METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CONFIGURING OF A TRAILER MANEUVERING SYSTEM

• US 20150120141A1
• Filed: 09/05/2014
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lavoie, Erick Michael, Pierce, Bruce Frederick
• Granted Patent: US 9,352,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/00 Input parameters relating to vehicle conditions or values, not covered by groups B60W2510/00 or B60W2520/00
• 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: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/02 for measuring length, width, or thickness G01B21/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A system for configuring a trailer model for a trailer maneuvering system is disclosed. The system comprises a controller having a memory and being operable to communicate with the trailer maneuvering system. The controller is configured to receive trailer dimensional data from a mobile device. The trailer dimensional data may then be stored in the memory as a first trailer profile. The controller is operable to access the trailer dimensional data in the first trailer profile to determine at least one vehicle operation configured to maneuver the trailer.

Claims

1. A system for configuring a trailer model in connection with a trailer maneuvering system comprising:

a controller comprising a memory and in communication with the trailer maneuvering system, wherein the controller is configured to;

receive trailer dimensional data from a mobile device;

store the trailer dimensional data in the memory corresponding to a first trailer profile; and

access the trailer dimensional data to determine at least one vehicle operation configured to maneuver the trailer.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further operable to enter a setup mode configured to request the trailer dimensional data from the mobile device.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one vehicle operation comprises determining a steering angle of the vehicle to control a path of the trailer.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further operable to receive at least one image corresponding to the first trailer profile from the mobile device

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the controller is further operable to display the at least one image on a screen of the vehicle to identify a first trailer corresponding to the first trailer profile.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the trailer dimensional data is calculated from at least one dimension corresponding to alternate dimensional data.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further operable to detect at least one error corresponding to the trailer maneuvering system and send a corresponding error message to the mobile device.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises one of a tablet, a smartphone, a laptop, a netbook, and mobile gaming device.

9. A system for configuring a trailer model for at least one vehicle, the system comprising:

a mobile device configured to;

capture a trailer profile comprising trailer dimensional data;

communicate the trailer profile to a first controller of a first trailer maneuvering system corresponding to a first vehicle; and

wherein the first controller is operable to access the trailer profile to determine at least one vehicle operation configured to maneuver the trailer.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the trailer profile comprises trailer dimensional data utilized by the first trailer maneuvering system to determine a steering angle of the first vehicle to control a path of the trailer.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the mobile device is further operable to receive an input defining at least one dimension of the trailer dimensional data

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein the mobile device is further operable to capture an image of coded data to identify the at least one dimension of the trailer.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the coded data comprises a plurality of trailer dimensional data corresponding to a dimensional model of the trailer.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the coded data is identified by the mobile device by an optical character recognition process configured to identify the at least one dimension of the trailer.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein the mobile device is further operable to store the trailer profile and communicate the trailer profile to a second controller in communication with a second trailer maneuvering system of a second vehicle

16. A method for configuring a trailer model on a mobile device in connection with a trailer maneuvering system:

displaying a setup instruction, wherein the setup instruction is configured to identify at least one characteristic corresponding to a trailer;

receiving an input corresponding to the at least one characteristic of the trailer;

communicating the at least one characteristic to the trailer maneuvering system, wherein the at least one characteristic comprises data utilized by the trailer maneuvering system to maneuver the trailer.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the data is calculated from at least one dimension corresponding to alternate dimensional data.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising capturing an image of coded data to identify the at least one characteristic

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the coded data comprises a plurality of trailer dimensional data corresponding to a dimensional model of the trailer.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the coded data is identified by an optical character recognition process configured to identify the at least one characteristic of the trailer.