TRAILER HITCH GUIDANCE METHOD

• US 20160023601A1
• Filed: 07/22/2014
• Published: 01/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Windeler, Joshua G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,834,140 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/06 Ball-and-socket hitches , e.g. constructional details, auxiliary devices, their arrangement on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/36 for facilitating connection, e.g. hitch catchers , visual guide means, signalling aids B60D1/465 takes precedence; vehicle signalling in general B60Q; optical arrangements specially adapted for viewing trailer-hitches B60R1/003
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/62 involving supply lines, electric circuits, or the like
• 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 1/003 for viewing trailer hitches
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/808 for facilitating docking to a trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8086 for vehicle path indication
• 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: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A method of providing visual reverse steering guidance indicators on a display in a vehicle includes having an electronic control unit display on a display in the vehicle an image of an area behind the vehicle that includes a target, display a projected path track of a projected path that the vehicle will travel based on a current alignment of a steering system of the vehicle, display a visual indicator of whether the projected path matches a target path that the vehicle must travel in reverse to align the vehicle with the target, when the projected path does not match the target path, displaying a visual indicator of a direction that a steering wheel of the vehicle must be turned to align the projected path with the target path, and updating the visual guidance indicators in real time as the vehicle is driven in reverse toward the target.

Claims

1. A method of providing visual reverse steering guidance indicators on a display in a vehicle having an electronic control unit coupled to the display, comprising:

having the electronic control unit display on the display an image of an area behind the vehicle that includes a target;

having the electronic control unit display on the display a projected path track of a projected path that the vehicle will travel based on a current alignment of a steering system of the vehicle;

having the electronic control unit display on the display a visual indicator of whether the projected path matches a target path that the vehicle must travel in reverse to align the vehicle with the target;

when the projected path does not match the target path, having the electronic control unit display on the display a visual indicator of a direction that a steering wheel of the vehicle must be turned to align the projected path with the target path; and

having the electronic control unit update the visual guidance indicators being displayed on the display in real time as the vehicle is driven in reverse toward the target.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein having the electronic control unit display the visual indicator on the display of the direction that the steering wheel must be turned to align the projected path with the target path includes having the electronic control unit display on the display a steering wheel icon and a direction arrow in proximity to the steering wheel icon pointing in the direction that the steering wheel must be turned.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein having the electronic control unit display the visual indicator on the display of the direction that the steering wheel must be turned to align the projected path with the target path includes having the electronic control unit display on the display text of the direction that the steering wheel must be turned.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein when the projected path does not match the target path, having the electronic control unit display on the display the target path.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein having the electronic control unit display on the display the projected path and the target path includes having the electronic control unit display the projected path and target path in different colors.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein having the electronic control unit display on the display the visual indicator of whether the projected path matches the target path includes having the electronic control unit display on the display the projected path in a first color when the projected path matches the target path and in a second color that is different than the first color when the projected path does not match the target path.

7. The method of claim 5 including having the electronic control unit display a steering wheel icon on the display in the first color when the projected path matches the target path and in the second color when the projected path does not match the target path and wherein having the electronic control unit display the visual indicator on the display of the direction that the steering wheel must be turned to align the projected path with the target path includes having the electronic control unit display on the display a direction arrow in the second different color in proximity to the steering wheel icon pointing in the direction that the steering wheel must be turned.

8. The method of claim 1 including having the electronic control unit accept an input from a user selecting the target.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the target is a trailer coupling of a trailer and having the electronic control unit display on the display the visual indicator of whether the projected path matches the target path includes having the electronic unit display on the display the visual indicator of whether the projected path matches the target path to align a trailer hitch of the vehicle to the trailer coupling.