System, apparatus and methods for data communication between vehicle and remote data communication terminal, between portions of vehicle and other portions of vehicle, between two or more vehicles, and between vehicle and communications network
A system, an apparatus, and methods are provided for data communications associated with a vehicle. The apparatus preferably includes at least one electronic subsystem associated with the vehicle and a plurality of electrical conductors connected to the at least one electronic subsystem and associated with the vehicle. A vehicle data communications protocol converter is preferably connected to the plurality of electrical conductors for converting a first data communications protocol associated with data communications along the plurality of electrical conductors to a second data communications protocol such as an infrared, an RF data, an Internet, or other network communications protocol. The apparatus also preferably includes a transceiver connected to the data communications protocol converter for transmitting the second data communications protocol from the vehicle and receiving the data communications protocol from another portion of the vehicle, a remote data communications terminal, another vehicle, or another communications network.
1. In a vehicle comprising a data communications apparatus for communicating vehicle data to a remote data communications terminal, said vehicle data being selected from a group consisting of tire data, tire pressure data, engine temperature data, vehicle identification data, battery voltage data, and reefer data; said data communications apparatus comprising:
at least one electrical conductor associated with said vehicle;
means for converting a first data communications protocol associated with communications of vehicle data along the electrical conductor to a second data communications protocol; and
means for wirelessly transmitting said second data communications protocol to the remote data communications terminal.
2. A vehicle comprising a data communications apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said remote data communications terminal comprises a computing device selected from a group consisting of a personal computer, a portable laptop computer, and a handheld computer.
3. A vehicle comprising a data communications apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said vehicle comprises a tractor mechanically coupled to at least one trailer, and wherein said remote data communications terminal is located within at least one of said tractor and said trailer.
4. A vehicle comprising a data communications apparatus according to claim 1 , and comprising a connector connected to said electrical conductor, and means adjacent said connector for transmitting vehicle data.
5. A vehicle comprising a data communications apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said means for transmitting comprises a signal processing physical layer, and wherein said second data communications protocol uses only the physical layer of said means for transmitting for signal processing.
6. A vehicle comprising a data communications apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said connector includes a plurality of electrical pins having a predetermined pin configuration.
7. A vehicle comprising a data communications apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said first data communications protocol comprises one of the data communications protocols specified by SAE J1708, SAE J1939, RS 232, RS 485, power line carrier (PLC), and a universal serial bus standard.
8. A vehicle comprising a data communications apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said second data communications protocol comprises one of either an infrared data communications protocol and an RF data communications protocol.
9. A data communications system for communicating vehicle data to a remote data communications terminal, said vehicle data being selected from a group consisting of tire data, tire pressure data, engine temperature data, vehicle identification data, battery voltage data, and reefer data; said data communications system comprising:
at least one electrical conductor;
means for converting a first data communications protocol associated with communications of vehicle data along said electrical conductor to a second data communications protocol; and
means for transmitting said second data communications protocol to the remote data communications terminal.
10. A data communications system according to claim 9 , wherein said remote data communications terminal comprises a computing device selected from a group consisting of a personal computer, a portable laptop computer, and a handheld computer.
11. A data communications system according to claim 9 , wherein said vehicle comprises a tractor mechanically coupled to at least one trailer, and wherein said remote data communications terminal is located within at least one of said tractor and said trailer.
12. A data communications system according to claim 9 , and comprising a connector connected to said electrical conductor, and means adjacent said connector for transmitting vehicle data.
13. A data communications system according to claim 12 , wherein said means for transmitting comprises a signal processing physical layer, and wherein said second data communications protocol uses only the physical layer of said means for transmitting for signal processing.
14. A data communications system according to claim 12 , wherein said connector includes a plurality of electrical pins having a predetermined pin configuration.
15. A data communications system according to claim 9 , wherein said first data communications protocol comprises one of the data communications protocols specified by SAE J1708, SAE J1939, RS 232, RS 485, power line carrier (PLC), and a universal serial bus standard.
16. A data communications system according to claim 9 , wherein said second data communications protocol comprises one of either an infrared data communications protocol and an RF data communications protocol.
17. A method for communicating vehicle data to a remote data communications terminal, the vehicle data being selected from a group consisting of tire data, tire pressure data, engine temperature data, vehicle identification data, battery voltage data, and reefer data; the method comprising:
converting a first data communications protocol associated with communications of vehicle data to a second data communications protocol; and
transmitting the second data communications protocol to the remote data communications terminal.
18. A method apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the first data communications protocol comprises one of the data communications protocols specified by SAE J1708, SAE J1939, RS 232, RS 485, power line carrier (PLC), and a universal serial bus standard.
19. A method according to claim 17 , wherein the second data communications protocol comprises one of either an infrared data communications protocol and an RF data communications protocol.
20. A method according to claim 17 , wherein the remote data communications terminal comprises a computing device selected from a group consisting of a personal computer, a portable laptop computer, and a handheld computer.