Patent ID: 7463139

Claim:
A method for monitoring and controlling electronic devices connected to a trailer tow connector of a vehicle adapted to tow a trailer, the trailer tow connector having a memory, comprising: determining if a trailer is connected to the vehicle and providing a trailer connection status indicating if a trailer is connected to the vehicle or not; switching one or more solid state power control devices to disconnect electrical power to one or more selected pins of the trailer tow connector in response to the trailer connection status indicating that a trailer is not connected to the vehicle; adjusting shift points of the vehicle's transmission in response to the trailer connection status indicating that a trailer is not connected to the vehicle; adjusting the vehicle's antilock braking system in response to the trailer connection status indicating that a trailer is not connected to the vehicle; storing an upper and a lower current threshold in the memory, the upper and lower current thresholds being based on the trailer type and size; measuring the current flowing in the one or more selected pins of the trailer tow connector; comparing the measured current to the upper and lower current thresholds; switching the solid state power control device to disconnect the electrical power from the one or more selected pins of the trailer tow connector if the measured current exceeds the upper current threshold.