Method for determining the drawbar length of a trailer of a tractor vehicle
First Claim
1. A method for determining a drawbar length of a trailer of a tractor vehicle, the tractor vehicle having a front-axle steering system for adjusting a front-axle steering angle, the method comprising:
- measuring with sensors an articulation angle between the trailer and the tractor vehicle,determining an estimated value for the drawbar length by an estimation method based on the measured articulation angle and based on the front-axle steering angle and movement variables represented by a speed and a yaw rate of the tractor vehicle, wherein the estimation method comprises;
generating a sequence of estimation time windows having a beginning and an end, wherein the end of an estimation time window is defined by presence of predetermined conditions relating to dynamic movement variables of the tractor vehicle and the trailer,determining at the end of each estimation time window an estimated value of the drawbar length,successively determining from a current estimated value of the drawbar length, by statistical evaluation, statistical drawbar length estimates, each statistical drawbar length estimate having a respective quality measure,weighting each statistical drawbar length estimate with the respective quality measure, andsuccessively determining final estimated values for the drawbar length from the weighted statistical drawbar length estimates.
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Abstract
In a method for determining the drawbar length of a trailer of a tractor vehicle with a front-axle steering system for adjusting a front-axle steering angle and optionally additionally a rear-axle steering system for setting a rear-axle steering angle, an estimated value for the drawbar length is determined with an estimation method from an articulation angle, as detected by a sensor, between the trailer and the tractor vehicle on the basis of the front-axle steering angle and optionally the rear-axle steering angle, and the movement variables speed and yaw rate of the tractor vehicle.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for determining a drawbar length of a trailer of a tractor vehicle, the tractor vehicle having a front-axle steering system for adjusting a front-axle steering angle, the method comprising:
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measuring with sensors an articulation angle between the trailer and the tractor vehicle, determining an estimated value for the drawbar length by an estimation method based on the measured articulation angle and based on the front-axle steering angle and movement variables represented by a speed and a yaw rate of the tractor vehicle, wherein the estimation method comprises; generating a sequence of estimation time windows having a beginning and an end, wherein the end of an estimation time window is defined by presence of predetermined conditions relating to dynamic movement variables of the tractor vehicle and the trailer, determining at the end of each estimation time window an estimated value of the drawbar length, successively determining from a current estimated value of the drawbar length, by statistical evaluation, statistical drawbar length estimates, each statistical drawbar length estimate having a respective quality measure, weighting each statistical drawbar length estimate with the respective quality measure, and successively determining final estimated values for the drawbar length from the weighted statistical drawbar length estimates. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification