System and method for positioning one or more coupled sensors on autonomous electric trailer

Abstract

A trailer includes a trailer chassis, a trailer housing supported by the trailer chassis, and a trailer hitch assembly connected to the trailer chassis. The trailer hitch assembly includes a trailer hitch and a hitch sensor configured to detect toward a hitch hub of a tow vehicle. The trailer further comprises a processing unit, and the processing unit autonomously controls physical hooking of the trailer hook and the hooking hub of the traction vehicle through detection data detected by the hooking sensor.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to and enjoys the benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 572,161, filed March 29, 2024; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 694,157, filed September 12, 2024; and U.S. Patent Application No. 19 / 093,888, filed March 28, 2025. The entire disclosure of the above applications is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates generally to the field of autonomous electric trailers, and more specifically, to a novel and practical system and method for locating one or more coupled sensors in the field of autonomous electric trailers. Background Technology

[0004] The design and technology of modern vehicle trailers seem mismatched with the development, existing technology, and design of towing vehicles. Specifically, conventional vehicle trailers are designed as passive trailers, moving or stopping only when forces from a towing vehicle are applied. However, as many modern vehicles transition to alternative power mechanisms (such as electricity), range often becomes a concern when towing passive trailers. Similarly, some vehicles with weaker towing capabilities (such as passenger cars), even those with conventional internal combustion engines, may struggle to tow conventional trailers carrying heavy loads.

[0005] In addition, conventional vehicle trailers present various other challenges, including the complex and difficult process of attaching the trailer to the towing vehicle. Typically, to attach a trailer to a towing vehicle, the user must reverse or drive the towing vehicle close to the trailer to align the towing vehicle with the trailer's hook-up mechanism. This traditional connection process is cumbersome, and users often need multiple attempts and / or adjustments to successfully connect the towing vehicle and trailer.

[0006] In this application, one or more embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for autonomous and assisted movement of autonomous electric trailers and for autonomously attaching autonomous electric trailers to tow hooks or similar towing mechanisms of towing vehicles.

[0007] Therefore, in the field of autonomous electric trailers, there is a need to develop new and practical methods and systems to enable autonomous and assisted movement of autonomous electric trailers, as well as to enable autonomous electric trailers to be autonomously attached to the towing hooks or similar towing mechanisms of towing vehicles.

[0008] The embodiments described herein provide technical solutions that can at least address the aforementioned needs.

[0009] Brief overview of the embodiments

[0010] In some embodiments, an autonomous electric (AEP) trailer includes: a trailer chassis; a trailer shell supported by the trailer chassis; a trailer hitch assembly connected to the trailer chassis, wherein the trailer hitch assembly includes a trailer hook and a hitch sensor configured to detect in the direction of a hitch hub of a towing vehicle; and a processing unit that autonomously controls the physical engagement of the trailer hook with the hitch hub of the towing vehicle using the detection data detected by the hitch sensor.

[0011] In some embodiments, the coupling sensor includes an image sensor that detects toward the coupling hub of the tractor vehicle and includes at least: capturing an image of the coupling hub from a perspective that is (generally) perpendicular to the coupling hub.

[0012] In some embodiments, the mount sensor includes an image sensor whose optical axis extends from the center of the image sensor lens and is (generally) perpendicular to the mount hub, and whose field of view includes the mount hub but not the trailer hook.

[0013] In some embodiments, the hitch hub includes a spherical hook, the maximum height of which is the vertical distance from the ground supporting the multiple wheels of the autonomous electric trailer to the apex of the spherical hook, and the minimum height of which is the vertical distance from the ground to the lowest point of the spherical hook. When the trailer hitch is physically connected to the hitch hub of the towing vehicle, at least a portion of the hitch sensor is located between the maximum and minimum heights of the spherical hook.

[0014] In some embodiments, when the trailer hitch is not physically engaged with the hook-up hub of the towing vehicle, the portion of the hook-up sensor is not between the maximum and minimum heights of the spherical hook.

[0015] In some embodiments, the hook-up hub includes a spherical hook, the vertex plane of which extends tangentially to the vertex of the spherical hook and is parallel to the ground supporting a plurality of wheels of the autonomous electric trailer, and the lowest point plane of which extends tangentially to the lowest point of the spherical hook and is parallel to the ground. When the trailer hook is physically attached to the hook-up hub of the towing vehicle, at least a portion of the hook-up sensor is located between the vertex plane of the spherical hook and the lowest point plane of the spherical hook.

[0016] In some embodiments, multiple wheels of the autonomous electric trailer are supported by the ground, the trailer hitch assembly includes a top and a bottom opposite the top, wherein the bottom of the trailer hitch assembly is closer to the ground than the top of the trailer hitch assembly, the trailer hook is connected to the top of the trailer hitch assembly, and the hitch sensor is connected to the bottom of the trailer hitch assembly.

[0017] In some embodiments, the autonomous electric trailer includes a front portion and a rear portion opposite the front portion, a trailer hitch assembly having a length measured in a longitudinal direction, a trailer hook extending along the length of the trailer hitch assembly from a starting position to an ending position, wherein the starting position of the trailer hook is closer to the rear portion of the autonomous electric trailer than the ending position of the trailer hook, and a hitch sensor extending along the length of the trailer hitch assembly from a sensor starting position to a sensor ending position, wherein the starting position of the hitch sensor is closer to the rear portion of the autonomous electric trailer than the ending position of the hitch sensor, the sensor starting position is closer to the rear portion of the autonomous electric trailer than the starting position of the trailer hook, and the ending position of the trailer hook is closer to the front portion of the autonomous electric trailer than the ending position of the sensor.

[0018] In some embodiments, the autonomous electric trailer also includes casters connected to a trailer hitch assembly, with the trailer hook and hitch sensor located closer to the front of the autonomous electric trailer than the casters, and the hitch sensor located at the bottom of the trailer hitch assembly and adjacent to the trailer hook.

[0019] In some embodiments, the autonomous electric trailer includes an X-axis parallel to the ground supporting a plurality of wheels of the autonomous electric trailer; the detection data detected by the hook-up sensor includes at least: a first image of the hook-up hub captured when the trailer hook is in a first position along the X-axis, and a second image of the hook-up hub captured when the trailer hook is in a second position along the X-axis and closer to the hook-up hub than in the first position; and in the second image, the pixels of the hook-up hub are displayed as larger than those in the first image.

[0020] In some embodiments, when the number of pixels corresponding to the attachment hub in the second image is greater than the number of pixels corresponding to the attachment hub in the first image, the pixels of the attachment hub in the second image are displayed as larger than those in the first image.

[0021] In some embodiments, autonomously controlling the physical connection between the trailer hook and the coupling hub of the towing vehicle using detection data includes: (1) determining the actual position of the coupling hub based on the detection data by a processing unit; (2) calculating a coupling command executable by a computer based on the actual position of the coupling hub by a processing unit; (3) driving multiple wheels of the autonomous electric trailer according to the coupling command executable by a computer by a processing unit; and (4) repeating (1)-(3) until the trailer hook is connected to the coupling hub of the towing vehicle.

[0022] In some embodiments, the autonomous electric trailer includes an X-axis parallel to the ground supporting a plurality of wheels of the autonomous electric trailer, and the computer-executable hook-up instructions include at least an X-axis positioning instruction that specifies a target voltage to be applied to the plurality of wheels to align the trailer hook along the X-axis with the X-axis position of the hook-up hub.

[0023] In some embodiments, the autonomous electric trailer includes a Y-axis perpendicular to the ground supporting a plurality of wheels of the autonomous electric trailer, and the computer-executable hook-up instructions also include Y-axis positioning instructions that specify a target voltage to be applied to the plurality of wheels to align the trailer hook along the Y-axis with the Y-axis position of the hook-up hub.

[0024] In some embodiments, the autonomous electric trailer includes a Z-axis perpendicular to both the X and Y axes, and the computer-executable hook-up instructions also include Z-axis positioning instructions that specify the height to which the trailer hook tongue is raised to align the trailer hook with the hook-up hub along the Z-axis.

[0025] In some embodiments, a trailer includes: a trailer chassis; a trailer shell supported by the trailer chassis; a trailer hitch assembly connected to the trailer chassis, wherein the trailer hitch includes a trailer hook and a hitch sensor configured to detect in the direction of the hitch hub of the towing vehicle; and a processing unit that autonomously controls the physical engagement of the trailer hook with the hitch hub of the towing vehicle using the detection data detected by the hitch sensor.

[0026] In some embodiments, the coupling sensor includes an image sensor, and detecting toward the coupling hub of the tractor vehicle includes at least: capturing an image of the coupling hub from a perspective that is (generally) perpendicular to the coupling hub.

[0027] In some embodiments, the mount sensor includes an image sensor whose optical axis extends from the center of the image sensor lens and is (generally) perpendicular to the mount hub, and whose field of view includes the mount hub but not the trailer hook.

[0028] In some embodiments, multiple wheels of the trailer are supported by the ground, and the trailer hitch assembly includes a top and a bottom opposite the top, wherein the bottom of the trailer hitch assembly is closer to the ground than the top of the trailer hitch assembly, the trailer hook is connected to the top of the trailer hitch tongue, and the hitch sensor is connected to the bottom of the trailer hitch tongue.

[0029] In some embodiments, the trailer includes a front portion and a rear portion opposite the front portion, a trailer hitch assembly having a length measured in a longitudinal direction, a trailer hook extending along the length of the trailer hitch assembly from a starting position to an ending position, wherein the starting position of the trailer hook is closer to the rear portion of the trailer than the ending position of the trailer hook, and a hitch sensor extending along the length of the trailer hitch assembly from a sensor starting position to a sensor ending position, wherein the starting position of the hitch sensor is closer to the rear portion of the trailer than the ending position of the hitch sensor, the sensor starting position is closer to the rear portion of the trailer than the starting position of the trailer hook, and the ending position of the trailer hook is closer to the front portion of the trailer than the ending position of the sensor.

[0030] In some embodiments, a method for automatically hooking an autonomous electric trailer to a towing vehicle includes: determining a target hooking object for the autonomous electric trailer using one or more computers; determining the n-dimensional position of the hooking hub of the target hooking object based on an evaluation of sensor data; calculating a set of automatic hooking instructions based on the determined n-dimensional position of the hooking hub using one or more computers, wherein: (1) when executing a first subset of the automatic hooking instructions, the autonomous electric trailer is autonomously moved to a state aligned with the hooking hub of the target hooking object; (2) when executing a second subset of the automatic hooking instructions, the autonomous electric trailer is autonomously moved to the target hook-hook position relationship, such that the hook of the autonomous electric trailer is located close to the n-dimensional position of the hooking hub; and automatically hooking the hook of the autonomous electric trailer to the hooking hub using one or more computers based on the execution of the set of automatic hooking instructions.

[0031] In some embodiments, the autonomous electric trailer includes a steering component and one or more independent motors operatively connected to one or more wheels of the autonomous electric trailer. The set of automatic engagement commands includes at least: (a) one or more motor control commands for controlling the movement of the autonomous electric trailer via one or more wheels; and (b) one or more steering control commands for controlling the steering direction of the steering component of the autonomous electric trailer. Automatically engaging the hook of the autonomous electric trailer with the engagement hub includes: operating each motor of the autonomous electric trailer at a target voltage via one or more computers, based on one or more motor control commands and one or more steering control commands.

[0032] In some embodiments, calculating the set of automatic hook-up instructions includes: (i) determining the n-dimensional position of the autonomous electric trailer hook based on an evaluation of sensor data by one or more computers; and (ii) calculating at least one of the following by one or more computers: (a) one or more motor control instructions, (b) one or more brake control instructions, (c) one or more steering control instructions, and (d) one or more jack control instructions, the execution of which aligns the n-dimensional position of the hook with the n-dimensional position of the hook-up hub.

[0033] In some embodiments, the hook-up hub issues an alignment travel boundary signal, and calculating the set of automatic hook-up instructions includes: (a) determining the n-dimensional position of the autonomous electric trailer hook based on an evaluation of sensor data by one or more computers; (b) determining the vertex of the alignment travel boundary signal by one or more computers; and (c) calculating at least one of the following by one or more computers: (i) one or more motor control instructions, (ii) one or more braking control instructions, and (iii) one or more steering control instructions, executing which instructions align the n-dimensional position of the hook with the vertex of the alignment travel boundary signal.

