METHOD OF INPUTTING A PATH FOR A VEHICLE AND TRAILER

• US 20140358429A1
• Filed: 08/14/2014
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Shutko, John, Trombley, Roger Arnold, Rupp, Matt Y., Hafner, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,506,774 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/458
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/245 for facilitating push back or parking of trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/62 involving supply lines, electric circuits, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/173 Reversing assist
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/179 Distances to obstacles or vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/14 Tractor-trailers, i.e. combinations of a towing vehicle and one or more towed vehicles, e.g. caravans; Road trains
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/22 Articulation angle, e.g. between tractor and trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 : Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18036 : Reversing
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 : Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/06 : for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 : Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0275 : by overlaying a vehicle path based on present steering angle over an image without processing that image
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 : Parking performed automatically
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/26 : for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/30 : for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 : Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3664 : Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 : Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A method of inputting a path is provided. The method includes the steps of generating an aerial view of a vehicle and a trailer based on at least one of image data and satellite image data, displaying the aerial view on a display having a touch screen, and registering a touch event on the touch screen that inputs an intended path for the vehicle and the trailer.

Claims

1. A method of inputting a path, comprising the steps of:

generating an aerial view of a vehicle and a trailer based on at least one of image data and satellite image data;

displaying the aerial view on a display having a touch screen; and

registering a touch event on the touch screen that inputs an intended path for the vehicle and the trailer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating comprises imaging an operating environment surrounding the vehicle and the trailer to acquire the image data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating comprises using a GPS device to acquire the satellite image data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of performing comprises tracing the intended path.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of performing further comprises dragging a traced portion of the intended backing path to modify a path curvature of the intended path.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the intended path comprises one of a backing path and a pull out path.

7. A method of inputting a path, comprising the steps of:

generating an aerial view of a vehicle and a trailer;

displaying the aerial view on a touch screen;

registering a first touch event on the touch screen that inputs an intended path for the vehicle and the trailer; and

registering a second touch event on the touch screen that inputs a modification of the intended path.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of imaging an operating environment of the vehicle and the trailer to acquire image data.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step acquiring satellite image data, wherein the satellite image data relates to a position and a location of the vehicle and the trailer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the aerial view is generated based on the image data and the satellite image data.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the first touch event comprises tracing the intended path.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second touch event comprises dragging a traced portion of the intended path to modify a path curvature of the intended path.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the intended path is one of a backing path and a pull out path.

14. A method of inputting a path, comprising the steps of:

generating an aerial view of a vehicle and a trailer;

displaying the aerial view on a touch screen; and

performing a first touch event on the touch screen that inputs an intended path for the vehicle and the trailer.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of performing a second touch event on the touch screen that inputs a modification of the intended path.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of performing a first touch event comprises tracing the intended path and the step of performing a second touch event comprises dragging a traced portion of the intended path to modify a path curvature of the intended path.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the intended path comprises one of a backing path and a pull out path.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of imaging an operating environment of the vehicle and the trailer to acquire image data.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step acquiring satellite image data, wherein the satellite image data relates to a position and a location of the vehicle and the trailer.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the aerial view is generated based on the image data and the satellite image data.