Trailer angle detection target plausibility

• US 9,296,422 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2014
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lavoie, Erick Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): CAMBY, RICHARD M
• Application Number:
  US14/313,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20140309887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 701/41
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/14 Tractor-trailers, i.e. combinations of a towing vehicle and one or more towed vehicles, e.g. caravans; Road trains
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/22 Articulation angle, e.g. between tractor and trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/045 Improving turning performance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18036 Reversing
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/22 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present invention, a system for determining target plausibility is comprised of an imaging device for imaging a scene and generating image data, sensors for generating hitch angle measurements, steering angle measurements, and vehicle speed measurements. A controller in communication with the imaging device and the sensors, wherein when a driving condition is satisfied, the controller calculates a hitch angle and selects a plausible target from the imaged scene based on the image data and the calculated hitch angle.

Claims

1. A system for determining target plausibility, comprising:

an imaging device for imaging a scene and generating image data;

sensors for generating hitch angle measurements, steering angle measurements, and vehicle speed measurements; and

a controller in communication with the imaging device and the sensors, wherein when a driving condition is satisfied, the controller calculates a hitch angle and selects a plausible target from the imaged scene based on the image data and the calculated hitch angle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the calculated hitch angle is based on the steering angle, a hitch to trailer axle length, a wheelbase length, and a hitch to rear vehicle axle length.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to calculate a steering angle rate and a hitch angle rate based on the steering angle measurements and the hitch angle measurements.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the driving condition is satisfied when the hitch angle rate, the steering angle rate, and a vehicle speed measurement each satisfy a threshold requirement.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller calculates the hitch angle when an absolute value of the hitch angle rate and steering angle rate are each below an associated threshold value and an absolute value of the vehicle speed measurement is above an associated threshold value.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to analyze the image data and select, as the plausible target, a target appearing in the imaged scene having a position that is consistent with an expected target position based on the calculated hitch angle.

7. A method for determining target plausibility, comprising the steps of:

imaging a scene and generating image data;

generating hitch angle measurements, steering angle measurements, and vehicle speed measurements;

calculating a hitch angle when a driving condition is satisfied; and

selecting a plausible target from the imaged scene based on the image data and the calculated hitch angle.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of calculating a hitch angle rate and a steering angle rate based on the hitch angle measurements and the steering angle measurements.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of filtering the hitch angle rate, the steering angle rate, and a vehicle speed measurement.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of taking an absolute value of the hitch angle rate, the steering angle rate, and a vehicle speed measurement.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of comparing the absolute value for each of the hitch angle rate, the steering angle rate, and the vehicle speed measurement to an associated threshold value.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the driving condition is satisfied when the absolute value of the hitch angle rate and steering angle rate are each below the associated threshold value and an absolute value of the vehicle speed measurement is above the associated threshold value.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of analyzing the image data and selecting, as the plausible target, a target appearing in the imaged scene having a position that is consistent with an expected target position based on the calculated hitch angle.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of implementing target-related functions using the selected plausible target.

15. A method for determining target plausibility, comprising the steps of:

imaging a scene and generating image data;

detecting at least one target in the imaged scene;

calculating a hitch angle when a hitch angle rate, a steering rate, and a vehicle speed measurement each satisfy a threshold requirement; and

determining if the at least one target is plausible based on the image data and the calculated hitch angle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the threshold requirement is satisfied when the hitch angle rate and the steering angle rate are each below an associated threshold value and the vehicle speed measurement is above an associated threshold value.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of determining further comprises analyzing the image data and identifying, as a plausible target, each target appearing in the imaged scene having a position that is consistent with an expected target position based on the calculated hitch angle.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of selecting, as the plausible target, the target that is most consistently located at the expected target position over a predetermined time period and/or range of calculated hitch angles.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of implementing target-related functions using the selected plausible target.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the calculated hitch angle is based on a steering angle, a hitch to trailer axle length, a wheelbase length, and a hitch to rear vehicle axle length.