IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,758,089
Granted Patent B2
US 9,758,089 · App. 15/249,755 · Granted Sep 12, 2017

Trailer signal converter

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,758,089
App. No.
15/249,755
Granted
Sep 12, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A trailer signal converter includes a plurality of inputs, including a first towing vehicle turn light signal, a second towing vehicle turn light signal, and a trailer brake signal. The trailer brake signal is a pulse-width modulated signal. The trailer signal converter selectively drives the turn and stop light signals on the trailer based on the input signals. In a three-wire system, the signal converter is configured to receive a brake signal input and a brake light input and selectively drive the trailer stop light signals.

Claims (28)

1. A trailer signal converter comprising:

first and second towing vehicle turn light signals;

a trailer brake signal; and

first and second trailer vehicle turn light signal outputs, wherein the first and second trailer vehicle turn lights are on when both the first and second towing vehicle turn light signals are on and the trailer brake signal is off, or when the trailer brake signal is on and both the first and second towing vehicle turn light signals are off.

2. The trailer signal converter of claim 1 , wherein the first trailer vehicle turn light flashes and the second trailer vehicle turn light is on when the trailer brake signal is on and the first towing vehicle turn light signal is flashing and the second towing vehicle turn light signal is off.

3. The trailer signal converter of claim 2 , wherein the first towing vehicle turn light signal is the left towing vehicle turn light signal and the first trailer vehicle turn light signal is the left trailer vehicle turn light signal.

4. The trailer signal converter of claim 2 , wherein the second towing vehicle turn light signal is the right towing vehicle turn light signal and the second trailer vehicle turn light signal is the right trailer vehicle turn light signal.

5. The trailer signal converter of claim 1 , wherein the trailer brake signal is an output signal from a trailer brake controller.

6. The trailer signal converter of claim 1 , wherein a brake output signal is generated in response to activation of a manual control.

7. The trailer signal converter of claim 1 , wherein an output signal from a trailer brake controller is a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signal.

8. The trailer signal converter of claim 1 , wherein the PWM signal is decoded.

9. The trailer signal converter of claim 8 , wherein when the PWM signal duty cycle is between 7% and 97% a braking condition is determined.

10. The trailer signal converter of claim 1 , wherein the first trailer vehicle turn light is on when the first towing vehicle turn light signal is on and the second towing vehicle turn light signal and trailer brake signal are both off.

11. The trailer signal converter of claim 1 , wherein the first and second trailer vehicle turn lights flash when the first and second towing vehicle turn light signals are flashing and the trailer brake signal is on or off.

12. The trailer signal converter of claim 1 , wherein the first and second trailer vehicle turn lights are on when the first and second towing vehicle turn light signals are flashing and the trailer brake signal is on.

13. A trailer signal converter comprising:

a trailer brake signal input and a brake light signal input; and

a stop light output signal, wherein the stop light output signal is on when the trailer brake signal input or the brake light signal input is on, or when both the trailer brake signal input and the brake light signal input are on.

14. The trailer signal converter of claim 13 , wherein the trailer brake signal input is a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signal.

15. The trailer signal converter of claim 13 , wherein the PWM signal is decoded.

16. The trailer signal converter of claim 14 , wherein a braking condition is determined when the PWM signal duty cycle is between 7% and 97%.

17. The trailer signal converter of claim 13 , wherein the trailer brake signal input is an output from a trailer brake controller.

18. The trailer signal converter of claim 13 , wherein the trailer brake signal input is generated in response to activation of a manual brake control.

19. A trailer signal converter comprising:

first and second towing vehicle turn light signals;

a pulse width modulated trailer brake signal; and

first and second trailer vehicle turn light signal outputs, wherein the first trailer vehicle turn light flashes and the second trailer vehicle turn light turn on when the trailer brake signal is on and the first towing vehicle turn light signal is flashing and the second towing vehicle turn light signal is off.

20. The trailer signal converter of claim 19 , wherein the first and second trailer vehicle turn lights are on when both the first and second towing vehicle turn light signals are on and the trailer brake signal is off, or when the trailer brake signal is on and both the first and second towing vehicle turn light signals are off.

Assignments (10)
FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 18, 2025
From: AIRTEX INDUSTRIES, LLC; AIRTEX PRODUCTS, LP; APC INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, LLC; APC PARENT, LLC; ASC INDUSTRIES, INC.; AUTOLITE OPERATIONS LLC; AVM EXPORT, INC.; BPI ACQUISITION COMPANY, LLC; BPI EC, LLC; BPI HOLDINGS INTERNATIONAL, LLC; BRAKE PARTS INC CHINA LLC; BRAKE PARTS INC INDIA LLC; BRAKE PARTS INC LLC; CARDONE INDUSTRIES, INC.; CARRAND COMPANIES, INC.; CARTER CARBURETOR HOLDINGS, LLC; CARTER CARBURETOR, LLC; CARTER FUEL EXPORT, INC.; CARTER FUEL SYSTEMS, LLC; CHAMPION LABORATORIES, INC.; CWD HOLDING, LLC; CWD INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS I, LLC; CWD INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS II, LLC; CWD, LLC; DALTON CORPORATION; DALTON CORPORATION, KENDALLVILLE; MANUFACTURING FACILITY DALTON CORPORATION, ASHLAND; MANUFACTURING FACILITY DALTON CORPORATION, STRYKER MACHINING FACILITY CO.; DALTON CORPORATION, WARSAW MANUFACTURING FACILITY; EAGLE CASTING, LLC; EAGLE MACHINING, LLC; FIRST BRANDS GROUP INTERMEDIATE, LLC; FIRST BRANDS GROUP, LLC; FRAM GROUP IP LLC; FRAM GROUP OPERATIONS LLC; FRAMAUTO HOLDINGS, LLC; FUEL FILTER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; GLOBAL REMAN VENTURES, LLC; HEATHERTON HOLDINGS, LLC; HOPKINS ACQUISITION, INC.; HOPKINS MANUFACTURING CORPORATION; HORIZON EURO FINANCE LLC; HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.; HORIZON GLOBAL COMPANY LLC; HORIZON GLOBAL CORPORATION; HORIZON INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC; IBI INTERNATIONAL HOLDING COMPANY, INC.; INTERNATIONAL BRAKE INDUSTRIES, INC.; JASPER ACQUISITION CORP.; JASPER RUBBER PRODUCTS, INC.; KTRI HOLDINGS, INC.; KTRI OFFSHORE HOLDINGS, LLC; LONGMAN ENTERPRISES, INC.; PHNX ACQUISITION CORP.; PREMIER MARKETING GROUP, LLC; PYLON MANUFACTURING CORP.; PYLON SOUTH BEND, INC.; QUALIS AUTOMOTIVE, L.L.C.; QUALIS ENTERPRISES, LLC; QUALITOR ACQUISITION INC.; QUALITOR AUTOMOTIVE, LLC; QUALITOR SUBSIDIARY H, INC.; QUALITOR SUBSIDIARY S, INC.; QUALITOR, INC.; REMAN MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL LLC; SDC TX, LLC; SMART CHOICE, LLC; SPECIALTY PUMPS GROUP, INC.; STRONGARM, LLC; TAE BRAKES, LLC; TAE CHINA HOLDINGS, INC.; TMD INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC; TMD MEXICO LLC; TOLEDO MOLDING & DIE, LLC; TRANSPORTATION AFTERMARKET ENTERPRISE, LLC; TRICO HOLDING CORPORATION; TRICO PRODUCTS CORPORATION; TRICO TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; TRIDONEX USA LLC; UCI ACQUISITION HOLDINGS (NO. 4) LLC; UCI INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS PARENT, INC.; UCI INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; UCI INTERNATIONAL, LLC; UCI PENNSYLVANIA, INC.; UCI-AIRTEX HOLDINGS, INC.; UNITED COMPONENTS, LLC; UNIVERSAL AUTO FILTER LLC; VIPER ACQUISITION I, INC.; VIPER ACQUISITION, INC.; WALBRO LLC; WALBRO MIDCO LLC; WEM US CO.
To: GLAS USA LLC
Reel/Frame 071674/0688 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2021
From: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKET SERVICES LLC, SOLELY IN ITS CAPACITY AS COLLATERAL AGENT (AS SUCCESSOR TO JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.)
To: HORIZON GLOBAL CORPORATION; WESTFALIA-AUTOMOTIVE GMBH; HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.; CEQUENT CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 055262/0842 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 11, 2020
From: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKET SERVICES LLC
To: HORIZON GLOBAL CORPORATION; HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.
Reel/Frame 053453/0229 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 21, 2020
From: HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.; HORIZON GLOBAL CORPORATION
To: ENCINA BUSINESS CREDIT, LLC
Reel/Frame 052721/0614 →
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKET SERVICES LLC
Reel/Frame 052463/0091 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 20, 2019
From: HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.; HORIZON GLOBAL CORPORATION
To: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKET SERVICES LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 048648/0006 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2019
From: HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC..; HORIZON GLOBAL CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049671/0161 →
MERGER Recorded May 10, 2017
From: CEQUENT CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC.; CEQUENT PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS, INC.
To: HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.
Reel/Frame 042435/0260 →
MERGER Recorded Apr 13, 2017
From: CEQUENT PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS, INC.
To: HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.
Reel/Frame 042001/0175 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2016
From: MOTTS, DOUGLAS; ECCLESTON, LARRY; KULKARNI, CHANDRAKUMAR D.
To: CEQUENT PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 039564/0033 →