Trailer oscillation detection and compensation method for a vehicle and trailer combination

• US 8,010,252 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Getman, Anya Lynn, Shaffer, Aric David, Macneille, Perry Robinson
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner; Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAWARI, REDHWAN K
• Application Number:
  US11/868,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20090093928A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 701/70, 701/37, 701/78, 701/83, 280/432, 280/445, 280/442, 340/431
• US Class Current: 701/37
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/06 Tractor-trailer swaying
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1708 for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/174 characterised by using special control logic, e.g. fuzzy logic , neural computing
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1755 Brake regulation specially adapted to control the stability of the vehicle, e.g. taking into account yaw rate or transverse acceleration in a curve road vehicle drive control systems for control of driving stability otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/862 Combination of radar systems with sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/87 Combinations of sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9317 Driving backwards
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93275 in the bumper area
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/938 in the bumper area

Abstract

A system and method of controlling a vehicle with a trailer comprises determining the presence of a trailer, generating an oscillation signal indicative of trailer swaying relative to the vehicle, generating an initial weighted dynamic control signal for a vehicle dynamic control system in response to the oscillation signal, operating at least one vehicle dynamic system according to the dynamic control signal, and thereafter, iteratively generating a penalty function for the weighted dynamic control signal as a function of the oscillation signal response. A neural network with an associated trainer modifies the dynamic control signal as a function of trailer sway response.

Claims

1. A control system for a vehicle pulling a trailer comprising:

an oscillation detector generating a trailer oscillation signal;

a vehicle dynamic control system operating at least one vehicle dynamic system by way of a dynamic control signal;

a controller coupled to the oscillation detector and the dynamic control system, the controller comprising a neural network and an associated trainer, the trainer initially supplies a weight function to the neural network, the neural network is programmed to output a weighted dynamic control signal to the vehicle dynamic control system in response to the trailer oscillation signal and the weight function of the trainer; and

during subsequent neural network outputs to the vehicle dynamic control system a penalty function is applied to the weight function of the trainer wherein the penalty function retains the weight function for a dynamic control signal which mitigates detected trailer oscillation, and reduces the weight function for a dynamic control signal which does not mitigate detected trailer oscillation.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein the dynamic control system further comprises a brake controller that brakes at least one vehicle brake in collaboration with at least one trailer brake.

3. A system as in claim 2 wherein the brake controller actively brakes at least one of the trailer brake and at least one vehicle brake at an onset of trailer oscillation detection.

4. A system as in claim 1 wherein the oscillation detector comprises an inertial measurement unit on the vehicle or the trailer.

5. A system as in claim 4 wherein the inertial measurement unit comprises at least one of a yaw rate sensor and a lateral acceleration sensor.

6. A system as in claim 1 comprising a human-machine interface for receiving trailer data and communicating same to the controller.

7. A system as in claim 6 wherein the trailer data comprises at least one of trailer weight, length, height, type, number of axles, and hitch-to-axle distance.

8. A system as in claim 1 comprising a display in communication with the controller, the display informing a vehicle operator of detected trailer oscillation.

9. A system as in claim 1 wherein the oscillation signal comprises yaw rate information or acceleration information.

10. A system as in claim 1 wherein the trailer comprises trailer brakes and the dynamic control system includes a trailer brake controller in communication with the trailer brakes.

11. A system as in claim 1 comprising a trailer sensor comprising at least one of a hitch sensor or reverse aid sensor, the oscillation detector determining an oscillation signal as a function of an output of the trailer sensor.

12. A system as in claim 2 wherein the brake controller only applies braking force via at least one trailer brake.

13. A system as in claim 2 wherein the brake controller applies braking force via both at least one vehicle brake and at least one trailer brake.

14. A method of controlling a vehicle that is pulling a trailer, wherein the tow point of the trailer is rearward of all vehicle axles, the method comprising:

determining an angular position of the trailer relative to the vehicle using a trailer sensor during forward motion of the vehicle;

generating an oscillation signal indicative of trailer swaying relative to the vehicle, said oscillation signal being generated as a function of the angular position;

generating an initial weighted dynamic control signal for a vehicle dynamic control system in response to the oscillation signal;

operating at least one vehicle dynamic system according to the dynamic control signal;

thereafter, iteratively generating a penalty function for the weighted dynamic control signal as a function of the oscillation signal response.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the dynamic control system comprises at least one of a vehicle brake controller, wheel torque controller, engine torque controller, or suspension controller.

16. A control system for a vehicle pulling a trailer comprising:

an oscillation detector generating a trailer oscillation signal as a function of an angular position of the trailer relative to the vehicle using a trailer sensor during forward motion of the vehicle;

a vehicle dynamic control system operating at least one vehicle dynamic system by way of a dynamic control signal;

a controller coupled to the oscillation detector and the dynamic control system, the controller comprising a neural network, a penalty function, and an associated trainer, the neural network programmed to output a weighted dynamic control signal to the vehicle dynamic control system in response to the oscillation signal and a weight function of the trainer, wherein the trainer initially supplies a weight function to the neural network and modifies the weight function communicated to the neural network in response to the penalty function during subsequent neural network outputs such that the penalty function is reduced when the dynamic control system mitigates detected trailer oscillation while the weight function of the trainer is retained and the penalty function is increased when the dynamic control system does not mitigate detected trailer oscillation while the weight function of the trainer is reduced.

17. A system as recited in claim 16 wherein the oscillation detector comprises a hitch sensor, a reverse aid sensor, a camera, or a locating plate coupled to a trailer tongue, the oscillation detector determining a trailer oscillation signal as a function of an output of the oscillation detector.