Application of auxiliary lighting in automatic hitch operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11964692-B2
Application number	US-202217950237-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2022
Priority date	Oct 30, 2018
Publication date	Apr 23, 2024
Grant date	Apr 23, 2024

Abstract

A vehicle hitching assistance system includes a controller executing an initial alignment process including searching for a trailer within a specified area of image data that is less than a total field of the image data in directions corresponding with both a longitudinal distance between the vehicle and the trailer and a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal distance, presenting an indication to a driver of the vehicle to reposition the vehicle when the trailer is not identified within the specified area, and removing the indication when the trailer is identified within the specified area. The controller further executes an automated backing process upon identifying the trailer within the specified area, including identifying a coupler of the trailer 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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle hitching assistance system, comprising:
a controller:
acquiring image data from the vehicle;
executing an initial alignment process, including:
searching for a trailer, positioned past a minimum distance from the vehicle, within a preselected area within the image data, the preselected area being less than a total field of the image data in directions corresponding with both a longitudinal distance between the vehicle and the trailer, by an amount corresponding with a maximum detection distance based on a resolution of the image data, a minimum detection distance corresponding with a proportion of the trailer relative to the total field, and a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal distance by an amount corresponding with a known steering limit of the vehicle; and
when the trailer is not identified within the preselected area, presenting an indication to a driver of the vehicle to reposition the vehicle such that the trailer is within the preselected area and removing the indication when the trailer is identified within the preselected area, the trailer remaining past the minimum distance from the vehicle; and

executing an automated backing process upon identifying the trailer within the preselected area, including identifying a coupler of the trailer 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 controller acquires the image data from an imaging system included with the vehicle, the imaging system having at least one camera, the total field of the image data corresponding with a total field of view of the at least one camera.

3. The system of claim 2 , 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.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the preselected area of the image data is a circular target area disposed at a preselected location in a central portion of the image data.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the preselected area within the image data is defined by a designated boundary comprising respective portions based on the maximum detection distance, the minimum detection distance, and the known steering limit of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the respective portions of the designated boundary are based on a correlation of the total field of the image data with an area of an assumed ground plane on which the vehicle is positioned visible within the total field.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the area of the assumed ground plane includes:
a maximum coupler detection distance corresponding with the resolution of the image data;
a minimum trailer identification distance corresponding with the proportion of the trailer relative to the total field; and
left and right maximum steerable paths extending from the vehicle in a reversing direction corresponding with the known steering limit of the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein, during the initial alignment process, the controller further outputs a video image displayable on a human-machine interface within the vehicle including:
the image data;
a graphic overlay of the preselected area on the image data in a proportionally correlated manner; and
a message indicating to the driver of the vehicle to reposition the vehicle until the trailer is identified within the preselected area.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller begins executing the initial alignment process, including outputting the graphic overlay and message in the video image, upon activation of the system.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein, during the initial alignment process, the controller:
receives an input from the human-machine interface corresponding with a user indication of a trailer within the image data; and
outputs the graphic overlay and message in the video image only after receiving the user indication of the trailer within the image data and failing to identify any trailer within the preselected area of the image data.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller:
during the initial alignment process, identifies the trailer within the preselected area of the image data and determines if a sensing condition and a visibility condition are met;
executes the automated backing process, including identifying the coupler of the trailer and outputting the steering signal to the vehicle to cause the vehicle to steer to align the hitch ball of the vehicle with the coupler as a part of a first hitch assist mode when the sensing condition and visibility condition are not met;
further implements a second hitch assistance mode when one of the sensing condition and the visibility condition are not met, the second hitch assistance mode including presenting an image of a best fit path to align the hitch ball with the coupler to a user for guiding user control of the vehicle in reversing the vehicle toward the trailer;
receives a selection signal from the vehicle corresponding with a user selection of a mode before implementing either the first or second hitch assistance mode; and
causes the vehicle to present an indication that the first hitch assist mode may not be selected when one of the sensing condition and the visibility condition are not met.

12. A vehicle, comprising:
a steering system; and
a controller:
acquiring image data from the vehicle;
executing an initial alignment process, including:
searching for a trailer, positioned at a distance from the vehicle, within a predetermined area of the image data, the predetermined area being less than a total field of the image data in directions corresponding with both a longitudinal distance between the vehicle and the trailer and a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal distance, the predetermined area further being located within an area to the rear of the vehicle illuminated by at least one exterior light;

presenting an indication to a driver of the vehicle to reposition the vehicle when the trailer is not identified within the predetermined area and removing the indication when the trailer is identified within the predetermined area; and
executing an automated backing process only upon identifying the trailer within the predetermined area, including outputting a steering signal to the vehicle steering system to align a hitch ball of the vehicle with a coupler of the trailer during reversing of the vehicle toward the trailer.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein after identifying the trailer within a predetermined area of the image data, the controller identifies the coupler of the trailer during execution of the automated backing process.

14. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined area of the image data is within a designated boundary comprising respective portions based on a resolution of the image data, a proportion of the trailer relative to the total field, and a known steering limit of the vehicle.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the respective portions of the designated boundary are based on a correlation of the total field of the image data with an area of an assumed ground plane on which the vehicle is positioned visible within the total field.

16. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the controller further indicates to a driver of the vehicle to reposition the vehicle until the trailer is identified within the pred

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Niewiadomski Luke
• Rogan Douglas
• Brooks-Lehnert Shannon
• Zhang Chen
• Trombley Roger Arnold
• Ling Peter
• Mayer Kenneth Michael
• Raeis Hosseiny Seyed Armin
• Bao Bo
• Friedlander Steven Wayne

Classifications

• B62D15/025 Primary

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

• B60D1/36 Primary

  for facilitating connection, e.g. hitch catchers · CPC title

• B60Q1/22

  for reverse drive · CPC title

• B60R1/26

  to the rear of the vehicle · CPC title

• G03B15/02

  Illuminating scene · CPC title