US Patent 6891468 Vehicle brake monitoring system

A vehicle brake monitoring system including processing units receiving signals from each of the several brake stroke sensors mounted on a vehicle. The sensors adapted to generate signal corresponding to stroke movement of the brakes. The system adapted to process the sensor signal, signal from the vehicle's stoplight and a time delay between changes in the stoplight signal and corresponding changes in the sensor signal to determine the current condition of a brake. This determination, whether made on a tractor or trailer, can then appear on the display of the data acquisition unit itself, or through data communications to a display in the vehicle's cab; or on a warning light in the cab if the unit detects a malfunctioning brake.