US 11,865,884 B2
Smart cable system for a truck trailer
Sankalp Pampattiwar, Madison, IN (US); Yogesh Kubal, Madison, IN (US); Cesar Perez-Bolivar, Madison, IN (US); and Adam Slade, Madison, IN (US)
Assigned to Grote Industries, Inc., Madison, IN (US)
Filed by Grote Industries, Inc., Madison, IN (US)
Filed on Nov. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/989,801.
Application 17/989,801 is a continuation of application No. 16/691,886, filed on Nov. 22, 2019, granted, now 11,518,205.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/772,825, filed on Nov. 29, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/772,833, filed on Nov. 29, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0182518 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04W 4/80 (2018.01); H04W 76/10 (2018.01); B60D 1/64 (2006.01); H01R 13/66 (2006.01); H01R 13/717 (2006.01); H04L 12/40 (2006.01)
CPC B60D 1/64 (2013.01) [H01R 13/665 (2013.01); H01R 13/7175 (2013.01); H04L 12/40 (2013.01); H01R 2201/26 (2013.01); H04L 2012/40215 (2013.01); H04L 2012/40273 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cable system for a trailer, comprising:
a power cable, a ground cable, and at least one communication cable mounted to the trailer;
a master control circuit that is electrically connected to multiple power terminals of a truck tractor, the power cable, ground cable, and the at least one communication cable, wherein the master control circuit is configured to generate component control commands for controlling one or more trailer components mounted to the trailer based on power received via the multiple power terminals, and wherein the master control circuit is configured to send the control commands to the trailer components via the at least one communication cable; and
at least one trailer component connectors that is electrically connected to the power, ground, and the at least one communication cable, wherein the trailer component connector includes a slave control circuit that is configured to receive the control commands sent by the master control circuit and to selectively control at least one trailer component according to the control commands, wherein the slave control circuits has a mode identifier, wherein the control commands sent by the master control circuit include a target mode identifier, and wherein the slave control circuit is configured to compare the target mode identifier in the control commands with the mode identifier of the slave control circuit, and to activate and deactivate the at least one trailer component when the target mode identifier matches the mode identifier of the slave control circuit.