Method of calculating dimensions of a towed vehicle

• US 10,360,458 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2016
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Chaney, Jr., Michael T., Murad, Mohannad, Nickolaou, James N., Sims, III, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US15/097,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20170300761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/808 for facilitating docking to a trailer
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10012 Stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/62 of area, perimeter, diameter or volume
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/17 using hand-held instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/63 Scene text, e.g. street names

Abstract

A method of calculating at least one dimension of a towed vehicle includes sensing an image of the towed vehicle with an image sensing device. A feature on the towed vehicle in the sensed image of the towed vehicle is identified with a controller using a dimension determination algorithm. The dimension of the towed vehicle is determined from the identified feature of the towed vehicle, with the controller using the dimension determination algorithm. The dimension of the towed vehicle may be input into a vehicle tow controller, to enable the vehicle tow controller to control the tow vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of calculating at least one dimension of a towed vehicle, the method comprising:

sensing an image with an image sensing device, wherein sensing the image includes sensing the image of a tow vehicle and the towed vehicle hitched together, such that at least a portion of the tow vehicle and a portion of the towed vehicle are simultaneously captured in the sensed image;

identifying a feature of the tow vehicle in the sensed image, wherein the feature of the tow vehicle includes a known dimension that is saved in a memory of a controller of the tow vehicle;

identifying a feature on the towed vehicle in the sensed image with the controller using a dimension determination algorithm; and

determining the at least one dimension of the towed vehicle with the controller using the dimension determination algorithm by using the known dimension of the feature of the tow vehicle identified in the sensed image to calculate the at least one dimension of the feature the on the towed vehicle identified in the sensed image.

2. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein the image sensing device is remote from the tow vehicle.

3. The method set forth in claim 2 wherein the image sensing device is integral with a portable hand held device.

4. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein identifying the feature on the towed vehicle in the sensed image includes identifying one of indicia on the towed vehicle, a first side of the towed vehicle, a second side of the towed vehicle, a forward end of the towed vehicle, a rearward end of the towed vehicle, or a center of rotation of a wheel on the towed vehicle.

5. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein identifying the feature of the tow vehicle in the sensed image includes identifying a make and model of the tow vehicle from the sensed image with the controller using the dimension determination algorithm.

6. The method set forth in claim 5 further comprising correlating a shape of the tow vehicle in the sensed image to the make and model of the tow vehicle with the controller using the dimension determination algorithm.

7. The method set forth in claim 3 further comprising wirelessly communicating the sensed image from the portable hand held device to the controller of the tow vehicle, and storing the sensed image in the memory of the controller.

10. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein sensing the image with the image sensing device is further defined as sensing the image with a portable hand held device to capture a side view of the tow vehicle and the towed vehicle, such that a side profile of the tow vehicle and a side profile of the towed vehicle are shown in the sensed image.

11. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein sensing the image with the image sensing device includes sensing multiple images including the tow vehicle and the towed vehicle.

12. The method set forth in claim 11, wherein determining the at least one dimension of the feature on the towed vehicle includes determining the at least one dimension of the feature on the towed vehicle using a stereo disparity ranging process with the multiple images of the tow vehicle and the tow vehicle.

8. A method of controlling a tow vehicle having a towed vehicle connected thereto, the method comprising:

sensing an image with an image sensing device of a portable hand held device, wherein the sensed image is a side view image including both the tow vehicle and the towed vehicle connected thereto;

wirelessly communicating the sensed image from the portable hand held device to a controller of the tow vehicle;

storing the sensed image in a memory of the controller;

determining at least one dimension of the towed vehicle with the controller of the tow vehicle using a dimension determination algorithm operable on the controller;

wherein the dimension determination algorithm is operable to;

identify a make and model of the tow vehicle from the sensed image, wherein the make and model of the tow vehicle includes a feature of the tow vehicle having a known dimension saved in the memory of the controller; and

determine the at least one dimension of the towed vehicle by using the known dimension of the feature of the tow vehicle to calculate the at least one dimension of a feature on the towed vehicle identified in the sensed image; and

controlling the tow vehicle with the controller of the tow vehicle based on the at least one dimension of the towed vehicle.

9. The method set forth in claim 8 further comprising identifying the feature on the towed vehicle in the sensed image, wherein the identified feature includes one of indicia on the towed vehicle, a first side of the towed vehicle, a second side of the towed vehicle, a forward end of the towed vehicle, a rearward end of the towed vehicle, or a center of rotation of a wheel on the towed vehicle.

13. The method set forth in claim 8, wherein sensing the image with the image sensing device includes sensing multiple images including the tow vehicle and the towed vehicle.

14. The method set forth in claim 13, wherein the dimension determination algorithm is operable to determine the at least one dimension of the feature on the towed vehicle using a stereo disparity ranging process with the multiple images of the tow vehicle and the towed vehicle.