# US 12,110,052 B2 · Trailer assist system with jackknife escape > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,110,052 B2 - Document ID: US12110052B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/453,009 - Filed: 2021-11-01 - Published: 2023-05-04 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2021-11-01 - Assignees: Continental Autonomous Mobility US, LLC - Applicants: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. - Inventors: Julien Ip; Kyle P. Carpenter; Xin Yu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110052B2 ## CPC - B62D 13/06: for backing a normally drawn trailer - B60T 7/20: specially for trailers, e.g. in case of uncoupling of {or overrunning by} trailer (inertia-actuated overrun brakes B60T13/08) - B60W 10/184: with wheel brakes - B60W 10/20: including control of steering systems - B60T 2230/06: Tractor-trailer swaying - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT ## Abstract A trailer assist system includes a controller configured to determine whether a trailer is in a jackknife condition based on an angle of the trailer relative to a vehicle. Determination is made whether the jackknife condition can be corrected by utilizing vehicle brakes, trailer brakes, or vehicle steering. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A trailer assist system comprising: a controller comprising at least one processor configured to: determine whether a trailer is in a jackknife condition based on an angle of the trailer relative to a vehicle connected to the vehicle, as the vehicle moves in a reverse direction, wherein the trailer is in the jackknife condition when an angle between the vehicle and the trailer is above a predetermined threshold at which the angle cannot be decreased through steering of the vehicle while reversing alone; responsive to an affirmative determination that the trailer is in the jackknife condition, determine whether the jackknife condition can be corrected with the vehicle moving in the reverse direction and without moving in a forward direction, by utilizing at least one of vehicle brakes, trailer brakes, or vehicle steering during movement in the reverse direction, determining whether the jackknife condition can be corrected comprising determining whether one or more countermeasures is feasible for the vehicle with the vehicle moving in the reverse direction and without moving in the forward direction; responsive to an affirmative determination by the controller that the jackknife condition can be corrected, correct the jackknife condition by utilizing at least one of the vehicle brakes, trailer brakes, or vehicle steering during the movement in the reverse direction; and responsive to a determination by the controller that the jackknife condition cannot be corrected with the vehicle moving in the reverse direction and without moving in the forward direction, send a command to a display screen in the vehicle to instruct a driver of the vehicle to at least one of stop or drive in the forward direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The trailer assist system as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to autonomously control the at least one of the vehicle brakes, trailer brakes, or vehicle steering when the jackknife condition can be corrected. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The trailer assist system as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller is in communication with a left vehicle brake and a right vehicle brake, each left and right vehicle brake being activated separately. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The trailer assist system as recited in claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to correct the jackknife condition by braking only one of the left vehicle brake or the right vehicle brake. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The trailer assist system as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to correct the jackknife condition by controlling the vehicle brakes and the vehicle steering. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The trailer assist system as recited in claim 1, wherein the determination whether the jackknife condition can be corrected is based on a vehicle steering angle and a speed of the vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The trailer assist system as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller is in communication with a plurality of sensors on the vehicle. ### Claim 8 A method of controlling a path of a trailer comprising: determining, by a controller including at least one processor, an orientation of a trailer relative to a vehicle to which the trailer is connected as the vehicle moves in a reverse direction; determining, by the controller, whether the trailer is in a jackknife condition based on the orientation, wherein the trailer is in the jackknife condition when an angle between the vehicle and the trailer is above a predetermined threshold at which the angle cannot be decreased through steering of the vehicle while reversing alone; responsive to an affirmative determination at the trailer is in the jackknife condition determining, by the controller, whether the jackknife condition can be corrected with the vehicle moves in the reverse direction without the vehicle moving in a forward direction, by utilizing at least one of vehicle brakes, trailer brakes, or vehicle steering, determining whether the jackknife condition can be corrected comprising determining whether one or more countermeasures is feasible for the vehicle with the vehicle moving in the reverse direction without moving in the forward direction; upon a determination by the controller that the jackknife condition cannot be corrected, sending, by the controller, at least one command to a display in the vehicle for instructing a driver of the vehicle to at least one of stop or drive in the forward direction; and upon a determination by the controller that the jackknife condition can be corrected, correcting, by the controller, the jackknife condition by utilizing the at least one of the vehicle brakes, trailer brakes, or vehicle steering as the vehicle moves in the reverse direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method as recited in claim 8, wherein both the vehicle brakes and the vehicle steering are controlled in correcting the jackknife condition. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the vehicle brakes comprises a left brake and a right brake, each left and right brake being controlled separately. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising activating only one of the left brake or the right brake. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the vehicle brakes, trailer brakes, or vehicle steering are controlled autonomously by the controller when the jackknife condition can be corrected. ### Claim 13 A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions executable by at least one processor, the instructions comprising: instructions executed by the at least one processor that prompt determining an orientation of a trailer relative to a vehicle to which the trailer is connected and as the vehicle and the trailer move in a reverse direction; instructions executed by the at least one processor that prompt determining whether the trailer is in a jackknife condition based on the orientation, wherein the trailer is in the jackknife condition when an angle between the vehicle and the trailer is above a predetermined threshold at which the angle cannot be decreased through steering of the vehicle while reversing alone; instructions executed by the at least one processor to prompt, responsive to an affirmative determination that the trailer is in the jackknife condition, determining whether the jackknife condition can be corrected without the vehicle and the trailer moving in a forward direction, by utilizing at least one of vehicle brakes, trailer brakes, or vehicle steering, determining whether the jackknife condition can be corrected comprising determining whether one or more countermeasures is feasible for the vehicle without moving in the forward direction; instructions executed by the at least one processor for, in response to a determination that the jackknife condition can be corrected, correcting the jackknife condition by activating the at least one of vehicle brakes, trailer brakes, or vehicle steering; and instructions executed by the at least one processor for, in response to a determination that the jackknife condition cannot be corrected, sending at least one command to a display in the vehicle for instructing a driver of the vehicle to at least one of stop or drive in the forward direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein activating the vehicle brakes comprises activating only one of a left brake and a right brake on the vehicle.