SMART TOW
First Claim
1. A method for aligning a tow ball on a towing vehicle with a trailer tongue on a towed vehicle in a hitching process, said method comprising:
- providing camera modeling to correlate a camera image from a camera at a rear of the towing vehicle in vehicle coordinates to world coordinates, said camera modeling providing a graphic overlay super-imposed on the camera image that is in world coordinates and provides visual steering assistance, said graphic overlay including a tow line having a height in the camera image in world coordinates that is determined by an estimated height of the trailer tongue;
providing vehicle dynamic modeling for identifying the motion of the towing vehicle as the towing vehicle moves around a center of rotation; and
predicting the path of the vehicle as it is being steered including calculating the center of rotation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for providing visual assistance through a graphic overlay super-imposed on a back-up camera image for assisting a vehicle operator when backing up a vehicle to align a tow ball with a trailer tongue. The method includes providing camera modeling to correlate the camera image in vehicle coordinates to world coordinates, where the camera modeling provides the graphic overlay to include a tow line having a height in the camera image that is determined by an estimated height of the trailer tongue. The method also includes providing vehicle dynamic modeling for identifying the motion of the vehicle as it moves around a center of rotation. The method then predicts the path of the vehicle as it is being steered including calculating the center of rotation.
147 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for aligning a tow ball on a towing vehicle with a trailer tongue on a towed vehicle in a hitching process, said method comprising:
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providing camera modeling to correlate a camera image from a camera at a rear of the towing vehicle in vehicle coordinates to world coordinates, said camera modeling providing a graphic overlay super-imposed on the camera image that is in world coordinates and provides visual steering assistance, said graphic overlay including a tow line having a height in the camera image in world coordinates that is determined by an estimated height of the trailer tongue; providing vehicle dynamic modeling for identifying the motion of the towing vehicle as the towing vehicle moves around a center of rotation; and predicting the path of the vehicle as it is being steered including calculating the center of rotation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for aligning a tow ball on a towing vehicle with a trailer tongue on a towed vehicle in a hitching process, said method comprising:
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providing camera modeling to correlate a camera image from a camera at a rear of the towing vehicle in vehicle coordinates to world coordinates, said camera modeling providing a graphic overlay super-imposed on the camera image that is in world coordinates and provides visual steering assistance, said graphic overlay including a tow line having a height in the camera image in world coordinates that is determined by an estimated height of the trailer tongue; providing vehicle dynamic modeling for identifying the motion of the towing vehicle as the towing vehicle moves around a center of rotation; predicting the path of the vehicle as it is being steered including calculating the center of rotation; providing a visual indicator on the trailer tongue, wherein providing camera modeling includes providing a trailer tongue projection line projected through the visual indicator; and providing an indication to a vehicle operator when the hitch ball is positioned at a desirable location relative to the trailer tongue. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for aligning a tow ball on a towing vehicle with a trailer tongue on a towed vehicle, said system comprising:
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means for providing camera modeling to correlate a camera image from a camera at a rear of the towing vehicle in vehicle coordinates to world coordinates, said means for providing camera modeling providing a graphic overlay super-imposed on the camera image that is in world coordinates and provides visual steering assistance, said graphic overlay including a tow line having a height in the camera image in world coordinates that is determined by an estimated height of the trailer tongue; means for providing vehicle dynamic modeling for identifying the motion of the towing vehicle as the towing vehicle moves around a center of rotation; and means for predicting the path of the vehicle as it is being steered including calculating the center of rotation.
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Specification