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US 9,085,261 B2Granted
Rear vision system with trailer angle detection
AssigneeMagna Electronics Inc.
InventorsYuesheng Lu, Joel S. Gibson, Travis G. Johnson, Shawn T. Hunt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rear vision system for a vehicle includes a rearward facing camera disposed at a rearward portion of a vehicle equipped with the rear vision system. The rearward facing camera is operable to captures images rearward of the equipped vehicle. When a trailer is near and/or attached to the equipped vehicle and is rearward of the equipped vehicle, a processor is operable to process the captured images and, responsive at least in part to such processing, is operable to determine a trailer angle of the trailer relative to a longitudinal axis of the equipped vehicle.
Claims20
A rear vision system for a vehicle, said rear vision system comprising:
- at least a rearward facing camera disposed at a rearward portion of a vehicle equipped with said rear vision system;
- wherein said rearward facing camera is operable to capture images rearward of the equipped vehicle;
- wherein, when a trailer is attached to the equipped vehicle and is rearward of the equipped vehicle, a processor is operable to process the captured images and, responsive at least in part to said processing, is operable to determine a trailer angle of the trailer relative to a longitudinal axis of the equipped vehicle;
- wherein said processor determines a location of a target at or of the trailer relative to the equipped vehicle and determines the trailer angle of the trailer responsive to the determined location;
- and
- wherein the target comprises at least one of (a) an icon or shape or indicia disposed at a forward portion of the trailer, (b) an icon or shape or indicia established on a sheet attached at a forward portion of the trailer, (c) an icon or shape or indicia established at a forward portion of the trailer, (d) a target pattern established at a surface of the trailer or trailer tongue, (e) a colored pattern established at a surface of the trailer or trailer tongue and (f) a forward portion of the trailer.
3 more elements
A rear vision system for a vehicle, said rear vision system comprising:
- at least a rearward facing camera disposed at a rearward portion of a vehicle equipped with said rear vision system;
- wherein said rearward facing camera is operable to capture images rearward of the equipped vehicle;
- wherein, when a trailer is attached to the equipped vehicle and is rearward of the equipped vehicle, a processor is operable to process the captured images and, responsive at least in part to said processing, is operable to determine a trailer angle of the trailer relative to a longitudinal axis of the equipped vehicle;
- wherein said processor determines a location of a target at or of the trailer relative to the equipped vehicle and determines the trailer angle of the trailer responsive to the determined location;
- wherein the target comprises at least one of (a) an icon or shape or indicia disposed at a forward portion of the trailer, (b) an icon or shape or indicia established on a sheet attached at a forward portion of the trailer, (c) an icon or shape or indicia established at a forward portion of the trailer, (d) a target pattern established at a surface of the trailer or trailer tongue, (e) a colored pattern established at a surface of the trailer or trailer tongue and (f) a forward portion of the trailer;
- wherein said processor determines the location of the target based at least in part by at least one of (a) a regressive 2-D histogram that detects a pattern at the trailer, (b) an image pattern matching algorithm, (c) a color matching algorithm, and (d) an edge detection algorithm;
- and
- wherein said rear vision system generates an alert signal to alert the driver of a potentially hazardous situation while the equipped vehicle is pulling the trailer in a forward direction.
5 more elements
A rear vision system for a vehicle, said rear vision system comprising:
- at least a rearward facing camera disposed at a rearward portion of a vehicle equipped with said rear vision system;
- wherein said rearward facing camera is operable to capture images rearward of the equipped vehicle;
- wherein, when a trailer is attached to the equipped vehicle and is rearward of the equipped vehicle, a processor is operable to process the captured images and, responsive at least in part to said processing, is operable to determine a trailer angle of the trailer relative to a longitudinal axis of the equipped vehicle;
- wherein said processor determines a location of a target at or of the trailer relative to the equipped vehicle and determines the trailer angle of the trailer responsive to the determined location;
- wherein the target comprises at least one of (a) an icon or shape or indicia disposed at a forward portion of the trailer, (b) an icon or shape or indicia established on a sheet attached at a forward portion of the trailer, (c) an icon or shape or indicia established at a forward portion of the trailer, (d) a target pattern established at a surface of the trailer or trailer tongue, (e) a colored pattern established at a surface of the trailer or trailer tongue and (f) a forward portion of the trailer;
- and
- wherein at least one of (i) said processor determines a degree of swing or sway of the trailer during forward travel of the equipped vehicle, (ii) during a reversing maneuver of the equipped vehicle, said processor determines a rearward trajectory of the trailer responsive to the determined location of the target, and (iii) during a reversing maneuver of the equipped vehicle, said processor is operable to process the captured images to determine a rearward trajectory of the trailer and wherein said rear vision system provides a display indicative of the determined rearward trajectory to assist the driver in reversing the equipped vehicle and trailer.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.