Hitch assist system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10427716-B2
Application number	US-201715701644-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2017
Priority date	Sep 12, 2017
Publication date	Oct 1, 2019
Grant date	Oct 1, 2019

Abstract

A hitch assist system and method are provided herein. A device is configured to detect a hitch coupler of a trailer and a controller is in communication with the device. The controller is configured to generate a boundary area projecting from the hitch coupler, define a vehicle backup path toward the trailer if a tow hitch of the vehicle is located inside the boundary area, and determine a steering angle for steering the vehicle along the vehicle backup path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hitch assist system comprising:
a device configured to detect a hitch coupler of a trailer; and
a controller in communication with the device and configured to:
generate a boundary area projecting from the hitch coupler;
define a vehicle backup path toward the trailer if a tow hitch of a vehicle is located inside the boundary area; and
determine a steering angle for steering the vehicle along the vehicle backup path.

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

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the boundary area is a sector that includes a plane enclosed by a first radius, a second radius, and an arc therebetween.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the size of the sector is based on an angle between the first and second radii, the angle determined based on a minimum turning radius of the vehicle and a distance from the tow hitch to a rear axle of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the boundary area has a fixed size and an aim direction that changes based on a heading angle of the vehicle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the trailer.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle backup path has a trajectory corresponding to the shortest distance between the tow hitch and the hitch coupler.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the steering angle is based on an angle of the vehicle backup path with respect to a longitudinal axis of the trailer, and a heading angle of the vehicle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the trailer.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle backup path has a trajectory that is entirely circular and having a constant curvature.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the steering angle is based on a heading angle of the vehicle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the trailer, and a positional change of the tow hitch.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle backup path has a first trajectory that is circular followed by a second trajectory that is straight.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first trajectory transitions to the second trajectory when a longitudinal axis of the vehicle intersects with the hitch coupler.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein if the tow hitch is located outside the boundary area, the controller determines if the tow hitch is located in a region in front of the trailer and defined by a first bound and a second bound, and wherein if the tow hitch is located inside the region, the controller determines a backup path for reversing the vehicle so as to move the tow hitch inside the boundary area.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a display for dynamically displaying at least one of the region and the boundary area.

14. A hitch assist system comprising:
a device configured to detect a hitch coupler of a trailer; and
a controller in communication with the device and configured to:
define a vehicle backup path terminating at or near the hitch coupler, wherein the vehicle backup path has a trajectory that is at least one of circular and straight;
define the vehicle backup path if a tow hitch of a vehicle is located inside a dynamic boundary area projecting from the hitch coupler; and
determine a steering angle for steering the vehicle along the vehicle backup path.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the boundary area is a sector that includes a plane enclosed by a first radius, a second radius, and an arc therebetween, and wherein the size of the sector is based on an angle between the first and second radii, the angle determined based on a minimum turning radius of the vehicle and a distance from the tow hitch to a rear axle of the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the boundary area has a fixed size and an aim direction that changes based on a heading angle of the vehicle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the trailer.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the vehicle backup path has a trajectory corresponding to the shortest distance between a tow hitch of the vehicle and the hitch coupler.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the vehicle backup path has a trajectory that is entirely circular and having a constant curvature or a trajectory that is circular and then straight.

19. A hitch assist method comprising the steps of:
detecting a hitch coupler of a trailer;
generating a boundary area projecting from the hitch coupler;
defining a vehicle backup path toward the trailer if a tow hitch of a vehicle is located inside the boundary area; and
determining a steering angle for steering the vehicle along the vehicle backup path.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Xu Li
• Simmons Kyle
• Zhang Chen
• Tseng Eric Hongtei

Classifications

• B62D15/028 Primary

  Guided parking by providing commands to the driver, e.g. acoustically or optically · CPC title

• B60D1/62

  involving supply lines, electric circuits or the like · CPC title

• B62D15/029 Primary

  Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system · CPC title

• B60D1/06

  Ball-and-socket hitches · CPC title

• B62D15/0285

  Parking performed automatically · CPC title