Vehicle-trailer low-speed offtracking control
First Claim
1. A control system for preventing offtracking of a trailer being towed by a vehicle, said system comprising:
- a vehicle speed sensor for providing a signal of the speed of the vehicle;
a vehicle yaw rate sensor for providing a signal of the yaw rate of the vehicle;
a hand-wheel angle sensor for providing a signal of the angle of a vehicle hand-wheel;
a hitch angle sensor for providing a signal of the measured hitch angle between the vehicle and the trailer;
a desired hitch angle sub-system responsive to the vehicle speed signal, the vehicle yaw rate signal, the hand-wheel angle signal and the measured hitch angle signal, said hitch angle sub-system generating a desired hitch angle signal;
a variable time delay sub-system responsive to the vehicle speed signal, the vehicle yaw rate signal, the hand-wheel angle signal and the hitch angle signal, said variable time delay sub-system generating a time delay signal between front wheels of the vehicle and rear wheels of the trailer;
a hitch angle command sub-system responsive to the desired hitch angle signal and the time delay signal, said hitch angle command sub-system generating a hitch angle command;
a differencer responsive to the hitch angle command and the measured hitch angle signal, said difference generating a hitch angle error signal; and
a controller responsive to the error signal, said controller generating a closed-loop rear-wheel steering signal.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An offtracking control system for a vehicle/trailer combination that properly steers the rear wheels of the vehicle to control the hitch angle between the vehicle and the trailer to prevent trailer offtracking. The control system generates a desired hitch angle and a time delay between the front wheels of the vehicle and the rear wheels of the trailer. A delay unit generates a hitch angle command from the desired hitch angle and the time delay. The hitch angle command is subtracted from a measured hitch angle to generate a hitch angle error signal. The hitch angle error signal is sent to a feedback controller that generates a closed-loop rear-wheel steering signal. The closed-loop rear-wheel steering signal is added to an open-loop rear-wheel steering signal to generate a rear-wheel steering command signal that prevents trailer offtracking.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A control system for preventing offtracking of a trailer being towed by a vehicle, said system comprising:
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a vehicle speed sensor for providing a signal of the speed of the vehicle;
a vehicle yaw rate sensor for providing a signal of the yaw rate of the vehicle;
a hand-wheel angle sensor for providing a signal of the angle of a vehicle hand-wheel;
a hitch angle sensor for providing a signal of the measured hitch angle between the vehicle and the trailer;
a desired hitch angle sub-system responsive to the vehicle speed signal, the vehicle yaw rate signal, the hand-wheel angle signal and the measured hitch angle signal, said hitch angle sub-system generating a desired hitch angle signal;
a variable time delay sub-system responsive to the vehicle speed signal, the vehicle yaw rate signal, the hand-wheel angle signal and the hitch angle signal, said variable time delay sub-system generating a time delay signal between front wheels of the vehicle and rear wheels of the trailer;
a hitch angle command sub-system responsive to the desired hitch angle signal and the time delay signal, said hitch angle command sub-system generating a hitch angle command;
a differencer responsive to the hitch angle command and the measured hitch angle signal, said difference generating a hitch angle error signal; and
a controller responsive to the error signal, said controller generating a closed-loop rear-wheel steering signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A control system for preventing offtracking of a trailer being towed by a vehicle, said system comprising:
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a desired hitch angle sub-system for generating a desired hitch angle signal;
a variable time delay sub-system for generating a time delay signal between the vehicle and the trailer; and
a hitch angle command sub-system responsive to the desired hitch angle signal and the time delay signal, said hitch angle command sub-system generating a hitch angle command that is used to prevent the trailer offtracking. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for preventing offtracking of a trailer being towed by a vehicle, said method comprising:
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generating a desired hitch angle signal;
generating a time delay signal between the vehicle and the trailer; and
generating a hitch angle command from the desired hitch angle signal and the time delay signal that is used to prevent the trailer offtracking. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification