Vehicle trailer angle detection system and method

• US 9,566,911 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2015
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Greenwood, Jeremy John, Nicholls, Stephen, Crawford, Andrew Stephen Bell
• Primary Examiner(s): ELAHI, SHAN E
• Application Number:
  US14/854,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20160001705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/101 using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/108 using 'non-standard' camera systems, e.g. camera sensor used for additional purposes i.a. rain sensor, camera sensor split in multiple image areas
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/50 characterised by the display information being shared, e.g. external display, data transfer to other traffic participants or centralised traffic controller
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8086 for vehicle path indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/021 Determination of steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/024 Other means for determination of steering angle without directly measuring it, e.g. deriving from wheel speeds on different sides of the car
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/272 using photoelectric detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0008 : checking presence/absence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 : Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 : exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 : Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 : for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 : Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 : Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 : Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A vehicle 1 towing a trailer 4 is fitted with three video cameras 5, 6, 7 fitted to the rear of the vehicle and on each door mirror. A view from any camera can be presented to the driver on a display 11. A predicted trailer path, calculated in a computing unit 10, is also presented to the driver on the display 11 as guide lines overlaid on the camera view. The computing unit 10 is also configured to calculate a hitch angle by tracking the position of a trailer-mounted marker in the camera view.

Claims

1. A system for determining a hitch angle of a trailer attached to a vehicle, comprising:

a rearward-looking video camera mounted on the vehicle and operable to capture images rearward of the vehicle;

an image processor for processing the captured images and locating a marker on the trailer, wherein the marker comprises at least one of a mark, a sticker attached to the trailer and a vertical edge of the trailer;

a computer determining the hitch angle between the vehicle and the trailer based on the located marker; and

a display for displaying a trailer view visible to a driver of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying the marker on a display for a driver confirmation that the selected marker is rigidly connected to the trailer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer compares the hitch angle to a stored value and, if the hitch angle is within a predetermined range of the stored value, wherein the trailer is likely to jack-knife, generating a warning signal to the driver indicative of an imminent jack-knife event.

4. A system for determining a hitch angle of a trailer attached to a vehicle, comprising:

a rearward-looking video camera mounted on the vehicle and operable to capture images rearward of the vehicle;

an image processor for processing the captured images and locating a marker on the trailer;

a computer determining a hitch angle between the vehicle and the trailer based on the located marker;

a display for displaying a trailer view visible to a driver of the vehicle; and

a steering angle sensor for sensing a vehicle steering angle, wherein the computer further calculates a predicted path of a trailer from the hitch angle and the vehicle steering angle.

5. A method of determining a hitch angle of a trailer towed by a vehicle, comprising:

obtaining an image of a trailer towed by the vehicle with a rearward-looking video camera mounted to the vehicle;

tracking a marker associated with the trailer in the image with an image processor, wherein the marker comprises at least one of a mark, a sticker attached to the trailer and a vertical edge of the trailer;

determining with a computer the hitch angle between the vehicle and trailer based on the tracked marker; and

displaying a view of the trailer on a display that is visible to a driver of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

measuring a steering angle of the vehicle; and

calculating with the computer a predicted path of the trailer from the hitch angle and steering angle.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of displaying the predicted trailer path on the display as an overlay track on the image.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of displaying the marker on the display for a driver confirmation that the selected marker is rigidly connected to the trailer.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of comparing the hitch angle to a stored value and, if the hitch angle is within a predetermined range of the stored value, wherein the trailer is likely to jack-knife, generating a warning signal to the driver indicative of an imminent jack-knife event.

10. A method of predicting a path of a trailer attached to a vehicle, comprising:

measuring a vehicle steering angle;

obtaining an image of the trailer with a rearward-looking video camera located on the vehicle;

tracking a marker associated with the trailer in the image;

determining a hitch angle between the vehicle and the trailer based on the tracked marker;

sensing a vehicle steering angle;

calculating a predicted path of the trailer from the hitch angle and the vehicle steering angle; and

displaying the trailer image and the predicted trailer path on a display that is visible to a driver of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of displaying the predicted trailer path on the display as an overlay track on the image.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the marker comprises at least one of a mark, a sticker attached to the trailer and a vertical edge of the trailer.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of displaying the marker on a display for a driver confirmation that the selected marker is rigidly connected to the trailer.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of comparing the hitch angle to a stored value and, if the hitch angle is within a predetermined range of the stored value, wherein the trailer is likely to jack-knife, generating a warning signal to the driver indicative of an imminent jack-knife event.