Trailer backup assist curvature control

• US 10,370,030 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2014
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company), University of Michigan
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Rhode, Douglas Scott, Smit, David Dean, Lavoie, Erick Michael, Frey, Martin Fitzpatrick, Pilutti, Thomas Edward, Shim, Taehyun, Rupp, Matt Y., Trombley, Roger Arnold
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancho, Ronnie M
• Application Number:
  US14/482,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20140379219A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,791 Days
• Field of Search: 701 1, 701 41, 701 36, 701 42, 348148, 180308, 180204, 280444, 280419, 280400, 345184, 345156, 704235, 74471 XY, 7447312, 200 6188
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/14 Tractor-trailers, i.e. combinations of a towing vehicle and one or more towed vehicles, e.g. caravans; Road trains
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/22 Articulation angle, e.g. between tractor and trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/207 Steering angle of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18036 Reversing
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/147 Trailers, e.g. full trailers or caravans
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/22 Alternative steering-control elements, e.g. for teaching purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means

Abstract

A vehicle has a trailer backup steering input apparatus, a trailer backup assist control module coupled to the a trailer backup steering input apparatus, and an electric power assist steering system coupled to the trailer backup assist control module and. The trailer backup steering input apparatus is configured for outputting a trailer path curvature signal approximating a desired curvature for a path of travel of a trailer towably coupled to the vehicle. The trailer backup assist control module is configured for determining vehicle steering information as a function of the trailer path curvature signal. The electric power assist steering system is configured for controlling steering of steered wheels of the vehicle as a function of the vehicle steering information.

Claims

1. A method of reversing a trailer connected to a vehicle, comprising:

determining a kinematic relationship between the vehicle and the trailer based on at least a trailer length of the trailer, a wheel base distance of the vehicle and a steering angle of the vehicle;

determining a hitch angle between the vehicle and the trailer;

commanding a path of the trailer based on a user input, wherein commanding the path includes providing a desired curvature of the path of the trailer relative to a longitudinal centerline axis of the trailer;

generating a steering command for guiding the trailer on the path based on the hitch angle and the kinematic relationship; and

controlling steered wheels of the vehicle with a power-steering system based on the steering command.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired curvature of the path is provided by a position of a rotatable knob.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input commands a curvature path of the trailer that allows continuous backup of the trailer that is always below a calculated theoretical jackknife point.