SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DYNAMIC TOW OF A TRAILER

1 . A system for dynamic tow of a trailer comprising:

a kingpin:

arranged on a proximal end of the trailer;

comprising a set of sensors configured to output a signal representing:

lateral forces applied to the kingpin; and

longitudinal forces applied to the kingpin; and

configured to couple with a hitch of a tow vehicle;

an interface comprising:

a joystick; and

a kingpin interface configured to transiently couple to the kingpin and to transfer forces, applied to the joystick, into the kingpin; and

a controller configured to, during a first time period:

access the signal from the set of sensors;

based on the signal, calculate a first direction and a first magnitude of a first force applied to the kingpin;

calculate a target left wheel speed of a left wheel of the trailer proportional to the first magnitude;

calculate a target right wheel speed of a right wheel of the trailer proportional to the first magnitude, the target right wheel speed differing from the target left wheel speed based on the first direction; and

serve the target left wheel speed and the target right wheel speed to a drive system arranged proximal a distal end of the trailer opposite the kingpin.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the kingpin comprises:

a base:

arranged on the proximal end of the trailer;

defining a set of mounting bores configured to receive a set of fasteners to couple the base to the trailer; and

defining a first diameter;

a shank:

extending from the base along a vertical axis;

configured to insert into a fifth-wheel hitch of the tow vehicle;

defining a second diameter less than the first diameter;

defining a first sensor receptacle configured to intersect a longitudinal axis of the trailer; and

defining a second sensor receptacle configured to intersect a lateral axis of the trailer; and

a head:

arranged on a distal end of the shank opposite the base; and

defining a third diameter less than the first diameter and greater than the second diameter.

3 . The system of claim 2 :

wherein the interface is configured to:

clamp to the shank;

transfer longitudinal forces, input into the joystick, into the shank; and

transfer torque, input into the joystick about the vertical axis, into the shank; and

wherein the kingpin further comprises:

a first sensor arranged in the first receptable and configured to output a first signal representing the first force along the longitudinal axis responsive to a longitudinal force input to the kingpin by the interface; and

a second sensor arranged in the second receptable and configured to output a second signal representing the second force along the lateral axis responsive to a torque input to the kingpin by the interface.

4 . The system of claim 1 :

further comprising an initial sensor arranged proximal the kingpin and configured to output an initial signal representing accelerations of the trailer at the kingpin; and

wherein the controller is further configured to, during an initial time period preceding the first time period:

interpret an initial acceleration of the trailer at the kingpin based on the initial signal; and

in response to the initial acceleration of the trailer exceeding a threshold acceleration:

set the target left wheel speed and the target right wheel speed to null; and

serve the target left wheel speed and the target right wheel speed to the drive system.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising the drive system:

arranged on a floor of the trailer proximal the distal end of the trailer opposite the kingpin;

comprising:

a passive axle comprising:

a passive left wheel;

a passive right wheel; and

a primary airbrake system configured to couple to an airbrake supply of the tow vehicle; and

a driven axle adjacent the passive axle and comprising:

a driven left wheel;

a driven right wheel;

a secondary left brake system coupled to the left wheel and isolated from the primary airbrake system;

a secondary right brake system coupled to the right wheel and isolated from the primary airbrake system; and

a motor coupled to the left driven wheel and the right driven wheel; and

configured to, during the first time period:

trigger the motor to drive the left wheel and the right wheel according to the first direction and the first magnitude; and

selectively operate the secondary left brake system and the secondary right brake system according to a difference between the target left wheel speed and the target right wheel speed.

6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising the drive system:

arranged on a floor of the trailer proximal the distal end of the trailer opposite the kingpin;

comprising:

a passive axle comprising:

a passive left wheel;

a passive right wheel; and

a primary airbrake system configured to couple to an airbrake supply of the tow vehicle; and

a driven axle adjacent the passive axle and comprising:

a driven left wheel;

a driven right wheel; and

a primary motor coupled to the left driven wheel and the right driven wheel; and

configured to, during the first time period:

trigger the primary motor to drive the left wheel and the right wheel according to the first direction and the first magnitude; and

selectively operate the primary airbrake system to influence the airbrake supply of the tow vehicle to the trailer according to a difference between the target left wheel speed and the target right wheel speed.

