Invention Grant
US07696862B2 Tractor-trailer tether sensor 有权
拖拉机拖车系绳传感器

Tractor-trailer tether sensor
Abstract:
An apparatus, system and method for monitoring and reporting the tethered/untethered status of a mobile asset are described. An asset tracking device comprises a sensor and circuit that detects whether a physical connection exists between a tractor portion and a trailer portion of a tractor/trailer vehicle. The physical connection is detected through the connection of an air hose coupling (or glad hand) at the trailer front wall. The sensor is continuously monitored by the sensor circuit and when a change is detected, the circuit sends a signal that turns on the power to the rest of the system. This enables the system to run in a very low power mode for extended periods of time. The sensor, which is located on the air hose (glad hand) coupling, senses the presence (or non-presence) of a tractor attached to the trailer and sends a trigger signal to turn on the power to the rest of the system, enabling the system to operate for extended periods of time on battery power. The asset tracking device and system also includes a processor, a location determining device for determining the geographic location of the mobile asset, and a transceiver for transmitting and receiving the tethered/untethered status of the mobile asset.
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