TRAILER BACKUP AID SPEED LIMITING VIA BRAKING

• US 20160297411A1
• Filed: 09/11/2015
• Published: 10/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Trombley, Roger Arnold, Lavoie, Erick Michael, Yu, Hai
• Granted Patent: US 9,840,240 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/662 characterised by specified functions of the control system components
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/04 Hill descent control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/08 Driving in reverse
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/20 specially for trailers, e.g. in case of uncoupling of or overrunning by trailer inertia-actuated overrun brakes B60T13/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1708 for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/245 Longitudinal vehicle inclination
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/14 Tractor-trailers, i.e. combinations of a towing vehicle and one or more towed vehicles, e.g. caravans; Road trains
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0604 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/22 Articulation angle, e.g. between tractor and trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/146 Speed limiting
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/076 Slope angle of the road

Abstract

A trailer backup assist system for a vehicle reversing a trailer is provided herein. The system includes a brake system and a steering system of the vehicle. A controller is configured to output a brake torque request to the brake system and a steering command to the steering system, wherein the brake torque request and the steering command are each based at least in part on a trailer mass.

Claims

1. A trailer backup assist system for a vehicle reversing a trailer, comprising:

a brake system;

a throttle sensor module outputting a throttle application signal; and

a controller for outputting a brake torque request to the brake system based at least in part on a trailer mass and the throttle application signal.

2. The trailer backup assist system of claim 1, wherein the trailer mass is obtained via user input.

3. The trailer backup assist system of claim 1, wherein the trailer mass is obtained via sensors disposed on the trailer.

4. The trailer backup assist system of claim 1, wherein the trailer mass is estimated based on trailer dynamics while the trailer is in motion.

5. The trailer backup assist system of claim 1, wherein the controller is tuned for different trailer masses and the gains of the controller are determined using lookup tables.

6. The trailer backup assist system of claim 1, wherein the brake torque request comprises an initial brake torque request signal added to a feed forward trailer mass gain.

7. The trailer backup assist system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to output a steering command to a steering system of the vehicle, wherein the steering command is based at least in part on the trailer mass.

8. The trailer backup assist system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to calculate an estimated road grade beneath the trailer and output a brake torque request to the brake system based on an estimated road grade and the throttle application signal.

9. A trailer backup assist system for a vehicle reversing a trailer, comprising:

a brake system of the vehicle;

a steering system of the vehicle; and

a controller for outputting a brake torque request to the brake system and a steering command to the steering system, wherein the brake torque request and the steering command are each based at least in part on a trailer mass.

10. The trailer backup assist system of claim 9, wherein the trailer mass is obtained via at least one of user input and sensors disposed on the trailer.

11. The trailer backup assist system of claim 9, wherein the trailer mass is estimated based on trailer dynamics while the trailer is in motion.

12. The trailer backup assist system of claim 9, wherein the controller is tuned for different trailer masses and the gains of the controller are determined using lookup tables.

13. The trailer backup assist system of claim 9, wherein the brake torque request comprises an initial brake torque request signal added to a feed forward trailer mass gain.

14. The trailer backup assist system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to calculate an estimated road grade beneath the trailer and output a brake torque request to the brake system based on an estimated road grade and a throttle application signal.

15. A method of reversing a trailer towed by a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

determining a trailer mass;

outputting a brake torque request to a brake system of the vehicle; and

outputting a steering command to a steering system of the vehicle if it'"'"'s determined that the trailer is being reversed;

wherein the brake torque request and the steering command are each based at least in part on the trailer mass.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the trailer mass is obtained via at least one of user input and sensors disposed on the trailer.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of calculating an estimated road grade beneath the trailer and outputting a brake torque request to the brake system based on an estimated road grade and a throttle application signal.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the trailer mass is estimated based on trailer dynamics while the trailer is in motion.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the brake torque request comprises an initial brake torque request signal added to a feed forward trailer mass gain.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the steering command is further based on a hitch angle and a kinematic relationship between the vehicle and the trailer.