US 12,005,900 B2Granted

Vehicle controllability during trailer backup operations

AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC

InventorsAvesta Goodarzi, Utkarsh Saini

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided in a vehicle to reduce the likelihood of a trailer jackknife condition. The method includes: receiving trailer profile information; receiving a dynamic vehicle steering angle (δ) and dynamic hitch articulation angle (θ) while the vehicle is moving in a reverse direction; continuously calculating a maximum safe vehicle speed (vmax) at which to proceed in reverse without jackknifing based on the trailer profile information, the δ, the θ, a predetermined safe time to jackknife (TTJ_ne), and a maximum hitch articulation angle (θJK); comparing a current vehicle longitudinal speed (v) to the vmax; automatically generating a speed correction signal to cause the vehicle to slow down below the vmax when the v exceeds the vmax; and sending the speed correction signal to a vehicle motion control system to instruct the vehicle motion control system to reduce the v below the vmax.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A trailer backup system in a vehicle for automatically adjusting vehicle dynamics while the vehicle is hitched to a trailer to reduce a likelihood of a trailer jackknife occurring, the trailer backup system comprising a controller, the controller configured to:

receive trailer profile information, wherein the trailer profile information comprises a vehicle wheelbase distance (L), a vehicle's rear axle to hitch point distance (d), and a trailer rear axle distance (D);
receive a dynamic vehicle steering angle (δ) and dynamic hitch articulation angle (θ) while the vehicle is moving in a reverse direction;
continuously calculate a maximum safe vehicle speed (vmax) at which to proceed in reverse without jackknifing based on the trailer profile information, the δ, the θ, a predetermined safe time to jackknife (TTJ_ne), and a maximum hitch articulation angle (θJK), wherein the TTJ_ne is a calibratable time value that specifies a safety margin in time before a jackknife condition would be predicted to occur;
wherein:
V
max
=
L
TTJ_ne
·
E
⁢
ln
⁡
(
|
[
(
C
-
B
)
⁢
tan
⁢
θ
JK
2
+
(
A
-
E
)
]
[
(
C
-
B
)
⁢
tan
⁢
θ
JK
2
+
(
A
+
E
)
]
⁢
[
(
C
-
B
)
⁢
tan
⁢
θ
2
+
(
A
+
E
)
]
[
(
C
-
B
)
⁢
tan
⁢
θ
2
+
(
A
-
E
)
]
|
)
A
=
L
D
,
B
=
d
D
⁢
tan
⁢
δ
,
C
=
tan
⁢
δ
,
E
=
A
2
+
B
2
-
C
2
,
d
⁢
θ
d
⁢
t
=
V
L
[
tan
⁢
δ
⁡
(
1
+
d
D
⁢
cos
⁢
θ
)
+
L
D
⁢
sin
⁢
θ
]
,
If dθ/dt is positive, then θJK=θJK, and If dθ/dt negative, then θJK=−θJK;
compare a current vehicle longitudinal speed (v) to the vmax;
automatically generate a speed correction signal to cause the vehicle to slow down below the vmax when the v exceeds the vmax;
and
send the speed correction signal to a vehicle motion control system to instruct the vehicle motion control system to reduce the v below the vmax, wherein the vehicle motion control system controls appropriate vehicle actuators to reduce the v.

159 more elements

A vehicle having a trailer backup system for automatically adjusting vehicle dynamics while the vehicle is hitched to a trailer to reduce a likelihood of a trailer jackknife condition, the vehicle comprising:

a propulsion actuator;
a braking actuator;
a vehicle motion control system for controlling vehicle and trailer motion;
and
a controller configured to:
receive trailer profile information, wherein the trailer profile information comprises a vehicle wheelbase distance (L), a vehicle's rear axle to hitch point distance (d), and a trailer rear axle distance (D);
receive a dynamic vehicle steering angle (δ) and dynamic hitch articulation angle (θ) while the vehicle is moving in a reverse direction;
continuously calculate a maximum safe vehicle speed (vmax) at which to proceed in reverse without jackknifing based on the trailer profile information, the δ, the θ, a predetermined safe time to jackknife (TTJ_ne), and a maximum hitch articulation angle (θJK), wherein the TTJ_ne is a calibratable time value that specifies a safety margin in time before a jackknife condition would be predicted to occur;
compare a current vehicle longitudinal speed (v) to the vmax;
automatically generate a speed correction signal to cause the vehicle to slow down below the vmax when the v exceeds the vmax;
send the speed correction signal to the vehicle motion control system to instruct the vehicle motion control system to reduce the v below the vmax, wherein the vehicle motion control system controls the braking actuator and the propulsion actuator to reduce the v;
calculate a time to jackknife (TTJ(θ)) based on the trailer profile information, the δ, the θ, and the v;
and
automatically generate a brake control signal to cause the vehicle to brake to a complete stop when the TTJ(θ) is less than a predetermined minimum safe time to jackknife (TTJmin), wherein TTJmin is a calibratable value, wherein
TTJ
⁡
(
θ
)
=
L
VE
⁢
ln
⁡
(
❘
"\[LeftBracketingBar]"
[
(
C
-
B
)
⁢
tan
⁢
θ
JK
2
+
(
A
-
E
)
]
[
(
C
-
B
)
⁢
tan
⁢
θ
JK
2
+
(
A
+
E
)
]
⁢
[
(
C
-
B
)
⁢
tan
⁢
θ
2
+
(
A
+
E
)
[
(
C
-
B
)
⁢
tan
⁢
θ
2
+
(
A
-
E
)
]
❘
"\[RightBracketingBar]"
)
,
A
=
L
D
,
B
=
d
D
⁢
tan
⁢
δ
,
C
=
tan
⁢
δ
,
and
⁢
E
=
A
2
+
B
2
-
C
2
.

136 more elements

A method in a vehicle having a trailer backup system for automatically adjusting vehicle dynamics while the vehicle is hitched to a trailer to reduce a likelihood of a trailer jackknife condition, the method comprising:

receiving trailer profile information, the trailer profile information comprising a vehicle wheelbase distance (L), a vehicle's rear axle to hitch point distance (d), and a trailer rear axle distance (D);
receiving a dynamic vehicle steering angle (δ) and dynamic hitch articulation angle (θ) while the vehicle is moving in a reverse direction;
continuously calculating a maximum safe vehicle speed vmax) at which to proceed in reverse without jackknifing based on the trailer profile information, the δ, the θ, a predetermined safe time to jackknife (TTJ_ne), and a maximum hitch articulation angle (θJK), wherein the TTJ_ne is a calibratable time value that specifies a safety margin in time before a jackknife condition would be predicted to occur;
wherein:
V
max
=
L
TTJ_ne
·
E
⁢
ln
⁡
(
❘
"\[LeftBracketingBar]"
[
(
C
-
B
)
⁢
tan
⁢
θ
JK
2
+
(
A
-
E
)
]
[
(
C
-
B
)
⁢
tan
⁢
θ
JK
2
+
(
A
+
E
)
]
⁢
[
(
C
-
B
)
⁢
tan
⁢
θ
2
+
(
A
+
E
)
[
(
C
-
B
)
⁢
tan
⁢
θ
2
+
(
A
-
E
)
]
❘
"\[RightBracketingBar]"
)
,
A
=
L
D
,
B
=
d
D
⁢
tan
⁢
δ
,
C
=
tan
⁢
δ
,
E
=
A
2
+
B
2
-
C
2
,
d
⁢
θ
dt
=
V
L
[
tan
⁢
δ
⁡
(
1
+
d
D
⁢
cos
⁢
θ
)
+
L
D
⁢
sin
⁢
θ
]
,
If
⁢
d
⁢
θ
dt
⁢
is
⁢
positive
,
then
⁢
θ
JK
=
θ
JK
,
and
⁢
If
⁢
d
⁢
θ
dt
⁢
is
⁢
negative
,
then
⁢
θ
JK
=
-
θ
JK
.
comparing a current vehicle longitudinal speed (V) to the vmax;
automatically generating a speed correction signal to cause the vehicle to slow down below the vmax when the v exceeds the vmax;
and
sending the speed correction signal to a vehicle motion control system to instruct the vehicle motion control system to reduce the v below the vmax, wherein the vehicle motion control system controls appropriate vehicle actuators to reduce the v.

199 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/653,942Filed 8 Mar 2022
Published: US 2023/0286507 A114 Sep 2023
Granted: 11 Jun 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

B60W 30/18036
Related to particular drive situations: reversing
B60D 1/14
Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices: draw-gear or towing devices characterised by their type
B60D 1/245
Characterised by arrangements for particular functions: for facilitating push back or parking of trailers
B60D 1/62
Auxiliary devices: involving supply lines, electric circuits or the like

Family

US 2023/0286507 A1Pre-grant publication · published 14 Sep 2023
US 12,005,900 B2This patent

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

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