Trailer coupling assistance system with vehicle video camera
First Claim
1. Method of guiding a vehicle having a hitch connector to a trailer having a trailer coupler comprising:
- generating video images with a vehicle video camera mounted at a rear of the vehicle;
receiving the video images at an electronic control unit including a processor and a memory;
displaying the video images that include the trailer coupler and the trailer;
analyzing the video images with the processor to determine a distance from the hitch connector of the vehicle to the trailer coupler;
analyzing the video images with the processor to determine a height of the hitch connector of the vehicle, a height of the trailer coupler of the trailer, and the relative height difference between the hitch connector of the vehicle and the trailer coupler of the trailer; and
assisting in guiding the vehicle to a trailer coupling position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for guiding a vehicle having a hitch connector to a trailer operates with a monocular vehicle video camera secured to a rear of the vehicle. In operation, the vehicle video camera generates video images from a rearward direction of the vehicle that are displayed. An electronic control unit including a processor is configured to: receive and display the video images, analyze the video images to confirm the location of a trailer coupler, analyze the video images to determine distance from a hitch connector of the vehicle to the trailer coupler, analyze the video images to determine height of the hitch connector of the vehicle, height of the trailer coupler of the trailer, and the relative height difference between the hitch connector of the vehicle and the trailer coupler of the trailer, and assist in guiding the vehicle to a trailer coupling position.
78 Citations
20 Claims
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1. Method of guiding a vehicle having a hitch connector to a trailer having a trailer coupler comprising:
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generating video images with a vehicle video camera mounted at a rear of the vehicle; receiving the video images at an electronic control unit including a processor and a memory; displaying the video images that include the trailer coupler and the trailer; analyzing the video images with the processor to determine a distance from the hitch connector of the vehicle to the trailer coupler; analyzing the video images with the processor to determine a height of the hitch connector of the vehicle, a height of the trailer coupler of the trailer, and the relative height difference between the hitch connector of the vehicle and the trailer coupler of the trailer; and assisting in guiding the vehicle to a trailer coupling position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10)
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8. Method of guiding a vehicle having a hitch connector to a trailer having a trailer coupler comprising:
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generating video images with a vehicle video camera mounted at a rear of the vehicle and oriented rearwardly whereby the generated video images include the trailer and the trailer coupler; receiving the generated video images at an electronic control unit including a processor and a memory; displaying the generated video images that include the trailer coupler and the trailer on a vehicle display; analyzing the generated video images that include the trailer coupler with the processor to determine a distance from the hitch connector of the vehicle to the trailer coupler; analyzing the generated video images with the processor to determine a height of the hitch connector of the vehicle, a height of the trailer coupler of the trailer, and the relative height difference between the hitch connector of the vehicle and the trailer coupler of the trailer; assisting in guiding the vehicle to a trailer coupling position; and providing an audio warning and a visual warning when the processor determines that the height of the trailer coupler is not disposed upward enough to avoid a collision with the hitch connector of the vehicle, wherein the assisting in guiding the vehicle to a trailer coupling position includes tracking the trailer coupler across plural ones of the generated video images and providing visual and audio commands that include direction and amount that a steering wheel must be turned by an operator.
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11. A trailer coupling assistance system for guiding a vehicle having a hitch connector to a trailer coupler of a trailer comprising:
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a vehicle video camera mounted at the rear of the vehicle configured to generate video images; an electronic control unit including a processor and a memory, the electronic control unit configured to; receive the video images from the vehicle video camera; display the video images that include the trailer coupler and the trailer on a vehicle display; analyze the video images to determine a distance from a hitch connector of the vehicle to the trailer coupler; analyze the video images to determine a height of the trailer coupler of the trailer relative to the hitch connector; and assist in guiding the vehicle to a trailer coupling position. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification