TRAILER BACKUP ASSIST SYSTEM WITH WAYPOINT SELECTION

• US 20150203156A1
• Filed: 04/01/2015
• Published: 07/23/2015
• 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: Hafner, Michael, Shutko, John, Pilutti, Thomas Edward, Trombley, Roger Arnold
• Granted Patent: US 9,969,428 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: 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: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/143 inside the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A display system for a vehicle attached to a trailer is provided herein. The system includes a display configured to show an aerial view of the vehicle and the trailer and a plurality of waypoints, each indicating a possible parking location for the trailer. The system also includes a device that interfaces with the display and is operable to select one of the plurality of waypoints and set a trailer orientation for the selected waypoint.

Claims

1. A display system for a vehicle attached to a trailer, comprising:

a display configured to show;

an aerial view of the vehicle and the trailer;

a plurality of waypoints, each indicating a possible parking location for the trailer; and

a device that interfaces with the display and is operable to;

select one of the plurality of waypoints; and

set a trailer orientation for the selected waypoint.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of waypoints are located in proximity to at least one of the vehicle and the trailer shown on the display.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a rotatable knob operable to toggle between each of the plurality of waypoints.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a touch screen configured to register at least one touch event for selecting the one of the plurality of waypoints and setting the trailer orientation associated therewith.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller for generating a backing path shown on the display for backing the trailer to the selected waypoint such that the trailer comes to rest at the selected trailer orientation.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller generates the backing path based on a predetermined depth of the selected waypoint, a width of the selected waypoint, and a width of an initial path on which the trailer is currently located.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the device is operable to modify the backing path shown on the display by changing a curvature thereof.

8. A display system for a vehicle attached to a trailer, comprising:

a display showing;

an aerial view of the vehicle and the trailer; and

a plurality of waypoints, each positioned in the vicinity of the trailer for indicating a possible parking position for the trailer; and

a device that interfaces with the display and is operable to;

select one of the plurality of waypoints; and

set a trailer orientation for the selected waypoint.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of waypoints are located adjacent to a side of at least one of the vehicle and the trailer.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the device comprises a rotatable knob operable to toggle between each of the plurality of waypoints.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the device comprises a touch screen configured to register at least one touch event for selecting the one of the plurality of waypoints and setting the trailer orientation associated therewith.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising a controller for generating a backing path shown on the display for backing the trailer to the selected waypoint such that the trailer comes to rest at the selected trailer orientation.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller generates the backing path based on a predetermined depth of the selected waypoint, a width of the selected waypoint, and a width of an initial path on which the trailer is currently located.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the device is operable to modify the backing path shown on the display by changing a curvature thereof.

15. A display system for a vehicle attached to a trailer, comprising:

a display showing;

an aerial view of the vehicle and the trailer; and

a plurality of waypoints for indicating a possible parking position for the trailer;

a device that interfaces with the display and is operable to;

select one of the plurality of waypoints; and

set a trailer orientation for the selected waypoint; and

a controller for generating a backing path shown on the display based on the selected waypoint and the set trailer orientation.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of waypoints are located adjacent to a side of at least one of the vehicle and the trailer.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the device comprises a rotatable knob operable to toggle between the each of the plurality of waypoints.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the device comprises a touch screen configured to register at least one touch event for selecting the one of the plurality of waypoints and setting the trailer orientation associated therewith.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the controller further generates the backing path based on a predetermined depth of the selected waypoint, a width of the selected waypoint, and a width of an initial path on which the trailer is currently located.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the device is operable to modify the backing path shown on the display by changing a curvature thereof.