# US 2013/0158810 A1 · Method for operating a driver assistance system and driver assistance system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0158810 A1 - Document ID: US20130158810A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/716,042 - Filed: 2012-12-14 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-15 - Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Inventors: Uwe Hahne - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130158810A1 ## CPC - B60W 30/02: Control of vehicle driving stability - B60T 8/1708: {for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations} - B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines - B60W 10/18: including control of braking systems - B60W 10/20: including control of steering systems - B60T 2230/06: Tractor-trailer swaying - B60W 2030/043: {about the roll axis} - B60W 2520/22: Articulation angle, e.g. between tractor and trailer - 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 - 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 ## Abstract A method for operating a driver assistance system of a vehicle combination is provided. The vehicle combination includes a tractor vehicle and at least one trailer, and the driver assistance system is designed to automatically actuate at least one element of the vehicle combination. The method comprises the following: At least a first parameter characterizing a potentially unstable driving condition of the trailer is detected. A determination is made as to whether an unstable driving condition of the trailer is imminent. If it is determined that an unstable driving condition of the trailer is imminent, a calculation is made of a position of the trailer and the at least one element is automatically actuated at a point in time when the trailer is positioned in the longitudinal direction of the tractor vehicle and directly in line behind the tractor vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for operating a driver assistance system of a vehicle combination that comprises a tractor vehicle and at least one trailer, and the driver assistance system is designed to automatically actuate at least one element of the vehicle combination, the method comprising: determining at least a first parameter characterizing a potentially unstable driving condition of the at least one trailer; determining whether an unstable driving condition of the at least one trailer is imminent based on the at least one calculated first parameter; and if it is determined that an unstable driving condition of the at least one trailer is imminent, determining at least one second parameter characterizing a position of the at least one trailer and automatically actuating at least one element selected from the group comprising a braking device, a drive device and a warning device in such manner that a braking operation of the vehicle combination is initiated at a point in time when the at least one trailer is positioned in the longitudinal direction of the tractor vehicle and directly in line behind the tractor vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first parameter characterizes at least one of a swinging motion and a tilting motion of the at least one trailer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the determination of at least one of the at least one first parameter and the at least one second parameter further comprises: calculating a distance between at least one point on a rear side of the tractor vehicle and at least one point on a front side of the at least one trailer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the determination of at least one of the at least one first parameter and the at least one second parameter is made on the basis of data from at least one sensor selected from the group comprising: an electromagnetic sensor, an acoustic sensor and an optical camera. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the determination of at least one of the at least one first parameter and the at least one second parameter further comprises: determining an inflation pressure of at least one tire of the at least one trailer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the determination of at least one of the at least one first parameter and the at least one second parameter further comprises: determining an angle of inclination of the at least one trailer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the determination of at least one of the at least one first parameter and the at least one second parameter further comprises: determining at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of a swinging motion of the at least one trailer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: calculating a speed of the vehicle combination, wherein at least one of the at least one first parameter is determined and a determination is made as to whether an unstable driving condition of the at least one trailer is imminent if the calculated speed exceeds a predetermined threshold value. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a radius of curvature of a carriageway currently being travelled by the vehicle combination is also determined, and wherein the determination as to whether an unstable driving condition of the at least one trailer is imminent is made on the basis of the at least one calculated first parameter and the determined radius of curvature. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: automatically actuating a steering device of the vehicle combination if it is determined that an unstable driving condition of the at least one trailer is imminent. ### Claim 11 A driver assistance system for a vehicle combination, comprising: a first calculation device that determines at least a first parameter characterizing a potentially unstable driving condition of at least one trailer of the vehicle combination; a second calculation device that determines whether an unstable driving condition of the at least one trailer is imminent, based on the at least one determined first parameter; a third calculation device that determines at least a second parameter characterizing a position of the at least one trailer; and an actuation device that automatically actuates at least one element of the vehicle combination, selected from the group comprising a braking device, a drive device and a warning device in such manner that a braking operation of the vehicle combination is initiated at a point in time when the at least one trailer is positioned in the longitudinal direction of a tractor vehicle of the vehicle combination and directly in line behind the tractor vehicle if it is determined that an unstable driving condition of the at least one trailer is imminent. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The driver assistance system according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the first calculation device and the third calculation device is coupled with a sensor selected from the group comprising an electromagnetic sensor, an acoustic sensor, optical camera and a pressure sensor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The driver assistance system according to claim 11, wherein the actuation device automatically actuates a steering device of the vehicle combination, if it is determined that an unstable driving condition of the at least one trailer is imminent. ### Claim 14 A computer software product, comprising: a storage medium readable by a computing unit of a driver assistance system of a vehicle combination, the vehicle combination including a tractor vehicle and at least one trailer, and the driver assistance system is designed to automatically actuate at least one element of the vehicle combination selected from the group comprising a braking device, a drive device and a warning device, and the storage medium stores instructions for the computing unit to carry out a method comprising: determining at least a first parameter characterizing a potentially unstable driving condition of the at least one trailer; determining whether an unstable driving condition of the at least one trailer is imminent based on the at least one calculated first parameter; and if it is determined that an unstable driving condition of the at least one trailer is imminent, determining at least one second parameter characterizing a position of the at least one trailer and automatically actuating the at least one element in such manner that a braking operation of the vehicle combination is initiated at a point in time when the at least one trailer is positioned in the longitudinal direction of the tractor vehicle and directly in line behind the tractor vehicle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The computer software product according to claim 14, wherein the determination of at least one of the at least one first parameter and the at least one second parameter further comprises: determining an inflation pressure of at least one tire of the at least one trailer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The computer software product according to claim 14, wherein the determination of at least one of the at least one first parameter and the at least one second parameter further comprises: determining an angle of inclination of the at least one trailer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The computer software product according to claim 14, wherein the determination of at least one of the at least one first parameter and the at least one second parameter further comprises: determining at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of a swinging motion of the at least one trailer.