VEHICLE MANEUVERING AIDS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus displaying the predicted path of a trailer attached to a vehicle, comprising:
- at least one rearward-looking video camera having an output;
a steering angle sensor outputting the steering angle of the vehicle;
a computing unit receiving the video camera output and steering angle and computing a predicted trailer path; and
a display displaying the video camera output and the predicted trailer path.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle 1 towing a trailer 4 is fitted with three video cameras 5, 6, 7 fitted to the rear of the vehicle and on each door mirror. A view from any camera can be presented to the driver on a display 11. A predicted trailer path, calculated in a computing unit 10, is also presented to the driver on the display 11 as guide lines overlaid on the camera view. The computing unit 10 is also configured to calculate a hitch angle by tracking the position of a trailer-mounted marker in the camera view.
322 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An apparatus displaying the predicted path of a trailer attached to a vehicle, comprising:
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at least one rearward-looking video camera having an output; a steering angle sensor outputting the steering angle of the vehicle; a computing unit receiving the video camera output and steering angle and computing a predicted trailer path; and a display displaying the video camera output and the predicted trailer path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus displaying the predicted path of a trailer having trailer wheels attached to a vehicle, comprising:
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at least one rearward-looking video camera mounted on each vehicle side mirror having an output; a steering angle sensor outputting the steering angle of the vehicle; a computing unit receiving the video camera output and steering angle and derives a hitch angle θ
t from the camera output and uses the hitch angle θ
t to determine the predicted trailer path; anda display displaying the video camera output and the predicted trailer path is represented as overlay tracks beginning at the trailer wheels.
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9. An apparatus tracking objects close to the path of a vehicle, comprising:
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at least one vehicle-mounted video camera with pan capability, the camera having an output; a vehicle-mounted proximity sensor sensing the location of the object; a steering angle sensor outputting the steering angle of the vehicle; a speed sensor outputting the speed of the vehicle; a computing unit receiving the speed and steering angle and calculating a relative position of the object and panning the camera to follow the object; and a display displaying the video camera output. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. An apparatus informing a vehicle when a trailer is hitched to the vehicle, comprising
a rearward-looking camera having an output; - and
an image processor receiving the output and comparing the output with parameters stored in a store to determine the presence of the trailer. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for assisting in hitching a trailer having a tow hitch to a vehicle, comprising:
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at least one vehicle-mounted video camera having an output; an image processor receiving the camera output and identifying the tow hitch and displaying the output as an image; a display displaying the image, the image processor zooming the image to display a close-up of the tow hitch and adjusting the image zoom as the vehicle moves relative to the trailer to maintain the tow hitch in the image. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method of predicting the path of a trailer attached to a vehicle comprising the steps of:
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obtaining a view from a first rearward-looking, vehicle-mounted video camera on a screen visible to the driver; determining the predicted path of the trailer; displaying the predicted trailer path as an overlaid track on the rearward-looking view. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of predicting the path of a trailer attached to a vehicle comprising the steps of:
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measuring the vehicle steering angle; obtaining first and second views from at least two rearward-looking, vehicle-mounted video cameras; determining a trailer view from the first and second camera views; displaying the trailer view on a screen visible to the driver; determining a hitch angle, θ
t, between the vehicle and trailer and using the trailer view;calculating a predicted path of the trailer from the hitch angle and steering angle; and displaying the predicted trailer path as an overlaid track on the trailer view.
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Specification