Guidance system for a vehicle reversing a trailer along an intended backing path

• US 9,896,130 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2015
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ghneim, Maher, Jawad, Yasmin, McKinney, Marcus
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US14/851,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20170073005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 340431, 3404255, 340435, 340436, 340440
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system

Abstract

A guidance system for a vehicle reversing a trailer is provided. The system includes a display and a controller configured to generate a steering icon on the display. The steering icon recommends a steering direction and a steering magnitude related to a steering device of the vehicle in order to correct a deviation from an intended backing path.

Claims

1. A guidance system for a vehicle reversing a trailer, comprising:

a display; and

a controller configured to generate a steering icon on the display, wherein the steering icon recommends a steering direction and a steering magnitude related to a steering device of the vehicle in order to correct a deviation from an intended backing path.

2. The guidance system of claim 1, wherein the intended backing path comprises a straight backing path.

3. The guidance system of claim 1, wherein the controller determines the steering direction and the steering magnitude based on a measured hitch angle between the vehicle and the trailer.

4. The guidance system of claim 1, wherein the steering icon comprises a directional element indicating a direction in which to turn the steering device.

5. The guidance system of claim 4, wherein the directional element comprises a first arrow for indicating a counterclockwise turn of the steering device and a second arrow for indicating a clockwise turn of the steering device.

6. The guidance system of claim 4, wherein the steering icon further comprises a magnitude element indicating how far to turn the steering device in the direction indicated by the directional element.

7. The guidance system of claim 6, wherein the magnitude element comprises a numerical value measured in degrees.

8. The guidance system of claim 1, wherein the steering icon comprises a relating element to visually relate a current position of the steering device to the recommended steering direction and steering magnitude.

9. The guidance system of claim 1, wherein the steering icon comprises a hold indicator for instructing a driver of the vehicle to maintain the steering device at its current position.

10. A guidance system for a vehicle reversing a trailer, comprising:

a display; and

a controller configured to generate a steering icon on the display to recommend a steering direction and a steering magnitude related to a steering device of the vehicle to correct a deviation from an intended backing path, wherein the steering direction and the steering magnitude are determined at least in part based on a hitch angle between the vehicle and the trailer.

11. The guidance system of claim 10, wherein the intended backing path comprises a straight backing path.

12. The guidance system of claim 10, wherein the steering icon comprises a directional element indicating a direction in which to turn the steering device.

13. The guidance system of claim 12, wherein the directional element comprises a first arrow for indicating a counterclockwise turn of the steering device and a second arrow for indicating a clockwise turn of the steering device.

14. The guidance system of claim 12, wherein the steering icon further comprises a magnitude element indicating how far to turn the steering device in the direction indicated by the directional element.

15. The guidance system of claim 14, wherein the magnitude element comprises a numerical value measured in degrees.

16. The guidance system of claim 10, wherein the steering icon comprises a relating element to visually relate a current position of the steering device to the recommended steering direction and steering magnitude.

17. The guidance system of claim 10, wherein the steering icon comprises a hold indicator for instructing a driver of the vehicle to maintain the steering device at its current position.

18. A method of reversing a vehicle and trailer along an intended backing path, comprising the steps of:

measuring a hitch angle between the vehicle and trailer;

determining whether the vehicle and trailer have deviated from the intended backing path based on the measured hitch angle; and

making a steering direction and steering magnitude recommendation on a display of the vehicle to correct a deviation from the intended backing path.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the intended backing path comprises a straight backing path.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of making a steering direction and steering magnitude recommendation further comprises the step of instructing a driver of the vehicle to maintain a steering device of the vehicle in its current position.