Trailer monitoring system and method

• US 9,102,271 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2013
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• 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: Trombley, Roger Arnold, Aich, Sudipto, Rolfes, Nate, Lavoie, Erick Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): MELTON, TODD M
• Application Number:
  US14/068,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20140058614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means

Abstract

A vehicle trailer backup assist system and method includes a hitch angle detection apparatus and a target monitor controller. The target monitor controller processes images acquired of the trailer towed by a towing vehicle to assist with placement of a target on the trailer. The target monitor controller also monitors the target and provides feedback to the user as to proper positioning of the target on the trailer. A target move detection routine detects movement of a target by processing the pixels of the image to determine if a new trailer has been connected. Further, a trailer connection monitoring routine monitors for a changed trailer based on loss of the hitch angle or target for a predetermined time period.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a vehicle trailer connection comprising:

generating images of a trailer connected to a vehicle with a camera;

detecting a target in the generated images;

applying selected trailer features if the target is continuously detected;

prompting a new selection of trailer features when the target is unavailable for a predetermined time period; and

applying the new selection of trailer features when a new target is detected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined time period is a minimum time period required to change out the trailer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the time period comprises at least 30 seconds.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the camera is mounted on a rear side of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is employed in a trailer backup assist application.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of detecting a trailer hitch angle based on the monitored target.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of determining whether the trailer hitch angle is detected, wherein the step of prompting a new selection of trailer features comprises prompting a new selection of trailer features when the trailer hitch angle is not detected for a predetermined time period.

8. A method of monitoring a vehicle trailer connection comprising:

detecting a hitch angle between a vehicle and a trailer;

applying selected trailer features if the hitch angle is continuously detected;

prompting a new selection of trailer features when the hitch angle is unavailable for a predetermined time period; and

applying the new selection of trailer features when a new hitch angle is detected.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of:

generating images of the trailer connected to the vehicle with a camera; and

detecting a target in the generated images, wherein the detection of the hitch angle is determined based on the detected target.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the camera is mounted on a rear side of a vehicle.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined time period is in a minimum time period required to change out the trailer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the time period comprises at least thirty seconds.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the method is employed in a trailer backup assist application.

14. A trailer monitoring system comprising:

a hitch connection identifier indicative of a connection of a trailer to a vehicle; and

a controller applying selected trailer features if the hitch connection is continuously identified, prompting a new selection of trailer features when the hitch connection is unavailable for a predetermined time period, and applying the new selection of trailer features when a new hitch connection is identified.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the hitch connection identifier comprises a hitch angle detector.

16. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

a camera mounted on the towing vehicle and arranged to generate an image of the trailer; and

an image processor for processing the image to determine a target on the trailer, wherein the target is used to detect the trailer connection identifier.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the predetermined time period is a minimum time period required to change out the trailer.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the time period comprises at least thirty seconds.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the system is employed in a trailer backup assist application.