Methods and systems for estimating trailer tongue load

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12365207-B2
Application number	US-202318191390-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2023
Priority date	Mar 28, 2023
Publication date	Jul 22, 2025
Grant date	Jul 22, 2025

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes: initiating, by a processor, steering excitation according to a pattern while the vehicle is stationary; learning, by the processor, a load associated with a front axle of the vehicle based on the steering excitation; translating, by the processor, the load associated with the front axle of the vehicle to a load associated with a tongue of a trailer, and generating, by the processor, a trailer tongue load value based on the load associated with the tongue of the trailer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of a vehicle, comprising:
initiating, by a processor of the vehicle, automatic steering of wheels of the vehicle back and forth a plurality of times according to a defined pattern;
obtaining, in response to the automatic steering of the wheels according to the defined pattern, steering sensor data including handwheel torque data and wheel speed data in a sinusoidal form;
determining, by the processor based on the steering sensor data, a handwheel angle and a steering motor torque for the vehicle resulting from the automatic steering of the wheels according to the defined pattern;
determining, by the processor, a load associated with a front axle of the vehicle based on a relationship between the handwheel angle and the steering motor torque for the vehicle resulting from the automatic steering of the wheels according to the defined pattern;
translating, by the processor, the load associated with the front axle of the vehicle to a load associated with a tongue of a trailer, based on a mapping model that maps axle load to determined tongue loads; and
generating, by the processor, a trailer tongue load value based on the load associated with the tongue of the trailer;
wherein the steering motor torque is calculated by the processor in accordance with the following equation:

τ
motor

=

J
ω

⁢

δ
¨

+

b
ω

⁢

δ
.

+

L
⁡
(

δ
-
β
-

ω
z

⁢

l
f

v
x

)

.

(
1
)

in which J ω represents steering a moment of inertia for the vehicle, {umlaut over (δ)} represents steering acceleration of the vehicle, b ω represents steering damping for the vehicle, L represents a wheel base of the vehicle, β represents a side slip angle for the vehicle, ω z represents a yaw rate for the vehicle, l f represents a distance between a center of gravity for the vehicle and a front axle of the vehicle, v x represents a longitudinal velocity for the vehicle, and τ motor represents the steering motor torque.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising controlling an automated feature of the vehicle based on the trailer tongue load value in combination with percentage of a maximum value of the trailer tongue load for the vehicle represented by the trailer tongue load value.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating display data based on the trailer tongue load value.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the initiating of the automatic steering of the wheels back and forth according to the defined pattern is based on automated control of a steering system of the vehicle by the processor.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the initiating of the automatic steering of the wheels back and forth according to the defined pattern is based on a notification provided by the processor to a driver of the vehicle to steer a handwheel of the vehicle according to the defined pattern.

6. The method of claim, 1 the mapping model is determined by the processor based on crowd sourced data from one or more other vehicles.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating, via the processor, trailer tongue load data based on the translating;
filtering, via the processor, the trailer tongue load data using a recursive least squares filter, generating filtered trailer tongue data; and
automatically controlling operation of the vehicle, via the processor, based on the filtered trailer tongue load data.

8. A system of a vehicle, comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store a learned mapping model that maps loads associated with a front axle of the vehicle to a load associated with a trailer tongue; and
a computer system onboard the vehicle and configured to, by a processor of the vehicle:
initiate automatic steering of wheels of the vehicle back and forth a plurality of times according to a defined pattern;
obtain, in response to the automatic steering of the wheels according to the defined pattern, steering sensor data including handwheel torque data and wheel speed data in a sinusoidal form;
determine, based on the steering sensor data, a handwheel angle and a steering motor torque for the vehicle resulting from the automatic steering of the wheels according to the defined pattern;
determine a load associated with the front axle of the vehicle based on a relationship between the handwheel angle and the steering motor torque for the vehicle resulting from the automatic steering of the wheels according to the defined pattern;
translate the load associated with the front axle of the vehicle to a load associated with a tongue of a trailer, based on a mapping model that maps axle load to determined tongue loads; and
generate a trailer tongue load value based on the load associated with the tongue of the trailer;

wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the steering motor torque in accordance with the following equation:

τ
motor

=

J
ω

⁢

δ
¨

+

b
ω

⁢

δ
.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Shahriari Mohammadali
• Abualfellat Ashraf
• Taylor Michelle Zirngibl
• Lamson Lance G
• Zarringhalam Reza
• Porto Brian

Classifications

• B60D2001/006

  comprising a handle · CPC title

• B60D1/62

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

• B60R16/023

  for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems · CPC title

• B60D1/248 Primary

  for measuring, indicating or displaying the weight · CPC title

• B60D1/58 Primary

  Auxiliary devices · CPC title