistors.

6. The electrical system of claim 5 , wherein the trailer test module further includes a microcontroller programmed to sequentially activate the drivers.

7. The electrical system of claim 5 , wherein some of the resistors have resistance values indicative of lights of the trailer.

8. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the trailer test module further includes a plurality of voltage sensors configured to measure voltages associated with the circuitry.

9. A method comprising:
responsive to user input, directing electrical signals from a wiring harness of a vehicle to circuitry (i) configured to replicate an electrical load of a trailer and (ii) electrically between the wiring harness and a trailer tow electrical connector that is configured to receive an electrical connector of the trailer; and
responsive to different user input, directing electrical signals from the wiring harness to the trailer tow electrical connector while bypassing the circuitry.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the circuitry further includes a plurality of drivers and corresponding resistors configured to replicate electrical loads of the trailer, further comprising, responsive to the user input, sequentially activating the drivers.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising generating output for the user based on sensed parameters associated with the activating.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the directing the electrical signals from the wiring harness to the trailer tow electrical connector while bypassing the circuitry only occurs when the electrical connector of the trailer is attached to the trailer tow electrical connector.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the electrical load is associated with a light of the trailer.

14. A vehicle comprising:
a wiring harness configured to carry electrical signals for a trailer;
a trailer tow electrical connector configured to receive an electrical connector of the trailer; and
a trailer test module electrically connected between the wiring harness and trailer tow electrical connector such that when the electrical connector of the trailer is attached to the trailer tow electrical connector, the trailer tow electrical connector is between the trailer test module and the electrical connector of the trailer, wherein the trailer test module includes a microcontroller programmed to selectively direct the electrical signals to circuitry of the vehicle configured to replicate an electrical load of the trailer or to the trailer tow electrical connector while bypassing the circuitry.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the trailer test module includes the circuitry.

16. The electrical system of claim 14 , wherein the microcontroller is further programmed to selectively direct the electrical signals to the circuitry responsive to user input.

17. The electrical system of claim 14 , wherein the circuitry includes a plurality of drivers and corresponding resistors.

18. The electrical system of claim 17 , wherein the microcontroller is further programmed to sequentially activate the drivers.

19. The electrical system of claim 17 , wherein some of the resistors have resistance values indicative of lights of the trailer.

20. The electrical system of claim 14 , wherein the trailer test module further includes a plurality of voltage sensors configured to measure voltages associated with the circuitry.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Ruiz J Elias
• Bautista Alba
• Garza Veronica
• Cabrera Ivan

Classifications

• H01R29/00

  Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, {programmable connectors} · CPC title

• H01R2201/26

  for vehicles · CPC title

• G01R31/44

  Testing lamps · CPC title

• G01R31/006 Primary

  on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks (testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00) · CPC title

• G01R31/282

  Testing of electronic circuits specially adapted for particular applications not provided for elsewhere (G01R31/2801 and G01R31/2851 take precedence) · CPC title