US 12,485,837 B2
Combination of trailer braking and lighting functions
Nicholas Albert Cekola, Plymouth, MI (US); Dennis Michael Morse, Plymouth, MI (US); Marvin Hoot, Plymouth, MI (US); Yilong Chen, Plymouth, MI (US); Srikanth Kadudula, Plymouth, MI (US); Leon Bogdanov, Plymouth, MI (US); and George Moore, Plymouth, MI (US)
Assigned to HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC., Plymouth, MI (US)
Filed by HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC., Plymouth, MI (US)
Filed on May 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/745,589.
Application 17/745,589 is a continuation of application No. 15/707,385, filed on Sep. 18, 2017, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/395,550, filed on Sep. 16, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0274547 A1, Sep. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. B60R 16/023 (2006.01); B60Q 1/00 (2006.01); B60Q 1/30 (2006.01); B60Q 1/44 (2006.01); B60R 16/033 (2006.01); B60T 7/20 (2006.01); B60T 13/66 (2006.01); B60T 17/22 (2006.01); B60Q 1/22 (2006.01); B60Q 1/34 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 16/0231 (2013.01) [B60Q 1/0094 (2013.01); B60Q 1/305 (2013.01); B60Q 1/44 (2013.01); B60R 16/033 (2013.01); B60T 7/20 (2013.01); B60T 13/662 (2013.01); B60T 17/22 (2013.01); B60Q 1/22 (2013.01); B60Q 1/34 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
10. A towed vehicle controller comprising:
a) a CAN transceiver;
b) a processor, in electrical communication with the CAN transceiver and configured to:
receive differential CAN signals from the CAN transceiver, the differential CAN signals being indicative of instructions from a towing vehicle;
process the differential CAN signals to determine a braking response or a vehicle indicator response;
generate a vehicle indicator response control signal based on the vehicle indicator response;
generate a braking response control signal, independent of the vehicle indicator response control signal, based on the determined braking control response;
c) an output main circuit, operatively connected to the processor and a trailer brake system, the output main circuit configured to:
receive the braking response control signal from the processor;
modulate electrical power supplied to the trailer brake system based on the braking response control signal; and
d) at least one indicator driver, operatively connected to the processor and at least one trailer light, the at least one indicator driver configured to:
receive the vehicle indicator response control signal from the processor; and
modulate electrical power supplied to the at least one trailer light based on the vehicle indicator response control signal.