Display system utilizing vehicle and trailer dynamics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9854209-B2
Application number	US-201414289888-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2014
Priority date	Apr 19, 2011
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle and trailer display system is disclosed. The display system includes a plurality of imaging devices disposed on the vehicle, each having a field of view. The display system further includes a screen disposed in the vehicle operable to display images from the imaging devices. A controller is in communication with the imaging devices and the screen and is operable to receive a hitch angle corresponding to the angle between the vehicle and the trailer. Based on the hitch angle, the controller is operable to select a field of view of an imaging device to display on the screen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle and trailer display system comprising:
a plurality of imaging devices disposed on the vehicle, each comprising a field of view;
a screen disposed in the vehicle operable to display images from the imaging devices; and
a controller operable to:
receive a hitch angle corresponding to the angle between the vehicle and the trailer;
receive a steering angle of the vehicle;
receive a velocity of the vehicle;
select a field of view of an imaging device to display on the screen based on the steering angle, the hitch angle, and the velocity;
process the steering angle and the hitch angle to calculate a future position of the trailer; and
select the field of view based on the future position.

2. The display system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operable to:
select a field of view from the plurality of imaging devices in response to a plurality of threshold values of the trailer hitch angle.

3. The display system according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is further operable to:
display a side-rear field of view of the imaging device on the rear portion and an imaging device having a field of view on a side of the vehicle in response to the trailer hitch angle being greater than a first predetermined value of the plurality of threshold values.

4. The display system according to claim 3 , wherein the controller is further operable to:
display a side field of view of the imaging device having a field of view on the side of the vehicle in response to the trailer hitch angle being greater than a second predetermined value of the plurality of threshold values.

5. The display system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to generate an expanded field of view comprising a plurality of the fields of view based on the hitch angle and the velocity of the vehicle.

6. The display system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operable to determine an operating state of the vehicle in response to the steering angle and the velocity.

7. The display system according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is further operable to determine a relative orientation of the vehicle and the trailer in response to the hitch angle.

8. The display system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operable to display the future position of the trailer in the selected field of view based on the steering angle and the hitch angle.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Aich Sudipto
• Trombley Roger Arnold
• Shutko John
• Miller Alex Maurice

Classifications

• B60W2540/215

  Selection or confirmation of options · CPC title

• G01B11/26

  for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes · CPC title

• H04N7/183

  for receiving images from a single remote source · CPC title

• G01B7/30

  for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes · CPC title

• B60W50/14

  Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention · CPC title