Patent ID: 7447585
Filing Date: 2008-11-04
Classification: B60T,B60W

Abstract:
1. A stability enhancing control system for a tow-vehicle with a connected trailer assembly, wherein the stability enhancing control system comprises: a. an electronic stability enhancing system; b. a processor with memory located on the tow-vehicle and in communication with the electronic stability enhancing system; c. tow-vehicle sensors located on the tow-vehicle for detecting the engagement with a trailer, wherein the tow-vehicle sensors are adapted to communicate with a trailer electrical system on the trailer and the processor on the tow-vehicle; d. trailer sensors located on the trailer for detecting a force, a motion or combinations thereof, and communicating with the trailer electrical system and the processor on the tow-vehicle; e. computer instructions adapted for instructing the processor to identify specifications representing the tow-vehicle, wherein the specifications comprise a tow-vehicle length, a tow-vehicle height, a tow-vehicle width, a tow-vehicle weight, a tow-vehicle inertia value, a tow-vehicle wheel configuration, a tow-vehicle wheel size, a tow-vehicle tire characteristic, a tow-vehicle suspension characteristic, and combinations thereof; f. computer instructions adapted for instructing the processor to identify specifications representing the trailer, wherein the specifications comprise at least one trailer characteristic; g. computer instructions adapted for calculating at least one force, at least one motion, and combinations thereof, affecting the tow-vehicle and the connected trailer assembly, wherein the at least one force, the at least one motion, and combinations thereof, are a member selected from the group consisting of: a lateral force, a lateral motion, a translational motion, an angular motion, a steering input, a steering rate, a vehicle speed, a braking force, a braking pressure, a throttle position, a brake pedal position, a wheel speed, and combinations thereof; h. computer instructions for applying braking to at least one wheel of the tow-vehicle using: the at least one force, the at least one motion, and combinations thereof, the electronic stability enhancing system, and the specifications of the tow-vehicle with the connected trailer assembly; and i. computer instructions for applying braking to at least one wheel of the trailer using: the at least one force, the at least one motion, and combinations thereof, the electronic stability enhancing system, the specifications of the tow-vehicle and connected trailer assembly, and the at least one trailer characteristic.