Trailer backup assist system using gesture commands and method

• US 9,233,710 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2014
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lavoie, Erick Michael, Aich, Sudipto
• Primary Examiner(s): MARC-COLEMAN, MARTHE Y
• Application Number:
  US14/198,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20150251693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 701/41, 701/28, 701/33.2, 701/523, 701/70, 348/158, 348/140, 348/143, 307/9.1, 340/431, 340/435
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18036 Reversing
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0295 by overlaying a vehicle path based on present steering angle over an image without processing that image
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/00 Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883

Abstract

A trailer target detection system includes a camera located on a vehicle and arranged to capture video images of a trailer towed by the vehicle. The system includes an image processor processing the video images to detect a gesture by a user indicative of position of target on the trailer and identifying location of the target based on the detected gesture. A vehicle trailer backup assist system includes a camera and an image processor for processing images to detect a gesture and determine a command based on the gesture. The processor controls backing of the trailer based on the command.

Claims

1. A method of controlling backing of a trailer coupled to a tow vehicle for a trailer assist system for assisting with backing up the trailer connected to the tow vehicle, said method comprising:

acquiring with a camera video images of a user proximate to the trailer and tow vehicle, wherein the camera is located on one of the trailer and tow vehicle;

processing the video images to determine a gesture command by the user; and

controlling the tow vehicle to back the trailer based on the determined gesture command, wherein the gesture command includes a command for changing trajectory of the trailer.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting a gesture in the video images and comparing the detected gesture to a predetermined gesture stored in memory, wherein the determined gesture command is the detected gesture that matches the predetermined gesture.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the gesture command is a body motion performed by the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the gesture command is a sign.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the gesture command is performed by a user having an identifiable object.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the identifiable object is a portable device display that displays a command feature.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the camera images are acquired by a rearward facing camera that captures images in a region rearward of the tow vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the gesture command is a command for changing speed of the trailer.

9. A vehicle trailer backup assist system comprising:

a camera located on one of a tow vehicle and a trailer coupled to the tow vehicle for acquiring video images of a user proximate to the trailer and tow vehicle; and

an image processor for processing the images to detect a gesture by the user and determining a command based on the gesture, said processor controlling the tow vehicle to back up the trailer based on the command, wherein the gesture includes a turn command for changing trajectory of the trailer.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the camera comprises a rearward facing camera on the vehicle to detect images in a region rearward of the tow vehicle.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the camera captures video images in a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 9 further comprising memory storing a plurality of predetermined gesture commands, wherein the detected gesture is compared to the predetermined gesture commands to determine the command.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the gesture is a body motion performed by the user.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the gesture is a sign.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the gesture is performed by a user having an identifiable object.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the identifiable object comprises a portable device display that displays a command feature.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the gesture is a command for changing speed of the trailer.

18. A vehicle trailer backup assist system comprising:

a camera located on a tow vehicle for acquiring images of a user proximate to a trailer connected to the tow vehicle; and

a processor processing the images to detect a gesture by the user and determining a turn command for changing trajectory of the trailer based on the gesture and controlling the tow vehicle to back up the trailer based on the command.