Trailer backup assist system having advanced user mode with selectable hitch angle limits

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10814912-B2
Application number	US-201816202983-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 28, 2018
Priority date	Nov 28, 2018
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

A backup assist system for a vehicle reversing a trailer includes a controller receiving a driver control signal and outputting a vehicle backing steering command based on the control signal and limited by one of a first angle limit corresponding with a calculated maximum controllable angle and a second angle limit at a maneuverability threshold below the maximum controllable angle. The system further includes an interface outputting an indication of the one of the first and second angle limits.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A backup assist system for a vehicle reversing a trailer, comprising:
a controller:
receiving a driver control signal; and
outputting a vehicle backing steering command based on the control signal and limited by one of a first angle limit corresponding with a calculated maximum controllable angle and a second angle limit at a maneuverability threshold below the maximum controllable angle, wherein the controller causes the system to selectively operate in a normal mode wherein the backing steering command is limited by the second angle limit and an advanced mode wherein the backing steering command is limited by the first angle limit; and

an interface outputting an indication of the one of the first and second angle limits.

2. The system of claim 1 , further including an input receiving a backing control command from a driver and outputting the driver control signal based thereon on the backing control command.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the control signal includes a direction and an amplitude; and
the controller interprets the amplitude as a curvature command in the direction indicated by the control signal.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller receives, by way of the interface, a user selection of one of the normal mode and the advanced mode.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein:
the interface presents softbuttons corresponding with each of the normal mode and the advanced mode; and
outputs a selection of one of the normal mode or the advanced mode to the controller upon an input corresponding with the respective softbutton.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein:
the controller initially determines whether operation of the system in the advanced mode is desirable based on predetermined criteria; and
the interface indicates that the softbutton corresponding with the advanced mode is not selectable when the controller initially determines that operation of the system in the advanced mode is not desirable.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein:
the interface presents an indication of a current operation mode from either of the normal mode and the advanced mode; and
the controller receives a selection of the other of the normal mode and the advanced mode by at least one physical control in the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 4 , wherein:
the second limit is adjustable by a user within a predetermined range; and
the interface presents an indication of the second limit and respective softbuttons for raising or lowering the limit within the predetermined range.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller restricts operation of the system to within the normal mode unless the trailer meets at least one predetermined criterion.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the predetermined criterion is one of a length of the trailer being above a threshold conventional trailer length or a type of the trailer corresponding with a gooseneck trailer.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein when the system operates in the normal mode and an initial vehicle-trailer angle is above the second angle limit, the interface presents a prompt to drive the vehicle in a forward direction or to select the advanced mode.

12. The system of claim 1 , when an initial vehicle-trailer angle is above the second angle limit, the control system interface selects to operate in the advanced mode.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller designates one of the normal mode and the advanced mode as a default mode that it selectively operates in upon activation of the system, the designation being determined by a user via the interface.

14. A backup assist system for a vehicle reversing a trailer, comprising:
a controller:
receiving a driver control signal; and
operating in one of a normal mode and an advanced mode in which:
in the advanced mode the controller outputs a vehicle backing steering command based on the control signal and limited by a first angle limit corresponding with a calculated maximum controllable angle; and
in the normal mode the controller outputs the vehicle backing steering command based on the control signal and limited by a second angle limit at a maneuverability threshold below the maximum controllable angle; and

an interface outputting an indication of the one of the first and second angle limits.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller receives, by way of the interface, a user selection of one of the normal mode and the advanced mode.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller restricts operation of the system to within the normal mode unless the trailer meets at least one predetermined criterion.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein when the system operates in the normal mode and an initial vehicle-trailer angle is above the second angle limit, the interface presents a prompt to drive the vehicle in a forward direction or to select the advanced mode.

18. The system of claim 14 , when an initial vehicle-trailer angle is above the second angle limit, the control system interface selects to operate in the advanced mode.

19. A method for assisting in reversing a vehicle-trailer combination, comprising:
receiving a driver control signal;
controlling reversing the vehicle-trailer combination in one of a normal mode and an advanced mode in which:
in the advanced mode, controlling reversing includes outputting a vehicle backing steering command based on the control signal and limited by a first angle limit corresponding with a calculated maximum controllable angle; and
in the normal mode, controlling reversing includes outputting the vehicle backing steering command based on the control signal and limited by a second angle limit at a maneuverability threshold below the maximum controllable angle; and

presenting an indication of the one of the first and second angle limits to a driver of the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the interface is a video screen included within a vehicle human-machine interface; and
the indication of the one of the first and second angle limits is made graphically on the video screen.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Cotter Jeffrey
• Lavoie Erick Michael
• Daavettila Tyler
• Bell Robert
• Mattern Donald Jacob

Classifications

• B62D13/06 Primary

  for backing a normally drawn trailer · CPC title

• B60R2300/8086

  for vehicle path indication · CPC title

• B60W50/0098 Primary

  Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B60W50/08

  Interaction between the driver and the control system · CPC title

• B60R1/003

  for viewing trailer hitches · CPC title