[0034] In some embodiments, when the hook of the autonomous electric trailer is located at a predetermined hook-up connection point associated with the hook-up hub, i.e. the target hook-up hub positional relationship is achieved, the calculation of the set of automatic hook-up instructions includes: (i) determining the n-dimensional position of the predetermined hook-up connection point associated with the hook-up hub by one or more computers; (ii) determining the n-dimensional position of the hook of the autonomous electric trailer by one or more computers based on an evaluation of sensor data; (iii) calculating at least one of the following by one or more computers: (a) one or more motor control instructions, (b) one or more brake control instructions, (c) one or more steering control instructions, (d) one or more jack control instructions, the execution of which aligns the n-dimensional position of the hook with the vertex of the alignment driving boundary signal.

[0035] In some embodiments, the set of automatic hook-up instructions further includes: (3) a third subset of automatic hook-up instructions, executing which enables the hook of the autonomous electric trailer to be physically connected to the hook-up hub.

[0036] In some embodiments, a third subset of the automatic hook-up instructions includes one or more jack control instructions that, when executed, cause the hook of the autonomous electric trailer to move from a predetermined hook-up connection point to an n-dimensional position of the hook-up hub.

[0037] In some embodiments, the autonomous electric trailer includes multiple motors and multiple wheels, each motor operably controlling a corresponding wheel of the autonomous electric trailer, and calculating the set of automatic engagement instructions includes calculating a set of independent automatic engagement instructions for each individual motor of the autonomous electric trailer.

[0038] In some embodiments, the autonomous electric trailer includes one or more wheel pairs, each individual wheel pair being controlled by an individual motor of the autonomous electric trailer, and the set of automatic engagement commands specifies the target voltage (or thrust) of the individual motor associated with each individual wheel pair.

[0039] In some embodiments, when the hook of the autonomous electric trailer is not physically connected to the hooking hub, the autonomous electric trailer is in an unhooked state; when one or more computers execute the set of automatic hooking instructions, the autonomous electric trailer changes from the unhooked state to the hooking process state; when the hook of the autonomous electric trailer is physically connected to the hooking hub, the autonomous electric trailer changes from the hooking process state to the hooked state.

[0040] In some embodiments, the method further includes: terminating or suspending the automatic engagement of the hook and attachment hub of the autonomous electric trailer based on the detection of a possible collision with an object.

[0041] In some embodiments, automatically attaching the hook of the autonomous electric trailer to the attachment hub includes one or more feedback loops that continuously perform automatic attachment calculations until (a) the hook of the autonomous electric trailer is physically connected to the attachment hub, or (b) a stop condition is met, and the one or more feedback loops include: (i) determining the n-dimensional position of the attachment hub, (ii) calculating the set of automatic attachment instructions, and (iii) executing the set of automatic attachment instructions.

[0042] In some embodiments, determining a target hookup object includes: calculating one or more possible hookup objects using one or more computers; displaying the one or more possible hookup objects to a user using one or more computers; and selecting one of the one or more possible hookup objects as a target hookup object based on user confirmation input using one or more computers.

[0043] In some embodiments, the target attachment object is automatically selected by the autonomous electric trailer. The automatic selection of the target attachment object includes: (a) detecting potential attachment objects of the autonomous electric trailer using one or more computers; (b) calculating the distance between the potential attachment object and the autonomous electric trailer using one or more computers; and (c) selecting the potential attachment object as the target attachment object if the distance meets the attachment distance threshold.

[0044] In some embodiments, the target attachment object is selected by the user, and selecting the target attachment object includes: (i) receiving one or more inputs identifying the target attachment object via one or more computers; and (ii) selecting the target attachment object as the target attachment object for the autonomous electric trailer via one or more computers.

[0045] In some embodiments, the method further includes: detecting the current alignment state between the autonomous electric trailer and the hook-up hub using one or more computers, wherein detecting the current alignment state between the autonomous electric trailer and the hook-up hub includes: (1) capturing a scene image containing the autonomous electric trailer and the target hook-up object using one or more cameras; (2) detecting the hook and hook-up hub of the autonomous electric trailer based on the model input containing the image using a machine learning object detection model; (3) determining the n-dimensional position of the hook and the n-dimensional position of the hook and the hook-up hub using one or more computers based on the detection results; and (4) calculating the current alignment state between the autonomous electric trailer and the hook-up hub using one or more computers based on the evaluation of the n-dimensional position of the autonomous electric trailer and the n-dimensional position of the hook-up hub.

[0046] In some embodiments, a method for automatically attaching an autonomous electric trailer to a hook-up object is provided. The method includes: determining a target hook-up object for the autonomous electric trailer using one or more computers; determining a possible n-dimensional position of the hook-up hub of the target hook-up object based on an evaluation of sensor data; calculating a set of automatic hook-up instructions based on the determined possible n-dimensional position of the hook-up hub using one or more computers, wherein executing the automatic hook-up instructions enables the autonomous electric trailer to: (1) autonomously move to a state aligned with the hook-up hub of the target hook-up object; (2) autonomously move to a positional relationship of the target hook-up hub, such that the hook of the autonomous electric trailer is located close to the n-dimensional position of the hook-up hub; and automatically hooking the hook of the autonomous electric trailer to the hook-up hub using one or more computers based on the execution of the set of automatic hook-up instructions.

[0047] In some embodiments, when the hook of the autonomous electric trailer is located at a predetermined hook-up connection point associated with the hook-up hub, i.e., the target hook-up hub position relationship is achieved, the set of automatic hook-up instructions includes at least one of the following: (a) one or more motor control instructions, (b) one or more steering control instructions, (c) one or more braking control instructions, and (d) one or more jack control instructions, for moving the hook of the autonomous electric trailer to the predetermined hook-up connection point.

[0048] In some embodiments, determining the possible n-dimensional position of the docking hub includes calculating the possible X-axis position, Y-axis position, or Z-axis position of the docking hub using one or more computers. When the X-axis position, Y-axis position, or Z-axis position of the autonomous electric trailer is aligned with the possible X-axis position, Y-axis position, or Z-axis position of the docking hub, it is determined that the autonomous electric trailer and the docking hub are aligned.

[0049] In some embodiments, a method for automatically attaching an autonomous electric trailer to a hook-up object includes: determining a target hook-up object for the autonomous electric trailer using one or more computers, wherein the target hook-up object includes a hook-up hub; detecting possible n-dimensional positions of the hook-up hub using one or more computers based on an evaluation of sensor data; calculating a set of automatic hook-up instructions based on the possible n-dimensional positions of the hook-up hub using one or more computers; and automatically hooking the hook of the autonomous electric trailer to the hook-up hub using one or more computers based on executing the set of automatic hook-up instructions, wherein automatically hooking the hook of the autonomous electric trailer to the hook-up hub includes automatically connecting the hook of the autonomous electric trailer to the hook-up hub of the target hook-up object. Attached Figure Description

[0050] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a system 100 according to one or more embodiments of this application is shown;

[0051] Figure 2An example method 200 according to one or more embodiments of this application is shown;

[0052] Figure 3 A schematic diagram illustrating an example of automatic hooking according to one or more embodiments of this application is shown;

[0053] Figures 4A-4C A top view schematic diagram of an example arrangement of coupled sensors according to one or more embodiments of this application is shown;

[0054] Figures 5A-5C An example side view schematic diagram of a coupling sensor arrangement according to one or more embodiments of this application is shown;

[0055] Figure 6 Another example side view schematic diagram of a coupling sensor arrangement according to one or more embodiments of this application is shown.

[0056] Description of preferred embodiments

[0057] The following description of preferred embodiments of the present invention is not intended to limit the invention to these preferred embodiments, but rather to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention.

[0058] 1. Autonomous electric trailer system

[0059] like Figure 1 As shown, an autonomous electric trailer system 100, used for assisted driving transport with a towing entity (e.g., a towing vehicle) and, in certain circumstances, capable of autonomous transport or movement when separated from the towing entity, may include a chassis 110, multiple wheels 120 (electric / non-electric), steerable axles / caster wheels 130, one or more electric motors 140 powered by a battery subsystem 145, a sensor suite 150, an autonomous trailer control subsystem 160, a hook (e.g., a towing vehicle hook receiver) 170, and a communication subsystem 180. Furthermore, as... Figures 4A-4C 5A-5C and Figure 6 As shown, the autonomous electric trailer system 100 may also include a coupling sensor system 190.

[0060] The autonomous electric trailer system 100 is preferably used in conjunction with a towing vehicle or similar vehicle having an independent propulsion system. During hook-up driving operations, the autonomous driving behavior of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 may be responsive to and / or influenced by the initial driving behavior of the towing vehicle. In this case, one or more sensing devices 150 and / or coupled sensor systems 190 of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 may be used to identify the driving activities and / or operations of the towing vehicle hooked to the autonomous electric trailer system 100, and accordingly calculate autonomous movement and / or driving control commands for the autonomous electric trailer system 100.

[0061] 1.10 trailer chassis

[0062] The chassis 110 of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 preferably includes a load-bearing frame for the man-made object, which provides structural support for the man-made object in terms of its construction and function. That is, in some embodiments, the chassis 110 may be a frame for transporting loads or containers (e.g., trailer shells, trailer boxes, cargo boxes, storage tanks, trailer bodies, etc.) on roads. In one or more embodiments, the chassis 110 may include a frame made of one or more materials, which may include a combination of metal (e.g., steel) and / or wooden components. The chassis 110 preferably also includes one or more axles for supporting the mounting of a plurality of wheels 120 and casters 130; trailer hitches (e.g., hook-up assemblies) or similar devices extending from the chassis body; hooks (e.g., hook-up assemblies) disposed at the distal end of the trailer hitches; and a rocking or jacking mechanism disposed along the trailer hitches.

[0063] It should be noted that in certain parts of this application, the term "trailer hook" may be used interchangeably with "hook-off assembly". Therefore, in some embodiments, a hook-off assembly may correspond to or include one or more structural and mechanical components, such as hooks, tow bars, trailer bars, jacks or rocking mechanisms, safety chains, electrical connectors, and / or other hook-off hardware (e.g., hook-off sensors), which are configured to securely connect to a towing vehicle and support towing operations.

[0064] 1.20 wheels

[0065] The multiple wheels 120 of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 are preferably mounted on one or more axles of the chassis 110. In some embodiments, the multiple wheels 120 may be powered by one or more motors 140 and / or include one or more motors 140, and may include a braking system. The braking system, as commonly referred to herein, may employ any suitable technology to slow or stop the movement of the autonomous electric trailer system 100, including but not limited to hydraulic braking systems, electric braking systems, regenerative braking systems, disc braking systems, drum braking systems, etc.

[0066] In a first embodiment, each of the plurality of wheels 120, or a subset of the plurality of wheels 120, may include one or more motors 140, or be powered by at least one or more motors 140. In this first embodiment, at least one motor of a given wheel may be independently powered and operated to enable independent movement of the given wheel. While at least one motor enables independent operation of a given wheel, it should be understood that each motor of each wheel may operate collaboratively to enable various driving operations of the autonomous electric trailer system 100.

[0067] In a second embodiment, each wheel pair (i.e., a left / right wheel pair) of the plurality of wheels 120 can be powered by a single motor of one or more motors 140. In this type of embodiment, the single motor can be mounted on an axle, and each individual wheel in the wheel pair can be mounted at opposite ends of the axle. In this second embodiment, the wheel pair can operate collaboratively based on the operation of the single motor.

[0068] It should be understood that in some embodiments, the autonomous electric trailer system 100 may include multiple axles, wherein only a subset of the multiple axles contains one or more motors 140.

[0069] 1.30 Steering Axle / Wanderer

[0070] The steerable axle 130 is preferably used to support or enable directional movement of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. In one or more embodiments, the steerable axle 130 includes casters. In one embodiment, the steerable axle 130 may be powered by an independent motor among one or more motors 140 disposed on the steerable axle 130 to rotate the casters. In another embodiment, the steerable axle 130 may be passive, and movement of the casters may be driven by one or more of the plurality of wheels 120 moving under the influence of the one or more motors 140.

[0071] Additionally, or optionally, the steerable axle 130 may include a rocking or jacking mechanism (not shown) for raising or lowering the steerable axle 130. In one or more embodiments, the rocking or jacking mechanism may be electrically powered, and its operation may be automatically controlled by the autonomous electric trailer system 100. In a non-limiting example, the rocking or jacking mechanism may be operable during one or more automatic engagement operations in which the autonomous electric trailer system 100 automatically engages its hook with the tow hook or engagement mechanism of the towing entity. In some embodiments, the jacking mechanism may allow the hook of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 to be raised or lowered, aligned with the engagement mechanism, by semi-automatic (e.g., external electronic jack interface of the autonomous electric trailer) or manual intervention (e.g., manual rocking).

[0072] 1.40 electric motor

[0073] One or more electric motors 140 of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 are preferably used to generate torque to rotate one or more of the plurality of wheels 120, the steerable axle 130, and / or the jack mechanism of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. In one or more embodiments, the one or more electric motors 140 may be powered by the energy output of the battery subsystem 145 to generate torque output, thereby operating one or more mechanisms of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 (e.g., wheels, jacks, etc.).

[0074] As described above, in different embodiments, one or more motors 140 may be disposed on the chassis 110 and / or the plurality of wheels 120 in any suitable manner to enable steering and driving of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. In one embodiment, one or more motors 140 may be disposed on axles shared by the wheel pairs. In another embodiment, one or more motors 140 may be disposed on separate axles that individually power each of the plurality of wheels 120. In yet another embodiment, the two embodiments described above may be combined to optimize the driving and / or steering operation of the autonomous electric trailer system 100.

[0075] In another embodiment, one or more motors 140 may be connected to an active differential module or system. In this embodiment, the active differential module or system may actively (and selectively) transmit torque generated by one or more motors 140 to one or more of the plurality of wheels 120. For example, in a non-limiting example, the active differential module or system may control which wheels of the plurality of wheels 120 receive torque generated by one or more motors 140, and which wheels do not receive it.

[0076] 1.45 Battery Subsystem

[0077] The battery subsystem 145 is preferably electrically connected to each electric component of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 and can be used to provide energy output to the electric components according to the control signals of the autonomous trailer control subsystem 160.

[0078] Alternatively, the battery subsystem 145 may include a battery pack containing multiple individual batteries or energy storage devices. In one or more embodiments, the battery pack may include multiple individual batteries, wherein a subset of one or more batteries may be dedicated to a single electric component of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. In this way, the power consumption of various electronic components and / or excessive consumption of electric components in the autonomous electric trailer system 100 can be intelligently managed, thereby improving the safety and / or efficiency of the autonomous electric trailer system 100.

[0079] 1.50 Sensing Device

[0080] The sensor suite 150 is preferably used to observe and / or collect data (e.g., sensor data) from one or more components of the autonomous electric trailer system 100, the environment and / or conditions around the autonomous electric trailer system 100 and / or the towing entity, hook components and / or attachment subsystems, etc. Therefore, in one or more embodiments, the sensor suite 150 can be used to periodically and / or continuously measure the behavior of static and dynamic objects in the environment of the autonomous electric trailer system 100, the behavior of the towing entity (in a hooked or unhooked state), and its own behavior.

[0081] In a preferred embodiment, the sensor suite (e.g., computer vision system, lidar, radar, ultrasonic sensor, wheel speed sensor, inertial measurement unit, global positioning system, camera, etc.) 150 or on-board sensors may be operatively connected to the autonomous trailer control subsystem 160.

[0082] The sensor suite 150 preferably includes sensors for performing autonomous trailer operations (e.g., automatic hook-up, autonomous driving, etc.) and sensors for collecting data related to the surrounding environment of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 and operational data of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. Alternatively, it may also include sensors for detecting maintenance needs of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. For example, the sensor suite 150 may include motor feedback and / or diagnostic sensors or external pressure sensor strips. As another example, the sensor suite 150 may include sensors specifically designed to identify the position of the hook-up hub (e.g., tow hook, etc.) relative to the autonomous electric trailer system 100.

[0083] 1.60 Autonomous Trailer Control Subsystem

[0084] The autonomous electric trailer system 100 preferably includes an autonomous trailer control subsystem 160 (e.g., an onboard computer operationally integrated with the autonomous electric trailer), but additionally or optionally, this subsystem may also be separate from the autonomous electric trailer system 100 (e.g., not located onboard) (e.g., a user mobile device operating independently of the autonomous trailer). That is, in one or more embodiments, some functions of the autonomous trailer control subsystem 160 may be remotely operated and / or executed by one or more external computing systems (e.g., user mobile devices, remote cloud computing systems) that can communicate operationally with the autonomous trailer (e.g., via networks, short-range communication systems, etc.).

[0085] Additionally, or optionally, the autonomous trailer control subsystem 160 may include a processing system (e.g., a graphics processing unit (GPU), a central processing unit (CPU), or any suitable processing circuitry) and a memory and sensor fusion system. The memory may be short-term (e.g., volatile, non-volatile, random access memory (RAM), etc.) and / or long-term (e.g., flash memory, hard disk, etc.) memory.

[0086] In one or more embodiments, the sensor data fusion system can be used to synthesize and process sensor data to obtain relevant information (e.g., load measurements, acceleration / braking of towing vehicles, etc.) and predict the presence, location, classification, and / or path of objects and features in the environment of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. In various embodiments, the sensor data fusion system can be used to integrate data from multiple sensors and / or data sources, including but not limited to cameras, lidar, radar, remote data feeds (Internet-based data feeds, weather feeds, etc.), and / or any other type of sensor.

[0087] As described below, the autonomous electric trailer system 100 may further include a trailer communication interface 170, which includes a wireless communication system (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular 3G, cellular 4G, cellular 5G, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), one or more radio devices, or any other suitable wireless communication system or protocol), a wired communication system (e.g., modulated power line data transmission, Ethernet, trailer pin connectors (e.g., 4-pin, 7-pin, etc.), or any other suitable wired data communication system or protocol), and a sensor and / or data transmission bus (e.g., Controller Area Network (CAN), FlexRay). In a preferred embodiment, the autonomous trailer control subsystem 160 can be used to interact with and / or operationally control any or more of the identified components or modules described herein.

[0088] Additionally, or alternatively, the autonomous electric trailer system 100 may be operationally communicated with remote or different computing systems, which may include user equipment (e.g., mobile phones, laptops, etc.), remote servers, cloud servers, or any other suitable local and / or distributed computing systems remote from the autonomous electric trailer system 100. The remote computing system is preferably connected to one or more systems of the autonomous trailer via one or more data connections (e.g., channels), but may also communicate with the autonomous electric trailer system 100 by any suitable means.

[0089] The autonomous trailer control subsystem 160 is preferably used to control the autonomous electric trailer system 100 and process detection data from sensor suites (e.g., computer vision systems, LiDAR, flash LiDAR, wheel speed sensors, GPS, etc.) (e.g., sensor suite 150), coupled sensor system 190, and / or other sensors of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 to determine the state of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 and / or the agent state in the operating environment of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. Based on the state of the autonomous trailer and / or the agent state in the operating environment, as well as programming instructions, the autonomous trailer control subsystem 160 preferably modifies or controls the behavior of the autonomous electric trailer system 100.

[0090] The autonomous trailer control subsystem 160 is preferably a general-purpose computer suitable for input / output communication with the autonomous electric trailer control system and sensor system, but may also be any suitable computing device.

[0091] Alternatively, the autonomous trailer control subsystem 160 is preferably connected to the Internet via a wireless connection (e.g., via a cellular link or connection). Alternatively, the autonomous trailer control subsystem 160 can connect to any number of wireless or wired communication systems.

[0092] The positioning system processes sensor data and other data to determine the position of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 relative to its environment (e.g., its local location relative to a map, its precise location relative to a road lane, the autonomous electric trailer's direction of travel, speed, etc.). The guidance system processes sensor data and other data to determine the path the autonomous electric trailer should follow.

[0093] In various embodiments, the controller may employ machine learning techniques to assist its functions, such as feature detection / classification, obstacle mitigation, path driving, map creation, sensor integration, and ground condition determination.

[0094] Additionally, or alternatively, in some embodiments, the autonomous trailer control subsystem may include a vision perception system or module that includes scalable machine learning-based target classification submodules that are trained to predict and / or classify different areas of the towing entity (e.g., the rear), the location of the hook-up hub, etc.

[0095] Additionally, or optionally, the visual perception system or module may employ one or more trained machine learning models. These one or more machine learning models may employ any suitable machine learning method, including but not limited to one or more of the following: supervised learning (e.g., using logistic regression, backpropagation neural networks, random forests, decision trees, etc.), unsupervised learning (e.g., using prior algorithms, K-means clustering), semi-supervised learning, reinforcement learning (e.g., using Q-learning algorithms, temporal difference learning), adversarial learning, and any other suitable learning approach. Each of the multiple modules can be implemented using one or more of the following methods: machine learning classifiers, computer vision models, convolutional neural networks (e.g., Residual Networks (ResNet)), visual Transformer models (e.g., ViT), object detection models (e.g., Region Convolutional Neural Networks (R-CNN), YOLO, etc.), regression algorithms (e.g., ordinary least squares, logistic regression, stepwise regression, multivariate adaptive regression splines, locally weighted scatter smoothing, etc.), instance-based methods (e.g., K-nearest neighbors algorithm, learned vector quantization, self-organizing maps, etc.), semantic image segmentation models, image instance segmentation models, panoptic segmentation models, keypoint detection models, person segmentation models, image description generation models, 3D reconstruction models, regularization methods (e.g., ridge regression, minimum absolute shrinkage and selection operator, elastic networks, etc.), and decision tree learning methods (e.g., classification and regression trees, iterative binary dividers 3, C4).5. Algorithms, including chi-square automatic interaction detection, decision stubs, random forests, multivariate adaptive regression splines, gradient boosting machines, etc.; Bayesian methods (e.g., Naive Bayes, average single dependency estimator, Bayesian belief network, etc.); kernel methods (e.g., support vector machines, radial basis functions, linear discriminant analysis, etc.); clustering methods (e.g., K-means clustering, density-based noise applied space clustering (DBSCAN), expectation maximization, etc.); bidirectional encoder representation (BERT) for masked language modeling tasks and next-sentence prediction tasks; and BERT variants (i.e., Universal Language Model Fine-tuning (ULMFiT), cross-lingual pre-trained model (XLM), universal dependency parser (UDify), multi-task deep neural network (MT-DNN), span BERT, robust optimization of BERT pre-training method (RoBERTa), cross-lingual pre-trained model (XLNet), knowledge-enhanced semantic representation model (ERNIE), knowledge-enhanced BERT (KnowBERT), video BERT, and Chinese pre-trained model (ERNIE). (NIEBERT-wwm), MobileBERT, TinyBERT, Generative Pre-trained Models (GPT), GPT-2, GPT-3, GPT-4 (and all subsequent versions), Embedded Language Models (ELMo), Content-to-Vector Models (content2Vec), etc.), Association Rule Learning Algorithms (e.g., Apriori, Eclat), Artificial Neural Network Models (e.g., Perceptron, Backpropagation, Hopfield Network, Self-Organizing Map, Learned Vector Quantization), Deep Learning Algorithms (e.g., Restricted Boltzmann Machines, Deep Belief Networks, Convolutional Networks, Stacked Autoencoders), Dimensionality Reduction Methods (e.g., Principal Component Analysis, Partial Least Squares Regression, Sammon Map, Multidimensional Scaling, Projective Pursuit), Ensemble Methods (e.g., Boosting, Bootstrap Aggregation, Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost), Stacked Generalization, Gradient Boosting Machines, Random Forests), and any suitable form of machine learning algorithm. Each processing unit of system 100 may also, or alternatively, utilize: probabilistic modules, heuristic modules, deterministic modules, or any other suitable modules that utilize any other suitable computational method, machine learning method, or a combination thereof. However, any suitable machine learning method can be incorporated into the autonomous electric trailer system 100. Furthermore, any suitable model (e.g., machine learning model, non-machine learning model, etc.) can be implemented in the various systems and / or methods described herein.

