System and method for maneuvering a vehicle-trailer unit in reverse travel
First Claim
1. A method of controlling the steering and path of a motor vehicle and a trailer connected thereto in a reverse direction of travel, the vehicle having at least one axle with steerable wheels, the vehicle and trailer being connected at a hitch point allowing rotational movement of the trailer relative to the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an electronic processing unit configured to provide signals for controlling the steerable wheels via a powered steering system operatively coupled to the steerable wheels;
providing a driver interface for receiving a directional input from a driver related to an intended direction of travel of the trailer relative to the vehicle;
receiving, at the electronic processing unit, the directional input from the driver comprising the intended direction of travel of the trailer relative to the vehicle;
receiving, at the electronic processing unit, information regarding a measure of orientation of the trailer relative to the vehicle;
determining, at the electronic processing unit, whether the measure of orientation deviates from the intended direction of travel of the trailer relative to the vehicle and determining a deviation; and
implementing a path-correcting measure, via the electronic processing unit, to command the powered steering system to steer the wheels to correct the deviation by correcting the orientation of the trailer relative to the vehicle to correspond to the intended direction of travel of the trailer relative to the vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of maneuvering a vehicle-trailer unit in reverse travel uses at least one sensor generating output information representative of the relative position between the vehicle rear and the trailer front. An electronic processing unit compares the measured quantity with a reference value and determines from the comparison whether the trailer deviates from a straight alignment with the vehicle. If the trailer is not aligned with the vehicle, the system can interfere with the vehicle'"'"'s steering system, the trailer'"'"'s brake system, or both.
The sensor can be a distance sensor or a camera, and the quantity can be a distance or a marker position. As a reference value for comparison, the method can use a stored value or previously or simultaneously measured values. The method can be activated automatically or by a switch operated by the vehicle driver.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of controlling the steering and path of a motor vehicle and a trailer connected thereto in a reverse direction of travel, the vehicle having at least one axle with steerable wheels, the vehicle and trailer being connected at a hitch point allowing rotational movement of the trailer relative to the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing an electronic processing unit configured to provide signals for controlling the steerable wheels via a powered steering system operatively coupled to the steerable wheels; providing a driver interface for receiving a directional input from a driver related to an intended direction of travel of the trailer relative to the vehicle; receiving, at the electronic processing unit, the directional input from the driver comprising the intended direction of travel of the trailer relative to the vehicle; receiving, at the electronic processing unit, information regarding a measure of orientation of the trailer relative to the vehicle; determining, at the electronic processing unit, whether the measure of orientation deviates from the intended direction of travel of the trailer relative to the vehicle and determining a deviation; and implementing a path-correcting measure, via the electronic processing unit, to command the powered steering system to steer the wheels to correct the deviation by correcting the orientation of the trailer relative to the vehicle to correspond to the intended direction of travel of the trailer relative to the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of maneuvering a vehicle-trailer unit in reverse travel, the vehicle-trailer unit having a trailer, a vehicle, and a trailer hitch, the trailer being connected to the trailer hitch allowing a swivel movement of the trailer relative to the trailer hitch, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing an electronic processing unit configured to provide signals for controlling a powered steering system; providing at least one sensor connected to the vehicle and configured to send information regarding a position of the trailer relative to the vehicle to the electronic processing unit; determining an intended position of the trailer relative to the vehicle based upon a driver input that is independent of a vehicle steering wheel; determining that the vehicle-trailer unit is backing up; measuring with the at least one sensor a quantity representing the position of the trailer relative to the vehicle; generating output information from the at least one sensor to the electronic processing unit, wherein the output information is representative of the position of the trailer relative to the vehicle; comparing the position of the trailer relative to the vehicle with a reference value corresponding to the intended position of the trailer relative to the vehicle using the electronic processing unit; determining in the electronic processing unit whether the position of the trailer relative to the vehicle deviates from the intended position of the trailer relative to the vehicle and determining a deviation; implementing a position-correcting measure using the electronic processing unit to command the steering system to correct the deviation by correcting the position of at least one of the vehicle and the trailer while the vehicle-trailer unit is in reverse travel. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A system for correcting a relative position of a vehicle trailer relative to a vehicle, the system comprising:
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a driver input device separate from a vehicle steering wheel, the driver input device configured to be actuated by a vehicle driver to provide information regarding an intended position of the trailer relative to the vehicle; a sensor configured to provide information regarding an actual position of the trailer relative to the vehicle an electronic processing unit programmed to receive the information regarding the actual position of the trailer relative to the vehicle and to receive the information regarding the intended position of the trailer relative to the vehicle and further configured to provide signals for controlling a powered steering system to correct the actual position of trailer relative to the vehicle to correspond to the intended position of the trailer relative to the vehicle; wherein the electronic processing unit is further programmed to compare the information regarding the actual position of the trailer relative to the vehicle with a reference value and determine from the comparison that the trailer deviates from the intended position and, in response thereto, to command the powered steering system to correct the position of at least one of the vehicle and the trailer. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification