Method and system for estimating a trailer position of a trailer associated with a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9227474-B2
Application number	US-201213537335-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2012
Priority date	Jun 29, 2012
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

A data processor determines a position solution or selects a position solution from a first position solution and a second position solution based on a comparison between the turning radius at a hitch point, R p , and the tongue length, where R p =Vp/(α′−δ′), where V p is a velocity at the hitch point, α′ is the vehicle yaw rate, and δ′ is the change in a vehicle slip angle. A trailer position of a trailer is estimated in accordance with a position solution (e.g., determined or selected position solution) based on the determined vehicle heading, the hitch length, and the tongue length.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1. A method for estimating, by a controller, a trailer position of a trailer associated with a vehicle, where the controller comprises a data processor and a data storage device coupled to a data bus, the method comprising:
determining a vehicle heading of a vehicle with reference to a reference heading;
entering or detecting a hitch length and a tongue length, where the hitch length extends from a rear axis of the vehicle to a hitch point and where the tongue length extends from a trailer axis to the hitch point;
selecting a position solution from a first position solution and a second position solution based on a comparison between a turning radius at the hitch point, R p , and the tongue length, where Rp=Vp/(α′−δ′), where V p is a velocity at the hitch point, α′ is the vehicle yaw rate, and δ′ is the change in a vehicle slip angle; and
estimating a trailer position of the trailer in accordance with the position solution based on the determined vehicle heading, the hitch length and the tongue length.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein:
V p is the velocity at the hitch point based on

V
p

=

V
t
2

+

(

A
⁢

⁢
C

_

·

α
′

)

2

,

V t is the vehicle speed at control point, AC is the hitch length, and α′ is the vehicle yaw rate.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first position solution is selected where R p is greater than or equal to the tongue length.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the second position solution is selected where R p is less than the tongue length.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first position solution is associated with a steady state movement of the trailer with respect to a target trailer path.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the second position solution is associated with dynamic movement of the trailer with respect to a target trailer path.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first position solution for the trailer slip angle θ is in accordance with the following equations:
θ=θ ∞ +2 tan(y), where

θ
∞

=

arcsin
(

BC
_

R
p

)

,

y
=

-

y
1

⁢
cos
⁢

⁢

θ
∞

1
-

y
1

⁢
sin
⁢

⁢

θ
∞

,

⁢

y
1

=

y
0

y
0

⁢
sin
⁢

⁢

θ
∞

-

cos
⁢

⁢

θ
∞

⁢

ⅇ

-

(

co
⁢

⁢
s
⁢

⁢

θ
∞

/
λ

)

⁢
t

,

θ=α−β−δ, α is the vehicle heading, β is the trailer heading, δ is the vehicle slip angle, and BC is the tongue length, λ= BC /V P , and t is time.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein
V p is a velocity at the hitch point based on

V
p

=

V
t

Assignees

• Liu Qiang
• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Liu Qiang

Classifications

• B60D1/30

  for sway control {; Sway alarm means} · CPC title

• B60D1/62

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

• B60D1/245 Primary

  for facilitating push back or parking of trailers · CPC title

• B60T2230/06

  Tractor-trailer swaying · CPC title

• B60T8/1708

  for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations · CPC title