[0096] 1.70 hook

[0097] Hook 170 is preferably used to connect an autonomous electric trailer to a hitch hook (e.g., a tow hook on a towing vehicle). In one or more embodiments, hook 170 may include a locking mechanism for locking and / or securing the autonomous electric trailer to the towing vehicle and / or hitch hook. In some embodiments, hook 170 may include a receiver mechanism whose shape is complementary to the shape of the hook and / or hitch hook on the towing vehicle. As a non-limiting example, in some embodiments, the hitch hook may include a ball hook, and hook 170 may include a ball hook shaped to accommodate the ball hook of the hitch hook. It should be noted that the above examples are not limiting, and hook 170 may include any suitable shape, size, and / or type of trailer hook.

[0098] 1.80 trailer-to-traction physical communication interface

[0099] The trailer communication interface 170 preferably enables the autonomous electric trailer system 100 to communicate and / or exchange data with systems, networks, and / or devices external to and / or independent of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. Preferably, the trailer communication interface 170 enables one or more physical devices and / or user devices / applications to communicate directly with the autonomous electric trailer system 100. The trailer communication interface 170 preferably includes one or more of the following: a cellular system (or any suitable long-range communication system), a direct shortwave radio, or any other suitable short-range communication system.

[0100] 1.90 Coupled Sensor System

[0101] In one or more embodiments, the autonomous electric trailer system 100 may include a coupling sensor system 190. The coupling sensor system 190 is preferably used to collect data related to one or more hook-up or connection operations of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. In some embodiments, the coupling sensor system 190 may include one or more sensors specifically designed to identify or detect hook-up hubs (e.g., tow hooks on a towing vehicle) and / or monitor the position of the hook-up hubs (e.g., tow hooks) relative to the autonomous electric trailer system 100. In some preferred embodiments, the coupling sensor system 190 may include one or more coupling sensors arranged at one or more locations on the autonomous electric trailer system 100. In some embodiments, one or more coupling sensors may be configured to detect in the direction of the hook-up hub of the towing vehicle. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the coupling sensor system 190 may be a subsystem of a sensing suite 150. In one or more embodiments, the coupling sensor system 190 may be in operative communication with an autonomous trailer control subsystem 160 (e.g., a processing unit that autonomously controls the physical engagement of the autonomous electric trailer's hook-up components with the towing vehicle's hook-up hub using the detection data detected by the hook-up or coupling sensors).

[0102] In various embodiments, the coupling sensors of the coupling sensor system 190 are preferably used to acquire or collect data (e.g., sensor data) related to the hook (attachment) components or subsystems (e.g., hook 170) of the autonomous electric trailer. In some embodiments, one or more coupling sensors may be used to periodically and / or continuously measure the hook components, hook subsystems, and / or attachment status of the autonomous electric trailer (as described in Section 2 herein). In some embodiments, one or more coupling sensors may also be used to periodically and / or continuously monitor the hook and / or hook subsystems (e.g., attachment hubs, also as described in Section 2 herein) of the towing vehicle, whether the autonomous electric trailer is attached or not. Thus, the coupling sensor system 190 can be used to collect data to guide the automatic attachment or connection operation of the autonomous electric trailer to the attachment hub (e.g., as described in Section 2 herein). Furthermore, the coupling sensor system 190 can be used to collect data to confirm, monitor, and / or verify whether the autonomous electric trailer is attached or not (connected or unconnected) to the attachment hub (e.g., the towing hook on the towing vehicle).

[0103] In various embodiments, one or more coupling sensors of the coupling sensor system 190 may include one or more image sensors (e.g., one or more cameras), one or more lidar sensors, one or more radar sensors, one or more ultrasonic sensors, one or more computer vision systems, and / or any other suitable sensor or sensing system for detecting the hook or attachment status of the autonomous electric trailer or towing vehicle. It should be noted that in certain parts of this application, the term "coupling sensor" may be used interchangeably with "sensor," "attachment sensor," etc.

[0104] In some embodiments, such as Figures 4A-4C and Figures 5A-5C As illustrated in the example, the coupling sensor system 190 may be configured with one or more coupling sensors (e.g., hook-up sensors) arranged on or near the frame 192 (e.g., chassis 110) of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. Alternatively, one or more coupling sensors may be attached to, or arranged on, hook-up assemblies or trailer hitches of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. In one or more embodiments, the frame 192 may include structural supports for one or more components of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. In some embodiments, the frame 192 may include an A-frame that may include diagonal beams converging at a point (e.g.,...). Figures 4A-4C (As shown in the example).

[0105] In some embodiments, such as Figures 4A-4C and Figures 5A-5CAs illustrated in the example, the coupling sensor system 190 may be configured with one or more coupling sensors arranged on or near the front housing of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. In one or more embodiments, the front housing of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 may be supported by a frame 192. In some embodiments, the front housing may include aerodynamic enhancements, as described in U.S. Patent No. 11,964,705 (titled "Scalable Aerodynamic Enhancement for Trailers"), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0106] In some embodiments, such as Figures 4A-4C and Figures 5A-5C As illustrated in the examples, the coupling sensor system 190 may be configured with one or more coupling sensors arranged on or near the trailer housing (sometimes referred to herein as the "trailer body") of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. In various embodiments, the trailer housing of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 may be used to house or enclose one or more components of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. In one or more embodiments, the trailer housing of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 may be supported by a chassis 110.

[0107] In some preferred embodiments, the coupling sensor system 190 may include one or more coupling sensors located on the plane 194, such as Figure 5A Examples are shown in the diagram (e.g., coupling sensors 191A, 191B, and 191C). In such preferred embodiments, plane 194 may include a horizontal plane in the autonomous electric trailer reference frame, which is orthogonal to the vertical axis of the autonomous electric trailer reference frame. Furthermore, in such preferred embodiments, plane 194 may intersect with the hook-up hub (e.g., during hook-up or connection operations of the autonomous electric trailer), such that once the hook-up hub is connected to hook 170, one or more coupling sensors on plane 194 may be coplanar with the hook-up hub. In such preferred embodiments, one or more coupling sensors located on plane 194 may advantageously have a direct line-of-sight path to hook 170, the hook-up hub, and / or the connection point or hook-up hub that hook 170 and the hook-up hub can connect to during hook-up or disconnection operations of the autonomous electric trailer. This arrangement improves the autonomous electric trailer's ability to identify and track the hook-up hub during automatic hook-up (and disconnection) operations, while also confirming and periodically or continuously monitoring the connection status between hook 170 and the hook-up hub. In some embodiments, plane 194 may intersect with frame 192 and / or chassis 110. In one or more preferred embodiments, the coupling sensor system 190 may include one or more coupling sensors arranged at any point on plane 194.

[0108] In some embodiments, the coupling sensor system 190 may include a plurality of coupling sensors. In such embodiments, using multiple coupling sensors can advantageously provide a wider detection area or field of view, provide redundancy in the event of failure of one or more coupling sensors, and achieve better target detection, tracking, and / or classification. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the coupling sensor system 190 may include a plurality of coupling sensors arranged in a three-dimensional configuration (e.g., Figures 4A-4C and Figures 5A-5C The coupling sensors 191B, 191C, 191D, 191E, 191G, or 191H in the system can also bring the benefit of improving the depth sensing capability and accuracy of the coupling sensor system 190.

[0109] Coupled sensor arrangement

[0110] like Figures 4A-4C and Figures 5A-5C As shown, the coupling sensor system 190 may include one or more coupling sensors 191A-191I arranged at one or more locations and / or orientations within the autonomous electric trailer system 100. It should be understood that the arrangement of the coupling sensors 191A-191I is not mutually exclusive; that is, in some embodiments, the coupling sensor system 190 may include any combination of one or more coupling sensors 191A-191I. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the coupling sensor system 190 may include only one or more coupling sensors 191A, only one or more coupling sensors 191B, only one or more coupling sensors 191C, only one or more coupling sensors 191D, only one or more coupling sensors 191E, only one or more coupling sensors 191F, only one or more coupling sensors 191G, only one or more coupling sensors 191H, or only one or more coupling sensors 191I. Furthermore, it should be noted that... Figures 4A-4C and Figures 5A-5C The exemplary arrangement of the coupling sensors 191A-191I is not limiting. In some embodiments, the coupling sensor system 190 may include one or more coupling sensors arranged in positions and orientations other than those shown, as long as these positions and orientations are suitable for collecting sensor data related to the hook-up or connection operation of the autonomous electric trailer system 100.

[0111] Coupled sensor arrangement A

[0112] In the first example, such as Figure 4A and Figure 5AAs shown, the coupling sensor system 190 may include a coupling sensor 191A. In this type of example, the coupling sensor 191A may be positioned near the trailer hitch 170. Furthermore, in this type of example, in the vertical axis (e.g., the Y-axis of the autonomous electric trailer system 100) reference frame of the autonomous electric trailer system 100, the coupling sensor 191A may be located below the trailer hitch 170. Figure 4A As shown in the example, the coupling sensor 191A can be arranged on the central longitudinal axis 196 of the autonomous electric trailer system 100, so that the coupling sensor 191A is horizontally centered on the autonomous electric trailer. Furthermore, as... Figure 5A As shown, the coupling sensor 191A is preferably located in plane 194. In one or more embodiments, the coupling sensor 191A may be oriented (at an angle) toward the hook 170, such that the detection area (e.g., field of view) of the coupling sensor 191A is aligned with the hook 170, thereby making it easier to identify, classify, and track the hook-up hub and / or the hook-up hub to the hook 170. It should be noted that, in certain parts of this application, orienting the coupling sensor 191A toward the hook and / or hook-up hub may be referred to as configuring the coupling sensor 191A to detect toward the hook-up hub direction of the towing vehicle.

[0113] In such embodiments, the positioning of the coupling sensor 191A advantageously ensures optimal performance in identifying, classifying, and tracking hook-up hubs (e.g., spherical tow hooks on tractor vehicles). In these embodiments, the coupling sensor 191A can be arranged flush with the hook-up hub, and there is an unobstructed, straight-line path from the coupling sensor 191A to the hook-up hub and hook 170, such as... Figure 5A As shown. In addition, in some embodiments, the coupling sensor 191A may be arranged perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the mounting hub (e.g., at 45-95 degrees to the plane 194 containing the mounting hub, as described below).

[0114] Therefore, when the coupling sensor 191A corresponds to or includes an image sensor, the coupling sensor 191A can be used to capture one or more images of the mounting hub from a viewpoint perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the mounting hub. The viewpoint of the coupling sensor, as generally referred to herein, can be defined as the angle between the optical axis of the image sensor and the plane 194 containing the coupling sensor 191A. It should be noted that the optical axis of the image sensor, as generally referred to herein, can refer to an imaginary line extending vertically from the center of the image sensor lens, which represents the primary direction in which the image sensor captures images.

[0115] For example, when the viewing angle of the coupling sensor 191A is perpendicular to the hook-up hub, the image captured by the coupling sensor 191A can be a front view of the hook-up hub. The term "front view" of the hook-up hub, as generally understood herein, refers to an image obtained by directly observing the hook-up hub (e.g., a ball hook on a towing vehicle) from the front, in which the main visible features of the hook-up hub are presented without (obvious) perspective distortion. Conversely, when the viewing angle of the coupling sensor 191A is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the hook-up hub (e.g., at an angle slightly off-center from 90 degrees but still within the range of approximately 45-95 degrees to the plane 194 containing the hook-up hub), the image captured by the coupling sensor 191A can be considered a front view or substantially a front view, while also including minor angular variations that can help assess the depth of the hook-up hub.

[0116] Additionally, or alternatively, in some embodiments, the optical axis of the image sensor (e.g., coupling sensor 191A) may be perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the mounting hub (e.g., at 45-95 degrees to the plane 194 containing the mounting hub). For example, the optical axis of the image sensor relative to the plane 194 containing the mounting hub may be 40, 50, 60, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, or 95 degrees. As described herein, in some embodiments, the coupling sensor 191A may be arranged or mounted at the bottom of the mounting assembly or hook of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. Thus, in some embodiments, the field of view of the image sensor may include the mounting hub of the towing vehicle, but may not include the hook (e.g., sometimes referred to as "mounting assembly" in certain parts of this application). It should be noted that in certain parts of this application, when describing the trailer hook and mounting assembly, the terms "mounting assembly" and "trailer hook" may be used interchangeably. In other embodiments described herein, the field of view of the image sensor may simultaneously include the hitch hub of the tractor vehicle and the hitch assembly of the autonomous electric trailer system 100.

