Reverse Drive Assist for Long Wheelbase Dual Axle Trailers
First Claim
1. A method for controlling steering of a trailer in a reverse drive maneuver, the trailer and the vehicle coupled at a hitch, the vehicle having a front axle with steerable front wheels and a rear axle with non-steerable rear wheels, and the trailer having a rear axle with steerable rear wheels and a front axle with non-steerable front wheels, the method comprising:
- receiving, by a controller device, an operator-controlled vehicle steering angle for steering the vehicle during the reverse drive maneuver;
receiving, by the controller device, a measured hitch angle representing an angle between the vehicle and the trailer at the hitch;
determining, by the controller device, a trailer steering angle that causes the trailer to follow a trajectory with substantially no lateral slippage given the hitch angle and the operator-controlled vehicle steering angle; and
controlling steering of the trailer during the reverse drive maneuver using the trailer steering angle.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A controller and control method assists a driver with backing up of a vehicle with an attached trailer. The vehicle has a front axle with steerable front wheels controlled by the driver and a rear axle with non-steerable rear wheels. The trailer has a front axle with non-steerable front wheels and a rear axle with steerable rear wheels controlled by a trailer steering controller. The controller receives an operator-controlled vehicle steering angle and a measured hitch angle. The controller determines a trailer steering angle based on the operator-controller vehicle steering angle and the measured hitch angle. The controller continuously controls the trailer (e.g., via a steering angle of the rear wheels) to maintain a trajectory with substantially no lateral slippage.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for controlling steering of a trailer in a reverse drive maneuver, the trailer and the vehicle coupled at a hitch, the vehicle having a front axle with steerable front wheels and a rear axle with non-steerable rear wheels, and the trailer having a rear axle with steerable rear wheels and a front axle with non-steerable front wheels, the method comprising:
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receiving, by a controller device, an operator-controlled vehicle steering angle for steering the vehicle during the reverse drive maneuver; receiving, by the controller device, a measured hitch angle representing an angle between the vehicle and the trailer at the hitch; determining, by the controller device, a trailer steering angle that causes the trailer to follow a trajectory with substantially no lateral slippage given the hitch angle and the operator-controlled vehicle steering angle; and controlling steering of the trailer during the reverse drive maneuver using the trailer steering angle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A trailer control system for controlling steering of a trailer in a reverse drive maneuver, the trailer and the vehicle coupled at a hitch, the vehicle having a front axle with steerable front wheels and a rear axle with non-steerable rear wheels, and the trailer having a rear axle with steerable rear wheels and a front axle with non-steerable front wheels, the controller comprising:
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a hitch angle sensor to sense a hitch angle formed by the vehicle and the trailer at the hitch; a trailer controller to receive an operator-controlled vehicle steering angle for steering the vehicle during the reverse drive maneuver, and the trailer controller to determine a trailer steering angle that causes the trailer to follow a trajectory with substantially no lateral slippage given the hitch angle and the operator-controlled vehicle steering angle; and an actuation controller to control an actuator of the rear axle of the trailer during the reverse drive maneuver based on the trailer steering angle. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for controlling steering of a trailer in a reverse drive maneuver, the trailer and the vehicle coupled at a hitch, the vehicle having a front axle with steerable front wheels and a rear axle with non-steerable rear wheels, and the trailer having a rear axle with steerable rear wheels and a front axle with non-steerable front wheels, the method comprising:
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receiving, by a controller device, an operator-controlled vehicle steering angle for steering the vehicle during the reverse drive maneuver; mapping, by the controller device, the operator-controlled vehicle steering angle to a reference hitch angle and a feedforward reference trailer steering angle according to a predetermined mapping; receiving, by the controller device, a measured hitch angle representing an angle between the vehicle and the trailer at the hitch; generating, by the controller device, a steering compensation signal based on a difference between the reference hitch angle and the measured hitch angle; generating, by the controller device, a trailer steering angle based on the feedforward reference trailer steering angle and the steering compensation signal; and controlling, by the controller device, steering of the trailer using the trailer steering angle. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification