Patent Application
20240217461
Various vehicle accessories may be attached to the exterior of vehicles to serve a variety of functions. Some vehicle accessories may be purely mechanical and may be attached to pre-existing connection points on a vehicle. However, other accessories may have an electrical component that may require modifications to the vehicle for the accessories to be able to receive electrical power.
Vehicles may be manufactured with connection points that may require little or no modification to the vehicle when attaching mechanical vehicle accessories. However, vehicles may not be manufactured to supply electrical power to powered vehicle accessories that attach to the exterior of the vehicle. As a result, vehicle accessories with electrical components may require modifications to the vehicle that may be labor-intensive and may not be reversed without significant time and money, if at all. The present disclosure introduces an accessory port that may allow quick installation and removal of accessories with an electrical component while also being able to supply electrical power to the accessories. The accessory port may include a mechanical component for physically coupling with the accessory as well as an electrical component for electrically coupling with the accessory to supply electrical power. The accessory port may include various features to protect the electrical component from corrosion as a result of having an electrical current flowing through it while being exposed to an external environment. With electrical power being transferred, the accessory port may also evaluate an accessory before supplying electrical power to ensure that unsafely designed accessories do not couple with and attempt to receive electrical power from the accessory port.
In various embodiments, an accessory port includes a contact positioned on a vehicle surface configured to electrically couple with an accessory to transfer power and/or data with the accessory.
In various embodiments, the accessory port further includes a cover that adjusts between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein in the first configuration, the cover encloses the contact, and wherein in the second configuration, the cover exposes the contact.
In various embodiments, the accessory port further includes a cover that adjusts between a first configuration and a second configuration when the accessory port physically couples with the accessory.
In various embodiments, the accessory port further includes a cover that automatically adjusts from a first configuration to a second configuration upon detecting the accessory, and wherein the cover automatically adjusts from the second configuration to the first configuration upon detecting the accessory decoupling from the accessory port.
In various embodiments, the vehicle surface is an inclined surface, and wherein the accessory port further comprises a drain positioned below the contact.
In various embodiments, the contact comprises an electrically-conductive material that is corrosion or wear resistant.
In various embodiments, the accessory port further includes a connector on the vehicle surface configured to physically couple with the accessory.
In various embodiments, the accessory port further includes a processor configured to authenticate the accessory.
In various embodiments, the processor is further configured to control electrical power supplied to the accessory via the contact.
In various embodiments, the accessory port further includes a seal positioned between the accessory and the accessory port while the accessory is physically coupled to the accessory port.
In various embodiments, the contact is flush with the vehicle surface.
In various embodiments, the accessory port further includes a mechanical indicator configured to provide an indication when the accessory is physically coupled to the accessory port.
In various embodiments, an accessory includes a connector configured to physically couple with an accessory port on a vehicle surface, and a contact configured to electrically couple with the accessory port and transfer power and/or data with the accessory port.
In various embodiments, the contact is a first contact, and the accessory further includes a second contact configured to transfer power and/or data with a second accessory.
In various embodiments, the contact is a first contact configured to debride a surface of a second contact on the accessory port while the accessory is physically coupling to the accessory port.
In various embodiments, the contact is a first contact, and wherein the connector is configured to debride a surface of a second contact on the accessory port while the accessory is coupling to the accessory port.
In various embodiments, the accessory further includes a latch, wherein the contact is adjusted in a direction away from the vehicle surface when the latch is engaged while coupling the accessory port and the accessory.
In various embodiments, the accessory further includes a surface protrusion that extends transversely across an end of the accessory, wherein the surface protrusion is positioned between a first point on a wall that extends around the end of the accessory and a second point on the wall.
In various embodiments, a method includes electrically coupling a first contact of an accessory with a second contact of an accessory port to transfer power and/or data with the accessory, and physically coupling a first connector of the accessory with a second connector of the accessory port.
In various embodiments, the method further includes controlling operation of the accessory on a user interface that is connected to the accessory port.
An accessory port provided herein may be attached to a vehicle surface. The accessory port may include electrical contacts for supplying electrical power from a vehicle battery to an accessory that couples to the accessory port. Because the electrical contacts may be exposed to an external environment, the accessory port may include various features for protecting the electrical contacts from environmental wear to reduce wear and corrosion.
In protecting the electrical contacts from environmental wear, the accessory port may help maintain an efficient transfer of electrical power despite continual use and environmental exposure, thereby reducing battery usage. The reduced battery usage may in turn lead to a variety of benefits in reducing climate change, such as: (1) a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as the batteries do not need to be charged as frequently, reducing the emissions from power plants that generate the electrical power for the battery; (2) a reduction in waste as the batteries may have a longer usable lifespan, reducing the waste generated from prematurely discarding the batteries.
The embodiments disclosed above are only examples, and the scope of this disclosure is not limited to them. Particular embodiments may include all, some, or none of the components, elements, features, functions, operations, or steps of the embodiments disclosed above. Embodiments according to the invention are in particular disclosed in the attached claims directed to a method, a storage medium, a system and a computer program product, wherein any feature mentioned in one claim category, e.g., method, can be claimed in another claim category, e.g., system, as well. The dependencies or references back in the attached claims are chosen for formal reasons only. However any subject matter resulting from a deliberate reference back to any previous claims (in particular multiple dependencies) can be claimed as well, so that any combination of claims and the features thereof are disclosed and can be claimed regardless of the dependencies chosen in the attached claims. The subject-matter which can be claimed comprises not only the combinations of features as set out in the attached claims but also any other combination of features in the claims, wherein each feature mentioned in the claims can be combined with any other feature or combination of other features in the claims. Furthermore, any of the embodiments and features described or depicted herein can be claimed in a separate claim and/or in any combination with any embodiment or feature described or depicted herein or with any of the features of the attached claims.
The present disclosure introduces accessory ports that may allow various powered vehicle accessories to attach to the exterior of a vehicle and receive electrical power from the vehicle without requiring modifications to the vehicle. The accessory port may be positioned on an exterior surface of a vehicle and may include a mechanical component for physically coupling with an accessory to secure the accessory to the accessory port. The accessory port may also include an electrical component for electrically coupling with an accessory. The electrical component may be an electrical contact that electrically couples with a powered vehicle accessory to transfer electrical power and/or data with the accessory. The electrical contact of the accessory port may transfer power from a power supply on the vehicle to the accessory and also exchange data with the accessory. In some embodiments, data from the accessory may be used to evaluate the accessory before supplying electrical power to determine whether the accessory is authorized to couple with the accessory port and receive electrical power from the accessory port. This may help ensure that unsafely designed accessories do not couple with and attempt to receive electrical power from the accessory port. The data may also be used for communication during operation of the accessory.
The accessory port 100 may include a connector 110 positioned on any surface, exterior surface, or vehicle surface, such as a vehicle roof, a vehicle truck bed, any side of the vehicle, or the hood of a vehicle, among many others. In various embodiments, the vehicle surface may be exposed to an external environment, which may be any environment that is exposed directly to the atmosphere, outdoor air, or ambient air. The accessory port 100 being exposed to the external environment may allow accessories that may be unable to connect to the interior of the vehicle 160 to still be able to connect to and transfer electrical power and/or data with the vehicle 160. The connector 110 may physically couple the accessory port 100 with an accessory 130 for the vehicle such that the accessory 130 is securely attached to the accessory port 100. The connector 110 may be illustrated as a striker bar, but various other connectors may also be appropriate, such as clamps, latches, inserts, locks, or some combination of various physical securing components. Thus, physically coupling the accessory port 100 with the accessory 130 may involve various operations that secures the accessory 130 to the accessory port 100, such as hooks on the accessory that securely wrap around the striker bar of the accessory port.
The accessory port 100 may also include electrical contacts 120a-120d positioned on the vehicle surface along with the physical connector 110. The electrical contacts 120a-120d may be configured to electrically couple the accessory port 100 with an accessory 130 to transfer electrical power and/or data with the accessory 130, where transferring data may include exchanging data with the accessory 130, as described further herein. The electrical power may be the electrical energy from an electrical current which may be used to power the accessory 130, and the data may be data about the accessory 130 that may be used to determine whether the accessory is authorized to couple with the accessory port 100 as part of authenticating the accessory 130, as described further herein. The data may also be data collected about the accessory 130 during operation, among many any other types of data. The electrical contacts 120a-120d may be a conductive component for establishing an electrical connection between the accessory port 100 and the accessory 130, and may take many forms, such as pins, wires, or plates constructed from electrically conductive material. The electrical contacts 120a-120d may complete an electrical circuit when they touch the corresponding electrical contacts of the accessory 130 which may allow an electrical current to flow from the accessory port 100 to the accessory 130 via the electrical contacts 120a-120d, transferring electrical power and/or data to the accessory 130. As referenced herein, transfer may be understood to include deliver/supply and/or receive, so transferring electrical power and/or data may include delivering electrical power, supplying electrical power, receiving electrical power, delivering data, supplying data, receiving data, or any combination thereof. Because the electrical contacts 120a-120d may be exposed to an external environment (e.g., positioned on the vehicle surface) while also having an electrical current flowing through them, the electrical contacts 120a-120d may gradually begin to corrode. Thus, to reduce the speed and extent to which the electrical contacts 120a-120d may corrode, the electrical contacts may be protected from exposure to the external environmental both when the accessory port 100 and accessory 130 are physically coupled as well as when they are physically decoupled.
The accessory 130 may also include various components for physically and electrically coupling to the accessory port 100 to securely attach to the accessory port and transfer electrical power and/or data with the vehicle 160 through the accessory port 100. For example, the accessory 130 may include a connector 140 for physically coupling with the accessory port 100. While the connector 140 may be any component capable of securely attaching the accessory 130 to the accessory port 100, various embodiments may consider that the connector 140 of the accessory 130 and the connector 110 of the accessory port 100 may need to correspond to one another in order for the accessory 130 and accessory port 100 to be physically coupled. If the connector 110 of the accessory port 100 is a striker bar, the connector 140 of the accessory 130 may need to be a component capable of coupling with a striker bar, such as a hook that grabs onto a striker bar. The accessory 130 may also include electrical contacts 150a and 150b for electrically coupling to the accessory port 100. When the electrical contacts 150a and 150b of the accessory 130 touch the electrical contacts 120c and 120d of the accessory port 100, with corresponding electrical contacts on the other side of the accessory 130 touching the electrical contacts 120a and 120b, the two sets of electrical contacts may complete a closed electrical circuit that allows an electrical current to pass through them. In this way, when the accessory 130 is coupled to the accessory port 100, the accessory 130 may transfer electrical power and/or data with the vehicle via the accessory port 100.
One of the contacts 204a and 204b may be a voltage source, while the other contact may be a ground. In various embodiments, the ground may be a direct electrical or physical connection to the Earth. The voltage source may be any voltage level and the current that flows through the contacts 204a and 204b may be either direct current or alternating current. If alternating current is used, the contacts 204a and 204b together may be the voltage source, with the accessory port 200 acting as the ground. Alternatively, the accessory port 200 may include a third electrical contact, with two contacts as the voltage source for the alternating current and the third contact as the ground. As mentioned above, because the electrical contacts 204a and 204b may be exposed to an external environment while also having an electrical current flowing through them, the electrical contacts may gradually begin to corrode. Thus, the electrical contacts 204a and 204b may be constructed from electrically-conductive material that is corrosion or wear resistant and also has high surface hardness. This may be achieved by plating or cladding the contacts using metals such as gold, platinum, or palladium, but base metals with similar properties may also be appropriate, such as copper, aluminum, or nickel. Alternatively or additionally, any electrical current flowing through the electrical contacts 204a and 204b may be terminated upon an accessory decoupling from the accessory port 200. The absence of the electrical current may reduce the corrosion of the electrical contacts 204a and 204b despite the contacts remaining exposed to an external environment. The accessory port 200 may also include insulator sections 206a and 206b around the electrical contacts 204a and 204b to help hold the contacts in place while separating the contacts from any surrounding surface and/or structures to prevent the electrical current flowing through the electrical contacts from being transferred to the surroundings.
