TRAILER BACKUP ASSIST SYSTEM

• US 20150217693A1
• Filed: 02/04/2015
• Published: 08/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pliefke, Sebastian, Diessner, Horst D., Weber, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 10,160,382 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: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/003 for viewing trailer hitches
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/808 for facilitating docking to a trailer
• 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: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A trailer backup assist system of a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior and rearward of the vehicle. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the camera. With a trailer connected at the rear of the vehicle, the image processor is operable to determine an angle of the trailer relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. A user input is operable by a user to select a general direction or zone of travel of the trailer during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle. Responsive to the determined trailer angle and the selected zone of travel, the trailer backup assist system is operable to control the steering of the vehicle to drive the vehicle and trailer rearward such that the trailer travels generally towards a region encompassed by the selected direction or zone of travel.

Claims

1. A trailer backup assist system of a vehicle, said trailer backup assist system comprising:

a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior and rearward of the vehicle;

an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera;

wherein, with a trailer connected at the rear of the vehicle, said image processor is operable to determine an angle of the trailer relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle;

a user input operable by a driver to select a zone of travel of the trailer during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle; and

wherein, responsive to the determined trailer angle and the selected zone of travel, said trailer backup assist system is operable to control the steering of the vehicle to steer the vehicle and trailer such that, during the reversing maneuver, the trailer travels generally towards a region encompassed by the selected zone of travel.

2. The trailer backup assist system of claim 1, wherein said image processor determines the angle of the trailer via determining a location of a target disposed at the trailer.

3. The trailer backup assist system of claim 2, wherein image data captured by said camera is morphed by image processing by said image processor before determining the location of said target.

4. The trailer backup assist system of claim 3, wherein said image morphing results in a substantially straight image region from a substantially non-straight image region captured by said camera.

5. The trailer backup assist system of claim 2, wherein, during connection of the trailer at the vehicle, said trailer backup assist system determines a zone where said target is located and wherein the steering of the vehicle is controlled responsive at least in part to the determined zone.

6. The trailer backup assist system of claim 5, wherein said trailer backup assist system is operable to display an overlay of zones at a display screen that displays images derived from image data captured by said camera.

7. The trailer backup assist system of claim 6, wherein said system controls the vehicle steering to maintain said target in a selected zone and wherein the driver adjusts the vehicle steering to assist guiding the trailer in the desired direction of travel.

8. The trailer backup assist system of claim 1, wherein said trailer backup assist system is operable to display an overlay of zones at a display screen that displays images derived from image data captured by said camera, and wherein the user selects the selected zone of travel based on the displayed overlay of zones.

9. The trailer backup assist system of claim 8, wherein said system controls the vehicle steering to maintain a portion of the trailer generally in the selected zone during reversing of the vehicle and trailer.

10. The trailer backup assist system of claim 9, wherein the driver adjusts the vehicle steering to assist in guiding the trailer in the desired direction of travel during reversing of the vehicle and trailer.

11. The trailer backup assist system of claim 9, wherein said image processor determines the angle of the trailer via determining a location of a target disposed at the trailer and wherein said system controls the vehicle steering to guide the target of the trailer towards determined regions that are indicative of the trailer traveling generally towards the region encompassed by the selected zone of travel during reversing of the vehicle and trailer.

12. A trailer backup assist system of a vehicle, said trailer backup assist system comprising:

a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior and rearward of the vehicle;

an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera;

wherein, with a trailer connected at the rear of the vehicle, said image processor is operable to determine an angle of the trailer relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle;

wherein said image processor determines the angle of the trailer via determining a location of a target disposed at the trailer;

a user input operable by a driver to select a zone of travel of the trailer during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle;

wherein said trailer backup assist system is operable to display an overlay of zones at a display screen that displays images derived from image data captured by said camera, and wherein the user selects the selected zone of travel based on the displayed overlay of zones; and

wherein, responsive to the determined trailer angle and the selected zone of travel, said trailer backup assist system is operable to control the steering of the vehicle to steer the vehicle and trailer such that, during the reversing maneuver, the trailer travels generally towards a region encompassed by the selected zone of travel.

13. The trailer backup assist system of claim 12, wherein, during connection of the trailer at the vehicle, said trailer backup assist system determines a zone where said target is located and wherein the steering of the vehicle is controlled responsive at least in part to the determined zone.

14. The trailer backup assist system of claim 12, wherein said system controls the vehicle steering to maintain said target in a selected zone and wherein the driver adjusts the vehicle steering to assist guiding the trailer in the desired direction of travel during reversing of the vehicle and trailer.

15. The trailer backup assist system of claim 12, wherein the driver adjusts the vehicle steering to assist in guiding the trailer in the desired direction of travel during reversing of the vehicle and trailer.

16. The trailer backup assist system of claim 12, wherein said system controls the vehicle steering to guide the target of the trailer towards determined regions that are indicative of the trailer traveling generally towards the region encompassed by the selected zone of travel during reversing of the vehicle and trailer.

17. A trailer backup assist system of a vehicle, said trailer backup assist system comprising:

a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior and rearward of the vehicle;

an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera;

wherein, during connection of a trailer at the rear of the vehicle, said trailer backup assist system determines a zone where a portion of the trailer is located and wherein the steering of the vehicle is controlled responsive at least in part to the determined zone;

wherein, with the trailer connected at the rear of the vehicle, said image processor is operable to determine an angle of the trailer relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle;

a user input operable by a driver to select a zone of travel of the trailer during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle;

wherein said trailer backup assist system is operable to display an overlay of zones at a display screen that displays images derived from image data captured by said camera, and wherein the user selects the selected zone of travel based on the displayed overlay of zones; and

wherein, responsive to the determined trailer angle and the selected zone of travel, said trailer backup assist system is operable to control the steering of the vehicle to steer the vehicle and trailer such that, during the reversing maneuver, the trailer travels generally towards a region encompassed by the selected zone of travel.

18. The trailer backup assist system of claim 17, wherein the driver adjusts the vehicle steering to assist guiding the trailer towards the region encompassed by the selected zone of travel during reversing of the vehicle and trailer.

19. The trailer backup assist system of claim 18, wherein said image processor determines the angle of the trailer via determining a location of a target disposed at the trailer.

20. The trailer backup assist system of claim 17, wherein said system controls the vehicle steering to guide the trailer towards determined regions that are indicative of the trailer traveling generally towards the region encompassed by the selected zone of travel during reversing of the vehicle and trailer.