METHOD FOR DETECTING THE PRESENCE OF A TRAILER
First Claim
1. A method of detecting presence of a trailer being towed by a host vehicle comprising the steps of:
- determining velocity of the host vehicle;
detecting velocity and distance of an object spaced outwardly from the rear of the host vehicle; and
determining that the object comprises a trailer secured to the host vehicle when
1) the velocity of the host vehicle is greater than or equal to a minimum velocity value,
2) the velocity of the host vehicle is approximately the same as the velocity of the object, and
3) the distance of the object from the host vehicle remains constant.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for detecting the presence of a trailer connected to a host vehicle includes a rearward sensor secured on a vehicle that detects the presence of a trailer. An ESC unit determines the velocity of the host vehicle. A rearward sensor determines the velocity of an object and the distance of the object therefrom. When the host vehicle is moving above a minimum velocity, the velocity of the host vehicle is the same as the velocity of the object, and the distance of the object remains essentially the same, a trailer detecting unit determines that the detected object is a trailer attached to the vehicle. Further, when the distance of the object from the rearward sensor is greater than a defined value, the trailer detecting unit determines that a trailer is not attached to the host vehicle.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of detecting presence of a trailer being towed by a host vehicle comprising the steps of:
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determining velocity of the host vehicle; detecting velocity and distance of an object spaced outwardly from the rear of the host vehicle; and determining that the object comprises a trailer secured to the host vehicle when
1) the velocity of the host vehicle is greater than or equal to a minimum velocity value,
2) the velocity of the host vehicle is approximately the same as the velocity of the object, and
3) the distance of the object from the host vehicle remains constant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A trailer detecting system including a trailer detecting unit for a host vehicle, the trailer detecting unit storing and executing instructions that cause the trailer detecting unit to:
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receive a velocity of the host vehicle; receive a velocity of an object spaced outwardly from the rear of the host vehicle; receive a distance of the object spaced outwardly from the rear of the host vehicle in relation to the rear of the host vehicle; and determine that the object comprises a trailer secured to the host vehicle when
1) the velocity of the host vehicle is greater or equal to a minimum velocity value,
2) the velocity of the host vehicle is the same as the velocity of the object, and
3) the distance of the object from the host vehicle remains constant. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. The trailer detecting system according to clam 8, wherein the trailer detecting unit is configured to detect the presence of the trailer when the host vehicle is moving in a forward direction and a longitudinal axis of the trailer is essentially coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the host vehicle.
Specification