Trailer reverse assist with follow-me system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10899384-B2
Application number	US-201816020341-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2018
Priority date	Jul 13, 2017
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

A method for maneuvering a vehicle-trailer system in a reverse direction is provided. The method includes receiving images from a camera positioned on a rear portion of the trailer. The method includes: identifying one or more guide representations within the received images; and transmitting the received images to a user interface. The method also includes receiving from the user interface, an indication of a guide representation from the one or more guide representations. The method includes determining a path that includes maneuvers configured to move the vehicle-trailer system along the path to follow the guide associated with the identified guide representation while maintaining a minimum distance from the guide positioned behind the trailer. The method also includes transmitting to a drive system of the vehicle, one or more commands causing the vehicle-trailer system to autonomously move the vehicle-trailer system along the vehicle-trailer path in the reverse direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for maneuvering a vehicle-trailer system in a reverse direction, the vehicle-trailer system having a vehicle attached to a trailer at a hitch, the method comprising:
receiving, at data processing hardware, one or more images from a camera in communication with the data processing hardware and positioned on a rear portion of the trailer;
identifying, using the data processing hardware, one or more guide representations within the one or more received images, each one of the one or more guide representations representing a person;
transmitting, from the data processing hardware to a user interface in communication with the data processing hardware, the one or more received images;
receiving, at the data processing hardware from the user interface, an indication representing a selection of one guide representation selected from the one or more guide representations;
determining, using the data processing hardware, a vehicle-trailer angle indicative of an angle between the vehicle and the trailer based on the received sensor data;
determining a guide trailer angle being an angle between a fore-aft axis of the trailer and the guide;
determining, at the data processing hardware, a vehicle-trailer path comprising maneuvers configured to move the vehicle-trailer system along the vehicle-trailer path to follow the guide associated with the indication while maintaining a minimum distance between the trailer and the guide positioned behind the trailer, the vehicle-trailer path based on the guide trailer angle, the vehicle-trailer angle, and the minimum distance; and
transmitting, from the data processing hardware to a drive system of the vehicle, one or more commands causing the vehicle-trailer system to autonomously move the vehicle-trailer system along the vehicle-trailer path in the reverse direction.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at the data processing hardware, vehicle sensor data from one or more vehicle sensors positioned on a back portion of the vehicle, the sensor data indicative of a distance between the rear portion of the vehicle and a front portion of the trailer;
wherein the vehicle-trailer angle is based on the received sensor data.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a position of the guide being at the minimum distance away from the trailer.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at the data processing hardware, trailer sensor data from one or more trailer sensors positioned on the rear portion of the trailer, side portions of the trailer, or the rear and side portions of the trailer;
identifying, using the data processing hardware, one or more objects within the determined vehicle-trailer path using the received trailer sensor data; and
when one or more objects are identified, adjusting the determined vehicle-trailer path to avoid the one or more objects.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein adjusting the determined vehicle-trailer path to avoid the one or more objects comprises:
determining an adjusted vehicle-trailer path comprising maneuvers configured to move the vehicle-trailer system along the vehicle-trailer path while maintaining the minimum distance from the guide positioned behind the trailer and avoiding the one or more identified objects.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, using the data processing hardware, a guide speed of the guide using the received one or more images;
determining, using the data processing hardware, a vehicle-trailer speed to maintain a minimum distance away from the guide; and
transmitting, from the data processing hardware, one or more commands to the drive system of the vehicle causing the vehicle-trailer system to adjust a current vehicle-trailer speed to the determined vehicle-trailer speed along the determined vehicle-trailer path in the reverse direction.

7. A system for maneuvering a vehicle-trailer system in a reverse direction, the vehicle-trailer system having a vehicle attached to a trailer at a hitch point, the system comprising:
data processing hardware;
hardware memory in communication with the data processing hardware, the hardware memory storing instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:
receiving one or more images from a camera in communication with the data processing hardware and positioned on a rear portion of the trailer;
identifying one or more guides within the one or more received images, each one of the one or more guide representations representing a person;
transmitting to a user interface in communication with the data processing hardware, the one or more received images;
receiving an indication representing a selection of one identified guide selected from the one or more identified guides;
determining a vehicle-trailer angle indicative of an angle between the vehicle and the trailer;
determining a guide trailer angle being an angle between a fore-aft axis of the trailer and the guide;
determining a vehicle-trailer path comprising maneuvers configured to move the vehicle-trailer system to follow the guide associated with the indication while maintaining a minimum distance between the trailer and the guide positioned behind the trailer, the vehicle-trailer path based on the guide trailer angle, the vehicle-trailer angle, and the minimum distance; and
transmitting one or more commands to a drive system of the vehicle, the one or more commands causing the vehicle-trailer system to autonomously move the vehicle-trailer system along the determined path in the reverse direction.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving vehicle sensor data from one or more vehicle sensors positioned on a back portion of the vehicle, the sensor data indicative of a distance between the rear portion of the vehicle and a front portion of the trailer;
wherein the vehicle-trailer angle is based on the sensor data.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise:
determining a position of the guide being at the minimum distance away from the trailer.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving trailer sensor data from one or more trailer sensors positioned on the rear portion of the trailer, side portions of the trailer, or the rear and side portions of the trailer;
identifying one or more objects within the determined path; and
when one or more objects are identified, adjusting the determined vehicle-trailer path to avoid the one or more objects.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein adjusting the determined vehicle-trailer path to avoid the one or more objects comprises:
determining an adjusted vehicle-trailer path comprising maneuvers configured to move the vehicle-trailer system along the vehicle-trailer path while maintaining the minimum distance from the guide positioned behind the trailer and avoiding the one or more identified objects.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise:
determining a guide speed of the guide using the received one or more images;
determining a vehicle-trailer speed based on the guide speed to maintain a minimum distance away from the guide; and
transmitting one or more commands to the drive system of the vehicle causing the vehicle-trailer system to adjust a current vehicle-trailer speed to the determined vehicle-trailer speed along the determined path in the reverse direction.

Assignees

• Continental automotive systems inc

Inventors

• Zarco Alejandro Salcido

Classifications

• B62D15/0285

  Parking performed automatically · CPC title

• B62D13/06 Primary

  for backing a normally drawn trailer · CPC title

• B62D13/005

  operated from tractor steering system · CPC title

• G05D2201/0213

  Physics · mapped topic

• G05D1/0038

  by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation (images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246) · CPC title