TRAILER BACKING AID USING GPS MAPPING AND CAMERA IMAGE DISPLAY

• US 20130158803A1
• Filed: 12/20/2011
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Autonomous Mobility US LLC (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Headley, Philip M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,831,831 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 15/028 Guided parking by providing commands to the driver, e.g. acoustically or optically

Abstract

A method of controlling a vehicle and trailer assembly comprises initiating an input mode for a trailer backing system. A first set of data points, a second set of data points, and a third set of data points are input into the trailer backing system. The input mode for the trailer backing system is ended. An intended backing path is determined based upon the first, second, and third set of data points.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a vehicle and trailer assembly comprising:

initiating an input mode for a trailer backing system;

inputting a first set of data points;

inputting a second set of data points;

inputting a third set of data points;

ending the input mode; and

determining an intended backing path based upon the first, second, and third set of data points.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising instructing at least one vehicle system with the trailer backing system to direct the vehicle and trailer assembly along the intended backing path.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein inputting the first set of data points further comprises inputting at least one data point relating to a current position of at least one of a vehicle and a trailer of the vehicle and trailer assembly and calculating the remaining data points in the first set of data points based upon the at least one data point and data relating to the vehicle and trailer assembly configuration previously stored in the trailer backing system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein inputting the second set of data points further comprises inputting at least one data point relating to a final position of at least one of a vehicle and a trailer of the vehicle and trailer assembly and calculating the remaining data points in the second set of data points based upon the at least one data point and data relating to the vehicle and trailer assembly configuration previously stored in the trailer backing system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein inputting the third set of data points further comprises inputting at least one data point for each obstacle proximate to a current vehicle and trailer assembly position and the final vehicle and trailer assembly position.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining a camera image for a current position of the vehicle and trailer assembly from a camera mounted to one of a vehicle and a trailer for the vehicle and trailer assembly;

obtaining a GPS location for a current position of the vehicle and trailer assembly; and

indicating the current position on the image display based upon the first set of data points and the GPS data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein inputting the first set of data points, the second set of data points, and the third set of data points further comprises moving a locator on the display screen to each of the data point location on the image.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein inputting the first set of data points, the second set of data points, and the third set of data points further comprises moving a hand-held locator to each data point location and selecting that location, and transferring the selected data point locations from the hand-held locator to the trailer backing system.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein indicating the current position on the image display based upon the first set of data points and the GPS data further comprises adjusting the GPS location for the current position of the vehicle and trailer assembly to align with the camera image.

10. A method of controlling a vehicle and trailer assembly comprising:

initiating an input mode for a trailer backing system;

inputting a first set of data points into the trailer backing system, wherein the first set of data points utilize a GPS system to determine a current position of the vehicle and trailer assembly;

inputting a second set of data points into the trailer backing system, wherein the second set of data points utilize the GPS system to determine a final position for the vehicle and trailer assembly;

inputting a third set of data points into the trailer backing system, wherein the third set of data points utilize the GPS system to determine a current position of obstacles proximate to the current and the final positions of the vehicle and trailer assembly;

ending the input mode into the trailer backing system; and

determining an intended backing path based upon the first, second, and third set of data points.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising instructing at least one vehicle system with the backing system to direct the vehicle and trailer assembly along the intended backing path.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein inputting the first set of data points further comprises inputting at least one data point of at least one of a vehicle and a trailer of the vehicle and trailer assembly and calculating the remaining data points in the first set of data points based upon the at least one data point and data relating to the vehicle and trailer assembly configuration previously stored in the trailer backing system.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein inputting the second set of data points further comprises inputting at least one data point of at least one of a vehicle and a trailer of the vehicle and trailer assembly and calculating the remaining data points in the second set of data points based upon the at least one data point and data relating to the vehicle and trailer assembly configuration previously stored in the trailer backing system.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein inputting the third set of data points further comprises inputting at least one data point for each obstacle proximate to a current vehicle and trailer assembly position and the final vehicle and trailer assembly position.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein inputting the first set of data points, the second set of data points, and the third set of data points further comprises moving a hand-held locator to each data point location and selecting that location, and transferring the selected data point locations from the hand-held locator to the trailer backing system.

16. A method of controlling a vehicle and trailer assembly comprising:

obtaining a camera image for a current position of the vehicle and trailer assembly from a camera mounted to one of a vehicle and a trailer for the vehicle and trailer assembly;

displaying the camera image on a display screen for a trailer backing system;

initiating an input mode for the trailer backing system;

inputting a first set of data points into the trailer backing system;

inputting a second set of data points into the trailer backing system;

inputting a third set of data points into the trailer backing system;

ending the input mode into the trailer backing system; and

determining an intended backing path based upon the first, second, and third set of data points.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising instructing at least one vehicle system with the trailer backing system to direct the vehicle and trailer assembly along the intended backing path.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein inputting the first set of data points further comprises inputting at least one data point relating to a current position of at least one of a vehicle and a trailer of the vehicle and trailer assembly and calculating the remaining data points in the first set of data points based upon the at least one data point and data relating to the vehicle and trailer assembly configuration previously stored in the trailer backing system.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein inputting the second set of data points further comprises inputting at least one data point relating to a final position of at least one of a vehicle and a trailer of the vehicle and trailer assembly and calculating the remaining data points in the second set of data points based upon the at least one data point and data relating to the vehicle and trailer assembly configuration previously stored in the trailer backing system.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein inputting the third set of data points further comprises inputting at least one data point for each obstacle proximate to a current vehicle and trailer assembly position and the final vehicle and trailer assembly position.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein inputting the first set of data points, the second set of data points, and the third set of data points further comprises moving a locator on the display screen to each of the data point location on the image.