US 10,370,030 B2 · Trailer backup assist curvature control

Trailer backup assist curvature control

AssigneesFord Global Technologies, LLC, The Regents of the University of Michigan Office Tech. Transfer, University of Michigan

InventorsDouglas Scott Rhode, David Dean Smit, Erick Michael Lavoie, Martin Fitzpatrick Frey, Thomas Edward Pilutti, Taehyun Shim, Matt Y. Rupp, Roger Arnold Trombley

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

A vehicle has a trailer backup steering input apparatus, a trailer backup assist control module coupled to the a trailer backup steering input apparatus, and an electric power assist steering system coupled to the trailer backup assist control module and. The trailer backup steering input apparatus is configured for outputting a trailer path curvature signal approximating a desired curvature for a path of travel of a trailer towably coupled to the vehicle. The trailer backup assist control module is configured for determining vehicle steering information as a function of the trailer path curvature signal. The electric power assist steering system is configured for controlling steering of steered wheels of the vehicle as a function of the vehicle steering information.

Claims3

Dependent claims

A method of reversing a trailer connected to a vehicle, comprising:

determining a kinematic relationship between the vehicle and the trailer based on at least a trailer length of the trailer, a wheel base distance of the vehicle and a steering angle of the vehicle;
determining a hitch angle between the vehicle and the trailer;
commanding a path of the trailer based on a user input, wherein commanding the path includes providing a desired curvature of the path of the trailer relative to a longitudinal centerline axis of the trailer;
generating a steering command for guiding the trailer on the path based on the hitch angle and the kinematic relationship;
and
controlling steered wheels of the vehicle with a power-steering system based on the steering command.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

14/482,604Filed 10 Sep 2014 · continuation

Priority

19 Apr 2011

Published

US 2014/0379219 A125 Dec 2014

Granted

6 Aug 2019

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

B62D 13/06
Steering specially adapted for trailers: for backing a normally drawn trailer
B62D 1/22
Vehicle-mounted: alternative steering-control elements, e.g. for teaching purposes
B62D 15/027
Steering position indicators ; Steering position determination; Steering aids: parking aids, e.g. instruction means
B60W 30/06
Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of…:…

Family

Application61/477,132Us provisional application · filed 19 Apr 2011

Application13/336,060Parent of this continuation · filed 23 Dec 2011

US 2014/0379219 A1Pre-grant publication · published 25 Dec 2014

US 8,909,426 B2Parent of this continuation

US 2012/0271515 A1Published application

US 10,370,030 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.