Trailering assist system with trailer angle detection

• US 10,858,042 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2018
• Issued: 12/08/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lu, Yuesheng, Gibson, Joel S., Johnson, Travis G., Hunt, Shawn T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kiswanto, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US15/959,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20180251154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 9/005 Reinforcements made of different materials, e.g. hybrid or composite cords
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/245 for facilitating push back or parking of trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/305 Sway alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/62 involving supply lines, electric circuits, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/005 using a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30204 Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods

Abstract

A method for determining a trailer angle for a trailering assist system of a vehicle includes providing a rearward facing camera at a rearward portion of a vehicle and a control that processes image data captured by the camera. Responsive to processing by the processor of captured image data, a location of a portion of the trailer relative to the vehicle and a trailer angle of the trailer relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle are determined. During a reversing maneuver, a rearward trajectory of the trailer is determined and a graphic overlay may be generated to overlay displayed images to indicate the determined rearward trajectory. During forward travel, a degree of swing of the trailer may be determined and a threshold level of swing may be adjusted based at least in part on a speed of the vehicle and trailer and/or a load of the trailer.

Claims

1. A method for determining a trailer angle for a trailering assist system of a vehicle, said method comprising:

providing at least a rearward viewing camera at a rearward portion of a vehicle equipped with the trailering assist system, wherein the rearward viewing camera, when provided at the rearward portion of the equipped vehicle, is operable to capture image data;

providing a control comprising a processor operable to process image data captured by the rearward viewing camera when the rearward viewing camera is provided at the rearward portion of the equipped vehicle;

providing a display screen in the vehicle for displaying video images for viewing by a driver of the equipped vehicle;

attaching a trailer at the equipped vehicle;

capturing image data using the rearward viewing camera when the rearward viewing camera is provided at the rearward portion of the equipped vehicle;

with the trailer attached at the equipped vehicle and rearward of the equipped vehicle, processing, via the processor of the control, image data captured by the rearward viewing camera;

responsive to processing by the processor of captured image data, determining a location of a portion of the trailer relative to the equipped vehicle;

responsive to processing by the processor of captured image data and responsive to the determined location of the portion of the trailer relative to the equipped vehicle, determining a trailer angle of the trailer relative to a longitudinal axis of the equipped vehicle;

responsive to processing by the processor of image data captured by the camera and responsive to the determined trailer angle of the trailer during a reversing maneuver of the equipped vehicle and trailer, determining a rearward trajectory of the trailer;

generating video images and displaying video images at the display screen that are derived from image data captured by the rearward viewing camera during the reversing maneuver of the equipped vehicle and trailer; and

generating a graphic overlay overlaying the displayed video images to indicate to the driver viewing the display screen the determined rearward trajectory of the trailer during the reversing maneuver of the equipped vehicle and trailer to assist the driver in reversing the equipped vehicle and trailer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location of the portion of the trailer is based at least in part on at least one of (a) a regressive 2-D histogram that detects a pattern at the trailer, (b) an image pattern matching algorithm, (c) a color matching algorithm and (d) an edge detection algorithm.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising, responsive to processing by the processor of captured image data and responsive to the determined trailer angle of the trailer during forward travel of the equipped vehicle and trailer, determining a degree of swing of the trailer during forward travel of the equipped vehicle and trailer.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising determining when the degree of swing of the trailer is greater than a threshold level and adjusting the threshold level based at least in part on at least one of (i) a speed of the equipped vehicle and trailer and (ii) a load of the trailer.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising, responsive to determining that the degree of swing of the trailer is greater than the threshold level, generating an alert signal to alert the driver of a potentially hazardous situation while the equipped vehicle is pulling the trailer in a forward direction.

6. The method of claim 4, comprising, responsive to determining that the degree of swing of the trailer is greater than the threshold level, controlling at least one of (i) a braking system of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a steering system of the equipped vehicle.

7. The method of claim 4, comprising controlling the trailer angle of the trailer relative to the equipped vehicle to adjust the trailer swing by controlling at least one of (i) individual braking of the wheels of the equipped vehicle wheels, (ii) individual braking of the wheels of the trailer and (iii) a steering system of the equipped vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the trailer comprises a forward portion of the trailer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the portion of the trailer comprises at least one of (a) an icon or shape or indicia disposed at the forward portion of the trailer, (b) a target pattern disposed at the forward portion of the trailer and (c) a colored target pattern disposed at the forward portion of the trailer.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising generating an alert signal to alert the driver of a potentially hazardous situation during the reversing maneuver.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the rearward trajectory of the trailer is responsive at least in part to an input indicative of a trailer dimensional characteristic.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the trailer comprises at least one pattern established at a surface of the trailer or trailer tongue, and wherein determining the location of the portion of the trailer relative to the equipped vehicle comprises at least one of (i) matching a pattern template to the at least one pattern and (ii) matching at least one color of a pattern template to at least one color of the at least one pattern.

