Method and apparatus for the recognition of a trailer of a motor vehicle

• US 8,768,535 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Kossira, Christoph, Baudisch, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US13/992,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20130261843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/69, 280/39, 280/40, 280/47.19, 280/149.2, 280/403, 280/407.1, 280/408, 280/415.1, 280/418.1, 280/446.1, 280/455.1, 280/474, 280/476.1, 280/477, 280/491.1, 280/491.2, 280/491.3, 280/492, 280/495, 280/504, 280/508, 280/510, 280/511, 280/656, 280/769, 280/789, 340/693.6, 348/148, 104/20, 180/14.2
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/24 characterised by arrangements for particular functions
• 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 1/465 comprising a lifting mechanism, e.g. for coupling while lifting
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/58 Auxiliary devices
• 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 8/172 Determining control parameters used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters B60T8/17551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2048/204 Control of arrangements for suppressing differential actions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles

Abstract

A method and device for the recognition of a trailer (2) of a motor vehicle (1), wherein the trailer (2) is connected to the motor vehicle (1) via a coupling device (3), wherein a control device (4) collects and stores data relating to the currently connected trailer (2) during an operating phase of the motor vehicle, and a device for identification (5) of the trailer (2) is able to ascertain, by means of a test signal, a separation of the connected trailer (2) from the motor vehicle (1) during the shutdown phase of the motor vehicle (1).

Claims

1. A method for the recognition of a trailer of a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

collecting, by a processor and storing data relating to a currently connected trailer during an operating phase of the motor vehicle;

ascertaining a separation of the trailer from the motor vehicle using a characteristic test signal during a shutdown phase of the motor vehicle;

discarding the data when detecting a change of the test signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the test signal represents at least one of an electrical resistance of at least one light bulb of the trailer and a drawbar angle of the trailer.

3. Apparatus for the recognition of a trailer of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a coupling device for connecting a trailer to the motor vehicle;

a control device collecting and storing data about the trailer during an operating phase of the motor vehicle; and

an identification device, configured to identify the trailer and to ascertain during a shutdown phase of the motor vehicle a separation of the trailer from the motor vehicle on the basis of a test signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising an electrical plug connection for connecting the trailer to the motor vehicle, said electrical plug connection configured to transmit the test signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the test signal represents an electrical resistance of a light bulb of the trailer and is transmitted at intervals, wherein the separation of the trailer from the motor vehicle is detected by the identification device when the resistance is infinitely high.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the test signal is a resistance pattern formed by a plurality of light bulbs of the trailer and determined during the shutdown phase and compared with a determined resistance pattern of a following operating phase, wherein the separation of the trailer from the motor vehicle is determined by the identification device, when the resistance patterns differ.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the electrical plug connection has a magnetic switch, said test signal representing a magnetic field in the magnetic switch, wherein the separation of the trailer from the motor vehicle is determined, when the magnetic field changes.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the identification device is configured to determine a drawbar angle of the trailer during the shutdown phase and to compare the drawbar angle with a drawbar angle of a following operating phase, wherein the separation of the trailer from the motor vehicle is determined, when the drawbar angles differ.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the coupling device is a part of the identification device and configured for a measurement of the drawbar angle of the trailer.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the identification device includes an imaging device, arranged on the motor vehicle, for the optical determination of the drawbar angle of the trailer.

11. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control device is operably connected to the identification device and configured to discard the data, when the identification device detects the separation of the trailer from the motor vehicle.