US 9,283,892 B2 · Method and system for monitoring placement of a target on a trailer

Abstract

A vehicle trailer backup assist system and method includes a hitch angle detection apparatus and a target monitor controller. The target monitor controller processes images acquired of the trailer towed by a towing vehicle to assist with placement of a target on the trailer. The target monitor controller also monitors the target and provides feedback to the user as to proper positioning of the target on the trailer. A target move detection routine detects movement of a target by processing the pixels of the image to determine if a new trailer has been connected. Further, a trailer connection monitoring routine monitors for a changed trailer based on loss of the hitch angle or target for a predetermined time period.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of monitoring placement of a target on a trailer comprising:

generating an image of a target placement zone on the trailer using a camera on a towing vehicle;
generating a target overlay on the image indicative of the target placement zone to assist with placing the target on the trailer;
processing the image with a controller to detect presence of a placed target within the target placement zone based on the generated target overlay;
and
generating with the controller an external feedback alert during target placement confirming at least one of (i) the placed target is detected within the target placement zone and (ii) the placed target is not detected within the target placement zone.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

14/068,431Filed 31 Oct 2013 · continuation in part

Priority

19 Apr 2011

Published

US 2014/0052337 A127 Feb 2014

Granted

15 Mar 2016

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

B60R 1/003
Specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle, e.g. for viewing tyres, bumpers or the like: for viewing trailer hitches
B60Q 1/543
For indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking: for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle
B60Q 5/006
Automatically actuated: indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians
B60R 1/26
With a predetermined field of view: to the rear of the vehicle

Family

Application61/477,132Us provisional application · filed 19 Apr 2011

Application13/336,060Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 23 Dec 2011

Application13/443,743Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 10 Apr 2012

Application14/059,835Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 22 Oct 2013

US 2014/0058622 A1Pre-grant publication · published 27 Feb 2014

US 8,825,328 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 8,909,426 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 2012/0271512 A1Published application

US 2012/0271515 A1Published application

US 2014/0052337 A1Published application

US 9,248,858 B2Related patent

US 9,283,892 B2This patent

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

Method and system for monitoring placement of a target on a trailer

Life of this patent

Method and system for monitoring placement of a target on a trailer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20