TRAILER DRIVING ASSIST SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle towing a trailer, said method comprising:
- providing a plurality of vehicular cameras;
wherein providing a plurality of vehicular cameras comprises disposing a rear camera at a rear portion of a vehicle so as to have at least a rearward field of view;
wherein providing a plurality of vehicular cameras comprises disposing a driver side camera in a driver side exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle so as to have at least a sideward and rearward field of view;
wherein providing a plurality of vehicular cameras comprises disposing a passenger side camera in a passenger side exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle so as to have at least a sideward and rearward field of view;
providing a processor operable to process image data captured by the rear camera, the driver side camera and the passenger side camera;
providing a trailer;
attaching the trailer to the vehicle and rearward of the vehicle;
driving the vehicle while the vehicle is towing the trailer;
processing, using the processor, image data captured by the vehicular cameras while the vehicle is towing the trailer;
responsive to processing, using the processor, of image data captured by the rear camera and at least one of the driver side camera and the passenger side camera, generating images for display at a video display screen of the vehicle to provide a top view of the vehicle towing the trailer to a driver of the vehicle to assist maneuvering the vehicle towing the trailer;
generating a dynamic vehicle and trailer icon;
displaying the dynamic vehicle and trailer icon at the video display screen along with display of the top view of the vehicle towing the trailer; and
wherein the dynamic vehicle and trailer icon comprises a top view representation of the vehicle and the trailer with at least one projected path for the vehicle towing the trailer so the driver can readily determine where the trailer will travel when the driver turns a steering wheel of the vehicle.
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Abstract
A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle towing a trailer includes providing a plurality of cameras and processing image data captured by the cameras while the vehicle is towing the trailer. Responsive to processing of captured image data, images are generated for display at a video display screen to provide a top view of the vehicle towing the trailer to the driver to assist maneuvering the vehicle towing the trailer. A dynamic vehicle and trailer icon is generated and displayed at the video display screen along with display of the top view of the vehicle towing the trailer. The dynamic vehicle and trailer icon comprises a top view representation of the vehicle and the trailer with at least one projected path for the vehicle towing the trailer so the driver can readily determine where the trailer will travel when the driver turns a steering wheel of the vehicle.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle towing a trailer, said method comprising:
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providing a plurality of vehicular cameras; wherein providing a plurality of vehicular cameras comprises disposing a rear camera at a rear portion of a vehicle so as to have at least a rearward field of view; wherein providing a plurality of vehicular cameras comprises disposing a driver side camera in a driver side exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle so as to have at least a sideward and rearward field of view; wherein providing a plurality of vehicular cameras comprises disposing a passenger side camera in a passenger side exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle so as to have at least a sideward and rearward field of view; providing a processor operable to process image data captured by the rear camera, the driver side camera and the passenger side camera; providing a trailer; attaching the trailer to the vehicle and rearward of the vehicle; driving the vehicle while the vehicle is towing the trailer; processing, using the processor, image data captured by the vehicular cameras while the vehicle is towing the trailer; responsive to processing, using the processor, of image data captured by the rear camera and at least one of the driver side camera and the passenger side camera, generating images for display at a video display screen of the vehicle to provide a top view of the vehicle towing the trailer to a driver of the vehicle to assist maneuvering the vehicle towing the trailer; generating a dynamic vehicle and trailer icon; displaying the dynamic vehicle and trailer icon at the video display screen along with display of the top view of the vehicle towing the trailer; and wherein the dynamic vehicle and trailer icon comprises a top view representation of the vehicle and the trailer with at least one projected path for the vehicle towing the trailer so the driver can readily determine where the trailer will travel when the driver turns a steering wheel of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle towing a trailer, said method comprising:
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providing a plurality of vehicular cameras; wherein providing a plurality of vehicular cameras comprises disposing a rear camera at a rear portion of a vehicle so as to have at least a rearward field of view; wherein providing a plurality of vehicular cameras comprises disposing a driver side camera in a driver side exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle so as to have at least a sideward and rearward field of view; wherein providing a plurality of vehicular cameras comprises disposing a passenger side camera in a passenger side exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle so as to have at least a sideward and rearward field of view; providing a trailer; providing a plurality of trailer-mounted cameras; wherein providing a plurality of trailer-mounted cameras comprises disposing a trailer-mounted rear camera at a rear portion of the trailer so as to have at least a rearward field of view; wherein providing a plurality of trailer-mounted cameras comprises disposing a left side trailer-mounted camera at a left side portion of the trailer so as to have at least a sideward and rearward field of view; wherein providing a plurality of trailer-mounted cameras comprises disposing a right side trailer-mounted camera at a right side portion of the trailer so as to have at least a sideward and rearward field of view; providing a processor operable to process image data captured by the vehicular cameras and the trailer-mounted cameras; attaching the trailer to the vehicle and rearward of the vehicle; driving the vehicle while the vehicle is towing the trailer; processing, using the processor, image data captured by the vehicular cameras and by the trailer-mounted cameras while the vehicle is towing the trailer; responsive to processing, using the processor, of image data captured by the rear camera and at least one of the driver side camera and the passenger side camera and responsive to processing, using the processor, of image data captured by at least some of the trailer-mounted cameras, generating images for display at a video display screen of the vehicle to provide a top view of the vehicle towing the trailer to a driver of the vehicle to assist maneuvering the vehicle towing the trailer; generating a dynamic vehicle and trailer icon; and displaying the dynamic vehicle and trailer icon at the video display screen along with display of the top view of the vehicle towing the trailer. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle towing a trailer, said method comprising:
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providing a plurality of vehicular cameras; wherein providing a plurality of vehicular cameras comprises disposing a rear camera at a rear portion of a vehicle so as to have at least a rearward field of view; wherein providing a plurality of vehicular cameras comprises disposing a driver side camera in a driver side exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle so as to have at least a sideward and rearward field of view; wherein providing a plurality of vehicular cameras comprises disposing a passenger side camera in a passenger side exterior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle so as to have at least a sideward and rearward field of view; providing a processor operable to process image data captured by the vehicular cameras; providing a trailer; attaching the trailer to the vehicle and rearward of the vehicle; driving the vehicle while the vehicle is towing the trailer; processing, using the processor, image data captured by the vehicular cameras while the vehicle is towing the trailer; responsive to processing, using the processor, of image data captured by the rear camera and at least one of the driver side camera and the passenger side camera, generating images for display at a video display screen of the vehicle to provide a top view of the vehicle towing the trailer to a driver of the vehicle to assist maneuvering the vehicle towing the trailer; generating a dynamic vehicle and trailer icon; displaying the dynamic vehicle and trailer icon at the video display screen along with display of the top view of the vehicle towing the trailer; and processing, using the processor, image data captured by at least some of the vehicular cameras to determine at least one of (i) a distance between a rear bumper of the vehicle and a tow ball of the vehicle at which the trailer is attached, (ii) a distance between a tow ball of the vehicle at which the trailer is attached and an axle of the trailer, (iii) a distance between a tow ball of the vehicle at which the trailer is attached and a portion of the trailer and (iv) a distance between a portion of the trailer and a longitudinal axis of the trailer. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification