Hitch assist system for correcting misalignment between a tow hitch of a vehicle and a hitch coupler of a trailer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10414437-B2
Application number	US-201715724760-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2017
Priority date	Oct 4, 2017
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

A hitch assist system is provided herein. A human machine interface is configured to receive user-input for adjusting a pre-hitch position of a tow hitch of a vehicle. A controller is configured to generate commands for maneuvering the vehicle such that the tow hitch is moved to an adjusted pre-hitch position at which the tow hitch is aligned with a hitch coupler of a trailer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hitch assist system comprising:
a human machine interface configured to receive user-input for adjusting a pre-hitch position of a tow hitch of a vehicle; and
a controller configured to generate commands for maneuvering the vehicle such that the tow hitch is moved to an adjusted pre-hitch position at which the tow hitch is aligned with a hitch coupler of a trailer, wherein the controller is configured to determine a difference in position between the pre-hitch position and the adjusted pre-hitch position and the controller stores the difference in position to memory and applies the difference in position to future maneuvers of the vehicle toward the trailer.

2. The hitch assist system of claim 1 , wherein the human machine interface comprises a touchscreen display configured to display a view of the tow hitch in the pre-hitch position and register one or more touch events thereon for adjusting the pre-hitch position of the tow hitch.

3. The hitch assist system of claim 2 , wherein the touchscreen display is configured to generate a graphical icon having multiple touchpoints for adjusting the pre-hitch position of the tow hitch.

4. The hitch assist system of claim 3 , wherein the touchpoints allow adjustment of the pre-hitch position in at least one of a lateral direction and a longitudinal direction.

5. The hitch assist system of claim 4 , wherein the graphical icon is configured to display a difference in position between the pre-hitch position of the tow hitch and the adjusted pre-hitch position of the tow hitch.

6. The hitch assist system of claim 3 , wherein the touchscreen display is configured to generate an indicator graphically representing the pre-hitch position of the tow hitch and movable in response to each touch event.

7. The hitch assist system of claim 6 , wherein the touchpoints are graphically represented as arrows and each touch event on a given touchpoint incrementally moves the indicator in a direction specified by the corresponding arrow.

8. The hitch assist system of claim 1 , wherein the tow hitch comprises a hitch ball and the hitch coupler comprises a coupler ball socket.

9. A human machine interface of a vehicle having a tow hitch, comprising:
a touchscreen display configured to display a view of the tow hitch in a pre-hitch position proximate a hitch coupler of a trailer and register one or more touch events thereon for adjusting the pre-hitch position of the tow hitch to correct misalignment between the tow hitch and the hitch coupler, wherein the touchscreen display is configured to generate a graphical icon having multiple touchpoints for adjusting the pre-hitch position of the tow hitch.

10. The human machine interface of claim 9 , wherein the touchpoints allow adjustment of the pre-hitch position in at least one of a lateral direction and a longitudinal direction.

11. The human machine interface of claim 10 , wherein the graphical icon is configured to display a difference in position between the pre-hitch position of the tow hitch and an adjusted pre-hitch position of the tow hitch.

12. The human machine interface of claim 9 , wherein the touchscreen display is configured to generate an indicator graphically representing the pre-hitch position of the tow hitch and movable in response to each touch event.

13. The human machine interface of claim 12 , wherein the touchpoints are graphically represented as arrows and each touch event on a given touchpoint incrementally moves the indicator in a direction specified by the corresponding arrow.

14. A method of correcting misalignment between a tow hitch of a vehicle and a hitch coupler of a trailer, comprising the steps of:
receiving user-input via a human machine interface for adjusting a pre-hitch position of the tow hitch;
providing a controller for generating commands for maneuvering the vehicle such that the tow hitch is moved to an adjusted pre-hitch position at which the tow hitch is aligned with the hitch coupler;
determining a difference in position between the pre-hitch position of the tow hitch and the adjusted pre-hitch position of the tow hitch;
storing the difference in position to memory; and
applying the difference in position to future maneuvers of the vehicle toward the trailer.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Pilutti Thomas Edward
• Niewiadomski Luke

Classifications

• B60Y2200/147

  Trailers, e.g. full trailers or caravans · CPC title

• B60W30/06

  Automatic manoeuvring for parking · CPC title

• B60R2300/808

  for facilitating docking to a trailer · CPC title

• B60D1/36

  for facilitating connection, e.g. hitch catchers · CPC title

• B60W50/14

  Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention · CPC title