TRAILER BACKUP ASSIST SYSTEM WITH OBJECT DETECTION

• US 20150197282A1
• Filed: 03/26/2015
• Published: 07/16/2015
• 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: Hochrein, Bradley G., Lavoie, Erick Michael, Rolfes, Nathaniel Abram, Mattern, Donald Jacob
• Granted Patent: US 9,499,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/10 Automatic or semi-automatic parking aid systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/08 Driving in reverse
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/20 specially for trailers, e.g. in case of uncoupling of or overrunning by trailer inertia-actuated overrun brakes B60T13/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1708 for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations
• 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: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0223 involving speed control of the vehicle vehicle fittings for automatically controlling, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator B60K31/00

Abstract

A system for backing a vehicle and a trailer is provided herein. A sensing system is configured to detect objects located in an operating environment of the vehicle and trailer. A backup assist system is configured to communicate with the sensing system and automatically control a braking system of the vehicle to slow or stop the vehicle during a backing maneuver.

Claims

1. A system for backing a vehicle and a trailer, comprising:

a sensing system configured to detect objects in an operating environment of the vehicle and trailer; and

a backup assist system configured to receive information from the sensing system and automatically modify a speed of the vehicle to prevent the vehicle or trailer from colliding with a detected object during a backing maneuver.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensing system comprises ultrasonic sensors, each disposed on the vehicle or the trailer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the backup assist system is configured to automatically slow the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the backup assist system communicates with a braking system of the vehicle to apply brakes to the vehicle to reduce vehicle speed.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the backup assist system is configured to automatically stop the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the backup assist system communicates with a braking system of the vehicle to execute a hard stop of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the backup assist system is further configured to automatically steer the vehicle during the backing maneuver.

8. A system for backing a vehicle and a trailer, comprising:

a sensing system configured to detect objects located in an operating environment of the vehicle and trailer; and

a backup assist system configured to communicate with the sensing system and automatically control a braking system of the vehicle to slow or stop the vehicle during a backing maneuver.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the sensing system comprises ultrasonic sensors, each disposed on a front, side, or rear portion of the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the backup assist system is configured to automatically slow the vehicle when the vehicle approaches a detected object, and wherein the backup assist system is configured to execute a hard stop of the vehicle if a collision between the vehicle and the detected object is imminent.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the detected object is the trailer or another object in the operating environment.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the sensing system comprises ultrasonic sensors, each disposed on a front, side, or rear portion of the trailer.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the backup assist system is configured to automatically slow the vehicle when the trailer approaches a detected object, and wherein the backup assist system is configured to execute a hard stop of the vehicle if a collision between the trailer and the detected object is imminent.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the detected object is the vehicle or another object in the operating environment.

15. A method for backing a vehicle and trailer, comprising the steps of:

executing a backing maneuver of the vehicle and trailer;

detecting objects in an operating environment of the vehicle and trailer; and

automatically controlling a braking system of the vehicle to modify a speed of the vehicle during the backing maneuver.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of executing a backing maneuver comprises automatically steering the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of automatically controlling a braking system comprises slowing the vehicle when the vehicle approaches a detected object.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of automatically controlling a braking system further comprises executing a hard stop if a collision between the vehicle and the detected object is imminent, wherein the detected object is the trailer or another object in the operating environment.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of automatically controlling a braking system comprises slowing the vehicle when the trailer approaches a detected object.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of automatically controlling a braking system further comprises executing a hard stop if a collision between the trailer and the detected object is imminent, wherein the detected object is the vehicle or another object in the operating environment.