Methods and systems for configuring of a trailer maneuvering system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9352777-B2
Application number	US-201414477944-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2014
Priority date	Oct 31, 2013
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

A system for configuring a trailer model for a trailer maneuvering system is disclosed. The system comprises a controller having a memory and being operable to communicate with the trailer maneuvering system. The controller is configured to receive trailer dimensional data from a mobile device. The trailer dimensional data may then be stored in the memory as a first trailer profile. The controller is operable to access the trailer dimensional data in the first trailer profile to determine at least one vehicle operation configured to maneuver the trailer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for configuring a trailer model for a trailer maneuvering system comprising:
a controller comprising a memory and in communication with the trailer maneuvering system, wherein the controller is configured to:
receive trailer dimensional data corresponding to a kinematic model of the trailer from a mobile device;
store the trailer dimensional data in the memory corresponding to a first trailer profile;
access the trailer dimensional data; and
control a path of the trailer based on the dimensional data.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one vehicle operation comprises determining a steering angle of the vehicle to control the path of the trailer.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operable to receive at least one image corresponding to the first trailer profile from the mobile device.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the controller is further operable to display the at least one image on a screen of the vehicle to identify a first trailer corresponding to the first trailer profile.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the trailer dimensional data is calculated by identifying a first reference point and a second reference point in the image data to calculate a dimension of the kinematic model.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the first reference point and the second reference point correspond to features of the trailer identified in the image data.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operable to detect at least one error corresponding to the trailer maneuvering system and send a corresponding error message to the mobile device.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile device comprises one of a tablet, a smartphone, a laptop, a netbook, and mobile gaming device.

9. A system for configuring a model for a trailer comprising:
a mobile device configured to:
capture a trailer profile comprising trailer dimensional data corresponding to a kinematic model;
communicate the trailer profile to a first controller of a first trailer maneuvering system corresponding to a first vehicle; and
wherein the first controller is operable to access the trailer profile and control a path of the trailer based on the dimensional data.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the first trailer maneuvering system utilizes trailer dimensional data of the trailer profile to determine a steering angle of the first vehicle to control a path of the trailer.

11. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the mobile device is further operable to display a prompt to request an input and to receive the input defining at least one dimension of the trailer dimensional data.

12. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the mobile device is further operable to capture an image of coded data to identify the at least one dimension of the trailer.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the coded data comprises a plurality of trailer dimensional data corresponding to a dimensional model of the trailer.

14. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the coded data is identified by the mobile device by an optical character recognition process configured to identify the at least one dimension of the trailer.

15. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the mobile device is further operable to store the trailer profile and communicate the trailer profile to a second controller in communication with a second trailer maneuvering system of a second vehicle.

16. A method for configuring a trailer model on a mobile device in connection with a trailer maneuvering system:
displaying a prompt to request a setup instruction, wherein the setup instruction is configured to identify at least one characteristic corresponding to a trailer;
receiving an input corresponding to the at least one characteristic of the trailer;
communicating the at least one characteristic to the trailer maneuvering system, wherein the, trailer maneuvering system utilizes the at least one characteristic to control a path of the trailer.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the data is calculated from at least one dimension corresponding to alternate dimensional data.

18. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising capturing an image of coded data to identify the at least one characteristic, wherein the at least one characteristic corresponds to a kinematic model of the trailer.

19. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising capturing an image of the trailer comprising a first reference point and a second reference point corresponding to a dimension of a kinematic model of the trailer.

20. The method according to claim 19 , further comprising comparing the at least one identifiable feature with the dimension to determine a measurement of the dimension.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Lavoie Erick Michael
• Pierce Bruce Frederick

Classifications

• G01B21/02

  for measuring length, width, or thickness (G01B21/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D15/027

  Parking aids, e.g. instruction means · CPC title

• B60W30/06

  Automatic manoeuvring for parking · CPC title

• H04N7/183

  for receiving images from a single remote source · CPC title

• B60W30/18036

  Reversing · CPC title