Magnetic field communication arrangement and method for a tractor-trailer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9354617-B2
Application number	US-201314032455-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2013
Priority date	Dec 16, 2009
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

An automotive communication method includes installing a sensor within a vehicle such that the sensor is submerged in a liquid during operation of the vehicle and/or substantially surrounded by a metallic structure during operation of the vehicle. A long wave magnetic signal is transmitted from the sensor. The signal is indicative of a condition sensed by the sensor. The signal is wirelessly received at a controller disposed within the vehicle. Receipt of the signal at the controller is responded to by adjusting a display and/or a setting within the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tractor-trailer arrangement, comprising:
a trailer including:
at least one wall separating an interior of the trailer from an ambient environment;
a door disposed in one said wall, the door having an open position and a closed position;
a wireless door contact sensor configured to:
sense whether the door is in the open position or the closed position; and
transmit a sequence of long wave magnetic position signals, each of the position signals being indicative of whether the door is in the open position or the closed position at a respective point in time; and

a tractor unit mechanically coupled to the trailer, the tractor unit including:
at least one of an audio speaker and a video display; and
a controller configured to:
receive the long wave magnetic position signals from the sensor; and
control presentation of information on the at least one of an audio speaker and a video display dependent upon the received position signals,

wherein the trailer further includes a motion detector configured to:
sense a presence of movement within the interior of the trailer; and
transmit a sequence of long wave magnetic motion signals, each of the motion signals being indicative of whether there is movement within the interior of the trailer at a respective point in time;
the controller being configured to:
receive the long wave magnetic motion signals from the motion detector; and
control presentation of information to the at least one of an audio speaker and a video display dependent upon the received motion signals, and

wherein the motion detector is configured to receive the long wave magnetic position signals from the sensor, the motion detector being calibrated to detect non human motion when the door monitored by the sensor is in the closed position, the motion detector being configured to switch to being calibrated to detect human motion in response to receiving a position signal indicating that the door has been opened.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the motion signals transmitted by the motion detector indicate whether the motion detector is calibrated to detect non-human motion or is calibrated to detect human motion, the controller being configured to present information on the at least one of an audio speaker and a video display indicating whether the motion detector is calibrated to detect non-human motion or is calibrated to detect human motion.

3. A tractor-trailer arrangement, comprising:
a trailer including:
at least one wall separating an interior of the trailer from an ambient environment;
a door disposed in one said wall, the door having an open position and a closed position;
a wireless door contact sensor configured to:
sense whether the door is in the open position or the closed position; and
transmit a sequence of long wave magnetic position signals, each of the position signals being indicative of whether the door is in the open position or the closed position at a respective point in time; and

a tractor unit mechanically coupled to the trailer, the tractor unit including:
at least one of an audio speaker and a video display; and
a controller configured to:
receive the long wave magnetic position signals from the sensor; and
control presentation of information on the at least one of an audio speaker and a video display dependent upon the received position signals,

wherein the trailer further includes a motion detector configured to:
sense a presence of movement within the interior of the trailer; and
transmit a sequence of long wave magnetic motion signals, each of the motion signals being indicative of whether there is movement within the interior of the trailer at a respective point in time;
the controller being configured to:
receive the long wave magnetic motion signals from the motion detector; and
control presentation of information to the at least one of an audio speaker and a video display dependent upon the received motion signals, and

wherein the controller is configured to localize the contact sensor and the motion detector with respect to each other.

4. The arrangement of claim 3 , wherein the trailer includes a wireless environmental sensor configured to:
sense temperature or humidity within the interior of the trailer; and
transmit a sequence of long wave magnetic environmental signals, each of the environmental signals being indicative of a temperature or a humidity level with the interior of the trailer at a respective point in time, the controller being configured to localize the contact sensor, the motion detector and the environmental sensor with respect to each other.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the long wave magnetic position signals are modulated with a carrier frequency of approximately between 100 kHz and 500 kHz.

6. A tractor-trailer arrangement, comprising:
a trailer including:
at least one wall separating an interior of the trailer from an ambient environment;
a door disposed in one said wall, the door having an open position and a closed position;
a wireless door contact sensor configured to:
sense whether the door is in the open position or the closed position; and
transmit a sequence of long wave magnetic position signals, each of the position signals being indicative of whether the door is in the open position or the closed position at a respective point in time; and

a tractor unit mechanically coupled to the trailer, the tractor unit including:
an audio speaker; and
a controller configured to:
receive the long wave magnetic position signals from the sensor; and
control presentation of information on the audio speaker dependent upon the received position signals,

wherein the trailer further includes a motion detector configured to:
sense a presence of movement within the interior of the trailer; and
transmit a sequence of long wave magnetic motion signals, each of the motion signals being indicative of whether there is movement within the interior of the trailer at a respective point in time;
the controller being configured to:
receive the long wave magnetic motion signals from the motion detector; and
control presentation of information to the audio speaker dependent upon the received motion signals, and

wherein the motion detector is configured to receive the long wave magnetic position signals from the sensor, the motion detector being calibrated to detect non human motion when the door monitored by the sensor is in the closed position, the motion detector being configured to switch to being calibrated to detect human motion in response to receiving a position signal indicating that the door has been opened.

7. The arrangement of claim 6 , wherein the motion signals transmitted by the motion detector indicate whether the motion detector is calibrated to detect non-human motion or is calibrated to detect human motion, the controller being configured to present information on the audio speaker indicating whether the motion detector is calibrated to detect non-human motion or is calibrated to detect human motion.

8. A tractor-trailer arrangement, comprising:
a trailer including:
at least one wall separating an interior of the trailer from an ambient environment;
a door disposed in one said wall, the door having an open position and a closed position;
a wireless door contact sensor configured to:
sense whether the door is in the open position or the closed position; and
transmit a sequence of long wave magnetic position signals, each of the position signals being indicative of whether the door is in the open position or the closed position at a respective point in time; and

a tractor unit mechanically coupled to the trailer, the tractor unit including:
an audi

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Jain Vivek
• Venkatraman Lakshmi
• Hogenmueller Thomas

Classifications

• G01D21/00

  Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• G01K1/024

  for remote indication · CPC title

• G01K13/00

  Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes · CPC title

• G08G1/07

  Controlling traffic signals · CPC title

• G05B11/01 Primary

  electric · CPC title