[0117] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the positioning of the coupling sensor 191A provides a clear, unobstructed field of view to the connection point where the hook-up hub connects to the hook 170 when the autonomous electric trailer is attached. In such examples, the coupling sensor 191A may be positioned at a specific height defined by plane 194, with or without vertical offset below the hook 170, to obtain the optimal viewing angle for monitoring the hook-up hub and / or trailer hook 170. Additionally, in such examples, the coupling sensor 191A may be adjacent to or close to the hook 170, ensuring a close sensing distance to the hook 170 and the hook-up hub. Therefore, this arrangement ensures that the coupling sensor 191A can continuously, stably, and unobstructedly observe the hook 170 and the hook-up hub. Furthermore, in such embodiments, the alignment of the coupling sensor 191A with the central longitudinal axis ensures that it remains in a straight line aligned with the direction of travel of the autonomous electric trailer. In some embodiments, the coupling sensor 191A may be positioned on the hook 170 and / or on the frame 192.

[0118] Furthermore, in some such embodiments, the coupling sensor is arranged such that when the hook hub is in a connected or awaiting-connection position relative to hook 170, the centroid of the coupling sensor is aligned with the centroid of the hook hub (e.g., a spherical hook) in the lateral and / or vertical directions. The centroid of the coupling sensor, as generally referred to herein, may mean the geometric center of the sensing component or housing, such as the midpoint of the three-dimensional boundary volume of the sensor device. Similarly, the centroid of the hook hub may refer to the geometric center of the spherical hook, which may correspond to its centroid or the midpoint of the spherical geometry. Aligning the centroid of the sensor with the centroid of the hook hub in plane 194 improves image symmetry, reduces distortion, and helps in accurately estimating relative position and orientation during hooking operations.

[0119] In some embodiments, when the towing vehicle's hook-up hub is not physically engaged with the trailer hitch, at least a portion of the coupling sensor 191A may not be located between the minimum and maximum heights of the hook-up hub (e.g., a spherical hook). For example, in some embodiments, 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 40%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 99%, 100%, etc., of the volume (e.g., cubic centimeters) of the coupling sensor 191A may be lower than the minimum height of the hook-up hub and / or higher than the maximum height of the hook-up hub. The maximum height of the spherical hook (e.g., the hook-up hub), as generally referred to herein, can be defined as the vertical distance from the ground supporting the more than 100 wheels of the autonomous electric trailer system to the apex of the spherical hook. Conversely, the minimum height of the spherical hook (e.g., the hook-up hub) can be defined as the vertical distance from the ground to the lowest point of the spherical hook. It should be noted that the volume of the coupling sensor 191A can be cubic centimeters (cm³). 3The units of measurement and / or representation of the three-dimensional space occupied by the coupled sensor 191A, including its housing, optical components and / or any other elements integrated within the sensor assembly.

[0120] It should also be noted that the apex of the spherical tow hook can refer to the highest point on the spherical tow hook when measured vertically relative to the ground. Furthermore, the lowest point of the spherical tow hook can refer to the lowest point on the spherical tow hook when measured vertically relative to the ground—optionally excluding any supporting structures or mounting components below it.

[0121] Furthermore, in some embodiments, when the coupling assembly is physically engaged with the coupling hub of the towing vehicle, at least a portion of the coupling sensor 191A may be located between the maximum and minimum heights of the spherical tow hook. For example, in some embodiments, when the coupling assembly is physically engaged with the coupling hub of the towing vehicle, the coupling sensor 191A may be arranged such that 50% of its volume is located between the maximum height (apex) and minimum height (lowest point) of the spherical tow hook, while the remaining 50% extends below the lowest point. In another embodiment, the coupling sensor 191A may be arranged such that only 10% of its volume is located above the lowest point of the spherical tow hook, while 90% of its volume extends below the lowest point. Conversely, in some cases, 100% of the volume of the coupling sensor 191A may be entirely located within the height range of the spherical tow hook.

[0122] In some embodiments, the spatial position of the coupling sensor 191A relative to the towing vehicle's hook-up hub can be described by its position between the apex plane and the lowest point plane of the spherical hook. The apex plane of the spherical hook, as generally understood herein, extends tangentially to the apex of the spherical hook and is parallel to the ground supporting the multiple wheels of the autonomous electric trailer. Conversely, the lowest point plane of the spherical hook extends tangentially to the lowest point of the spherical hook and is parallel to the ground.

[0123] For example, in some embodiments, when the hook-up assembly (e.g., a trailer hitch) is physically hooked to the hook-up hub of the towing vehicle, at least a portion of the coupling sensor 191A may be located between the apex plane and the lowest point plane of the spherical hook. In a non-limiting example, at least 1%, 5%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 90%, 100%, etc., of the volume of the coupling sensor 191A may be located between the apex plane and the lowest point plane of the spherical hook (e.g., when the hook-up assembly is physically hooked or connected to the hook-up hub of the towing vehicle).

[0124] As previously described, the autonomous electric trailer system 100 may include a trailer hitch (also referred to as a “hookup assembly” in some parts of this application). The trailer hitch or hookup assembly, as commonly referred to herein, may extend forward from the chassis or frame body of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 and may optionally include one or more diagonal beams extending outward and forward beyond the chassis of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 toward a central hookup hub. Specifically, in some embodiments, multiple diagonal beams may extend from opposite sides of the chassis (e.g., the left and right sides of the autonomous electric trailer system 100) and converge at the central hookup hub to form an “A-frame.” Furthermore, the hookup assembly may correspond to or include one or more structural and mechanical components, such as hooks, drawbars, trailer bars, jacks or rocker mechanisms, safety chains, electrical connectors, and / or other hookup hardware (e.g., hookup sensors), configured to securely engage with a towing vehicle and support towing operations.

[0125] In some embodiments, the trailer hitch of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 may be connected to, mounted to, or located at a central hitch hub. Additionally, the trailer tongue may include a top and a bottom. The top of the trailer tongue may be further from the ground than the bottom of the trailer tongue. Conversely, the bottom of the trailer tongue may be closer to the ground than the top of the autonomous electric trailer system 100.

[0126] In some embodiments, the hook-up assembly and coupling sensor 191A of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 may be arranged (e.g., mounted) on opposite sides or portions of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. For example, in some embodiments, the hook-up assembly may be attached to the top of the trailer hitch (e.g., at the central hook-up hub). Conversely, the coupling sensor 191A may be attached to the bottom of the trailer hitch.

[0127] In some embodiments, the trailer hitch may have a length (e.g., the length of the hitch assembly) measured along the longitudinal direction of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. In some such embodiments, the hitch assembly (e.g., the trailer hook) may extend along the length of the trailer hitch from a starting position to an ending position. The starting position of the hitch assembly may be closer to the rear of the autonomous electric trailer than the ending position of the hitch assembly.

[0128] Similarly, the coupling sensor 191A may also extend along the length of the trailer hitch from the sensor start position to the sensor end position. In some embodiments, the sensor start position may be closer to the rear of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 than the start position of the hitch assembly. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the end position of the hitch assembly may be closer to the front of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 than the end position of the sensor.

[0129] As described herein, in some embodiments, the autonomous electric trailer system 100 may include casters connected to the trailer hitch and / or the chassis of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. In some embodiments, the casters may be located further away from the front of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 than the hitch assembly and the hitch sensor. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the hitch sensor may be located at the bottom of the trailer hitch and adjacent to (e.g., close to) the hitch assembly.

[0130] Coupled sensor arrangement B

[0131] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4A and Figure 5A As shown, one or more coupling sensors may include one or more coupling sensors 191B. In such embodiments, the coupling sensor 191B may be arranged vertically below the front housing. In some such embodiments, the coupling sensor 191B may be arranged on the frame 192. Figure 4A As shown, the coupling sensor 191B can be located at a position with a horizontal offset greater than zero relative to the central longitudinal axis 196, such that the coupling sensor 191B can be horizontally off-center on the autonomous electric trailer. In some such embodiments, the coupling sensor 191B may include at least two coupling sensors 191B, one arranged on the left side of the autonomous electric trailer at a position horizontally offset relative to the central longitudinal axis 196, and the other arranged on the right side of the autonomous electric trailer at the same horizontal offset relative to the central longitudinal axis 196, such that the at least two coupling sensors 191B can be arranged symmetrically about each other around the central longitudinal axis 196. In some such embodiments, such as Figure 5A As shown, the coupling sensor 191B may be located in plane 194 to advantageously ensure an unobstructed field of view to the hook 170, the hook-up hub, and the connection point where the hook-up hub can be connected to the hook 170 when the autonomous electric trailer is hooked. In some embodiments, the coupling sensor 191B may be arranged with a vertical offset below the front housing, which may be greater than or equal to zero. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the coupling sensor 191B may be oriented (at an angle) toward the hook 170 such that the detection area (e.g., field of view) of the coupling sensor 191B is aligned with the hook 170, thereby making it easier to identify, classify, and track the hook-up hub and / or the hook-up hub to the hook 170.

[0132] Coupled sensor arrangement C

[0133] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4A and Figure 5A As shown, one or more coupling sensors may include one or more coupling sensors 191C. In such embodiments, the coupling sensor 191C may be arranged vertically below the trailer housing. In some such embodiments, the coupling sensor 191C may be arranged on the chassis 110. Figure 4AAs shown, the coupling sensor 191C can be located at a position with a horizontal offset greater than zero relative to the central longitudinal axis 196, such that the coupling sensor 191C can be horizontally off-center on the autonomous electric trailer. In some such embodiments, the coupling sensor 191C may include at least two coupling sensors 191C, one arranged on the left side of the autonomous electric trailer at a position horizontally offset relative to the central longitudinal axis 196, and the other arranged on the right side of the autonomous electric trailer at the same horizontal offset relative to the central longitudinal axis 196, such that the at least two coupling sensors 191C can be arranged symmetrically about each other around the central longitudinal axis 196. In some such embodiments, such as Figure 5A As shown, the coupling sensor 191C may be located in plane 194 to advantageously ensure an unobstructed field of view to the hook 170, the hook-up hub, and the connection point where the hook-up hub can be connected to the hook 170 when the autonomous electric trailer is hooked. In some embodiments, the coupling sensor 191C may be arranged with a vertical offset below the trailer housing, which may be greater than or equal to zero. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the coupling sensor 191C may be oriented (at an angle) toward the hook 170 such that the detection area (e.g., field of view) of the coupling sensor 191C is aligned with the hook 170, thereby making it easier to identify, classify, and track the hook-up hub and / or the hook-up hub to the hook 170.

[0134] Coupled sensor arrangement D

[0135] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4B and Figure 5B As shown, one or more coupling sensors may include one or more coupling sensors 191D. In such embodiments, the coupling sensor 191D may be arranged vertically below the front housing. In some such embodiments, the coupling sensor 191D may be arranged on the frame housing. Figure 4B As shown, the coupling sensor 191D can be located at a position with a horizontal offset greater than zero relative to the central longitudinal axis 196, such that the coupling sensor 191D can be horizontally off-center on the autonomous electric trailer. In some such embodiments, the coupling sensor 191D may include at least two coupling sensors 191D, one arranged on the left side of the autonomous electric trailer at a position horizontally offset relative to the central longitudinal axis 196, and the other arranged on the right side of the autonomous electric trailer at the same horizontal offset relative to the central longitudinal axis 196, such that the at least two coupling sensors 191D can be arranged symmetrically about each other around the central longitudinal axis 196. In some embodiments, such as Figure 5BAs shown, the position of the coupling sensor 191D ensures an unobstructed field of view to the hook 170, the hook-up hub, and the connection point where the hook-up hub can connect to the hook 170 when the autonomous electric trailer is hooked up. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the coupling sensor 191D may be oriented (at an angle) towards the hook 170, such that the detection area (e.g., field of view) of the coupling sensor 191D is aligned with the hook 170, thereby facilitating the identification, classification, and tracking of the hook-up hub and / or the hook-up hub to the hook 170. In some embodiments, one or more coupling sensors 191D may be arranged on the hook 170.

[0136] Coupled sensor arrangement E and F

[0137] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4B and Figure 5B As shown, one or more coupling sensors may include one or more coupling sensors 191E and / or one or more sensors 191F. In such embodiments, coupling sensors 191E and / or 191F may be arranged on the front housing (e.g., on the upper surface of the front housing). Figure 4B As shown, the coupling sensor 191E can be located at a position with a horizontal offset greater than zero relative to the central longitudinal axis 196, such that the coupling sensor 191E can be horizontally off-center on the autonomous electric trailer. In some such embodiments, the coupling sensor 191E may include at least two coupling sensors 191E, one arranged on the left side of the autonomous electric trailer at a position horizontally offset relative to the central longitudinal axis 196, and the other arranged on the right side of the autonomous electric trailer at the same horizontal offset relative to the central longitudinal axis 196, such that the at least two coupling sensors 191E can be arranged symmetrically about the central longitudinal axis 196. Furthermore, as... Figure 4B As shown, the coupling sensor 191F can be centered on the vertical axis 196. In some embodiments, such as Figure 4B and Figure 5B As shown, the arrangement of coupling sensors 191E and / or 191F ensures an unobstructed field of view to hook 170, hook-up hub, and the connection point where the hook-up hub can connect to hook 170 when the autonomous electric trailer is hooked up. Furthermore, in some embodiments, coupling sensors 191E and / or 191F may be oriented (at an angle) toward hook 170, such that the detection area (e.g., field of view) of coupling sensors 191E and / or 191F is aligned with hook 170, thereby facilitating the identification, classification, and tracking of hook-up hub and / or the hook-up hub to hook 170.

[0138] Coupled sensor arrangement G

[0139] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4C and Figure 5CAs shown, one or more coupling sensors may include one or more coupling sensors 191G. In such embodiments, the coupling sensor 191G may be arranged vertically below the trailer housing. In some such embodiments, the coupling sensor 191G may be arranged on the trailer housing. Figure 4C As shown, the coupling sensor 191G can be located at a position with a horizontal offset greater than zero relative to the central longitudinal axis 196, such that the coupling sensor 191G can be horizontally off-center on the autonomous electric trailer. In some such embodiments, the coupling sensor 191G may include at least two coupling sensors 191G, one arranged on the left side of the autonomous electric trailer at a position horizontally offset relative to the central longitudinal axis 196, and the other arranged on the right side of the autonomous electric trailer at the same horizontal offset relative to the central longitudinal axis 196, such that the at least two coupling sensors 191G can be arranged symmetrically about each other around the central longitudinal axis 196. In some embodiments, such as Figure 5C As shown, the position of the coupling sensor 191G ensures an unobstructed field of view to the hook 170, the hook-up hub, and the connection point where the hook-up hub can connect to the hook 170 when the autonomous electric trailer is hooked up. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the coupling sensor 191G may be oriented (at an angle) toward the hook 170, so that the detection area (e.g., field of view) of the coupling sensor 191G is aligned with the hook 170, thereby making it easier to identify, classify, and track the hook-up hub and / or the hook-up hub to the hook 170.

[0140] Coupled sensor arrangement H and I

[0141] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4C and Figure 5C As shown, one or more coupling sensors may include one or more coupling sensors 191H and / or one or more sensors 191I. In such embodiments, coupling sensors 191H and / or 191I may be arranged on the trailer housing (e.g., on the upper surface of the front housing). Figure 4C As shown, the coupling sensor 191H can be located at a position with a horizontal offset greater than zero relative to the central longitudinal axis 196, allowing the coupling sensor 191H to be horizontally off-center on the autonomous electric trailer. In some such embodiments, the coupling sensor 191H may include at least two coupling sensors 191H, one arranged on the left side of the autonomous electric trailer at a horizontal offset relative to the central longitudinal axis 196, and the other arranged on the right side of the autonomous electric trailer at the same horizontal offset relative to the central longitudinal axis 196, such that the at least two coupling sensors 191H are symmetrically arranged about the central longitudinal axis 196. Furthermore, as... Figure 4C As shown, the coupling sensor 191I can be centered on the vertical axis 196. In some embodiments, such as Figure 4C and Figure 5CAs shown, the arrangement of coupling sensors 191H and / or 191I ensures an unobstructed field of view to the hook 170, the attachment hub, and the connection point where the attachment hub can connect to the hook 170 when the autonomous electric trailer is attached. Furthermore, in some embodiments, coupling sensors 191H and / or 191I may be oriented towards the hook 170 (at an angle), so that the detection area (e.g., field of view) of coupling sensors 191H and / or 191I is aligned with the hook 170, thereby making it easier to identify, classify, and track the attachment hub and / or the attachment or connection between the attachment hub and the hook 170.

[0142] Coupled sensor placement: Connector identification

[0143] In one or more of these embodiments, the arrangement of one or more coupling sensors (e.g., coupling sensors 191A-191I) of the coupling sensor system 190 is preferably configured to improve the ability to identify, classify, and / or track hook-up hubs during autonomous electric trailer docking operations. In some embodiments, one or more hook-up hub detection machine learning models may be trained to detect, identify, and / or classify hook-up hubs based on input from coupling sensor data. In some of these embodiments, the hook-up hub detection machine learning model may be trained using a set of hook-up hub data samples. In some preferred embodiments, the position and / or arrangement of one or more coupling sensors may advantageously bring the coupling sensor data collected or detected by the one or more coupling sensors closer to the training set of hook-up hub data samples, thereby enabling the hook-up hub detection machine learning model to more efficiently identify, classify, and / or track hook-up hubs. That is, in some preferred embodiments, the arrangement of one or more coupling sensors may optimize the replication or proximity of the sensor viewpoint used to capture hook-up hub data samples.

[0144] As a non-limiting example, in embodiments where the hook-up hub includes a spherical tow hook to be connected to an autonomous electric trailer, the hook-up hub data sample training set may include one or more spherical tow hook image samples that can be used to train a hook-up hub detection machine learning model to detect or identify the spherical tow hook. In such examples, one or more spherical tow hook images may be images captured by a camera in the same plane and / or orientation as the spherical tow hook. In some such examples, the coupling sensor system 190 may include one or more coupling sensors located on plane 194, in the same plane and orientation as the spherical tow hook (e.g., ...). Figure 5AThe coupling sensors 191A-191C shown can be matched or correspond to the plane and orientation of a camera used to capture image samples of spherical tow hooks. In such examples, the accuracy of the hook detection model in classifying or detecting spherical tow hooks can be improved. This improvement may be because the arrangement and orientation of one or more coupling sensors (e.g., on plane 194) allows one or more coupling sensors to capture image data that highly matches or corresponds to the spherical tow hook image samples used to train the hook detection model.

[0145] Trailer direction and ground reference

[0146] In some embodiments, multiple wheels of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 may be in contact with or supported by the ground. The autonomous electric trailer system 100 may also include a trailer top (e.g., a top portion), a trailer bottom (e.g., a bottom portion), a trailer front (e.g., a front portion), and / or a trailer rear (e.g., a rear portion). The trailer top may be opposite the trailer bottom and further away from the ground than the trailer bottom. The trailer bottom may be opposite the trailer top and closer to the ground than the trailer top. The trailer front may be opposite the trailer rear and closer to the hook tongue (e.g., a hitch assembly) of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 than the trailer rear. Finally, the trailer rear may be opposite the trailer front and further away from the hook tongue of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 than the trailer front.

[0147] In some embodiments, the autonomous electric trailer system 100 may further include a left side and a right side. The left side may be opposite to the right side and closer to the first set of wheels (e.g., a pair of left wheels) of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 than the right side. Conversely, the right side may be opposite to the left side and further away from the first set of wheels (e.g., closer to the second set of wheels, such as a pair of right wheels) than the left side.

[0148] Trailer coordinate system

[0149] In some embodiments, the spatial position of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 (and / or components of the autonomous electric trailer system 100) can be described relative to a coordinate system. In some embodiments, the coordinate system can be a Cartesian coordinate system, including an X-axis (e.g., a horizontal axis), a Y-axis (e.g., a vertical axis), and a Z-axis (e.g., a depth axis). The X-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system can be parallel to the ground (as described above) and extend in a front-rear direction, such that the X-value of the front of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 is smaller than the X-value of the rear of the autonomous electric trailer system 100.

[0150] In some embodiments, the Y-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system may be perpendicular to the ground supporting the more than 100 wheels of the autonomous electric trailer system and extend in a vertical direction, such that the Y value near the ground is smaller than the Y value near the top of the autonomous electric trailer system 100. Finally, the Z-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system may be perpendicular to both the X-axis and Y-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system and extend in a right-to-left direction (e.g., from one side to the other), such that the Z value on the right side of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 is smaller than the Z value on the left side of the autonomous electric trailer system 100.

[0151] Technological advantages and benefits

[0152] The coupling sensor system of an autonomous electric trailer may include one or more sensors located at multiple locations around the hitch assembly, trailer hitch tongue, frame, or housing. While various arrangements are considered herein, certain arrangements may offer superior performance in terms of visibility, distance, and accurate monitoring of hitch events. For example, sensors located below and / or near the hitch provide a good line-of-sight path toward the hitch hub and the hook. In such cases, the sensor's position allows it to observe the interaction between the trailer hitch and the ball hook from a perspective with minimal obstruction from surrounding structures.

[0153] Sensors with a clear and direct observation path to the hooking area are likely better suited for identifying key features of the hooking hub. In some cases, sensors can benefit from being coplanar or nearly coplanar with the spherical hook, enabling them to capture images or distance data from a frontal or near-frontal viewpoint. This position and orientation reduces distortion and improves depth perception, thus helping to more accurately assess alignment during autonomous hooking operations. Conversely, sensors mounted at an angle or significantly offset in the vertical or horizontal direction can still function, but their field of view may include visual obstructions or changes in perspective, which could affect detection reliability.

[0154] In some embodiments, proximity to the hook-up interface (e.g., trailer hitch) may be advantageous. Sensors located close to the hook-up component (e.g., proximal, adjacent, sharing the same surface or portion, etc.) may more effectively monitor subtle changes in relative position, such as whether the ball hook is correctly positioned in the hook-up or whether the hook lock is engaged. Depending on the sensing method, closer proximity may also improve spatial resolution, making it easier to detect subtle positional changes during hook-up. Conversely, sensors located further from the hook-up hub may be less accurate in capturing these details, especially in environments with visual distractions or changes in lighting. It is important to note that at least one technical advantage of positioning the hook-up sensor close to the trailer hitch is that, compared to positioning the hook-up sensor not close to the trailer hitch (e.g., not on the hook-up assembly), the number of hook-up errors (e.g., hook-up failures) between the trailer hitch and the towing vehicle's hook-up hub can be reduced by at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or even 100%.

[0155] The physical protection of the sensor can also influence its location selection. The mechanical nature of the hook-up process can pose a risk of impact or abrasion, especially in areas where the trailer structure moves vertically or comes into contact with the towing vehicle. In such cases, mounting the sensor in a location that avoids such mechanical movement paths (e.g., below the hook or along the recess of the trailer hitch) reduces the likelihood of damage during hook-up or disengagement. While sensors can also be mounted in exposed areas, such configurations may require additional protection or a robust housing design to ensure lifespan and reliability.

[0156] Furthermore, the location of the sensors can affect how well the collected data matches the machine learning models used for hookup identification or classification. In some embodiments, these models may be trained using visual or distance data captured from a specific angle, distance, or viewpoint. Model performance may be improved if the sensor location is close to the viewpoint of the training dataset. While sensors located in other locations can still function, the data they produce may differ from the training set, which could affect the reliability of the model or lead to classification errors.

[0157] In general, the arrangements shown in sensor configurations 191A to 191I likely represent a subset of locations suitable for hook-up operations in terms of visibility, field of view, depth assessment, and alignment with the sensing target. Other configurations may also be feasible, provided they support the functional objectives of the sensor system (e.g., reliably detecting the presence and status of the hook-up hub, monitoring hook-up events, and maintaining durability under operational stress). Therefore, while various sensor arrangements are possible, sensors located in the aforementioned areas may offer specific advantages under various anticipated usage conditions.

