Jackknife detection for vehicle reversing a trailer

• US 9,896,126 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2015
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kyrtsos, Christos, Lavoie, Erick Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): GOLDMAN, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US14/794,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20170008560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 701 42, 701 41, 701 37, 188112 A, 180235, 180411, 180445, 280442
• 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 2556/00 Input parameters relating to data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/021 Determination of steering angle

Abstract

A backup assist system for a vehicle reversing a trailer includes a hitch angle sensor providing a measured hitch angle of the trailer. The system also includes a controller determining a position of the measured hitch angle in relation to an unknown jackknife angle by monitoring a predetermined dynamic hitch angle characteristic derived from the measured hitch angle for a corresponding jackknife indicating characteristic.

Claims

1. A backup assist system for a vehicle reversing a trailer coupled with the vehicle at an articulating hitch, comprising:

a hitch angle sensor providing a measured hitch angle of the trailer; and

a controller determining a position of the measured hitch angle in relation to an unknown jackknife angle by monitoring for a derivative of a rate of change of the measured hitch angle approaching as a jackknife indicating characteristic.

2. The backup assist system of claim 1, further including:

estimating the jackknife angle based on the measured hitch angle when the derivative of the rate of change of the measured hitch angle is within a predetermined positive range of zero; and

estimating a distance between a hitch of the vehicle and a front axle of the trailer using the estimated jackknife angle in a kinematic model.

3. A backup assist system for a vehicle reversing a trailer coupled with the vehicle at an articulating hitch, comprising:

a hitch angle sensor providing a measured hitch angle of the vehicle;

a vehicle brake control system; and

a controller;

transmitting an alternate brake pulse signal to the brake control system to cause a vehicle wiggle, the vehicle wiggle inducing a trailer wiggle in the trailer by way of the articulating hitch; and

determining a position of the measured hitch angle in relation to an unknown jackknife angle by monitoring an aggregate direction of the trailer wiggle relative to the vehicle for a jackknife indicating characteristic.

4. The backup assist system of claim 3, wherein the jackknife indicating characteristic is a series of oscillations in the measured hitch angle corresponding to the trailer wiggle exhibiting a magnitude, observed in a direction away from the vehicle, below a predetermined threshold value.

5. The backup assist system of claim 3, wherein the jackknife indicating characteristic includes a series of oscillations in the measured hitch angle corresponding to the trailer wiggle aggregating in a direction away from a zero hitch angle.

6. The backup assist system of claim 5, further including identifying the unknown jackknife angle at a measured hitch angle at which none of the series of oscillations decrease the hitch angle.