Trailer sway detection and control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12491902-B2
Application number	US-202318490938-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2023
Priority date	Oct 20, 2023
Publication date	Dec 9, 2025
Grant date	Dec 9, 2025

Abstract

System, methods, and other embodiments are described with respect to implementing trailer sway detection strategies. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a lateral motion signal, determining if a number of peaks in the lateral motion signal satisfies a first criterion, determining if a cross-correlation of yaw acceleration and lateral acceleration satisfies a second criterion, disabling lane keeping assistance if the first criterion is satisfied, and determining if a trailer sway event is in progress if the first criterion and second criterion are satisfied.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system, comprising:
a processor; and a memory communicably coupled to the processor and storing machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
receive a lateral motion signal;
determine if a number of peaks in the lateral motion signal satisfies a first criterion;
determine if a cross-correlation of yaw acceleration and lateral acceleration satisfies a second criterion;
disable lane keeping assistance if the first criterion is satisfied; and
determine if a trailer sway event is in progress if the first criterion and second criterion are satisfied.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first criterion is that the number of peaks within a time period is above a first threshold.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second criterion is that the cross-correlation is below a second threshold.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instructions further includes an instruction to:
generate an alert that the lane keeping assistance has been disabled.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instructions further includes an instruction to:
generate an alert of a trailer sway event if it is determined that the trailer sway event is in progress.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the machine-readable instruction to generate the alert of a trailer sway event further includes instructions to flash vehicle lights, honk a horn, or send a warning message to another vehicle.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instructions further includes instructions to:
Disallow the lane keeping assistance to be enabled for a time period after the first criterion is no longer satisfied.

8 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
receive a lateral motion signal; determine if a number of peaks in the lateral motion signal satisfies a first criterion; determine if a cross-correlation of yaw acceleration and lateral acceleration satisfies a second criterion; disable lane keeping assistance if the first criterion is satisfied; and determine if a trailer sway event is in progress if the first criterion and second criterion are satisfied.

9 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the first criterion is that the number of peaks within a time period is above a first threshold.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the second criterion is that the cross-correlation is below a second threshold.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further includes an instruction to:
generate an alert that the lane keeping assistance has been disabled.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further includes an instruction to:
generate an alert of a trailer sway event if it is determined that the trailer sway event is in progress.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions to generate the alert of a trailer sway event further includes instructions to flash vehicle lights, honk a horn, or send a warning message to another vehicle.

14 . A method, comprising:
receiving a lateral motion signal; determining if a number of peaks in the lateral motion signal satisfies a first criterion; determining if a cross-correlation of yaw acceleration and lateral acceleration satisfies a second criterion; disabling lane keeping assistance if the first criterion is satisfied; and determining if a trailer sway event is in progress if the first criterion and second criterion are satisfied.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first criterion is that the number of peaks within a time period is above a first threshold.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the second criterion is that the cross-correlation is below a second threshold.

17 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
generating an alert that the lane keeping assistance has been disabled.

18 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
generating an alert of a trailer sway event if it is determined that the trailer sway event is in progress.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein generating the alert of a trailer sway event further includes at least one of flashing vehicle lights, honking a horn, or sending a warning message to another vehicle.

20 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
disallowing the lane keeping assistance to be enabled for a time period after the first criterion is no longer satisfied.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Smalley Christopher J
• Marion Steven W
• Haugen Brian J

Classifications

• B62D53/04

  comprising a vehicle carrying an essential part of the other vehicle's load by having supporting means for the front or rear part of the other vehicle · CPC title

• B62D53/00

  Tractor-trailer combinations; Road trains (traction couplings other than fifth wheel coupling B60D {; tracked vehicles comprising at least two articulated parts B62D55/0655}) · CPC title

• B60W30/02

  Control of vehicle driving stability · CPC title

• B60W2520/14

  Yaw · CPC title

• B60W2520/125

  Lateral acceleration · CPC title