Patent ID: 6636047
Filing Date: 2003-10-21
Classification: B60Q,B60T

Abstract:
A method for recognizing one of a trailer and a semitrailer of a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:activating at least one brake light of the one of the trailer and the semitrailer, wherein the at least one brake light is not activated by the driver actuating the brake pedal so that activation of the at least one brake light is performed independently of a driver of the vehicle; measuring a current flowing in a line assigned to the at least one brake light; and ascertaining one of a presence and an absence of the one of the trailer and the semitrailer as a function of the measured current; wherein at least one of the following is satisfied: the activation of the brake light takes place over a predefined time interval; and the ascertaining step includes comparing the measured current with a threshold value, and the one of the presence and the absence of the one of the trailer and the semitrailer is ascertained as a function of the comparing.