Method and system for monitoring placement of a target on a trailer

• US 9,283,892 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2013
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• 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, Nave, Christopher Scott, Pilutti, Thomas Edward, Shutko, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ziaeianmehdizadeh, Navid
• Application Number:
  US14/068,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20140058622A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/543 for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/006 indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians
• 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 placement of a target on a trailer comprising:

generating an image of a target placement zone on the trailer using a camera on a towing vehicle;

generating a target overlay on the image indicative of the target placement zone to assist with placing the target on the trailer;

processing the image with a controller to detect presence of a placed target within the target placement zone based on the generated target overlay; and

generating with the controller an external feedback alert during target placement confirming at least one of (i) the placed target is detected within the target placement zone and (ii) the placed target is not detected within the target placement zone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the exterior feedback alert comprises a vehicle exterior alert.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the exterior alert comprises a vehicle brake light.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the exterior alert comprises a vehicle horn.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the exterior alert comprises a vehicle emergency flasher.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating an image comprises generating a plurality of video images with a video camera, wherein the plurality of video images are processed to determine presence of the target within the target placement zone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the feedback alert is provided to a portable device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the portable device comprises a phone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the feedback alert is provided when the target is detected within the target placement zone.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the feedback alert is provided when no target is detected within the target zone.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining the hitch angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle based on the processed image of the detected target.

12. A system for monitoring placement of a target on a trailer comprising:

a camera located on a towing vehicle and arranged to generate an image of a target placement zone on the trailer towed by the towing vehicle;

an image processor generating a target overlay on the image indicative of the target placement zone to assist with placing the target on the trailer, processing the image to detect presence of a placed target located within the target placement zone based on the generated target overlay, and usable for determining a hitch angle of the trailer and generating a feedback alert signal during the target placement; and

an exterior alert generating a feedback alert responsive to the feedback alert signal confirming at least one of (i) the placed target is detected within the target placement zone and (ii) the placed target is not detected within the target placement zone.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the feedback alert comprises a vehicle exterior alert.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the exterior alert comprises illumination of a vehicle brake light.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the exterior alert comprises activation of a vehicle horn.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the exterior alert comprises activation of a vehicle emergency flasher.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the feedback alert is provided by a portable device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the portable device comprises a phone.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the feedback alert is generated when the target is detected within the target placement zone.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the feedback alert is generated when no target is detected within the target zone.