DETECTION OF AND COUNTER-MEASURES FOR JACKKNIFE ENABLING CONDITIONS DURING TRAILER BACKUP ASSIST

• US 20120271512A1
• Filed: 04/10/2012
• Published: 10/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company), University of Michigan
• Original Assignee: University of Michigan
• Inventors: Rupp, Matt Y., Shim, Taehyun, Smit, David Dean, Lavoie, Erick Michael, Pilutti, Thomas Edward, Trombley, Roger Amold
• Granted Patent: US 8,825,328 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/02 Steering position indicators ; Steering position determination; Steering aids
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287

Abstract

A vehicle comprises a trailer angle detection apparatus and a trailer backup control system coupled to the trailer angle detection apparatus. The trailer angle detection apparatus is configured for outputting a signal generated as a function of an angle between the vehicle and a trailer towably attached to the vehicle. The trailer backup control system includes a jackknife enabling condition detector and a jackknife counter-measures controller. The jackknife counter-measures controller alters a setting of at least one vehicle operating parameter for alleviating an adverse jackknife condition during backing of the trailer by the vehicle when the jackknife enabling condition detector determines that a jackknife enabling condition has been attained at a particular point in time during backing of the trailer by the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at least one data processing device accessing, from memory coupled to the at least one data processing device, instructions causing the at least one data processing device to assess jackknife determining information for a vehicle and a trailer towably to the vehicle; and

the at least one data processing device accessing, from the memory, instructions causing the at least one data processing device to implement a jackknife counter-measure in response to the jackknife determining information indicating that a jackknife enabling condition has been attained at a particular point in time during backing of the trailer by the vehicle, wherein causing the at least one data processing device to implement the jackknife counter-measure includes causing the at least one data processing device to alter at least one vehicle operating parameter upon which the jackknife enabling condition is dependent.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the at least one data processing device accessing, from the memory, instructions causing the at least one data processing device to initiate a jackknife warning being provided to a driver of the vehicle in response to the jackknife determining information indicating that the jackknife enabling condition has been attained at the particular point in time, wherein the jackknife warning is provided to the driver using at least one vehicle control system through which the jackknife counter-measure is implemented.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein causing the at least one data processing device to implement the jackknife counter-measure includes causing the at least one data processing device to at least one of command a speed controlling system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a speed of the vehicle is reduced, command a steering control system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a radius of a curvature of a path of the trailer is increased, and command the steering control system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which an increase in the radius of the curvature of the path of the trailer is inhibited.

4. The method of claim 1 causing the at least one data processing device to implement the jackknife counter-measure includes causing the at least one data processing device to command a powertrain torque controlling system of the vehicle to deliver powertrain torque to driven wheels of the vehicle in a restricted manner in response to the jackknife determining information indicating that the jackknife enabling condition has been attained at the particular point in time.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the jackknife determining information includes an accelerator pedal transient value, a hitch angle value, and a trailer path curvature value;

the jackknife condition threshold being met includes the accelerator pedal transient value, the hitch angle value, and the trailer path curvature value simultaneously meeting respective threshold values; and

causing the at least one data processing device to implement the jackknife counter-measure includes causing the at least one data processing device to at least one of command a speed controlling system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a speed of the vehicle is reduced, command a steering control system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a radius of a curvature of a path of the trailer is increased, and command the steering control system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a decrease in the radius of the curvature of the path of the trailer is inhibited.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein causing the at least one data processing device to implement the jackknife counter-measure includes causing the at least one data processing device to command a powertrain torque controlling system of the vehicle to deliver powertrain torque to driven wheels of the vehicle in a restricted manner in response to the jackknife determining information indicating that the jackknife enabling condition has been attained at the particular point in time.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the jackknife determining information includes a vehicle speed value and a trailer path curvature value;

the jackknife condition threshold being met includes the vehicle speed value and the trailer path curvature value simultaneously meeting respective threshold values; and

causing the at least one data processing device to implement the jackknife counter-measure includes causing the at least one data processing device to at least one of command a speed controlling system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a speed of the vehicle is reduced, command a steering control system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a radius of a curvature of a path of the trailer is increased, and command the steering control system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a decrease in the radius of the curvature of the path of the trailer is inhibited.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein causing the at least one data processing device to implement the jackknife counter-measure includes causing the at least one data processing device to command a powertrain torque controlling system of the vehicle to deliver powertrain torque to driven wheels of the vehicle in a restricted manner in response to the jackknife determining information indicating that the jackknife enabling condition has been attained at the particular point in time.

9. A vehicle, comprising:

a trailer angle detection apparatus configured for outputting a signal generated as a function of an angle between the vehicle and a trailer towably attached to the vehicle; and

a trailer backup control system coupled to the trailer angle detection apparatus, wherein the trailer backup control system includes a jackknife enabling condition detector and a jackknife counter-measures controller, wherein the jackknife counter-measures controller alters a setting of at least one vehicle operating parameter for alleviating an adverse jackknife condition during backing of the trailer by the vehicle when the jackknife enabling condition detector determines that a jackknife enabling condition has been attained at a particular point in time during backing of the trailer by the vehicle.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein:

the trailer backup control system initiates a jackknife warning being provided to a driver of the vehicle in response to the jackknife determining information indicating that the jackknife enabling condition has been attained at the particular point in time; and

the jackknife warning is provided to the driver using at least one vehicle control system through which the jackknife counter-measure is implemented.

11. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the jackknife counter-measures controller altering the setting of the at least one vehicle operating parameter includes at least one of commanding a speed controlling system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a speed of the vehicle is reduced, commanding a steering control system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a radius of a curvature of a path of the trailer is increased, and commanding the steering control system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a decrease in the radius of the curvature of the path of the trailer is inhibited.

12. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein:

the trailer backup control system commands a powertrain torque controlling system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a restricted amount of available powertrain torque is available to driven wheels of the vehicle in response altering the setting of the at least one vehicle operating parameter; and

altering the setting of the at least one vehicle operating parameter causes at least one of a speed of the vehicle to be reduced, a radius of a curvature of a path of the trailer to be increased, and a decrease in the radius of the curvature of the path of the trailer to be inhibited.

13. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein:

the jackknife condition threshold being met includes an accelerator pedal transient value, a hitch angle value, and a trailer path curvature value simultaneously meeting respective threshold values; and

the jackknife counter-measures controller altering the setting of the at least one vehicle operating parameter includes at least one of commanding a speed controlling system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a speed of the vehicle is reduced, commanding a steering control system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a radius of a curvature of a path of the trailer is increased, and commanding the steering control system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a decrease in the radius of the curvature of the path of the trailer is inhibited.

14. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein:

the jackknife condition threshold being met includes a vehicle speed value and a trailer path curvature value simultaneously meeting respective threshold values; and

the jackknife counter-measures controller altering the setting of the at least one vehicle operating parameter includes at least one of commanding a speed controlling system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a speed of the vehicle is reduced, commanding a steering control system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a radius of a curvature of a path of the trailer is increased, and commanding the steering control system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a decrease in the radius of the curvature of the path of the trailer is inhibited.

15. An electronic control system having a set of instructions tangibly embodied on a non-transitory processor-readable medium thereof, the set of instructions are accessible from the non-transitory processor-readable medium by at least one data processing device of the electronic controller system for being interpreted thereby, and the set of instructions is configured for causing the at least one data processing device to carry out operations for:

assessing jackknife determining information for a vehicle and a trailer towably to the vehicle; and

implementing a jackknife counter-measure in response to the jackknife determining information indicating that a jackknife enabling condition has been attained at a particular point in time during backing of the trailer by the vehicle, wherein implementing the jackknife counter-measure includes altering at least one vehicle operating parameter upon which the jackknife enabling condition is dependent.

16. The electronic control system of claim 15 wherein:

the set of instructions is configured for causing the at least one data processing device to carry out operations for initiating a jackknife warning being provided to a driver of the vehicle in response to the jackknife determining information indicating that the jackknife enabling condition has been attained at the particular point in time; and

the jackknife warning is provided to the driver using at least one vehicle control system through which the jackknife counter-measure is implemented.

17. The electronic control system of claim 15 wherein implementing the jackknife counter-measure includes at least one of commanding a speed controlling system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a speed of the vehicle is reduced, commanding a steering control system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a radius of a curvature of a path of the trailer is increased, and commanding the steering control system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a decrease in the radius of the curvature of the path of the trailer is inhibited.

18. The electronic control system of claim 15 wherein the set of instructions is configured for causing the at least one data processing device to carry out operations for commanding a powertrain torque controlling system of the vehicle to deliver powertrain torque to driven wheels of the vehicle in a restricted manner in response to the jackknife determining information indicating that the jackknife enabling condition has been attained at the particular point in time.

19. The electronic control system of claim 15 wherein:

the jackknife determining information includes an accelerator pedal transient value, a hitch angle value, and a trailer path curvature value;

the jackknife condition threshold being met includes the accelerator pedal transient value, the hitch angle value, and the trailer path curvature value simultaneously meeting respective threshold values; and

the set of instructions is configured for causing the at least one data processing device to carry out operations for implementing the jackknife counter-measure includes the set of instructions is configured for causing the at least one data processing device to carry out operations for at least one of commanding a speed controlling system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a speed of the vehicle is reduced, commanding a steering control system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a radius of a curvature of a path of the trailer is increased, and commanding the steering control system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a decrease in the radius of the curvature of the path of the trailer is inhibited.

20. The electronic control system of claim 15 wherein:

the jackknife determining information includes a vehicle speed value and a trailer path curvature value;

the jackknife condition threshold being met includes the vehicle speed value and the trailer path curvature value simultaneously meeting respective threshold values; and

the set of instructions is configured for causing the at least one data processing device to carry out operations for implementing the jackknife counter-measure includes the set of instructions is configured for causing the at least one data processing device to carry out operations for at least one of commanding a speed controlling system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a speed of the vehicle is reduced, commanding a steering control system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a radius of a curvature of a path of the trailer is increased, and commanding the steering control system of the vehicle to transition to an altered state of operation in which a decrease in the radius of the curvature of the path of the trailer is inhibited.