System and method for determining a hitch angle offset
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorErick Michael Lavoie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and a method are provided for estimating an actual hitch angle between a vehicle and a trailer. A hitch sensor on the vehicle continuously senses a measured hitch angle and a steering sensor continuously senses a steering angle of steered wheels of the vehicle. A controller determines an offset between the measured hitch angle and the actual hitch angle when the measured hitch angle and the steering angle are substantially constant while the vehicle and trailer are reversing.
Claims20
A method of estimating an actual hitch angle between a vehicle and a trailer, comprising:
- sensing a measured hitch angle with a hitch angle sensor on the vehicle;
- sensing a steering angle of steered wheels of the vehicle;
- reversing the vehicle;
- determining when the measured hitch angle and the steering angle are substantially constant while the vehicle is reversing;
- and
- determining with a controller an offset between the measured hitch angle and the actual hitch angle when the measured hitch angle and the steering angle are determined to be substantially constant while the vehicle is reversing.
A method of estimating an actual hitch angle between a vehicle and a trailer, comprising:
- sensing with a hitch angle sensor a measured hitch angle continuously;
- sensing a steering angle of the vehicle continuously;
- determining when the measured hitch angle and the steering angle are substantially constant while the vehicle and the trailer are reversing over a threshold distance;
- and
- determining with a controller an offset between the measured hitch angle and the actual hitch angle when the measured hitch angle and the steering angle are determined to be substantially constant while the vehicle is reversing over the threshold distance.
A system for estimating an actual hitch angle between a vehicle and a trailer, comprising:
- a hitch angle sensor continuously sensing a measured hitch angle;
- a steering sensor continuously sensing a steering angle of the vehicle;
- and
- a controller determining an offset between the measured hitch angle and the actual hitch angle when the measured hitch angle and the steering angle are determined to be substantially constant while the vehicle and the trailer are reversing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.