Trailer curvature control with adaptive trailer length estimation
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsErick Michael Lavoie, Christos Kyrtsos
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for determining a jackknife condition of a vehicle and trailer is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a processor operable to set an operating range of a hitch angle to a minimum range. The processor monitors the hitch angle while the vehicle is operated in a forward direction and increases the operating range based on the hitch angle observed during the monitoring. The processor is further operable to utilize the increased operating range to prevent a jackknife condition during a guided reverse operation of the vehicle.
Claims20
An apparatus for determining jackknife conditions of a vehicle comprising:
- a hitch sensor configured to identify a hitch angle;
- a processor operable to:
- set an operating range of the hitch angle to a minimum range;
- monitor the hitch angle while the vehicle is operated in a forward direction;
- increase the operating range to an increased range according to the hitch angle detected during the monitoring;
- set a maximum hitch angle to the increased range;
- and
- output a control signal indicating a jackknife condition in response to the hitch angle exceeding the maximum hitch angle during a guided reverse operation of the vehicle.
A method for controlling an operating range of a hitch angle comprising:
- receiving an input identifying a selected trailer length;
- comparing the selected trailer length to a minimum trailer length, wherein the minimum trailer length corresponds to a predetermined value;
- setting the operating range to a minimum range for a trailer in response to the selected trailer length being less than the minimum trailer length;
- detecting the hitch angle with a hitch sensor;
- and
- limiting the hitch angle to the minimum range thereby controlling a reverse operation of the vehicle.
An apparatus for determining jackknife conditions of a vehicle and trailer comprising:
- a processor in communication with:
- a steering angle detection apparatus operable to measure a steering angle of the vehicle;
- and
- a hitch angle detection apparatus operable to measure a hitch angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle, wherein, the processor is operable to:
- set an operating range of the hitch angle to a minimum range for a trailer;
- monitor the hitch angle;
- increase the operating range to an increased range based on the hitch angle observed during the monitoring;
- set a maximum hitch angle to the increased range, and
- output a control signal indicating the hitch angle exceeding the increased range to prevent a jackknife condition during a guided reverse operation of the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.