# US 12,005,749 B2 · Methods and apparatus for payload estimation and hitch condition detection using integrated sensors

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- Number: US 12,005,749 B2
- Document ID: US12005749B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/084,391
- Filed: 2022-12-19
- Published: 2023-04-20
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-07
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Kevin Stanton Giaier; Andrew Niedert; Elliott Pearson; Anton Rogness
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005749B2

## CPC

- B60D 1/58: Auxiliary devices
- B60D 1/06: Ball-and-socket hitches
- G01G 19/12: having electrical weight-sensitive devices
- G01L 5/00: Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes
- B60D 1/24: characterised by arrangements for particular functions
- B60D 1/248: {for measuring, indicating or displaying the weight}
- B60D 1/62: involving supply lines, electric circuits or the like
- G01C 9/00: Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels
- G01L 1/12: by measuring variations in the magnetic properties of materials resulting from the application of stress
- G01L 5/0028: {Force sensors associated with force applying means (G01L5/0052, G01L5/0057, G01L5/0061 take precedence)}
- G01L 5/136: {Force sensors associated with a vehicle traction coupling (vehicle connections B60D; control of vehicle brakes B60T)}
- B60D: VEHICLE CONNECTIONS
- G01G: WEIGHING (sorting by weighing B07C5/16)
- G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G)
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)

## Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for payload estimation and fault detection using hitch integrated sensors. An example apparatus includes a pin orientation determiner to determine a first orientation of a first pin and a second orientation of a second pin, the first pin and the second pin disposed within a hitch and calculate a relative orientation of the first pin and the second pin based on the first orientation and the second orientation. The example apparatus further includes a hitch condition detector to determine if a physical change has occurred in the hitch by comparing the relative orientation to an installation orientation of the first pin and the second pin.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus, comprising:
an accelerometer coupled to a hitch;
change detector circuitry to detect a pitch angle change of a vehicle based on an output of the accelerometer;
at least two force sensing pins on the hitch to detect hitch loads; and
a payload determiner circuitry configured to:
determine a time difference between a hitch load change measured by the at least two force sensing pins and the pitch angle change measured by the accelerometer; and
in response to determining the time difference satisfies a threshold time, calculate a weight associated with a payload within a bed of the vehicle based on at least a squat of the vehicle measured by at least one of the accelerometer or the at least two force sensing pins.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the payload determiner circuitry is further configured to, in response to determining the time difference does not satisfy the threshold time, determine no payload has been disposed within the bed of the vehicle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the payload determiner circuitry calculates the squat of the vehicle based on a measurement of a deflection of a portion of the vehicle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least two force sensing pins include the accelerometer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hitch load change is associated with a coupling of a trailer to the vehicle via the hitch.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the pitch angle change is associated with at least one of the coupling of the trailer to the vehicle or an addition of the payload to the vehicle.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the payload determiner circuitry calculates the weight associated with the payload disposed within the bed of the vehicle without input from the at least two force sensing pins associated with measuring a deflection of a suspension system of the vehicle.

### Claim 8

A method, comprising:
detecting a pitch angle change of a vehicle based on an output of an accelerometer of a hitch;
determining a time difference between a hitch load change and the pitch angle change, the hitch load change detected by at least two force sensing pins on the hitch, the pitch angle change measured by the accelerometer; and
in response to determining that the time difference satisfies a threshold time, calculating a weight associated with a payload within a bed of the vehicle based on at least a squat of the vehicle measured by at least one of the accelerometer or the at least two force sensing pins.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further including in response to determining the time difference does not satisfy the threshold time, determining no payload has been disposed within the bed of the vehicle.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein calculating the weight of the vehicle includes calculating the squat based on a measurement of a deflection of a portion of the vehicle.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the at least two force sensing pins include the accelerometer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the hitch load change is associated with a coupling of a trailer to the vehicle via the hitch.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the pitch angle change is associated with at least one of the coupling of the trailer to the vehicle or an addition of the payload to the vehicle.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the calculating the weight associated with the payload disposed within the bed of the vehicle is performed without input from the at least two force sensing pins associated with measuring a deflection of a suspension system of the vehicle.

### Claim 15

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium including instructions which, when executed, cause a processor to at least:
detect a pitch angle change of a vehicle based on an output of an accelerometer of a hitch;
determine a time difference between a hitch load change and the pitch angle change, the hitch load change detected by at least two force sensing pins on the hitch, the pitch angle change measured by the accelerometer; and
in response to determining that the time difference satisfies a threshold time, calculate a weight associated with a payload within a bed of the vehicle based on at least a squat of the vehicle measured by at least one of the accelerometer or the at least two force sensing pins.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to, in response to determining the time difference does not satisfy the threshold time, determine no payload has been disposed within the bed of the vehicle.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to calculate the squat based on a measurement of a deflection of a portion of the vehicle.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the hitch load change is associated with a coupling of a trailer to the vehicle via the hitch.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the pitch angle change is associated with at least one of the coupling of the trailer to the vehicle or an addition of the payload to the vehicle.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the processor calculates the weight associated with the payload disposed within the bed of the vehicle without input from the at least two force sensing pins associated with measuring a deflection of a suspension system of the vehicle.