Abstract: An energy management system for a towed vehicle includes an energy harvesting system for harvesting electrical energy from the energy of the towed vehicle, an energy storage system for storing the harvested electrical energy, and a computer controller for controlling the release of the stored electrical energy to one or more components of the towed vehicle for operating the towed vehicle.

Abstract: There is disclosed a control system for controlling braking of wheels in a towed vehicle comprising: an electric drum brake associated with at least one wheel of the towed vehicle for applying a braking force to the towed vehicle, the electric drum brake having at least one electro magnet for controlling application of the braking force; and a computer controller electrically coupled to each electric drum brake; wherein, the at least one electro-magnet generates an electric field through which a geometric or magnetic variation present in the electric drum brake passes through upon rotation of the wheel, the computer controller being configured to detect a response signal generated by the passing of the geometric or magnetic variation through the electric field, the response signal being indicative of the state of motion of the wheel.

Abstract: There is disclosed a communication system for delivering power and control signals to control the activation of electrical components in a vehicle comprising: a power source for generating a power signal to supply power to the electrical components; a computer controller for generating control signals to control operation of the electrical components; a slave unit operatively connected to both the power source and the computer controller to receive the control signals and to convert the control signals into data signals for transmission to the electrical components; a power supply line for carrying the power signal, or the power signal and the data signals, from the slave unit to each electrical component; and a master unit located remote from said slave unit and configured to receive the data signals from the slave unit and to verify the data signals for further delivery to the required electrical component.

Abstract: A usage recordal system for a towed vehicle includes a distance measurement sensor for measuring data representative of distance travelled by the towed vehicle, a road surface quality sensor for measuring data representative of road surface quality for the measured distance travelled by the towed vehicle, and a processor for receiving the data representative of distance travelled by the towed vehicle and the data representative of road surface quality for the measured distance travelled by the towed vehicle and for combining the data to provide data indicative of the distance travelled by the towed vehicle over a variety of road surface conditions.

Abstract: A hitching system for connecting a towed vehicle to a towing vehicle comprising: a connector member for engaging with a connection point on the towing vehicle; a shaft member connected at one end to the connector member and at a second opposing end to a housing fixed to the towed vehicle; a plurality of sensor elements mounted to said shaft member, at least one of the sensor elements configured to measure a lateral force present in the shaft member during towing of the towed vehicle by the towing vehicle; and a computer processor mounted with respect to the towed vehicle for receiving a signal from at least one of the sensor elements representative of the measure of the lateral force present in the shaft member and processing said signal to control motion of the towed vehicle.

Abstract: There is disclosed a control system for controlling braking of wheels in a towed vehicle comprising: an electric drum brake associated with at least one wheel of the towed vehicle for applying a braking force to the towed vehicle, the electric drum brake having at least one electro magnet for controlling application of the braking force; and a computer controller electrically coupled to each electric drum brake; wherein, the at least one electro-magnet generates an electric field through which a geometric or magnetic variation present in the electric drum brake passes through upon rotation of the wheel, the computer controller being configured to detect a response signal generated by the passing of the geometric or magnetic variation through the electric field, the response signal being indicative of the state of motion of the wheel.

Abstract: There is disclosed a communication system for delivering power and control signals to control the activation of electrical components in a vehicle comprising: a power source for generating a power signal to supply power to the electrical components; a computer controller for generating control signals to control operation of the electrical components; a slave unit operatively connected to both the power source and the computer controller to receive the control signals and to convert the control signals into data signals for transmission to the electrical components; a power supply line for carrying the power signal, or the power signal and the data signals, from the slave unit to each electrical component; and a master unit located remote from said slave unit and configured to receive the data signals from the slave unit and to verify the data signals for further delivery to the required electrical component.

Abstract: A usage recordal system for a towed vehicle includes a distance measurement sensor for measuring data representative of distance travelled by the towed vehicle, a road surface quality sensor for measuring data representative of road surface quality for the measured distance travelled by the towed vehicle, and a processor for receiving the data representative of distance travelled by the towed vehicle and the data representative of road surface quality for the measured distance travelled by the towed vehicle and for combining the data to provide data indicative of the distance travelled by the towed vehicle over a variety of road surface conditions.

Abstract: An energy management system for a towed vehicle includes an energy harvesting system for harvesting electrical energy from the energy of the towed vehicle, an energy storage system for storing the harvested electrical energy, and a computer controller for controlling the release of the stored electrical energy to one or more components of the towed vehicle for operating the towed vehicle.