7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising the drive system:

arranged on the floor of the trailer proximal the distal end of the trailer opposite the kingpin;

comprising:

a passive axle comprising:

a passive left wheel; and

a passive right wheel; and

a driven axle adjacent the passive axle and comprising:

a driven left wheel;

a driven right wheel;

a left motor coupled to the left driven wheel; and

a right motor coupled to the right driven wheel; and

configured to, during the first time period:

trigger the left motor to drive the left driven wheel according to the target left wheel speed; and

trigger the right motor to drive the right driven wheel according to the target right wheel speed.

8 . The system of claim 7 :

wherein the driven axle comprises a primary motor coupled to the left driven wheel and the right driven wheel; and

wherein the drive system is further configured to, during the first time period:

trigger the primary motor to drive the left wheel and the right wheel according to the first direction and the first magnitude; and

selectively trigger the left motor and the right motor according to a difference between the target left wheel speed and the target right wheel speed.

9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising the trailer:

comprising a first landing gear:

comprising a first leg coupled to the floor of the trailer along a first side of a longitudinal axis of the trailer;

comprising a set of wheels pivotably coupled to the first leg and configured to engage a ground surface below the floor of the trailer; and

configured to support the trailer; and

comprising a wheel actuator arranged on the first landing gear and configured to transition the set of wheels from a retracted position to an advanced position.

10 . The system of claim 1 :

wherein the joystick comprises an analog stick;

wherein the kingpin interface comprises a clamp configured to transiently couple to the kingpin and to transfer forces, applied to the analog stick, into the kingpin; and

wherein the kingpin is configured to couple to the hitch, the hitch comprising a fifth wheel arranged on the tow vehicle comprising a trailer tractor.

11 . The system of claim 1 :

wherein the interface further comprises a wireless transmitter configured to broadcast an identifier;

further comprising, a wireless receiver arranged on the proximal end of the trailer and configured to receive the identifier; and

wherein the controller is further configured to, during an initial time period preceding the first time period:

access the identifier from the interface via the wireless receiver; and

in response to verifying receipt of the identifier, enter a tow mode.

12 . The system of claim 11 :

further comprising an inertial sensor arranged proximal the kingpin and configured to output an initial signal representing accelerations of the trailer at the kingpin; and

wherein the controller is further configured to:

during the initial time period:

pulse a primary motor to rotate the left wheel and the right wheel of the trailer by a rotation distance less than ten degrees of a full rotation;

access the initial signal representing an initial acceleration of the trailer at the kingpin from the inertial sensor;

interpret a distance between the kingpin and the drive system based on the initial signal; and

calculate a maximum wheel speed proportional to the distance; and

during the first time period:

calculate the target left wheel speed of the left wheel of the trailer less than the maximum wheel speed; and

calculate the target right wheel speed of the right wheel of the trailer less than the maximum wheel speed.

13 . The system of claim 1 :

wherein the set of sensors are configured to output signals representing vertical forces applied to the kingpin; and

wherein the controller is further configured to, during an initial time period preceding the first time period:

access a second signal from the set of sensors;

detect a null vertical force applied to the kingpin based on the second signal; and

activate a manual mode at the kingpin in response to detecting the null vertical force.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to, during the first time period:

access a second signal from the set of sensors;

detect a first speed of the trailer;

detect a direction of motion of the trailer;

detect a first lateral force based on the fourth signal;

detect a first longitudinal force based on the fifth signal;

calculate a tractor-trailer angle based on the first longitudinal force and the first lateral force;

calculate a total force applied to the kingpin by the hitch of the tow vehicle based on the first longitudinal force and the first lateral force;

calculate a first target preload force opposite the direction of motion of the trailer and proportional to the tractor-trailer angle; and

in response to the first speed of the trailer exceeding a first threshold speed and in response to the total force exceeding the target preload force, trigger the drive system to increase torque output in the direction of motion of the trailer to decrease a first difference between the total force and the target preload force.

15 . The system of claim 1 :

wherein the interface further comprises a transmitter configured to transmit a first reference signal to the drive system;

further comprising, a receiver arranged on the drive system and configured to receive the first reference signal from the transmitter; and

wherein the controller is further configured to:

during an initial time period preceding the first time period:

record a first time of arrival receipt of the first reference signal reaching the receiver arranged on the drive system;

transform the first time of arrival receipt into a distance between the kingpin and the drive system; and

calculate a maximum wheel speed proportional to the distance between the kingpin and the drive system; and

during the first time period:

calculate the target left wheel speed of the left wheel of the trailer less than the maximum wheel speed; and

calculate the target right wheel speed of the right wheel of the trailer less than the maximum wheel speed.

16 . A system for dynamic tow of a trailer comprising:

a kingpin:

arranged on a proximal end of the trailer;

comprising a first sensor configured to output a first signal representing a first lateral force applied to the kingpin;

comprising a second sensor configured to output a second signal representing a first longitudinal force applied to the kingpin;

comprising a third sensor configured to output a third signal representing a first vertical force applied to the kingpin; and

configured to couple with a hitch of a tow vehicle;

an interface comprising:

a joystick; and

a kingpin interface configured to transiently couple to the kingpin and to transfer forces, applied to the joystick, into the kingpin; and

a controller configured to:

during an initial time period:

access the third signal from the third sensor;

based on the third signal, detect the first vertical force as null; and

based on the first vertical force, activate a manual mode at the kingpin; and

during a first time period:

access the first signal from the first sensor and the second signal from the second sensor;

based on the first signal and the second signal, calculate a first direction and a first magnitude of a first force applied to the kingpin via the joystick;

calculate a target left wheel speed of a left wheel of the trailer proportional to the first magnitude;

calculate a target right wheel speed of a right wheel of the trailer proportional to the first magnitude; and

serve the target left wheel speed and the target right wheel speed to a drive system arranged on a distal end of the trailer opposite the kingpin.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the controller is further configured to, during a second time period:

access a fourth signal from the third sensor;

based on the fourth signal, interpret a first vertical force applied to the kingpin; and

based on the first vertical force:

identify a coupling event at the kingpin with the hitch of the tow vehicle;

deactivate a manual mode; and

activate a tow mode.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the controller is further configured to, during the second time period:

access a fourth signal from the first sensor and a fifth signal from the second sensor;

detect a first speed of the trailer;

detect a direction of motion of the trailer;

detect a first lateral force based on the fourth signal;

detect a first longitudinal force based on the fifth signal;

calculate a tractor-trailer angle based on the first longitudinal force and the first lateral force;

calculate a total applied force based on the first longitudinal force and the first lateral force;

calculate a first target preload force opposite the direction of motion of the trailer and proportional to the tractor-trailer angle; and

in response to the first speed of the trailer exceeding a first threshold speed, and in response to the total applied force falling below the target preload force, trigger the bogie to reduce torque output in the direction of motion of the trailer to decrease a first difference between the actual force and the target preload force.

19 . A system for dynamic tow of a trailer comprising:

a kingpin:

arranged on a proximal end of the trailer;

comprising a sensor configured to output a signal representing:

lateral forces applied to the kingpin; and

longitudinal forces applied to the kingpin; and

configured to couple to a tow vehicle;

an interface comprising:

an analog stick; and

a kingpin interface configured to transiently couple to the kingpin and to transfer forces, applied to the analog stick, into the kingpin; and

a controller configured to:

access the signal from the sensor;

based on the signal, calculate a first magnitude of a first force applied to the kingpin;

calculate a first target speed of a first wheel of the trailer proportional to the first magnitude;

calculate a second target speed of a second wheel of the trailer opposite the first wheel and proportional to the first magnitude; and

serve the first target speed and the second target speed to a drive system arranged on a distal end of the trailer opposite the kingpin.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

based on the signal, calculate a first direction of the first force applied to the kingpin; and

calculate the second target speed of the second wheel of the trailer proportional to the first magnitude, the second target speed differing from the first target speed based on the first direction.