TRAILER IDENTIFICATION

• US 20150002669A1
• Filed: 06/27/2013
• Published: 01/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Reed, Eric L., Trombley, Roger Arnold, Shutko, John
• Application Number:
  US13/928,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20150002669A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/2178 based on feedback of a supervisor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/7784 based on feedback from supervisors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera

Abstract

A system includes a camera that captures an image of a trailer attached to a vehicle and outputs a signal representing the captured image. A user interface device presents the captured image to a user and receives a user input. A processor associates collected vehicle data to the trailer based at least in part on the user input. A method includes capturing the image of the trailer, receiving a signal representing the captured image, presenting the captured image to a user, receiving a user input, and associating, via a processor, collected vehicle data to the trailer based at least in part on the user input.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a camera configured to capture an image of a trailer attached to a vehicle and output a signal representing the captured image;

a user interface device configured to present the captured image to a user and receive a user input; and

a processor configured to associate collected vehicle data to the trailer based at least in part on the user input.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to identify the trailer from the captured image and prompt the user, via the user interface device, to confirm that the identified trailer matches the captured image.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to prompt the user, via the user interface device, to provide information about the trailer represented by the captured image, and wherein the user input includes the information about the trailer.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to associate the information about the trailer to the captured image and store the information and the captured image in a memory device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine if the trailer attached to the vehicle is a new trailer.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a memory device configured to store a plurality of images of known trailers including the captured image, and wherein the user interface device is configured to present the plurality of images of known trailers to the user via the user interface device, wherein the user input includes a selection of at least one of the plurality of images of known trailers.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an odometer configured to track a distance traveled by the vehicle, wherein the collected vehicle data includes at least a subset of the distance traveled by the vehicle.

8. A vehicle comprising:

a trailer;

a camera configured to capture an image of the trailer and output a signal representing the captured image;

a user interface device configured to present the captured image to a user and receive a user input;

an odometer configured to track a distance traveled by the vehicle while towing the trailer; and

a processor configured to identify the trailer from the captured image and associate the distance traveled by the vehicle to the trailer based at least in part on the user input, wherein the user input confirms that the trailer identified by the processor is the trailer represented by the captured image.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to prompt the user, via the user interface device, to confirm that the identified trailer matches the captured image.

10. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to prompt the user, via the user interface device, to provide information about the trailer represented by the captured image, and wherein the user input includes the information about the trailer.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to associate the information about the trailer to the captured image and store the information and the captured image in a memory device.

12. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to determine if the trailer attached to the vehicle is a new trailer.

13. The vehicle of claim 8, further comprising:

a memory device configured to store a plurality of images of known trailers including the captured image,

wherein the user interface device is configured to present the plurality of images of known trailers to the user via the user interface device, and

wherein the user input includes a selection of at least one of the plurality of images of known trailers.

14. A method comprising:

capturing an image of a trailer attached to a vehicle;

receiving a signal representing the captured image;

presenting the captured image to a user;

receiving a user input; and

associating, via a processor, collected vehicle data to the trailer based at least in part on the user input.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

identifying the trailer from the captured image; and

prompting the user to confirm that the identified trailer matches the captured image.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising prompting the user to provide information about the trailer represented by the captured image, wherein the user input includes the information about the trailer.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing the information and the captured image in a memory device.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining if the trailer attached to the vehicle is a new trailer.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

storing a plurality of images of known trailers including the captured image in a memory device,

wherein presenting the captured image to the user includes presenting the plurality of images of known trailers, including the captured image, to the user and wherein receiving the user input includes a selection of at least one of the plurality of images of known trailers.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising tracking a distance traveled by the vehicle, wherein the collected vehicle data includes at least a subset of the distance traveled by the vehicle.