TRAILERING ASSIST SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE
First Claim
1. A trailering assist system for a vehicle, said trailering assist system comprising:
- a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said trailering assist system;
wherein said camera comprises a two dimensional array of photosensing elements;
wherein said camera has a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle that encompasses a trailer that is being towed by the equipped vehicle, and wherein said camera is operable to capture image data;
a control;
said control comprising an image processor operable to process captured image data;
wherein said control receives an input of vehicle parameters;
wherein, responsive to receipt of said input of vehicle parameters and to processing of captured image data by said image processor, said trailering assist system is operable to determine an estimated trailer angle and an estimated steering wheel angle of the equipped vehicle;
wherein the estimated trailer angle comprises an estimation of an angle of a longitudinal axis of the trailer relative to a longitudinal axis of the equipped vehicle;
wherein said control compares said estimated vehicle steering wheel angle to an actual steering wheel angle of the equipped vehicle to determine an error value; and
wherein said control is operable to generate an output responsive to said error value being at or above a threshold level.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A trailering assist system for a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a vehicle, with the camera having a field of view rearward of the vehicle that encompasses a trailer that is being towed by the vehicle. The camera is operable to capture image data. A control of the system includes an image processor operable to process captured image data. Responsive to input of vehicle parameters and processing of captured image data by the image processor, the trailering assist system is operable to determine an estimated trailer angle and an estimated vehicle steering wheel angle. The control compares the estimated vehicle steering wheel angle to a measured or determined or actual vehicle steering wheel angle to determine an error value. The control is operable to generate an output when the error value is at or above a threshold level.
175 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A trailering assist system for a vehicle, said trailering assist system comprising:
-
a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said trailering assist system; wherein said camera comprises a two dimensional array of photosensing elements; wherein said camera has a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle that encompasses a trailer that is being towed by the equipped vehicle, and wherein said camera is operable to capture image data; a control; said control comprising an image processor operable to process captured image data; wherein said control receives an input of vehicle parameters; wherein, responsive to receipt of said input of vehicle parameters and to processing of captured image data by said image processor, said trailering assist system is operable to determine an estimated trailer angle and an estimated steering wheel angle of the equipped vehicle; wherein the estimated trailer angle comprises an estimation of an angle of a longitudinal axis of the trailer relative to a longitudinal axis of the equipped vehicle; wherein said control compares said estimated vehicle steering wheel angle to an actual steering wheel angle of the equipped vehicle to determine an error value; and wherein said control is operable to generate an output responsive to said error value being at or above a threshold level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A trailering assist system for a vehicle, said trailering assist system comprising:
-
a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said trailering assist system; wherein said camera comprises a two dimensional array of photosensing elements; wherein said camera has a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle that encompasses a trailer that is being towed by the equipped vehicle, and wherein said camera is operable to capture image data; a control; said control comprising an image processor operable to process captured image data; wherein said control receives an input of vehicle parameters; wherein said input of vehicle parameters includes input of at least some of (i) speed of the equipped vehicle, (ii) measured steering wheel angle of the equipped vehicle, (iii) trailer length of the towed trailer, (iv) vehicle length of the equipped vehicle, (v) vehicle width of the equipped vehicle and (vi) trailer hitch point from a rear axle of the equipped vehicle; wherein, responsive to receipt of said input of vehicle parameters and to processing of captured image data by said image processor, said trailering assist system is operable to determine an estimated trailer angle and an estimated steering wheel angle of the equipped vehicle; wherein the estimated trailer angle comprises an estimation of an angle of a longitudinal axis of the trailer relative to a longitudinal axis of the equipped vehicle; wherein said control compares said estimated vehicle steering wheel angle to an actual steering wheel angle of the equipped vehicle to determine an error value; a video display screen disposed in the equipped vehicle for viewing by a driver of the equipped vehicle, wherein said video display screen displays images of the scene rearward of the equipped vehicle to assist the driver during a reversing maneuver of the equipped vehicle; and wherein said control is operable to generate an alert to a driver of the equipped vehicle responsive to said error value being at or above a threshold level. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A trailering assist system for a vehicle, said trailering assist system comprising:
-
a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said trailering assist system; wherein said camera comprises a two dimensional array of photosensing elements; wherein said camera has a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle that encompasses a trailer that is being towed by the equipped vehicle, and wherein said camera is operable to capture image data; a control; said control comprising an image processor operable to process captured image data; wherein said control receives an input of vehicle parameters; wherein said input of vehicle parameters includes input of at least some of (i) speed of the equipped vehicle, (ii) measured steering wheel angle of the equipped vehicle, (iii) trailer length of the towed trailer, (iv) vehicle length of the equipped vehicle, (v) vehicle width of the equipped vehicle and (vi) trailer hitch point from a rear axle of the equipped vehicle; wherein, responsive to receipt of said input of vehicle parameters and to processing of captured image data by said image processor, said trailering assist system is operable to determine an estimated trailer angle and an estimated steering wheel angle of the equipped vehicle; wherein the estimated trailer angle comprises an estimation of an angle of a longitudinal axis of the trailer relative to a longitudinal axis of the equipped vehicle; wherein said control compares said estimated vehicle steering wheel angle to an actual steering wheel angle of the equipped vehicle to determine an error value; wherein said control is operable to generate an output responsive to said error value being at or above a threshold level; a video display screen disposed in the equipped vehicle for viewing by a driver of the equipped vehicle, wherein said video display screen displays images of the scene rearward of the equipped vehicle to assist the driver during a reversing maneuver of the equipped vehicle; wherein said video display screen is operable to display a predicted path that the trailer and equipped vehicle are traveling along responsive at least in part to the estimated trailer angle; and wherein said control is operable to alert the driver of the equipped vehicle when said error value is at or above the threshold level to assist the driver in adjusting the steering angle of the equipped vehicle to guide the trailer towards a target location. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification