Remote trailer maneuver-assist

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11112786-B2
Application number	US-201916437566-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2019
Priority date	Jun 11, 2019
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

A method includes detecting a continuous rotary input on a touchscreen of a portable device in communication with a vehicle, determining a steering angle and a steering direction based on a radius and a rotational direction of the continuous rotary input, and actuating a steering component of the vehicle based on the steering angle and the steering direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
detecting a continuous rotary input on a touchscreen of a portable device in communication with a vehicle;
determining a steering angle and a steering direction based on a radius and a rotational direction of the continuous rotary input;
actuating a steering component of the vehicle based on the steering angle and the steering direction; and
actuating a propulsion component of the vehicle based on detecting a speed of the continuous rotary input above a threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, upon detecting the vehicle is stopped, displaying at least one of a gear selector and a speed selector on the touchscreen.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising operating the vehicle at a vehicle speed based on the speed of the continuous rotary input.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising operating the vehicle at a vehicle speed below an upper speed limit.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising operating the vehicle at a vehicle speed below a lower speed limit based on detecting a trailer angle above a threshold.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising actuating a brake component of the vehicle based on detecting the speed of the continuous rotary input below the threshold.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the speed of the continuous rotary input is determined by one of an angular velocity and a tangential velocity.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising operating the vehicle along a straight path based on one of detecting the steering angle below a radius threshold, detecting a button pressed on the portable device, and detecting a continuous non-rotary input.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying an indicator on the touchscreen based on the steering angle and the steering direction of the continuous rotary input.

10. A system, comprising a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
detect a continuous rotary input on a touchscreen of a portable device in communication with a vehicle;
determine a steering angle and a steering direction based on a radius and a rotational direction of the continuous rotary input;
actuate a steering component of the vehicle based on the steering angle and the steering direction; and
actuate a propulsion component of the vehicle based on detecting a speed of the continuous rotary input above a threshold.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to, upon detecting the vehicle is stopped, display at least one of a gear selector and a speed selector on the touchscreen.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to operate the vehicle at a vehicle speed based on the speed of the continuous rotary input.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to operate the vehicle at a vehicle speed below an upper speed limit.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to operate the vehicle at a vehicle speed below a lower speed limit based on detecting a trailer angle above a threshold.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to actuate a brake component of the vehicle based on detecting the speed of the continuous rotary input below the threshold.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the speed of the continuous rotary input is determined by one of an angular velocity and a tangential velocity.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to operate the vehicle along a straight path based on one of detecting the steering angle below a radius threshold, detecting a button pressed on the portable device, and detecting a continuous non-rotary input.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to display an indicator on the touchscreen based on the steering angle and the steering direction of the continuous rotary input.

19. A system, comprising a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
detect a continuous rotary input on a touchscreen of a portable device in communication with a vehicle;
determine a steering angle and a steering direction based on a radius and a rotational direction of the continuous rotary input;
actuate a steering component of the vehicle based on the steering angle and the steering direction; and
operate the vehicle along a straight path based on one of detecting the steering angle below a radius threshold, detecting a button pressed on the portable device, and detecting a continuous non-rotary input.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Golgiri Hamid M
• Lavoie Erick Michael

Classifications

• B62D1/00

  Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle · CPC title

• B62D15/0285 Primary

  Parking performed automatically · CPC title

• B60W10/04

  including control of propulsion units · CPC title

• B60W2710/08

  Electric propulsion units · CPC title

• B60W2050/0064

  using a remote, e.g. cordless, transmitter or receiver unit, e.g. remote keypad or mobile phone · CPC title