Fixed offset method for hitch detection in hitch assist operation
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsLuke Niewiadomski, Nikhil Nagraj Rao, Lihui Chen, Roger Arnold Trombley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer includes a steering system that adjusts a vehicle steering angle, a braking system that adjusts a vehicle speed, an imaging system that receives image data of a drawbar assembly being receivable in a hitch receiver, and a controller. The controller is configured to detect an edge of the drawbar assembly from the image data, target an endpoint at a fixed offset from the edge and a stationary point on the vehicle, and maneuver, via the steering and braking systems, the vehicle along a path to align the endpoint with the trailer.
Claims20
A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer, comprising:
- a steering system that adjusts a vehicle steering angle;
- a braking system that adjusts a vehicle speed;
- an imaging system that receives image data of a drawbar assembly;
- and
- a controller that detects an edge of the drawbar assembly from the image data, targets a hitch point at a fixed offset from the edge and a fixed point on the vehicle, and maneuvers, via the steering and braking systems, the vehicle along a path to align the hitch point with a coupler of the trailer.
A hitch assist system for a vehicle, comprising:
- an imaging system configured to detect an edge of a drawbar assembly being receivable in a hitch receiver as image data;
- and
- a controller configured to, responsive to the image data being indicative of the edge of the drawbar assembly, target a hitch point by applying an offset value to the edge, and maneuver, via steering and braking systems, the vehicle along a path to move the hitch point toward a predetermined endpoint.
A method for aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer, comprising:
- detecting an edge position of a drawbar assembly in image data received from a vehicle imaging system;
- establishing an alignment position associated with the drawbar assembly by applying an offset value to the edge position;
- and
- controlling steering and braking systems to maneuver the vehicle along a path to move the alignment position toward a predetermined endpoint.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.