Process for coupling a trailer with the use of a vehicle level regulation system
AssigneeBayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsWerner Bauer, Alexander Augst
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A driver assistance system is provided for coupling a trailer coupling mounted on a vehicle to a counterpiece mounted on a trailer. A control unit is provided in the vehicle, where, when a predefined first condition holds, the control unit controls at least one actuator of a vehicle level regulation system such that at least the back part of the vehicle is lowered and/or, when a predefined second condition holds, the control unit controls at least one actuator of a vehicle level regulation system such that at least the back part of the vehicle is raised.
Claims12
A driver assistance system for coupling a trailer coupling mounted on a vehicle to a counterpiece mounted on a trailer, the driver assistance system comprising:
- a control unit provided in the vehicle;
- a vehicle level regulation system coupled with the control unit, the vehicle level regulation system including at least one actuator for raising or lowering a back part of the vehicle;
- and
- a sensor unit for sensing at least the counterpiece,
- the driver assistance system being operatively configured such that when a predefined first condition holds, the control unit controls the at least one actuator such that at least the back part of the vehicle is lowered and/or when a predefined second condition holds, the control unit controls the at least one actuator such that at least the back part of the vehicle is raised,
- wherein the predefined first condition holds if, as detected by the sensor unit, at least one of:
- a distance between the trailer coupling mounted on the vehicle and the counterpiece mounted on the trailer falls below a predefined distance value,
- the trailer coupling mounted on the vehicle is drivable together with the counterpiece mounted on the trailer without alignment, and
- an operating element of the vehicle level regulation system is actuated.
A method of assisting a driver and coupling a trailer coupling mounted on a vehicle to a counterpiece mounted on a trailer, the method comprising the acts of:
- determining whether a predefined first condition exists;
- upon the existence of the predefined first condition, controlling at least one actuator of a vehicle level regulation system such that a back part of the vehicle is lowered;
- determining whether a predefined second condition exists;
- and
- when the predefined second condition exists, controlling at least one actuator of the vehicle level regulation system such that at least the back part of the vehicle is raised, wherein
- the act of determining whether the predefined first condition exists, further comprises at least one of:
- detecting via a sensor unit whether a distance between the trailer coupling mounted on the vehicle and the counterpiece mounted on the trailer falls below a predefined distance value;
- determining with the sensor unit if the trailer coupling mounted on the vehicle is drivable together with the counterpiece mounted on the trailer without alignment;
- and
- determining an actuation of an operating element of the vehicle level regulation system provided in accordance with an output of the sensor unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.