Trailer articulation angle estimation

• US 8,073,594 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2011
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Lee, Yong H., Kade, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US13/020,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20110125457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 305 Days
• Field of Search: 701/41, 701/36, 701/49, 359/843, 280/432, 180/169
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/30 for sway control , e.g. stabilising or anti-fishtail devices; Sway alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/58 Auxiliary devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/862 Combination of radar systems with sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• 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 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/937 sensor installation details constructional features of transducers G01S7/521 and B06B; casing of transducers, e.g. housing, cover or filler details, G10K9/22; mounting of transducers, i.e. fixture, fitting or holder details, G10K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A method for operating a vehicle includes acquiring position information including an azimuth angle between a non-contacting sensor and a wheeled axle of an attached trailer, determining a trailer tongue length correlated to the position information, determining a track width of the attached trailer correlated to the position information, and calculating a trailer hitch articulation angle corresponding to the trailer tongue length and the track width of the attached trailer.

Claims

1. A method for operating a vehicle, comprising:

acquiring position information including an azimuth angle between a non-contacting sensor and a wheeled axle of an attached trailer;

determining a trailer tongue length correlated to the position information;

determining a track width of the attached trailer correlated to the position information; and

calculating a trailer hitch articulation angle corresponding to the trailer tongue length and the track width of the attached trailer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the trailer hitch articulation angle corresponding to the trailer tongue length and the track width of the attached trailer comprises calculating the trailer hitch articulation angle in accordance with the following relationship:

3. The method of claim 1, wherein acquiring position information comprises acquiring the position information when a line of travel of the vehicle and the attached trailer is straight.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-contacting sensor comprises one of a left side blind zone camera and a right side blind zone camera.

5. A method for operating a vehicle, comprising:

determining an azimuth angle between a non-contacting sensor and a wheeled axle of an attached trailer;

determining a trailer tongue length correlated to the azimuth angle between the non-contacting sensor and the wheeled axle of the attached trailer;

determining a track width of the attached trailer correlated to the azimuth angle between the non-contacting sensor and the wheeled axle of the attached trailer; and

calculating a trailer hitch articulation angle corresponding to the trailer tongue length and the track width of the attached trailer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein calculating the trailer hitch articulation angle corresponding to the trailer tongue length and the track width of the attached trailer includes calculating the trailer hitch articulation angle in accordance with the following relationship:

7. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the azimuth angle comprises determining the azimuth angle when a line of travel of the vehicle and the attached trailer is straight.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the non-contacting sensor comprises a blind zone camera.

9. A vehicle system, comprising:

a non-contacting sensor configured to acquire position information including an azimuth angle between the non-contacting sensor and a wheel on an attached trailer; and

a data processor configured to determine a trailer tongue length and a track width of the attached trailer correlated to the position information; and

the data processor configured to calculate a trailer hitch articulation angle corresponding to the trailer tongue length and the track width of the attached trailer.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the non-contacting sensor comprises a camera.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the camera comprises one of a left side blind zone camera and a right side blind zone camera.

12. The vehicle system of claim 9 wherein the data processor is configured to calculate the trailer hitch articulation angle in accordance with the following relationship:

13. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the non-contacting sensor is configured to acquire position information when a line of travel of the vehicle and the attached trailer is straight.