13. A method for determining a trailer angle for a trailering assist system of a vehicle, said method comprising:

providing at least a rearward viewing camera at a rearward portion of a vehicle equipped with the trailering assist system, wherein the rearward viewing camera, when provided at the rearward portion of the equipped vehicle, is operable to capture image data;

providing a control comprising a processor operable to process image data captured by the rearward viewing camera when the rearward viewing camera is provided at the rearward portion of the equipped vehicle;

providing a display screen in the vehicle for displaying video images for viewing by a driver of the equipped vehicle;

attaching a trailer at the equipped vehicle;

capturing image data using the rearward viewing camera when the rearward viewing camera is provided at the rearward portion of the equipped vehicle;

with the trailer attached at the equipped vehicle and rearward of the equipped vehicle, processing, via the processor of the control, image data captured by the rearward viewing camera;

responsive to processing by the processor of captured image data, determining a location of a portion of the trailer relative to the equipped vehicle;

responsive to processing by the processor of captured image data and responsive to the determined location of the portion of the trailer relative to the equipped vehicle, determining a trailer angle of the trailer relative to a longitudinal axis of the equipped vehicle;

responsive to processing by the processor of captured image data and responsive to the determined trailer angle of the trailer during forward travel of the equipped vehicle and trailer, determining a degree of swing of the trailer during forward travel of the equipped vehicle and trailer;

determining when the degree of swing of the trailer is greater than a threshold level; and

adjusting the threshold level based at least in part on at least one of (i) a speed of the equipped vehicle and trailer and (ii) a load of the trailer.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising, responsive to determining that the degree of swing of the trailer is greater than a threshold level, generating an alert signal to alert the driver of a potentially hazardous situation while the equipped vehicle is pulling the trailer in a forward direction.

15. The method of claim 13, comprising, responsive to determining that the degree of swing of the trailer is greater than the threshold level, controlling at least one of (i) a braking system of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a steering system of the equipped vehicle.

16. The method of claim 13, comprising controlling the trailer angle of the trailer relative to the equipped vehicle to adjust the trailer swing by controlling at least one of (i) individual braking of the wheels of the equipped vehicle wheels, (ii) individual braking of the wheels of the trailer and (iii) a steering system of the equipped vehicle.

17. The method of claim 13, comprising (i) determining, responsive to processing by the processor of image data captured by the camera and responsive to the determined trailer angle of the trailer during a reversing maneuver of the equipped vehicle and trailer, a rearward trajectory of the trailer, and (ii) generating video images and displaying video images at the display screen that are derived from image data captured by the rearward viewing camera during the reversing maneuver of the equipped vehicle and trailer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the rearward trajectory of the trailer is responsive at least in part to an input indicative of a trailer dimensional characteristic.

19. The method of claim 17, generating a graphic overlay overlaying the displayed video images to indicate to the driver viewing the display screen the determined rearward trajectory of the trailer during the reversing maneuver of the equipped vehicle and trailer to assist the driver in reversing the equipped vehicle and trailer.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the portion of the trailer comprises a forward portion of the trailer.

21. A method for determining a trailer angle for a trailering assist system of a vehicle, said method comprising:

providing at least a rearward viewing camera at a rearward portion of a vehicle equipped with the trailering assist system, wherein the rearward viewing camera, when provided at the rearward portion of the equipped vehicle, is operable to capture image data;

providing a control comprising a processor operable to process image data captured by the rearward viewing camera when the rearward viewing camera is provided at the rearward portion of the equipped vehicle;

providing a display screen in the vehicle for displaying video images for viewing by a driver of the equipped vehicle;

attaching a trailer at the equipped vehicle;

capturing image data using the rearward viewing camera when the rearward viewing camera is provided at the rearward portion of the equipped vehicle;

with the trailer attached at the equipped vehicle and rearward of the equipped vehicle, processing, via the processor of the control, image data captured by the rearward viewing camera;

responsive to processing by the processor of captured image data, determining a location of a portion of the trailer relative to the equipped vehicle;

responsive to processing by the processor of captured image data and responsive to the determined location of the portion of the trailer relative to the equipped vehicle, determining a trailer angle of the trailer relative to a longitudinal axis of the equipped vehicle;

responsive to processing by the processor of image data captured by the camera and responsive to the determined trailer angle of the trailer during a reversing maneuver of the equipped vehicle and trailer, determining a rearward trajectory of the trailer;

generating video images and displaying video images at the display screen that are derived from image data captured by the rearward viewing camera during the reversing maneuver of the equipped vehicle and trailer;

generating a graphic overlay overlaying the displayed video images to indicate to the driver viewing the display screen the determined rearward trajectory of the trailer during the reversing maneuver of the equipped vehicle and trailer to assist the driver in reversing the equipped vehicle and trailer; and

responsive to processing by the processor of captured image data and responsive to the determined trailer angle of the trailer during forward travel of the equipped vehicle and trailer, determining a degree of swing of the trailer during forward travel of the equipped vehicle and trailer.

22. The method of claim 21, comprising determining when the degree of swing of the trailer is greater than a threshold level.

23. The method of claim 22, comprising, responsive to determining that the degree of swing of the trailer is greater than the threshold level, controlling at least one of (i) a braking system of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a steering system of the equipped vehicle.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein adjusting the threshold level is based at least in part on at least one of (i) a speed of the equipped vehicle and trailer and (ii) a load of the trailer.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein determining the rearward trajectory of the trailer is responsive at least in part to an input indicative of a trailer dimensional characteristic.