User Configurable Trailer
Patent No. US11130535 (titled "User Configurable Trailer") was filed by Yang And Cohen Enterprises Inc on Feb 9, 2021.
What is this patent about?
’535 is related to the field of configurable trailers, specifically those designed for temporary attachment to a vehicle. The background acknowledges that while conventional trailers offer customization, these are typically fixed. The patent addresses the need for a trailer that can dynamically adjust its configuration based on user preferences and selected activities, offering a more versatile and personalized experience.
The underlying idea behind ’535 is to create a user-configurable trailer that automatically adjusts its physical configuration based on a user's profile and the activity they intend to perform. This involves using sensors, motors, and a control system to modify the trailer's dimensions, tilt, and internal components to optimize the space for the user's specific needs.
The claims of ’535 focus on a system comprising processors and a non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed, cause the system to perform operations including receiving a user profile, dynamically adjusting at least one physical component of a trailer based on the user profile, where the physical component is a slideout or leveling jack , and dynamically adjusting a tilt of a lower surface of the trailer based in part on the user profile. The claims also cover a computer-implemented method and a computer program product with similar functionality.
In practice, the trailer uses a combination of sensors, including cameras and motion detectors, to monitor the user and the surrounding environment. This data, along with the user's profile and selected activity, is fed into a control system that determines the necessary adjustments. For example, if a user selects a golf driving activity, the system might extend slideouts to create more space, adjust the tilt of the floor to simulate different lies, and deploy a virtual reality system for a simulated golf experience.
This approach differentiates itself from prior solutions by offering a truly dynamic and personalized experience. Instead of fixed customizations, the trailer adapts in real-time to the user's needs and preferences. The use of predictive modeling further enhances the experience by anticipating the user's actions and proactively adjusting the trailer's configuration. This creates a more immersive and efficient environment for various activities, from sports practice to mobile workspaces.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the early 2020s when ’535 was filed, trailers at a time when trailers were typically customized with fixed internal configurations. When systems commonly relied on manual adjustments rather than automated adjustments based on user profiles and activity profiles. When hardware or software constraints made dynamic adjustments of trailer dimensions and surfaces non-trivial.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The examiner allowed the claims because the closest prior art, Ricci, discloses receiving a user profile describing physical characteristics of a user and/or describing an activity to be performed by the user, and dynamically adjusting at least one physical component based on the user profile. Crean teaches a modifiable, moveable trailer for temporary attachment with a vehicle and dynamically adjusting at least one physical component of a trailer, where the physical component comprises a slideout or leveling jack of the trailer. However, the examiner stated that the prior art, taken individually or in combination, fails to disclose, suggest, or teach a system for a modifiable, moveable trailer for temporary attachment with a vehicle, comprising processors and a non-transitory computer-readable medium with instructions to receive a user profile, dynamically adjust a physical component based on the user profile, automatically control the movement of the physical component, and dynamically adjust a tilt of a lower surface of the trailer based on the user profile.
Claims
This patent contains 18 claims, of which claims 1, 7, and 13 are independent. The independent claims are directed to a system, method, and computer program product for dynamically adjusting a trailer based on a user profile. The dependent claims generally elaborate on and add detail to the features and functionalities described in the independent claims.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
Patent Family
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Date
Description
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US11130535
- Application Number
- US17172071
- Filing Date
- Feb 9, 2021
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Feb 9, 2041
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents