TRAILER BACKUP ASSIST SYSTEM WITH WAYPOINT SELECTION

• US 20150158527A1
• Filed: 02/20/2015
• Published: 06/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hafner, Michael, Pilutti, Thomas Edward
• Granted Patent: US 9,926,008 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/245 for facilitating push back or parking of trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/62 involving supply lines, electric circuits, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/143 inside the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A method of backing a trailer attached to a vehicle is provided herein. The method includes the steps of generating a plurality of waypoints on a display of the vehicle and selecting one of the plurality waypoints. The method also includes setting a trailer orientation for the selected waypoint and determining a backing path based on the selected waypoint and the set trailer orientation. The method further includes backing the trailer along the backing path.

Claims

1. A method of backing a trailer attached to a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

generating a plurality of waypoints on a display of the vehicle;

selecting one of the plurality waypoints;

setting a trailer orientation for the selected waypoint;

determining a backing path based on the selected waypoint and the set trailer orientation; and

backing the trailer along the backing path.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one of the plurality of waypoints is selected using one of a rotatable knob and a touch event registered on a touchscreen of the display.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of directing the vehicle in a forward until the backing path has been determined.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determine a backing path is further based on backing parameters comprising a predetermined depth of the selected waypoint, a width of the selected waypoint, and a width of an initial path on which the trailer is currently located.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of autonomously steering the vehicle while backing the trailer along the backing path.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of modifying the backing path while backing the trailer along the backing path.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of modifying comprises providing a rotatable knob for adjusting a curvature of the backing path.

8. A method of backing a trailer attached to a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

generating a plurality of waypoints on a display of the vehicle;

selecting one of the plurality waypoints;

setting a trailer orientation for the selected waypoint;

determining a backing path based on the selected waypoint and the set trailer orientation;

backing the trailer along the backing path; and

autonomously steering the vehicle while backing the trailer along the backing path.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one of the plurality of waypoints is selected using one of a rotatable knob and a touch event registered on a touchscreen of the display.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of directing the vehicle in a forward until the backing path has been determined.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of determine a backing path is further based on backing parameters comprising a predetermined depth of the selected waypoint, a width of the selected waypoint, and a width of an initial path on which the trailer is currently located.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of modifying the backing path while backing the trailer along the backing path.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of modifying comprises providing a rotatable knob for adjusting a curvature of the backing path.

14. A method of backing a trailer attached to a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

generating a plurality of waypoints on a display of the vehicle;

selecting one of the plurality waypoints;

setting a trailer orientation for the selected waypoint;

determining a backing path based on the selected waypoint and the set trailer orientation;

backing the trailer along the backing path; and

modifying the backing path while backing the trailer along the backing path.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the one of the plurality of waypoints is selected using one of a rotatable knob and a touch event registered on a touchscreen of the display.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of directing the vehicle in a forward until the backing path has been determined.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of determine a backing path is further based on backing parameters comprising a predetermined depth of the selected waypoint, a width of the selected waypoint, and a width of an initial path on which the trailer is currently located.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of autonomously steering the vehicle while backing the trailer along the backing path.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of modifying comprises providing a rotatable knob for adjusting a curvature of the backing path.