Hitch assist system and method

• US 10,427,716 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2017
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Xu, Li, Simmons, Kyle, Zhang, Chen, Tseng, Eric Hongtei
• Primary Examiner(s): Kong, Sze-Hon
• Application Number:
  US15/701,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20190077457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/06 Ball-and-socket hitches , e.g. constructional details, auxiliary devices, their arrangement on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/36 for facilitating connection, e.g. hitch catchers , visual guide means, signalling aids B60D1/465 takes precedence; vehicle signalling in general B60Q; optical arrangements specially adapted for viewing trailer-hitches B60R1/003
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/62 involving supply lines, electric circuits, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/021 Determination of steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/028 Guided parking by providing commands to the driver, e.g. acoustically or optically
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system

Abstract

A hitch assist system and method are provided herein. A device is configured to detect a hitch coupler of a trailer and a controller is in communication with the device. The controller is configured to generate a boundary area projecting from the hitch coupler, define a vehicle backup path toward the trailer if a tow hitch of the vehicle is located inside the boundary area, and determine a steering angle for steering the vehicle along the vehicle backup path.

Claims

1. A hitch assist system comprising:

a device configured to detect a hitch coupler of a trailer; and

a controller in communication with the device and configured to;

generate a boundary area projecting from the hitch coupler;

define a vehicle backup path toward the trailer if a tow hitch of a vehicle is located inside the boundary area; and

determine a steering angle for steering the vehicle along the vehicle backup path.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the hitch coupler comprises a coupler ball socket and the tow hitch comprises a hitch ball.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the boundary area is a sector that includes a plane enclosed by a first radius, a second radius, and an arc therebetween.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the size of the sector is based on an angle between the first and second radii, the angle determined based on a minimum turning radius of the vehicle and a distance from the tow hitch to a rear axle of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the boundary area has a fixed size and an aim direction that changes based on a heading angle of the vehicle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the trailer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle backup path has a trajectory corresponding to the shortest distance between the tow hitch and the hitch coupler.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the steering angle is based on an angle of the vehicle backup path with respect to a longitudinal axis of the trailer, and a heading angle of the vehicle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the trailer.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle backup path has a trajectory that is entirely circular and having a constant curvature.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the steering angle is based on a heading angle of the vehicle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the trailer, and a positional change of the tow hitch.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle backup path has a first trajectory that is circular followed by a second trajectory that is straight.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first trajectory transitions to the second trajectory when a longitudinal axis of the vehicle intersects with the hitch coupler.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein if the tow hitch is located outside the boundary area, the controller determines if the tow hitch is located in a region in front of the trailer and defined by a first bound and a second bound, and wherein if the tow hitch is located inside the region, the controller determines a backup path for reversing the vehicle so as to move the tow hitch inside the boundary area.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a display for dynamically displaying at least one of the region and the boundary area.

14. A hitch assist system comprising:

a device configured to detect a hitch coupler of a trailer; and

a controller in communication with the device and configured to;

define a vehicle backup path terminating at or near the hitch coupler, wherein the vehicle backup path has a trajectory that is at least one of circular and straight;

define the vehicle backup path if a tow hitch of a vehicle is located inside a dynamic boundary area projecting from the hitch coupler; and

determine a steering angle for steering the vehicle along the vehicle backup path.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the boundary area is a sector that includes a plane enclosed by a first radius, a second radius, and an arc therebetween, and wherein the size of the sector is based on an angle between the first and second radii, the angle determined based on a minimum turning radius of the vehicle and a distance from the tow hitch to a rear axle of the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the boundary area has a fixed size and an aim direction that changes based on a heading angle of the vehicle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the trailer.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the vehicle backup path has a trajectory corresponding to the shortest distance between a tow hitch of the vehicle and the hitch coupler.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the vehicle backup path has a trajectory that is entirely circular and having a constant curvature or a trajectory that is circular and then straight.

19. A hitch assist method comprising the steps of:

detecting a hitch coupler of a trailer;

generating a boundary area projecting from the hitch coupler;

defining a vehicle backup path toward the trailer if a tow hitch of a vehicle is located inside the boundary area; and

determining a steering angle for steering the vehicle along the vehicle backup path.