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Vehicle maneuvering aids

  • US 9,156,496 B2
  • Filed: 04/17/2012
  • Issued: 10/13/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of predicting a path of a trailer attached to a vehicle comprising the steps of:

  • measuring a vehicle steering angle by a computing unit of a vehicle;

    obtaining first and second views by an image processor of the vehicle, from at least two rearward-looking video cameras mounted on the vehicle;

    determining a trailer view by the image processor, from the first and second camera views;

    displaying the trailer view by the image processor on a screen visible to a driver;

    determining a hitch angle, θ

    t, by the computing unit and a parameter store of the vehicle, between the vehicle and trailer and using the trailer view;

    calculating a predicted path of the trailer by the computing unit, from the hitch angle and steering angle;

    displaying the predicted trailer path by the image processor, as an overlaid track on the trailer view;

    tracking a marker associated with the trailer by the image processor, across a field of view of at least one of the rearward-looking video cameras; and

    converting a vertical displacement of the marker by the computing unit in the field of view to an angular displacement to determine a pitch angle.

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