Trailer and vehicle collision detection and response during autohitch maneuvering

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11433722-B2
Application number	US-201816221818-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2018
Priority date	Dec 17, 2018
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

A vehicle system includes a vehicle brake system, an accelerometer mounted on the vehicle, and a controller. The controller receives a first signal from the accelerometer and, during reversing of the vehicle in a longitudinal direction, transmits an actuation signal to the vehicle brake system when the first signal from the accelerometer indicates a deceleration in the longitudinal direction above a predetermined rate within a predetermined time interval.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle system, comprising:
a brake system within the vehicle and including vehicle service brakes configured to decelerate the vehicle to a stop;
an accelerometer mounted on the vehicle; and
a controller:
positioned within the vehicle;
receiving a first signal from the accelerometer; and
during an automated hitching operation of the vehicle, including reversing of the vehicle in a longitudinal direction toward a trailer from an initial distance between the trailer and the vehicle in the longitudinal direction, transmitting an actuation signal to the brake system within the vehicle to cause actuation of the vehicle service brakes when the first signal from the accelerometer indicates a deceleration in the longitudinal direction above a predetermined rate within a predetermined time interval.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller calculates a time derivative of the first signal from the accelerometer during reversing of the vehicle and monitors the time derivative on an ongoing basis and determines that the first signal from the accelerometer indicates the deceleration in the longitudinal direction above the predetermined rate by the time derivative exceeding a predetermined value.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined value of the time derivative is between 5 meters per second cubed and 10 meters per second cubed.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the controller interprets the deceleration in the longitudinal direction above a predetermined rate within a predetermined time interval as a reversing collision indication; and
the controller further monitors at least one additional vehicle state affecting the signal from the accelerometer for an indicator of false positive detection.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein:
the accelerometer outputs a second signal corresponding with acceleration of the vehicle in a vertical direction; and
the controller receives the second signal and monitors for the at least one additional vehicle state by monitoring the second signal for an indication of an acceleration in the vertical direction above a predetermined rate within the predetermined time interval such that the acceleration in the vertical direction above the predetermined rate within the predetermined time interval indicates a false positive detection.

6. The system of claim 5 , further including at least one of a transmission system and an electronic parking brake, wherein:
the at least one additional vehicle state includes at least one of the transmission system being in park, the electronic parking brake being active, or the vehicle brake system being applied above a predetermined threshold.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuation signal requests at least one of a braking actuation rate or a braking torque above a respective predetermined threshold.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller continues to transmit the actuation signal to the vehicle brake system until the vehicle is brought to a stop.

9. The system of claim 8 , further including an electronic parking brake, wherein:
the controller determines that the vehicle is brought to a stop and causes application of the electronic parking brake.

10. The system of claim 1 , further including an imaging system, wherein the controller further:
identifies a trailer coupler disconnected with, spaced from the vehicle, and within image data received from the imaging system; and
outputs a steering signal to the vehicle during reversing of the vehicle to cause the vehicle to steer to align a hitch ball of the vehicle with the coupler.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the controller further:
continuously monitors a distance between a rear of the vehicle and the coupler while outputting the steering signal to the vehicle;
transmits the actuation signal to the vehicle brake system when the first signal from the accelerometer indicates the deceleration in the longitudinal direction above the predetermined rate within the predetermined time interval within a reverse collision detection function; and
implements the reverse collision detection function only when the distance between the rear of the vehicle and the coupler is within one meter.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the controller uses the first signal from the accelerometer indicating the deceleration in the longitudinal direction above the predetermined rate within the predetermined time interval within the reverse collision detection function as an indication of a collision between the hitch ball and the coupler.

13. A vehicle hitching assistance system, comprising:
a hitch mounted on the vehicle;
a vehicle brake system within the vehicle and including vehicle service brakes configured to decelerate the vehicle to a stop;
a vehicle steering system including steered vehicle wheels connected with the vehicle service brakes;
an accelerometer mounted on the vehicle; and
a controller:
identifying a trailer coupler disconnected from the hitch, spaced from the vehicle, and within a specified area relative to the vehicle;
outputting a steering signal to the vehicle steering system to steer to align a hitch ball of the vehicle with the coupler;
receiving a first signal from the accelerometer; and
during an automated hitching operation of the vehicle, including reversing of the vehicle in a longitudinal direction toward the trailer from an initial distance between the trailer and the vehicle in the longitudinal direction, transmitting an actuation signal to the brake system to cause actuation of the vehicle service brakes when the first signal from the accelerometer indicates a deceleration in the longitudinal direction above a predetermined rate within a predetermined time interval.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller further:
continuously monitors a distance between a rear of the vehicle and the coupler while outputting the steering signal to the vehicle;
transmits the actuation signal to the vehicle brake system when the first signal from the accelerometer indicates the deceleration in the longitudinal direction above the predetermined rate within the predetermined time interval within a reverse collision detection function; and
implements the reverse collision detection function only when the distance between the rear of the vehicle and the coupler is within one meter.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller infers the first signal from the accelerometer indicating the deceleration in the longitudinal direction above the predetermined rate within the predetermined time interval within the reverse collision detection function as a collision between the hitch ball and the coupler.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller calculates a time derivative of the signal from the accelerometer during reversing of the vehicle and monitors the time derivative on an ongoing basis and determines that the signal from the accelerometer indicates a deceleration in the longitudinal direction above the predetermined rate by the time derivative exceeding a predetermined value.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein:
the controller interprets the deceleration in the longitudinal direction above a predetermined rate within a predetermined time interval as a reversing collision indication; and
the controller further monitors at least one additional vehicle state affecting the signal from the accelerometer for an indicator of false positive detection.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein:
the accelerometer outputs a second signal corre

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Sharma Arnav
• Rogan Douglas
• Niewiadomski Luke
• Brooks-Lehnert Shannon
• Trombley Roger Arnold

Classifications

• B60D1/62

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

• B60W2710/18

  Braking system · CPC title

• B60W2520/105

  Longitudinal acceleration · CPC title

• B60D1/366 Primary

  comprising braking means · CPC title

• B60W40/112

  Roll movement · CPC title