TRAILER DRIVING ASSIST SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle towing a trailer, said method comprising:
- providing a rear backup camera at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with a trailer hitch, wherein the rear backup camera has a rearward field of view that at least encompasses the trailer hitch of the vehicle;
providing a trailer having a trailer tow bar;
attaching the trailer tow bar of the trailer to the trailer hitch of the vehicle, wherein, with the trailer tow bar of the trailer attached to the trailer hitch of the vehicle, the field of view of the rear backup camera encompasses the trailer tow bar of the trailer attached to the trailer hitch of the vehicle;
driving the vehicle while the vehicle is towing the trailer;
capturing image data via the rear backup camera and providing image data captured by the rear backup camera to a control at the vehicle;
wherein the control comprises a processor for processing image data captured by the rear backup camera and provided to the control;
processing, at the control, image data captured by the rear backup camera while the vehicle is towing the trailer;
responsive to processing at the control of image data captured by the rear backup camera, determining an angle of the trailer tow bar relative to the vehicle;
responsive to determining the angle of the trailer tow bar relative to the vehicle, determining a degree of sway of the trailer relative to the vehicle; and
responsive to determination that the degree of sway is greater than a threshold degree of sway, generating an output via the control.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle towing a trailer includes providing a rear backup camera at a rear portion of the vehicle. A trailer having a trailer tow bar is attached to the trailer hitch of the vehicle. The vehicle is driven while towing the trailer and image data is captured via the rear backup camera and provided to a control at the vehicle. The image data captured while the vehicle is towing the trailer is processed at the control to determine an angle of the trailer tow bar relative to the vehicle. Responsive to determining the angle of the trailer tow bar relative to the vehicle, a degree of sway of the trailer relative to the vehicle is determined. Responsive to determination that the degree of sway is greater than a threshold degree of sway, an output is generated via the control.
21 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle towing a trailer, said method comprising:
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providing a rear backup camera at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with a trailer hitch, wherein the rear backup camera has a rearward field of view that at least encompasses the trailer hitch of the vehicle; providing a trailer having a trailer tow bar; attaching the trailer tow bar of the trailer to the trailer hitch of the vehicle, wherein, with the trailer tow bar of the trailer attached to the trailer hitch of the vehicle, the field of view of the rear backup camera encompasses the trailer tow bar of the trailer attached to the trailer hitch of the vehicle; driving the vehicle while the vehicle is towing the trailer; capturing image data via the rear backup camera and providing image data captured by the rear backup camera to a control at the vehicle; wherein the control comprises a processor for processing image data captured by the rear backup camera and provided to the control; processing, at the control, image data captured by the rear backup camera while the vehicle is towing the trailer; responsive to processing at the control of image data captured by the rear backup camera, determining an angle of the trailer tow bar relative to the vehicle; responsive to determining the angle of the trailer tow bar relative to the vehicle, determining a degree of sway of the trailer relative to the vehicle; and responsive to determination that the degree of sway is greater than a threshold degree of sway, generating an output via the control. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle towing a trailer, said method comprising:
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providing a rear backup camera at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with a trailer hitch, wherein the rear backup camera has a rearward field of view that at least encompasses the trailer hitch of the vehicle; providing a trailer having a trailer tow bar; attaching the trailer tow bar of the trailer to the trailer hitch of the vehicle, wherein, with the trailer tow bar of the trailer attached to the trailer hitch of the vehicle, the field of view of the rear backup camera encompasses the trailer tow bar of the trailer attached to the trailer hitch of the vehicle; driving the vehicle while the vehicle is towing the trailer; capturing image data via the rear backup camera and providing image data captured by the rear backup camera to a control at the vehicle; wherein the control comprises a processor for processing image data captured by the rear backup camera and provided to the control; processing, at the control, image data captured by the rear backup camera while the vehicle is towing the trailer; responsive to processing at the control of image data captured by the rear backup camera, determining an angle of the trailer tow bar relative to the vehicle; responsive to determining the angle of the trailer tow bar relative to the vehicle, determining a degree of sway of the trailer relative to the vehicle; responsive to determination that the degree of sway is greater than a threshold degree of sway, generating an output via the control; providing to the control an input indicative of speed of the vehicle, wherein the threshold degree of sway of the trailer relative to the vehicle varies responsive to change in speed of the vehicle; and wherein the output comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) a signal that at least in part controls generation of an alert to a driver of the vehicle, (ii) a signal that at least in part controls braking of the vehicle and (iii) a signal that at least in part controls steering of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle towing a trailer, said method comprising:
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providing a rear backup camera at a rear portion of a vehicle equipped with a trailer hitch, wherein the rear backup camera has a rearward field of view that at least encompasses the trailer hitch of the vehicle; providing a trailer having a trailer tow bar; attaching the trailer tow bar of the trailer to the trailer hitch of the vehicle, wherein, with the trailer tow bar of the trailer attached to the trailer hitch of the vehicle, the field of view of the rear backup camera encompasses a feature or target of the trailer tow bar of the trailer attached to the trailer hitch of the vehicle; capturing image data via the rear backup camera and providing image data captured by the rear backup camera to a control at the vehicle; wherein the control comprises a processor for processing image data captured by the rear backup camera and provided to the control; driving the vehicle while the vehicle is towing the trailer; processing, at the control, image data captured by the rear backup camera while the vehicle is towing the trailer; responsive to processing at the control of image data captured by the rear backup camera, determining an angle of the trailer tow bar relative to the vehicle; wherein determining the angle of the trailer tow bar relative to the vehicle comprises determining location of the feature or target of the trailer tow bar relative to the vehicle; responsive to determining the angle of the trailer tow bar relative to the vehicle, determining a degree of sway of the trailer relative to the vehicle; responsive to determination that the degree of sway is greater than a threshold degree of sway, generating an output via the control; and providing to the control an input indicative of speed of the vehicle, wherein the threshold degree of sway of the trailer relative to the vehicle varies responsive to change in speed of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification