Patent ID: 6970772

Claim:
A method for controlling operating functions in a vehicle train including a tractor and at least one trailer coupled to said tractor, vehicle train electronic control units including a tractor electronic control unit in said tractor and a trailer electronic control unit in at least one trailer in which at least one of electronic measuring and operating functions are implemented, said tractor and trailer electronic control units each including a powerline carrier interface, said trailer electronic control unit being constructed and arranged to implement an operating function of said vehicle train specific to said trailer electronic control unit, said trailer electronic control unit further including at least one of an input function and an output function programmed therein for implementing an operating function of said vehicle train other than said operating function specific to said trailer electronic control unit, a powerline carrier data bus formed by the electrical interconnection of said powerline carrier interfaces of said tractor and trailer electronic control units to enable the transmission and reception of data between said electronic control units, and a power supply in said tractor electrically connected to said powerline carrier data bus, the method comprising the steps of broadcasting data representing said at least one of a programmed input function and output function by said trailer electronic control unit automatically and cyclically via said powerline carrier data bus to other of said vehicle train electronic control units having powerline carrier interfaces, and implementing based on said broadcast data said operating function of said vehicle train other than said operating function specific to said trailer electronic control unit.