Centerline method for trailer hitch angle detection

• US 10,155,478 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2015
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hu, Zheng, Lavoie, Erick Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jayanti K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Habib, Irfan
• Application Number:
  US14/972,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20170174128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/808 for facilitating docking to a trailer
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20081 Training; Learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20112 Image segmentation details
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/60 Analysis of geometric attributes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/74 involving reference images or patches

Abstract

A system for detecting a hitch angle between a vehicle and a trailer is provided herein. An imaging device is configured to capture images of the trailer and a controller is configured to process the captured images. The controller derives an edge map and identifies trailer pixels therein. The controller defines a number of candidate lines in the edge map and determines the hitch angle based on an angle between a selected candidate line and a reference line.

Claims

1. A system for detecting a hitch angle between a vehicle and a trailer, comprising:

an imaging device configured to capture images of the trailer; and

circuitry configured to;

process the captured images;

derive an edge map and identify trailer pixels therein;

define a number of candidate lines projecting from a common projection point in the edge map; and

determine the hitch angle based on an angle between a selected candidate line and a reference line wherein the candidate lines are derived based on a width of a rear vehicle bumper, a drawbar length, and a trailer length;

wherein the reference line extends along a middle column of the edge map and intersects an imaged hitch point between the vehicle and the trailer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry processes successive images captured by the imaging device to derive an averaged image and derives the edge map by calculating an edge value for each pixel in the averaged image.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the circuitry identifies trailer pixels by comparing the edge value of each pixel within the edge map to a threshold value and selecting those pixels exceeding the threshold value to correspond to trailer pixels.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the projection point corresponds to an imaged hitch point between the vehicle and the trailer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the projection point corresponds to a default projection point and is located in the edge map at a position in which an imaged hitch point between the vehicle and the trailer is assumed to be located.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the reference line is indicative of a predetermined hitch angle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected candidate line corresponds to whichever candidate line has approximately the same number of trailer pixels on each of its sides.

8. A method of detecting a hitch angle between a vehicle and a trailer, comprising the steps of:

capturing images of the trailer using an imaging device;

providing circuitry for;

processing the captured images;

deriving an edge map and identifying trailer pixels therein;

defining a number of candidate lines in the edge map; and

determining the hitch angle based on an angle between a selected candidate line and a reference line indicating a predetermined hitch angle wherein the candidate lines are derived based on a width of a rear vehicle bumper, a drawbar length, and a trailer length;

wherein the reference line extends along a middle column of the edge map and intersects an imaged hitch point between the vehicle and the trailer.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the circuitry processes successive images captured by the imaging device to derive an averaged image and derives the edge map by calculating an edge value for each pixel in the averaged image.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the circuitry identifies trailer pixels by comparing the edge value of each pixel within the edge map to a threshold value and selecting those pixels exceeding the threshold value to correspond to trailer pixels.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the candidate lines project from a common projection point.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the projection point corresponds to an imaged hitch point between the vehicle and the trailer.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the projection point corresponds to a default projection point and is located in the edge map at a position in which an imaged hitch point between the vehicle and the trailer is assumed to be located.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the selected candidate line corresponds to whichever candidate line has approximately the same number of trailer pixels on each of its sides.