The accessory port 200 may be positioned on a vehicle surface 208 which, in various embodiments, may be completely level and flat. However, in various other embodiments, the vehicle surface 208 may not be completely level and flat in order to accommodate the accessory port 200. For example, a section of the vehicle surface 208a where the accessory port 200 is positioned may be at a lower level than the rest of the vehicle surface 208. The connector 202 of the accessory port 200 may then also be positioned on the lower level section 208a. Although the vehicle surface 208a may be illustrated as being on a lower level than the rest of the vehicle surface 208, in various other embodiments, the vehicle surface 208a where the accessory port 200 is positioned may be at a higher level than the rest of the vehicle surface 208. Positioning the vehicle surface 208a at a lower level than the rest of the vehicle surface 208 may provide damage protection for the electrical contacts 204a and 204b, while positioning the vehicle surface 208a at a higher level than the rest of the vehicle surface 208 may allow better drainage for the electrical contacts 204a and 204b, with drainage capability described further below. The section of the vehicle surface 208a with the accessory port 200 may also include sections 208b and 208c that are inclined at an angle to the horizontal. That is, the sections 208b and 208c of the vehicle surface may be inclined surfaces. The electrical contacts 204a and 204b may then be positioned on the inclined sections 208b and 208c of the vehicle surface 208a. Doing so may help reduce the buildup of dirt, grime, water, and various other obstructive materials on the electrical contacts 204a and 204b as the buildup may run down the inclined surfaces 208b and 208c instead of remaining on the electrical contacts. The electrical contacts 204a and 204b may be flush with the inclined surfaces 208b and 208c to further reduce the buildup of obstructive material by reducing the amount that may seep into the crevices around the contacts. As referenced herein, the electrical contacts 204a and 204b being flush with the inclined surfaces 208b and 208c may mean the electrical contacts 204a and 204b are substantially aligned with the inclined surfaces 208b and 208c to form a continuous surface with the inclined surfaces 208b and 208c such that there are few, if any, openings or crevices between the electrical contacts and the inclined surfaces. That is, the electrical contacts 204a and 204b may directly abut and thus be immediately adjacent to the inclined surfaces 208b and 208c such that the electrical contacts and the inclined surfaces share a common boundary. The electrical contacts 204a and 204b being flush with the inclined surfaces 208b and 208c may also allow for easier cleaning of the accessory port 200. The accessory port 200 may include drains 210a and 210b positioned at the lower end of the inclined vehicle surfaces 208b and 208c and below the electrical contacts 204a and 204b for any obstructive materials to drain into, which may help prevent the materials from accumulating in the accessory port 200.
It may be noted that while the accessory port 200 is illustrated with one connector 202 and two electrical contacts 204a and 204b, various embodiments may include any number of connectors and any number of electrical contacts. The connector 202 and electrical contacts 204a and 204b may also be illustrated as being positioned at specific locations, but various embodiments may position the connector and electrical contacts at any other location. Consideration may be given to the location of the connector and electrical contacts such that accessories are still able to physically and electrically couple to the accessory port via the connector and electrical contacts. The electrical contacts 204a and 204b may also be any electrical connector, such as pogo pins or spring fingers, and the contacts 204a and 204b may be different from each other, such as one contact being a pogo pin and the other a spring finger. The connector 202 and electrical contacts 204a and 204b may also be implemented such that they may separately couple to an accessory instead of simultaneously coupling to an accessory. For example, the connector 202 may be a striker bar that physically couples to a hook on an accessory, while the electrical contacts 204a and 204b may be wired contacts that extend outward from the accessory port 200 and thus may not electrically couple to the accessory at the same time that the accessory physically couples to the accessory port 200. The contacts 204a and 204b may then separately couple to the accessory after the accessory has physically coupled to the accessory port 200. This approach may be implemented in various embodiments as a pin and socket interconnection with wired pins. The electrical contacts 204a and 204b may include the wired pin that extend outward from the accessory port, and an accessory may include the corresponding socket. After the accessory physically couples to the accessory port 200 via the connector 202, the wired pins of the accessory port 200 may then insert into the sockets that may be on the accessory. Alternatively, the electrical contacts 204a and 204b of the accessory port 200 may include the socket, while the accessory that couples to the accessory port 200 may include the wired pins that insert into the sockets.
The accessory 250 may include electrical contacts 254a and 254b that may couple with the electrical contacts 204a and 204b of the accessory port 200 such that electrical power and/or data may be transferred between the accessory port and the accessory 250. As mentioned above, when the electrical contacts 254a and 254b of the accessory 250 come into contact with the electrical contacts 204a and 204b of the accessory port, the electrical circuit that is formed as a result may allow an electrical current to flow from the accessory port to the accessory. Since the electrical contacts 254a and 254b of the accessory 250 may also be exposed to the external environment, particularly when not coupled to the accessory port, while having an electrical current flow through them, the electrical contacts 254a and 254b may also gradually corrode, similar to the electrical contacts 204a and 204b described above. As such, the electrical contacts 254a and 254b may also be constructed from electrically-conductive material that is corrosion or wear resistant and also has high surface hardness, which may be achieved by plating or cladding the contacts using metals such as gold, platinum, or palladium. Alternatively or additionally, any electrical current flowing through the electrical contacts 254a and 254b may be terminated upon the accessory 250 decoupling from the accessory port. The absence of the electrical current may reduce the corrosion of the electrical contacts 254a and 254b despite remaining exposed to the external environment.
In various embodiments, the electrical contacts 254a and 254b may be oriented at an angle to the vertical such that the electrical contacts 254a and 254b provide a “wiping” action that cleans the contacts of both the accessory port and the accessory when the accessory is coupled to the accessory port. If the electrical contacts 204a and 204b of the accessory port 200 are positioned on an inclined surface as shown in
Similar to the electrical contacts 204a and 204b of the accessory port 200, the electrical contacts 254a and 254b of the accessory 250 may also be implemented as various different electrical connectors, but certain implementations may provide certain advantages. For example, if the electrical contacts 254a and 254b are implemented as pogo pins, the ability of pogo pins to remain in contact with corresponding contacts may help the accessory port 200 and accessory 250 accommodate greater placement variation and manufacturing tolerance along the X, Y, and Z-axes. It may be the case that coupling the accessory 250 to the accessory port 200 is a very manual process and, depending on additional factors such as the location, a blind operation. Additionally, there may be large tolerances in the manufacturing of the accessory port 200, the accessory 250, or even the vehicle itself. Using pogo pins for the electrical contacts 254a and 254b may allow the connection between the accessory port 200 and accessory 250 to accommodate that variation in placement and tolerance in manufacturing, and may be enhanced if the accessory port contacts 204a and 204b are implemented as flat contacts.
The accessory 250 may include seals 256a and 256b positioned around the electrical contacts 254a and 254b. The seals 256a and 256b may extend slightly outwards from the surface of the accessory 250 to surround the electrical contacts 254a and 254b, which may reduce some of the contact's exposure to the external environment when the accessory 250 is decoupled to the accessory port 200. The seals 256a and 256b may also reduce the external environment exposure of the contacts for both the accessory and the accessory port when the accessory port 200 and accessory 250 are coupled. When the accessory 250 is coupled to the accessory port 200, the seals 256a and 256b may be positioned between the accessory 250 and the accessory port 200 to fill any space that may remain between the accessory and accessory port. With the space filled, exposure to the external environment may be reduced while also reducing the debris that is able to buildup on either the accessory contacts 254a and 254b or the accessory port contacts 204a and 204b.
In some embodiments, the seals 256a and 256b are part of the accessory 250, but in various other embodiments, the seals may be part of the accessory port 200 and still perform a similar function. Alternatively, both the accessory port 200 and the accessory 250 may both include seals that mutually come into contact when the accessory is coupled to the accessory port. The seals 256a and 256b may also be any seal that is able to fill the space between mating surfaces, such as a gasket. Additionally, the seals 256a and 256b may be static components of the accessory 250 and/or accessory port 200, but the seals may also be dynamic components that are stored within the accessory 250 or accessory port 200 when not coupled, but is able to detect when the accessory and accessory port approach one another and automatically deploys upon making that detection.
As mentioned above, the electrical contacts 304a and 304b may gradually corrode as a result of exposure to an external environment while having an electrical current flowing through them. As such, the accessory port 300 may include a cover 308 to protect the electrical contacts 304a and 304b from exposure to an external environment when the accessory port 300 is not coupled to an accessory. The cover 308 may protect the electrical contacts 304a and 304b by enclosing the electrical contacts 304a and 304b to reduce the amount of dirt and grime that may get onto and build up on the electrical contacts.
The accessory port 300 is illustrated with the hinge 310 positioned above the accessory port surface 300a, but in various embodiments, the hinge 310 may also be positioned below the surface 300a, and thus may be positioned below the vehicle surface which may be connected to the accessory port surface 300a, such as the vehicle surface 208 of
In various embodiments, the cover 308 may be manually adjusted between the open and closed configurations by a user. For example, the cover 308 may be directly lifted by a user when in the closed configuration to be adjusted to the open configuration and subsequently pushed downwards when in the open configuration to be adjusted to the closed configuration. The accessory port 300 may also include a mechanical component, such as a button or switch, that may be triggered to cause the cover 308 to adjust between the open and closed configurations. The mechanical component may be automatically triggered by an accessory when the accessory couples and decouples with the accessory port 300, but the mechanical component may also be manually triggered by a user in the process of coupling and decoupling an accessory with the accessory port 300. For example, the mechanical component may be a mechanical indicator that is configured to provide an indication when the accessory is physically coupled or is physically coupling to the accessory port 300.
The mechanical components 312a and 312b of the accessory port 300 may be exemplary embodiments of the mechanical components that may be triggered by an accessory coupling with the accessory port 300, as described above. The mechanical components 312a and 312b may be triggered when an accessory is coupled with the accessory port 300, which may in turn cause the cover 308 to adjust to the open configuration. When the accessory subsequently decouples with the accessory port 300, the mechanical components 312a and 312b may be triggered again to adjust the cover 308 to the closed configuration. Alternatively, the mechanical components 312a and 312b may remain triggered while an accessory is coupled with the accessory port 300, causing the cover 308 to adjust to and remain in the open configuration. When the accessory subsequently decouples with the accessory port 300, the mechanical components 312a and 312b may stop being triggered, which may cause the cover 308 to adjust to the closed configuration.
In various embodiments, the mechanical components 312a and 312b may also serve the function of securing the cover 308 to the accessory port 300. The mechanical components 312a and 312b may grab onto the accessory port 300 to prevent the cover 308 from moving out of position. While the mechanical components 312a and 312b in various embodiments may prevent the cover 308 from being pulled away from the accessory port 300, in various other embodiments where the cover 308 may be a removeable cover, the mechanical components 312a and 312b may be able to disengage to allow the cover 308 to be removed from the accessory port 300.
The accessory port 300 may also include various additional features that allow the cover 308 to be able to automatically adjust between the open and closed configurations based on whether an accessory is coupled, coupling, decoupled, or decoupling with the accessory port 300. For example, the accessory port 300 may include proximity sensors for detecting when the accessory is in the proximity of the accessory port 300 and electromechanically adjust the cover 308 to the open or closed configuration accordingly. Such sensors may transmit signals to the cover 308 when an accessory is detected that causes the cover to adjust to the open configuration and expose the electrical contacts 304a and 304b. While the accessory remains coupled to the accessory port 300, the sensors may continue to detect the accessory and consequently continue to transmit signals to the cover 308 for the cover 308 to remain in the open configuration. When the accessory subsequently decouples from the accessory port 300 and moves away from the accessory port, the sensors may no longer detect the accessory, and may transmit different signals to the cover 308 that cause the cover to adjust to the closed configuration where the cover 308 encloses the electrical contacts 304a and 304b to protect the contacts from exposure to the external environment since they are no longer in use. Alternatively, the cover 308 may be configured to remain in the closed configuration by default, and adjusts to the open configuration only upon receiving signals from the sensors. While the accessory is coupled to the accessory port 300, the cover 308 may continue to receive signals and thus remain in the open configuration. When the accessory decouples from the accessory port 300, the sensors may cease to transmit signals, and the cover 308 may consequently return to the closed configuration. In various embodiments, the cover 308 may directly receive and process signals to automatically adjust between the open and closed configurations, but in various other embodiments, a separate processor may receive and process signals before generating corresponding commands for the cover 308 on whether to adjust to the open or closed configurations. Proximity sensors are described herein, but many other sensors may be appropriate in various embodiments, such as ambient light sensors. Although an example method of the cover 308 being able to automatically adjust between the open and closed configuration is discussed, it should be noted that many other approaches may also be appropriate.
To optimize the protection that the cover 308 may provide for the electrical contacts 304a and 304b, the accessory port 300 may include features to detect when the cover 308 remains in the open configuration when an accessory is not coupled with the accessory port 300. Many approaches may be appropriate, such as the proximity sensors described above that may detect when an accessory is or is not within the proximity of the accessory port 300, or a mechanical button that may be activated when an accessory is coupled with the accessory port 300 but is deactivated when the accessory decouples with the accessory port. Upon detecting the cover 308 remaining in the open configuration when no accessory is coupled with the accessory port 300, the accessory port may transmit a notification to a user interface connected to the accessory port to notify a user that the cover 308 is still in the open configuration. The user interface may be any interface accessible to a user who may be associated with the vehicle for the accessory port 300, such as the infotainment system of the vehicle or a user's mobile device. An example user interface that may be connected with the accessory port 300 is described further below with respect to
The accessory port 300 may also include preconfigured structures 314a and 314b that may aid in securing the accessory port 300 to a vehicle surface, such as the vehicle surface 208a of
The accessory port 400 may also include a center bar 430 that extends transversely across the accessory port 400 and positioned between the openings 410a and 410b. The center bar 430 in various embodiments may operate as a connector that an accessory may latch onto when physically coupling with the accessory port 400. In various other embodiments, the center bar 430 may be used for hooking or latching other objects to the accessory port 400 instead of or in addition to the primary accessory that may be coupled with the accessory port, such as secondary accessories or other equipment like ratchet straps, among many others. The accessory port 400 may include a raised section 440 that may be at a higher level than the rest of the accessory port 400. The raised section 440 may provide additional space for an accessory to electrically couple with the electrical contacts of the accessory port 400, which may be positioned below the overhang sections 420a and 420b. The raised section 440 may also serve to provide more space for any other vehicle components that may be positioned below the accessory port 400, such as airbags of a vehicle. Similar to the accessory port 300 of
The accessory 620 may be any electrically powered accessory which may be equipped with a two hook structure for coupling with the accessory port 600. The two hook structure for the accessory 620 may include a lever 622 that is in an open position which, when pushed downwards, may become engaged and in turn also push a first set of spring loaded push bars 624a and 624b downwards. The first set of spring loaded push bars 624a and 624b being pushed downwards may in turn push a second set of spring loaded push bars 626a and 626b downwards. The second set of spring loaded push bars 626a and 626b may be in contact with hooks 628a and 628b at the bottom of the two hook structure. As the second set of spring loaded push bars 626a and 626b is pushed downwards, the spring loaded push bars may push the hooks 628a and 628b outwards and upwards from their positions as shown toward the striker bars 602a and 602b of the accessory port 600. In other words, the spring loaded push bars 626a and 626b being pushed downwards may push the hooks 628a and 628b to rotate towards the striker bars 602a and 602b. Additionally, because the hooks 628a and 628b may initially be positioned above the vehicle surface that the accessory port 600 is secured to, the hooks 628a and 628b being pushed upwards may mean the hooks are pushed in a direction away from the vehicle surface.
The two hook structure of the accessory 620 may also include springs 630a and 630b incorporated into the spring loaded push bars 626a and 626b. The springs 630a and 630b may begin to compress after the hooks 628a and 628b have been pushed outwards enough to make contact with the striker bars 602a and 602b of the accessory port 600. The springs 630a and 630b may continue to compress until the lever 622 has reached an over-center position, as described further below. The springs 630a and 630b may help the two hook structure self-adjust as needed to accommodate for build tolerance in the accessory 620, the accessory port 600, the vehicle, or any combination thereof, such that despite any build tolerance, the lever 622 may fully engage and the hooks 628a and 628b are able to securely attach to the striker bars 602a and 602b, allowing the accessory 620 to securely couple with the accessory port 600. The springs 630a and 630b may also allow the hooks 628a and 628b to return to the positions shown in
The accessory 620 may also include a lock cylinder, which may include a retainer 632a and keyway 632b, positioned between the spring loaded push bars 626a and 626b. The lock cylinder may introduce an additional level of security that may help prevent the accessory 620 from unintentionally becoming decoupled with the accessory port 600. The accessory 620 may include a separate component that interacts with the spring loaded push bars 626a and 626b once the lever 622 has pushed the spring loaded push bars downwards to lock the push bars in place. This may allow the lever 622 to be lifted to expose the lock cylinder without also disengaging the two hook structure of the accessory 620. The lock cylinder may then be locked and unlocked by inserting a key into the keyway 632b.
The accessory port 700 may include electrical contacts 706a and 706b that corresponding electrical contacts of the accessory may come into contact with to electrically couple the accessory with the accessory port 700. In various embodiments, the electrical contacts 706a and 706b may be sheet metal electrical contacts that have been bent into a specific form to be able to come into contact with the corresponding electrical contacts of an accessory. In various other embodiments, the electrical contacts 706a and 706b may also be electrical wires or spring finger electrical contacts, although many other implementations may be appropriate. The electrical contacts 706a and 706b may be secured in place with fasteners 708a and 708b, such as screws. The electrical contacts 706a and 706b may extend past the fasteners 708a and 708b and may also be secured by additional fasteners 710a and 710b. The accessory port 700 may also include electrical connectors 712a and 712b, such as ring terminals, that are also secured in place by the fasteners 710a and 710b. The electrical connectors 712a and 712b may come into contact with the electrical contacts 706a and 706b and the fasteners 710a and 710b may help keep them in contact with one another to maintain a steady flow of electrical power from a power supply.
With the hooks 714a and 714b pressed against the striker bars 704a and 704b, the hooks, and consequently the accessory that the hooks may be part of, may not be pulled upwards, thus securing the accessory to the accessory port 700. The hooks 714a and 714b may be the mechanical component that couples with the striker bars 704a and 704b to physically secure the accessory to the accessory port 700. The hooks 714a and 714b may include the electrical contacts 716a and 716b for the accessory that may come into contact with the electrical contacts 706a and 716b of the accessory port 700 to electrically couple the accessory with the accessory port 700. In various embodiments, the electrical contacts 716a and 716b may also be sheet metal electrical contacts that have been bent to conform to the shape of the hooks 714a and 714b. In various other embodiments, the electrical contacts 716a and 716b may also be electrical wires that extend along the body of the hooks 714a and 714b. The electrical contacts 716a and 716b may be surrounded by insulating layers 718a and 718b to insulate and/or protect the electrical contacts 716a and 716b from the environment. The insulating layers 718a and 718b may be constructed from any electrical insulator material, such as plastic. While the insulating layers 718a and 718b may surround most of the electrical contacts 716a and 716b, part of the electrical contacts 716a and 716b may be exposed so they may come into contact with the electrical contacts 706a and 706b of the accessory port 700.
At step 820, a determination may be made on whether the accessory is automatically electrically coupled with the accessory port as a result of the accessory physically coupling to the accessory port. The accessory being electrically coupled to the accessory port may mean the accessory is capable of transferring electrical power and/or data with the accessory port. This may be the case in embodiments where the electrical components of the accessory are configured to be coupled at the same time that the connectors are coupled. For example, and referring to the example in
If a determination is made at step 820 that the accessory is not automatically electrically coupled with the accessory port, method 800 may proceed to step 830 to electrically couple a first contact of the accessory with a second contact of the accessory port, which may allow the accessory to transfer electrical power and/or data with the accessory port. Electrically coupling the accessory may involve different operations depending on the type of electrical contacts, and may include adjusting various components of the accessory and/or the accessory port to allow the first contact to touch the second contact. For example, in an embodiment of a pin and socket interconnection with a wired pin as the first contact of the accessory as described with respect to
After the accessory is electrically coupled with the accessory port, method 800 may proceed to step 840 to activate the accessory to transfer electrical power and/or data with the accessory port. If, at step 820, the determination was made that the accessory is automatically electrically coupled with the accessory port after being physically coupled at step 810, the method 800 may proceed directly from step 820 to step 840 to activate the accessory. Since the accessory may already be electrically coupled to the accessory port as a result of physically coupling to the accessory port at step 810, method 800 may not need to execute step 830 to electrically couple the accessory again, and thus the accessory may be activated after physically coupling to the accessory port at step 810.
Particular embodiments may repeat one or more steps of the method of
The user interface 900 may include a section 906 that displays a rear view of the accessory port and any accessory, such as the bar accessory 902, that may be coupled with the accessory port. Similar to section 904, section 906 may also update accordingly based on whether an accessory is currently coupled with the accessory port, as well as reflect any changes to the accessory. The bar accessory 902 may currently be coupled with the accessory port, and thus the section 906 may display a rear view of the bar accessory 902.
The user interface 900 may also include various sections for controlling different aspects of an accessory that may be coupled with the accessory port. For example, the user interface 900 may include a section 908 for controlling the activation and deactivation of the bar accessory 902. The section 910 may control whether the lights of the bar accessory 902 follows the vehicle lighting. With this section set to auto, the lighting from the bar accessory 902 may activate when the vehicle lights activate and similarly deactivate when the vehicle lights deactivate. The bar accessory 902 may also have different illumination levels, and may adjust to a lower illumination level when the vehicle lighting is set to a low beam level but adjust to a higher illumination level when the vehicle lighting is switched to a high beam level. The section 912 may control the hue for the lighting from the bar accessory 902. With this section set to cool, the lighting from the bar accessory 902 may currently have a cool hue. The section 914 may control the brightness of the lighting from the bar accessory 902. With this section set to auto, the light brightness may adjust automatically given various conditions, such as the lighting in the environment that the vehicle is currently passing through.
The user interface 900 may also be integrated with the interfaces and/or controls for various other aspects of the vehicle or the bar accessory 902, and thus may include various other sections that may not be strictly associated with controlling operation of the bar accessory 902. For example, the user interface 900 may include a section 916 for interacting with various utility functions associated with the vehicle, such as accessing a user profile for the user of a vehicle, changing the notification settings for receiving various notifications from the user interface 900, controlling Bluetooth functionality, among many others. The user interface 900 may be able to transmit various types of notifications to user electronic devices with data regarding the accessory port. For example, if the accessory port includes a cover for protecting the electrical contacts of the accessory port when decoupled with an accessory, such as in the example of
The sections may be 916, 918, and 920 may be described herein for interacting with vehicle utility functions, but in various other embodiments, the sections 916, 918, and 920 may control various other aspects of the bar accessory 902 that may not be available on the same page as those shown and described above. Additionally, the sections 916, 918, and/or 920 in various embodiments may also control various aspects of other accessories that may also be coupled with the accessory port of the vehicle. This may be the case where the accessory port may support multiple accessories simultaneously being coupled at any given time, where the sections 916, 918, and/or 920 may support navigating to and controlling the other accessories besides the bar accessory 902 currently displayed on the given page. Although the user interface 900 as described herein may include various sections with particular functions, it should be noted that various other embodiments may include various other sections with functions that may be similar or different than those described herein. For example, various embodiments may include any view of the accessory that may be coupled with the accessory port of the vehicle, in addition to or instead of a front and rear view. Various embodiments may also include a greater or fewer number of sections than those shown and described herein, where the sections may also be arranged in any layout.
As described herein, an accessory port of a vehicle may transfer electrical power and/or data with a powered accessory when the accessory is coupled with the accessory port. With electrical power being transferred, it may be advantageous to authenticate an accessory by evaluating whether an accessory is authorized to couple with the accessory port to ensure electrical safety. This may help to ensure that unsafely designed accessories do not couple with and attempt to transfer electrical power from the accessory port.
The accessory port 1010 may include a processor 1040 that may be configured to authenticate the accessory 1060 by executing instructions to analyze data about the accessory 1060, or accessory data, and determine whether the accessory 1060 is authorized to couple with the accessory port 1010. Whether the accessory 1060 is authorized to couple with the accessory port 1010 may depend on whether the accessory 1060 meets a predetermined threshold, and the processor 1040 may analyze the accessory data to determine whether the accessory 1060 meets that predetermined threshold. The accessory data that the processor 1040 analyzes may include the make or model of the accessory 1060, data about any software that may be running on the accessory 1060, component limitations such as the maximum electrical load supported by the accessory 1060, among many others. To meet the threshold, the accessory model may need to be on a whitelist of authorized accessory models, the accessory software may need to be at least a specific version, or the accessory's maximum electrical support load may need to be a certain amount, among many others.
The processor 1040 may also interface with the power supply 1030 to control the electrical power supplied to the accessory 1060 based on whether the accessory 1060 is authenticated. That is, the processor 1040 may cause the power supply 1030 to withhold electrical power upon determining that the accessory 1060 is not authorized to couple with the accessory port 1010, and cause the power supply 1030 to supply electrical power to the accessory 1060 upon determining that the accessory 1060 is authorized to couple with the accessory port 1010. This may mean the processor 1040 is also configured to control the electrical power that is supplied to the accessory 1060 via the electrical contact 1020. The processor 1040 may also control various aspects of the electrical power supplied from the power supply 1030 to the accessory 1060. For example, the processor 1040 may control how much electrical power is supplied, when to supply the electrical power (such as only after the accessory 1060 has been authenticated and not immediately after the accessory 1060 electrically couples with the accessory port 1010), the frequency with which to supply electrical power (such as through multiple separate flows instead of a continuous flow to conserve electrical power), among many others. The processor 1040 may also adjust the electrical power supplied based on various conditions, such as which driving mode the vehicle is in or what the external weather is, among many others. In various embodiments, the processor 1040 may be a computing unit specifically for authenticating the accessory 1060, such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a more general computing unit, such as a central processing unit (CPU).
The accessory port 1010 may include a communication module 1050 that communicates with the accessory 1060 to transfer data between the accessory 1060 and accessory port 1010. The processor 1040 may then interface with the communication module 1050 to retrieve accessory data, and may also forward any data or commands intended for the accessory 1060 to the communication module 1050 to be transmitted to the accessory 1060. The communication module 1050 may be implemented in various ways depending on the authentication method of different embodiments. For example, the communication module 1050 may be implemented as a wireless transceiver that wirelessly communicates with the accessory 1060, such as through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Alternatively, the communication module 1050 may be a radio wave sensor that detects the radio waves emitted by the accessory 1060. In addition to those described herein, many other implementations may be appropriate for transferring data from the accessory 1060 to the accessory port 1010 for the processor 1040 to determine whether the accessory is authorized to couple with the accessory port.
Although the processor 1040 and the communication module 1050 are illustrated as separate components, in various embodiments, the two components may be integrated. For example, the processor 1040 may include the functionality of the communication module 1050, or the communication module 1050 may be a subcomponent of the processor 1040. Alternatively, the processor 1040 and communication module 1050 may be separate subcomponents that are integrated together into another computing unit, such as a vehicle control unit. The accessory port 1010 may also be illustrated as incorporating the various components 1020-1050, but various embodiments may separate some components from the accessory port 1010. For example, the processor 1040 may not be integrated as part of the accessory port 1010, and may instead be part a separate vehicle computing unit, but is still able to access the accessory data received by the communication module 1050 and analyze the data to authenticate the accessory 1060.
As described above, the accessory 1060 may include an electrical contact 1070 that may form an electrical circuit with the electrical contact 1020 to electrically couple the accessory 1060 with the accessory port 1010. The electrical circuit formed from the electrical contacts 1020 and 1070 may allow an electrical current to flow from the power supply 1030 to the accessory 1060, and thus supplying electrical power to the accessory 1060. The electrical power may power the processor 1080 and the communication module 1090 in some embodiments, such as if the communication module 1090 is a wireless transceiver. The processor 1080 may process incoming messages from the accessory port 1010 as well as generate outgoing messages to the accessory port 1010, where the outgoing messages may be sent to the communication module 1090 which then transmits to the accessory port 1010. The incoming messages from the accessory port 1010 may include requests for accessory data to authenticate the accessory 1060. The processor 1080 may process the request, identify and retrieve the relevant accessory data, and then send a message with the data to the communication module 1090 to be transmitted to the accessory port 1010. The communication module 1090 may communicate with the corresponding communication module 1050 of the accessory port 1010 to transfer data between the accessory 1060 and the accessory port 1010. The communication module 1090 may also be implemented in various ways, where the implementation may correspond with the communication module 1050 of the accessory port 1010 to allow data to be transferred between the accessory 1060 and accessory port 1010. For example, the communication module 1050 of the accessory port 1010 may be implemented as a wireless transceiver, with the communication module 1090 of the accessory 1060 also implemented as a wireless transceiver. Thus, the communication modules 1050 and 1090 may transfer data through transmitting and receiving wireless signals from one another. Alternatively, the communication module 1050 may be implemented as a radio wave sensor, with the communication module 1090 implemented as a radio wave emitter. Thus, the communication module 1090 may transfer data by emitting radio waves that are subsequently detected by the communication module 1050.
Control system 1130 may allow control of various systems on-board the vehicle. As shown in
Features of embodiments as described herein may be controlled by one or more ECUs that provide functionality to control access to the vehicle. A Vehicle Access System (VAS) ECU may provide passive/active wireless sensors (e.g., Bluetooth) authorizing accessing (i.e., locking or unlocking) the vehicle. A Near-Field Communication (NFC) ECU may support an NFC reader embedded in the vehicle (e.g., in the driver-side exterior door handle or in the armrest of the interior, driver-side door panel) for user authentication.
Features of embodiments as described herein may be controlled by a Telematics Control Module (TCM) ECU. The TCM ECU may provide a wireless vehicle communication gateway to support functionality such as, by way of example and not limitation, over-the-air (OTA) software updates, communication between the vehicle and the internet, communication between the vehicle and a computing device 1150, in-vehicle navigation, vehicle-to-vehicle communication, communication between the vehicle and landscape features (e.g., automated toll road sensors, automated toll gates, power dispensers at charging stations), or automated calling functionality.
Features of embodiments as described herein may be controlled by a Rear Zone Control (RZC) ECU. The RZC ECU may provide functionality to control different body components, such as, by way of example and not limitation, a license plate lamp, based on vehicle body type. For vehicles with a truck bed, the RZC ECU may provide functionality to control a tonneau cover, sidebin latch, tailgate latch, sidebin lights, or cargo lamps. For a sport utility-type vehicle with a rear door, the RZC ECU may provide functionality to control liftgate latches, a liftgate actuator, puddle lamps, or a rear wiper. For vehicles with a tow hitch, the RZC ECU may provide functionality to control trailer braking or a trailer brake stop light. For vehicles with a third row of seats, the RZC ECU may provide functionality to control movement of interior components to facilitate easy entry to the rear seats. For a delivery vehicle, the RZC ECU may provide functionality to control movement of a bulkhead door motor and latches, rollup door latches, various lamps, rear stop lights, and turn lights.
Features of embodiments as described herein may be controlled by a Body Control Module (BCM) ECU. The BCM ECU may provide electronic controls for various components of the body of the vehicle, such as, by way of example and not limitation: interior lighting (e.g., cabin lights, seatbelt lights), exterior lighting (e.g., headlamps, side lights, rear lights, camp lights), power outlets, frunk switch, window wiper movement and washer fluid deployment, the overhead center console, horn, power ports, and wireless accessory charging and docking.
Features of embodiments as described herein may be controlled by a Central Gateway Module (CGM) ECU. The CGM ECU may serve as the vehicle's communications hub that connects and transfer data to and from the various ECUs, sensors, cameras, motors, and other vehicle components. The CGM ECU may include a network switch that provides connectivity through Controller Area Network (CAN) ports, Local Interconnect Network (LIN) ports, and Ethernet ports. The CGM ECU may also serve as the master control over the different vehicle modes (e.g., road driving mode, parked mode, off-roading mode, tow mode, camping mode), and thereby control certain vehicle components related to placing the vehicle in one of the vehicle modes. In some embodiments, for electric vehicles, the CGM ECU may also control the vehicle charge port door and related light(s) and sensor(s).
Features of embodiments as described herein may be controlled by an Experience Management Module (XMM) ECU may generate a user interface displayed on a dashboard of the vehicle. The user interface may display information and provide audio output for an infotainment system, including various views around and inside the vehicle. XMM may provide interactive controls for a number of different vehicle functions that may be controlled in conjunction with enabling the designated mode, such as, by way of example and not limitation: controlling interior and exterior lighting, vehicle displays (e.g., instrument cluster, center information display, and rear console display), audio output (e.g., audio processing, echo cancellation, beam focusing), music playback, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) controls, power settings, Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth device connectivity, and vehicle leveling, as well as displaying information in the user interface (e.g., surround view camera feed, distance to nearest charger, and minimum range). In some embodiments, interactive controls provided by XMM may allow interaction with other modules of control system 1130.
Vehicle 1100 may include one or more additional ECUs, such as, by way of example and not limitation: a Vehicle Dynamics Module (VDM) ECU, a Seat Control Module (SCM) ECU, a Door Control Module (DCM) ECU, an Autonomy Control Module (ACM) ECU, an Autonomous Safety Module (ASM) ECU, a Driver Monitoring System (DMS) ECU, and/or a Winch Control Module (WCM) ECU. If vehicle 1100 is an electric vehicle, one or more ECUs may provide functionality related to the battery pack of the vehicle, such as a Battery Management System (BMS) ECU, a Battery Power Isolation (BPI) ECU, a Balancing Voltage Temperature (BVT) ECU, and/or a Thermal Management Module (TMM) ECU.
Processor 1202 may include hardware for executing instructions, such as those making up a computer program. As an example and not by way of limitation, to execute instructions, processor 1202 may retrieve (or fetch) the instructions from an internal register, an internal cache, memory 1204, or storage 1206; decode and execute them; and then write one or more results to an internal register, an internal cache, memory 1204, or storage 1206. Processor 1202 may include one or more internal caches for data, instructions, or addresses.
In particular embodiments, memory 1204 includes main memory for storing instructions for processor 1202 to execute or data for processor 1202 to operate on. In particular embodiments, one or more memory management units (MMUs) reside between processor 1202 and memory 1204 and facilitate accesses to memory 1204 requested by processor 1202. In particular embodiments, memory 1204 includes random access memory (RAM). This disclosure contemplates any suitable RAM.
In particular embodiments, storage 1206 includes mass storage for data or instructions. As an example and not by way of limitation, storage 1206 may include a removable disk drive, flash memory, an optical disc, a magneto-optical disc, magnetic tape, or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) drive or two or more of these. Storage 1206 may include removable or fixed media and may be internal or external to computer system 1200. Storage 1206 may include any suitable form of non-volatile, solid-state memory or read-only memory (ROM).
In particular embodiments, I/O interface 1208 includes hardware, software, or both, providing one or more interfaces for communication between computer system 1200 and one or more input and/or output (I/O) devices. Computer system 1200 may be communicably connected to one or more of these I/O devices, which may be incorporated into, plugged into, paired with, or otherwise communicably connected to vehicle 1100 (e.g., through the TCM ECU). An input device may include any suitable device for converting volitional user input into digital signals that can be processed by computer system 1200, such as, by way of example and not limitation, a steering wheel, a touch screen, a microphone, a joystick, a scroll wheel, a button, a toggle, a switch, a dial, or a pedal. An input device may include one or more sensors for capturing different types of information, such as, by way of example and not limitation, sensors 1110 described above. An output device may include devices designed to receive digital signals from computer system 1200 and convert them to an output format, such as, by way of example and not limitation, speakers, headphones, a display screen, a heads-up display, a lamp, a smart vehicle accessory, another suitable output device, or a combination thereof. This disclosure contemplates any suitable I/O devices and any suitable I/O interfaces 1208 for them. I/O interface 1208 may include one or more I/O interfaces 1208, where appropriate.
In particular embodiments, communication interface 1210 includes hardware, software, or both providing one or more interfaces for data communication between computer system 1200 and one or more other computer systems 1200 or one or more networks. Communication interface 1210 may include one or more interfaces to a controller area network (CAN) or to a local interconnect network (LIN). Communication interface 1210 may include one or more of a serial peripheral interface (SPI) or an isolated serial peripheral interface (isoSPI). In some embodiments, communication interface 1210 may include a network interface controller (NIC) or network adapter for communicating with an Ethernet or other wire-based network or a wireless NIC (WNIC) or wireless adapter for communicating with a wireless network, such as a WI-FI network or a cellular network.
In particular embodiments, bus 1212 includes hardware, software, or both coupling components of computer system 1200 to each other. Bus 1212 may include any suitable bus, as well as one or more buses 1212, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes a particular bus, any suitable bus or interconnect is contemplated.
Herein, a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium or media may include one or more semiconductor-based or other integrated circuits (ICs) (such, as for example, field-programmable gate arrays or application-specific ICs), hard disk drives, hybrid hard drives, optical discs, optical disc drives, magneto-optical discs, magneto-optical drives, solid-state drives, RAM drives, any other suitable computer-readable non-transitory storage media, or any suitable combination. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium may be volatile, non-volatile, or a combination of volatile and non-volatile, where appropriate.
Herein, “or” is inclusive and not exclusive, unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context. Therefore, herein, “A or B” means “A, B, or both,” unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context. Moreover, “and” is both joint and several, unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context. Therefore, herein, “A and B” means “A and B, jointly or severally,” unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context.
The scope of this disclosure encompasses all changes, substitutions, variations, alterations, and modifications to the example embodiments described or illustrated herein that a person having ordinary skill in the art would comprehend. The scope of this disclosure is not limited to the example embodiments described or illustrated herein. Moreover, although this disclosure describes and illustrates respective embodiments herein as including particular components, elements, feature, functions, operations, or steps, any of these embodiments may include any combination or permutation of any of the components, elements, features, functions, operations, or steps described or illustrated anywhere herein that a person having ordinary skill in the art would comprehend. Furthermore, reference in the appended claims to an apparatus or system or a component of an apparatus or system being adapted to, arranged to, capable of, configured to, allowed to, operable to, or operative to perform a particular function encompasses that apparatus, system, component, whether or not it or that particular function is activated, turned on, or unlocked, as long as that apparatus, system, or component is so adapted, arranged, capable, configured, allowed, operable, or operative. Additionally, although this disclosure describes or illustrates particular embodiments as providing particular advantages, particular embodiments may provide none, some, or all of these advantages.
This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/435,918 filed Dec. 29, 2022, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/435,934 filed Dec. 29, 2022, the entire contents of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in their entireties.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63435918 | Dec 2022 | US | |
| 63435934 | Dec 2022 | US |
