Human machine interface for vehicle alignment in an acceptable hitch zone

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11090991-B2
Application number	US-201816208777-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2018
Priority date	Dec 4, 2018
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

A vehicle hitching assistance system includes a controller identifying a trailer coupler within a specified area relative to the vehicle. The specified area is defined between a maximum distance and a minimum distance from a rear of the vehicle and within left and right lateral vehicle control limits. The controller also outputs a steering signal to the vehicle to cause the vehicle to steer to align a hitch ball of the vehicle with the coupler.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle hitching assistance system, comprising:
a controller:
identifying a coupler of a trailer positioned at a distance from the vehicle, the coupler being within a specified area relative to the vehicle, the specified area bounded by a maximum identification limit at a first distance from a rear of the vehicle and a minimum travel limit at a second distance from the rear of the vehicle that is less than the first distance corresponding with the maximum identification limit and within left and right lateral vehicle control limits; and
outputting a steering signal to the vehicle to cause the vehicle to steer to align a hitch ball of the vehicle with the coupler of the trailer during reversing of the vehicle toward the trailer.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the specified area is to a rear of the vehicle; and
the left and right lateral vehicle control limits are arced paths extending from the hitch ball and are equal to left and right paths of the hitch ball in reversing of the vehicle at respective left and right steering angle limits of the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the left and right lateral vehicle control limits are less than left and right arced paths of the hitch ball in reversing of the vehicle at respective left and right steering angle limits by one of a predetermined proportion or a predetermined steering angle.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the left and right lateral vehicle control limits are less than left and right steering path limits of the vehicle, determined by corresponding left and right steering angle limits of the vehicle, and are defined by two straight inner left and right paths that extend from the hitch ball at a predetermined angle to each other.

5. The system of claim 1 , further including an imaging system mounted with and directed toward the rear of the vehicle, wherein:
the controller further acquires image data from the vehicle; and
the specified area is identified within the image data and is less than a total field of the image data.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the maximum identification limit and minimum travel limit respectively correspond with limits of controller in identifying the trailer coupler within the image data.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the maximum identification limit and minimum travel limit are further based on a resolution of the image data and a calibration requirement, respectively.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the left and right lateral vehicle control limits are selected to maintain a swingout distance of the vehicle in steering to align the hitch ball of the vehicle with the coupler to less than a predetermined value.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the left and right lateral vehicle control limits are defined by a path of the hitch ball for the vehicle reversing at a maximum steering angle selected based on a wheelbase of the vehicle to maintain the swingout distance of the vehicle in steering to align the hitch ball of the vehicle with the coupler to less than the predetermined value.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first distance and the second distance from the rear of the vehicle are measured radially from the hitch ball of the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the controller outputs the steering signal to a steering system included with the vehicle; and
the controller derives the steering signal based on at least a maximum steering angle of the steering system.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller further outputs a video image displayable on a human-machine interface within the vehicle including:
an image to the rear of the vehicle; and
a graphic overlay of the specified area on the image data in a proportionally correlated manner between the image data and an assumed ground plane on which the vehicle is positioned.

13. A vehicle, comprising:
a hitch ball mounted on a rear of the vehicle;
a steering system; and
a controller:
identifying a coupler of a trailer positioned at a distance from the vehicle, the coupler being within a specified area bounded by a maximum identification limit at a first distance from the rear of the vehicle and a minimum travel limit at a second distance from the rear of the vehicle that is less than the first distance corresponding with the maximum identification limit and within left and right lateral vehicle control limits; and
outputting a steering signal to the steering system to cause the vehicle to steer to align the hitch ball with the coupler of the trailer during reversing of the vehicle toward the trailer.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein:
the specified area is to a rear of the vehicle; and
the left and right lateral vehicle control limits are arced paths extending from the hitch ball and are equal to the left and right paths of the hitch ball in reversing of the vehicle at respective left and right steering angle limits of the vehicle.

15. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein:
the specified area is to a rear of the vehicle; and
the left and right lateral vehicle control limits are less than left and right arced paths of the hitch ball in reversing of the vehicle at steering angle limits by one of a predetermined proportion or a predetermined steering angle.

16. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein:
the specified area is to a rear of the vehicle; and
the left and right lateral vehicle control limits are less than left and right steering path limits of the vehicle, determined by corresponding left and right steering angle limits of the vehicle, and are defined by two straight inner left and right paths that extend from the hitch ball at a predetermined angle to each other.

17. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the left and right lateral vehicle control limits are defined by a path of the hitch ball for the vehicle reversing at a maximum steering angle selected based on a wheelbase of the vehicle to maintain the swingout distance of the vehicle in steering to align the hitch ball of the vehicle with the coupler to less a predetermined value.

18. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the maximum identification limit and the minimum travel limit from the rear of the vehicle are measured radially from the hitch ball of the vehicle.

19. The vehicle of claim 13 , further including a human-machine interface within the vehicle, wherein:
the controller further outputs a video image to the human-machine interface, the video image including:
an image to the rear of the vehicle; and
a graphic overlay of the specified area on the image data in a proportionally correlated manner between the image data and an assumed ground plane on which the vehicle is positioned.

20. A method for assisting a vehicle in hitching with a trailer, comprising:
identifying a coupler of a trailer positioned at a distance from the vehicle, the coupler being within a specified area relative to the vehicle, the specified area being bounded by a maximum identification limit at a first distance from a rear of the vehicle and a minimum travel limit at a second distance from the rear of the vehicle that is less than the first distance corresponding with the maximum identification limit and within left and right lateral vehicle control limits; and
outputting a steering signal to the vehicle to cause the vehicle to steer to align a hitch ball of the vehicle with the coupler of the trailer during reversing of the vehicle toward the trailer.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Xu Li
• Trombley Roger Arnold
• Niewiadomski Luke
• Simmons Kyle
• Mayer Kenneth Michael
• Brooks-Lehnert Shannon
• Raeis Hosseiny Seyed Armin
• Bao Bo
• Rouen Katherine

Classifications

• B62D15/025

  Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation (B62D1/28 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D13/06

  for backing a normally drawn trailer · CPC title

• B60D1/62

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

• B60W2710/20

  Steering systems · CPC title

• B60W2710/18

  Braking system · CPC title