[0158] Dynamic sensor movement

[0159] In some embodiments, one or more coupled sensors of the coupled sensor system are operatively mounted on a dynamic positioning mechanism configured to adjust the spatial position and / or orientation of the sensors during hook-up operations. This mechanism may include one or more actuators, such as linear actuators, rotary servos, telescopic arms, or articulated links, that allow the sensors to move relative to the trailer frame or hook-up tongue along one or more axes (e.g., X, Y, Z axes). In some embodiments, the dynamic positioning mechanism may be integrated into or connected to a mounting bracket fixed to or attached to the trailer hook-up tongue, front housing, or other structural component. The mechanism may be enclosed in a protective housing or shield to prevent dust ingress and minimize mechanical exposure during operation.

[0160] The coupling sensor can dynamically reposition itself upwards or downwards in a vertical direction (e.g., along the Y-axis) based on the vertical deviation between the hook and the attachment point. For example, when a trailer is parked on a slope or a towing vehicle is loaded with cargo, the height of the ball hook may deviate significantly from the nominal attachment plane. In such cases, sensor data indicating a vertical deviation exceeding a threshold can trigger the sensor to extend downwards, aligning its field of view with the apex of the ball hook. Conversely, when the hook is lowered and the ball hook is in a relatively low position, the sensor can retract upwards to maintain a direct line-of-sight path.

[0161] Lateral repositioning of the sensor (e.g., moving left or right along the Z-axis) can be performed when there is a horizontal offset between the hook and the attachment hub, such as when the towing vehicle approaches the trailer at an angle or on uneven terrain. In some embodiments, the sensor system may include a primary field-of-view sensor and one or more auxiliary sensors for estimating the lateral deviation of the ball hook. When a lateral offset exceeding a predetermined offset amount (e.g., a few centimeters away from the centerline) is detected, the positioning mechanism may laterally translate the coupled sensor to maintain the optimal centered view of the attachment area.

[0162] In some embodiments, forward or backward translation along the X-axis can also be achieved. This can be very useful when the zoom level limitations of the sensor optics necessitate changing the shooting distance to acquire an image. For example, during the initial approach phase, the sensor can retract to a rear position to achieve wide coverage. As the hook-and-hook approach, the sensor can advance forward to acquire high-resolution images of the interaction between the ball hook and the hook during final alignment and locking.

[0163] In some embodiments, the dynamic positioning of the coupling sensor may follow a phased or condition-driven process, where alignment along one axis can trigger or influence subsequent adjustments along another axis. For example, during the initial hookup approach phase, the coupling sensor may retract to a rearward position along the X-axis to maximize the horizontal field of view and provide broad coverage as the hookup hub of the towing vehicle begins to enter the sensor detection area. Once the hookup hub is detected within a threshold distance or the field of view boundary (e.g., through target recognition or proximity sensing detection), the coupling sensor may shift to a forward position along the X-axis to obtain a more focused, high-resolution view of the hookup area.

[0164] After translation along the X-axis, the system can initiate vertical (Y-axis) adjustment to ensure the sensor is aligned with the intended vertical profile of the hook-up hub. For example, if the spherical hook appears in the lower third of the sensor's field of view, indicating it is below the intended alignment plane, the sensor can be lowered vertically until the spherical hook is centered in the image frame. This adjustment can be based on visual feedback, machine learning-based pose estimation, or depth map analysis. Y-axis movement allows the system to maintain optimal alignment under various external conditions, including when the towing vehicle is parked on uneven terrain or affected by changes in suspension load.

[0165] After Y-axis alignment, if the sensors determine that the hook-up hub is offset to the left or right of the trailer's longitudinal axis, lateral Z-axis positioning can be performed. In this case, real-time tracking data may indicate that the towing vehicle is misaligned due to tilting while reversing. The sensors can then be laterally translated left or right to center the spherical hook within its sensing range and maintain the correct viewing angle. In some embodiments, this lateral movement can also be used to enable stereo triangulation when multiple sensors are deployed to work collaboratively.

[0166] Furthermore, the system can employ axis-priority logic, where sensor movement along secondary axes is conditionally delayed only when the primary axis alignment is within acceptable tolerances. For example, lateral (Z-axis) repositioning can be postponed until vertical (Y-axis) alignment is complete, ensuring that the sensor's optical axis is coplanar with the spherical hook before lateral tracking is initiated. This prevents the system from making unnecessary or complex adjustments that could increase computational load or lead to misinterpretations of spatial data due to perspective distortion.

[0167] Furthermore, once the sensors achieve optimal positioning along all relevant axes (X, Y, Z axes), the system can enter a fine-tuning phase where the sensor orientation (e.g., pitch, yaw, or roll) is fine-tuned. This keeps the field of view locked onto the hook-up hub, even when the towing vehicle is moving slowly or the trailer experiences minor mechanical shifts. In some embodiments, these transitions between axis alignments can be controlled by adaptive thresholds that take into account environmental conditions such as lighting, vibration, and movement uncertainties.

[0168] By employing this multi-axis, phased approach, the coupled sensor system can dynamically adjust its position and orientation to continuously and optimally track hook-up interactions visually or remotely. This can be particularly advantageous in complex or unpredictable hook-up environments, such as sloping surfaces, uneven terrain, or unstructured parking spaces. Consequently, autonomous electric trailer systems can achieve more reliable autonomous hook-up, reducing reliance on fixed sensor geometry or operator intervention.

[0169] 1.95 Braking Subsystem

[0170] In some embodiments, the autonomous electric trailer system 100 may further include a braking subsystem 195 configured to apply braking force to one or more wheels 120 of the trailer. The braking subsystem 195 may operatively communicate with the autonomous trailer control subsystem 160 and is configured to autonomously initiate braking operations based on attachment integrity data. In one or more embodiments, the autonomous trailer control subsystem 160 may include an attachment status monitor that evaluates real-time sensor data from the coupled sensor system 190 to determine the attachment status. The attachment status may include: connected, disconnected, loosely connected, or uncertain. If a loosely connected or disconnected status is detected while the trailer is in motion, the braking subsystem 195 may autonomously activate to prevent further movement of the trailer. In some embodiments, this behavior may be controlled by a safety logic module programmed to perform braking operations upon defined state transitions (e.g., from a secure connection to a loose connection). In some embodiments, the attachment integrity monitor may further utilize data from redundant sensors (e.g., mechanical latch detectors or load sensors) to improve the accuracy and reliability of attachment verification.

[0171] 2. Method for automatic coupling of autonomous trailers to traction coupling hubs

[0172] like Figure 2 As shown, the method for automatically coupling the autonomous electric trailer to the towing vehicle includes establishing the coupling distance S205, identifying detection data S210, calculating alignment parameters S220, calculating autonomous movement parameters S230, and executing autonomous operation commands S240.

[0173] 2.05 Vehicle-Trailer Splice Distance

[0174] S205 (including establishing the attachment distance) initializes the automatic pairing and / or automatic attachment of the autonomous electric trailer to a remote attachment hub (e.g., a tow hook) based on the distance between the autonomous electric trailer and the attachment hub. In one or more embodiments, the attachment distance typically refers to a specific n-dimensional distance between the autonomous electric trailer and the attachment hub, within which the autonomous electric trailer can autonomously turn and / or travel to a position to pair with or attach to the attachment hub. That is, in one or more embodiments, whether the autonomous electric trailer can autonomously move to a position where it can automatically attach to the attachment hub depends on whether the distance between the autonomous electric trailer and the attachment hub is close enough to ensure that it can move accurately, safely, and autonomously to the attachment hub, thereby automating at least a portion of the pairing or attachment process between the autonomous electric trailer and the attachment hub.

[0175] As used herein, a hitch-on hub generally refers to a mechanism, device, and / or system with which a hitch-on component (such as a hook-on lug) can establish an effective towing connection. In some embodiments, such a mechanism, device, and / or system is preferably mounted on the chassis or body of the towing entity (such as a vehicle). Therefore, in a non-limiting example, a hitch-on hub may include, but is not limited to, a towing hook, a ball towing hook, a towing hook receiver, a towing bar, a trailer hitch, a towing pin, a towing ring, a towing swivel, etc.

[0176] Pairing or Attaching Object Identification

[0177] In one or more embodiments, establishing the hitch distance may include identifying the pairing or hookup object of the autonomous electric trailer. In some embodiments, the pairing or hookup object may include or involve a towing vehicle with a hookup hub. However, in some cases, the pairing or hookup object may also be the hookup hub itself.

[0178] In one or more embodiments, identifying a pairing or hooking object may include selecting a target pairing object. In one embodiment, the selection of a target pairing object may be accomplished by a user providing one or more pairing inputs to the user interface of a remote device, the pairing interface of the autonomous electric trailer, or by remotely (i.e., via a remote controller) or manually positioning the autonomous electric trailer and / or hooking hub in a predetermined manner or distance, such positioning allowing the autonomous electric trailer to explicitly identify the pairing object based on its relative position to the target hooking hub. For example, in a non-limiting example, the autonomous electric trailer may acquire or receive one or more inputs from a user indicating the desired pairing object, such as the license plate number, brand or model, color, etc. of the desired pairing object. Accordingly, the autonomous electric trailer may employ one or more vision-based machine learning models to identify (e.g., detect) objects or entities with the aforementioned characteristics within its field of vision and select such objects or entities as the target pairing object for the autonomous electric trailer.

[0179] Alternatively, S205 may function to enable the autonomous electric trailer to calculate or predict one or more potential pairing objects and display these objects to a user via a pairing user interface, from which the user can select and / or confirm one. For example, in a non-limiting example, the autonomous electric trailer may capture one or more images of one or more objects or entities in its vicinity and transmit these images to the user for viewing, selection, or confirmation. Thus, in some embodiments, the user can enable the autonomous electric trailer to select that object or entity as the target pairing object by inputting an image of a specific object for confirmation or selection.

[0180] In another different example, the autonomous electric trailer may capture images of license plates of one or more nearby objects or entities and transmit these images to the user for viewing, selection, or confirmation. Thus, in some embodiments, by inputting confirmation or selection of an image of a specific license plate, the user can enable the autonomous electric trailer to select objects or entities associated with that specific license plate as target pairs. It should be understood that method 200 may communicate with one or more external systems to assist the autonomous electric trailer or the user in selecting or identifying target pairs, such as communicating with a database of the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

[0181] As described in more detail below, in a preferred embodiment, the identification of target pairing objects can be accomplished by the autonomous electric trailer through computer vision-based perception. In such embodiments, the computer vision-based perception of the autonomous electric trailer can be achieved using one or more trained machine learning models (e.g., convolutional neural networks) specifically trained to predict and / or classify suitable hook-up objects for the autonomous electric trailer. That is, in one or more embodiments, one or more vision-based machine learning algorithms can be trained using a data sample set containing sample images of hook-up objects (e.g., tow hooks, etc.). Once these vision-based machine learning algorithms are trained, when the autonomous electric trailer runs the resulting vision-based machine learning model, the model can be used to classify and identify hook-up objects or hook-up hubs. In some embodiments, the vision-based machine learning model can receive sensor data (e.g., sensor data from coupled sensor system 190 and / or sensor suite 150) as input and accordingly identify or detect hook-up objects or hook-up hubs based on that sensor data (e.g., by detecting or classifying hook-up hubs containing tow hooks, etc., in image sensor data).

[0182] Pairing distance threshold

[0183] In one or more embodiments, establishing the hook-up distance may further include determining whether the autonomous electric trailer meets a pairing distance threshold. In such embodiments, the pairing distance threshold typically refers to the maximum distance between the autonomous electric trailer and a target potential pairing object (e.g., a hook-up hub), beyond which automatic pairing or hooking of the autonomous electric trailer with the target potential pairing object may not be possible. In other words, if the calculated distance meets the pairing distance threshold (e.g., equal to or less than the maximum distance), automatic pairing or hooking of the autonomous electric trailer can be initiated or performed.

[0184] Therefore, in some embodiments, determining whether a pairing distance threshold is met includes calculating the pairing distance between the autonomous electric trailer and the towing entity. Preferably, S205 involves identifying the n-dimensional coordinates or position of the target hook-up hub and the n-dimensional coordinates of the hook-up device (e.g., the towing hook-up device) of the autonomous electric trailer, and calculating the pairing distance based on the difference between the n-dimensional coordinates of the autonomous electric trailer hook and the hook-up hub.

[0185] In one embodiment, if the calculated pairing distance meets a pairing distance threshold, S205 may identify the state of the autonomous electric trailer or set it to a first state, such as setting the autonomous electric trailer to a pairing location-in-place state (i.e., a pairing-ready state). In such embodiments, when the autonomous electric trailer is in a pairing location-in-place state, S205 may generate a pairing signal that triggers the execution of an automated workflow or automatic hooking sequence. Conversely, if the calculated pairing distance does not meet the pairing distance threshold, S205 may identify the state of the autonomous electric trailer or set it to a second state, such as setting the autonomous electric trailer to a pairing location-out-of-place state. In the pairing location-out-of-place state, S205 may generate one or more signals to report (or indicate) that automatic hooking or pairing has not been enabled due to the pairing distance not meeting the requirements.

[0186] 2.10 Automatically Connected Detection Data

[0187] S210 (including acquiring detection data) functions to identify or collect one or more detection data streams from one or more sensing sources (i.e., sensors). In one or more embodiments, the one or more sensors may include sensors mounted on the autonomous electric trailer (i.e., onboard sensors). In a variation of such embodiments, S210 may include at least one sensor mounted on a target towing entity or target hitch-up hub to improve the authenticity and / or reliability of the detection data acquired for autonomous hitch-up and / or autonomous driving operations of the autonomous electric trailer. Additionally, or alternatively, the one or more sensing sources may include one or more remote data feeds (e.g., weather feeds, traffic feeds, etc.), remote autonomous trailer services or platforms (e.g., remote servers, cloud computing servers, etc. for remote management and / or providing information for the operation of the autonomous electric trailer), and any other suitable sensing sources accessible to the autonomous electric trailer. In some embodiments, the one or more sensing sources may include sensor suite 150 and / or coupled sensor system 190.

[0188] In one embodiment, S210 involves using one or more sensors (e.g., one or more cameras) mounted on the autonomous electric trailer to collect sensor data for identifying the positions of one or more target attachment points, such as the autonomous electric trailer hook and the towing entity. In this embodiment, the one or more sensors may include one or more vehicle-mounted cameras, each with a field of view adjustable to simultaneously cover the trailer hitch of the autonomous electric trailer and the trailer towing hook of the towing vehicle. In this way, the one or more sensors can collect data capable of identifying the relative position of the autonomous electric trailer hook to the attachment points (of the towing vehicle, etc.). In some preferred embodiments, such as... Figures 5A-5C As illustrated in the examples, one or more sensors may include one or more coupling sensors arranged on a horizontal plane below the hook of the autonomous electric trailer. In some such embodiments, the hook-up hub may be located in the same horizontal plane as one or more coupling sensors, allowing the coupling sensors to observe the hook-up device and the hook-up hub without obstruction. Furthermore, in some preferred embodiments, one or more coupling sensors may be arranged close to the hook-up device to more accurately acquire detection data of the hook-up device and the hook-up hub (e.g., during the hook-up and unhooking operations of the autonomous electric trailer).

[0189] In a second embodiment, acquiring sensor data may include a combination of onboard sensors mounted on the autonomous electric trailer and one or more remote (non-onboard) sensors mounted on or near the hitchhiking hub. In this second embodiment, S210 serves to collect different sensor data streams from each onboard and remote sensor to form a sensor data set for one or more subsequent calculations (e.g., S220-S240, etc.). In one example, the field of view of the remote or non-onboard sensors may at least cover the hitchhiking hub, while the role of the one or more onboard sensors is to collect sensor data related to the location or arrangement of the autonomous electric trailer. It should be understood that, in a preferred embodiment, the sensor data referred to herein may include, but is not limited to, any data observed or collected from sensor suites and / or coupled sensor systems of the target autonomous electric trailer (or similar vehicle), towing vehicle, external sensor systems (e.g., mobile devices), third-party sensing systems, etc.

[0190] In a third embodiment, specific positioning marks (e.g., visual aid marks, reference marks, etc.) may be provided on the visible surface of the paired target (e.g., the hook-up hub and / or the towing vehicle). In this type of embodiment, the function of S210 is to acquire sensor data by observing the position of the specific positioning marks on the hook-up hub and / or the towing vehicle.

[0191] In a fourth embodiment, the paired target (e.g., the hook-up hub and / or towing vehicle) may emit a positioning signal or a beacon. In this type of embodiment, S210 serves to use one or more sensors to identify and / or observe the beacon while simultaneously performing the automated vehicle-trailer hook-up process for the autonomous electric trailer.

[0192] In some embodiments, during the physical attachment of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 to the attachment hub of the towing vehicle, detection data of S210 can be continuously collected (e.g., detected, captured, etc.). As described herein, during the attachment of the autonomous electric trailer system 100 to the attachment hub, the autonomous electric trailer system 100 can move autonomously along its X-axis (e.g., an axis extending parallel to the ground supporting multiple wheels). For example, in some embodiments, the autonomous electric trailer system 100 can begin moving from an initial X position (e.g., a position at a starting distance from the attachment hub). As the autonomous electric trailer system 100 moves forward along the X-axis, the attachment component gradually approaches the attachment hub. During the movement, the autonomous electric trailer system 100 moves from the initial X position to a second X position, a third X position, and so on, until the attachment component reaches a final X position at a distance from the attachment hub within a threshold range. It should be noted that each subsequent X position along this path signifies a closer distance to the attachment hub.

[0193] As the autonomous electric trailer system 100 moves along these increasing X positions, the attachment sensor captures multiple images of the attachment hub at different distances. For example, at the initial X position, the attachment sensor captures a first image of the attachment hub; due to the greater distance, the attachment hub appears relatively small in the image frame. As the autonomous electric trailer system 100 moves forward to the second X position, the sensor captures a second image; as the distance between the sensor and the attachment hub decreases, the attachment hub appears larger in the image. Similarly, as the system moves to the third X position and further, the pixel display of the attachment hub in the captured images continues to increase.

[0194] In some embodiments, this increase in pixel display can be quantified by comparing the number of pixels corresponding to the attachment hub in a series of images. Specifically, as the autonomous electric trailer system 100 approaches the attachment hub along the X-axis, the apparent size of the attachment hub detected by the attachment sensor increases, resulting in an increase in the number of pixels representing the attachment hub in the series of images. This gradual increase in pixel display provides confirmation to the autonomous electric trailer system 100 that the attachment assembly is moving in the direction of proper alignment and attachment to the attachment hub.

[0195] 2.20 Autonomous Electric Trailer - Hitchhiking Hub Alignment Parameters

[0196] The function of S220 (including the calculation of alignment parameters) is to calculate alignment parameters and / or autonomous control commands to achieve alignment between the autonomous electric trailer and the hitch hub. That is, after establishing the hitch distance and / or detecting that the autonomous electric trailer is misaligned relative to the target hitch hub, the function of S220 is to generate steering and / or motor control commands to enable the autonomous electric trailer to autonomously move to the aligned state. The trailer-vehicle or trailer-hitch hub alignment referred to herein generally refers to the positional relationship between the autonomous electric trailer hook and the (towing vehicle's) hitch hub, preferably with the autonomous electric trailer's hook and hitch hub located at the center of the detection environment. In a non-limiting example, trailer-hitch hub alignment can be achieved when the towing vehicle's towing hook and the autonomous electric trailer's hook tongue are located in the image data center detected by one or more onboard cameras (e.g., coupling sensors) of the autonomous electric trailer.

[0197] In a first embodiment, S220 calculates alignment parameters based on the n-dimensional position of the hook-up hub. In this first embodiment, S220 calculates the n-dimensional position of the target hook-up hub based on sensor data. In such embodiments, calculating the n-dimensional position of the target hook-up hub may include measuring and / or calculating the three-dimensional position of the hook-up hub, which preferably includes the XY and Z coordinates of the hook-up hub (i.e., the height value relative to the driving surface). In some embodiments, measuring the n-dimensional position of the hook-up hub may include converting the position and dimensions of the hook-up hub and / or the towing vehicle in sensor data (e.g., camera images of the towing vehicle) into the relative position and distance of the hook-up hub relative to the autonomous electric trailer.

[0198] Additionally, or optionally, the alignment parameters preferably include computer-executable instructions that, when executed, control one or more of the following components: the battery pack (e.g., electrical output), one or more motors (for torque generation, wheel adjustment), steering components (for wheel and / or axle / caster adjustment), lifting components (e.g., jacks), and / or any electronically operable components on the autonomous electric trailer. Therefore, the function of S220 is to calculate alignment parameters that may include steering and / or motor control instructions that, when executed, cause one or more motors to generate propulsion, thereby moving one or more wheels of the autonomous electric trailer to the trailer-hook hub alignment position.

[0199] In the second embodiment, S220 calculates alignment parameters based on alignment signals emitted by the target hitch, the towing vehicle, and / or a beacon associated with the hitch. In this second embodiment, the alignment signals may include two or more infrared beams emitted by a (single) beam source (e.g., the hitch), which may form alignment driving boundaries, such as a V-shaped or substantially similar emission area. Therefore, calculating the alignment parameters may include calculating the apex of the V-shaped emission area and generating alignment control commands that, when executed, cause the autonomous electric trailer to steer its hitch and align with the apex of the V-shaped emission area.

[0200] 2.30 Autonomous Electric Trailer - Hook-up Hub Driving Control Parameters

[0201] The function of S230 (including the calculation of autonomous driving parameters of trailer-attachment hub) is to generate autonomous trailer driving commands. When these commands are executed, the autonomous electric trailer can autonomously turn and drive to the attachment hub position to realize the automatic attachment or connection between the autonomous electric trailer hook and the target attachment hub.

[0202] In one or more embodiments, the automatic engagement position, the hook-hook position relationship, or the connection point of the autonomous electric trailer typically refers to the position and / or state where the hook-hook of the autonomous electric trailer is about to be engaged and aligned with the hook-hook, i.e., the hook-hook and the hook-hook are in an overlapping position, with the hook-hook positioned above the upper surface of the hook-hook. In such embodiments, the movement of the hook-hook of the autonomous electric trailer in a direction perpendicular to and toward the surface of the hook-hook can bring the hook-hook into physical contact or connection with the hook-hook. That is, in the automatic engagement position, the hook-hook of the autonomous electric trailer can be physically paired or engaged with the hook-hook of the towing vehicle by automatically lowering the height of the hook-hook until the hook-hook physically engages with and / or wraps around part or all of the hook-hook. Alternatively, the hook-hook position relationship of the autonomous electric trailer can be achieved when the hook-hook of the autonomous electric trailer is moved to a distance within a threshold range (e.g., 6 inches, 1 foot, 1.5 feet, 2 feet, 3 feet, 6 feet, etc. from the hook-hook). It should be noted that, in certain parts of this application, when the hitch of the autonomous electric trailer moves to a distance from the hitch hub within a threshold range, the autonomous electric trailer may be considered to be adjacent to or close to the hitch hub.

[0203] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the automatic hook-up position or connection point may include a coaxial alignment between the hook-up device of the autonomous electric trailer and the hook-up hub of the towing vehicle. In such embodiments, the movement of the hook-up device of the autonomous electric trailer along a common or shared axis (e.g., the central axis of both the autonomous electric trailer and the hook-up hub) allows for physical contact connection between the hook-up device and the hook-up hub.

[0204] Alternatively, S230 may generate a route plan that may include one or more of the following: starting conditions (e.g., the hook-up distance has been established, the trailer and the hook-up hub have been aligned), driving behavior strategies (e.g., path estimation, driving speed, steering, etc.), and stopping conditions (e.g., automatic hook-up position). Through this route plan, the autonomous electric trailer can successfully and autonomously drive to the hook-up hub to achieve the automatic hook-up position, thereby enabling the autonomous electric trailer to physically connect its hook-up device to the target hook-up hub.

[0205] Therefore, in one or more embodiments, calculating the autonomous driving parameters of the trailer-hook hub may include generating (i) motor control commands (e.g., X-axis positioning commands) that may affect driving and / or steering, (ii) steering commands (e.g., Y-axis positioning commands) that may affect the direction of movement, and (iii) braking commands that may affect the stopping or reduction of the autonomous electric trailer's speed.

[0206] In one embodiment, each side of the autonomous electric trailer may include at least one wheel, each wheel containing a motor or controlled by an independent motor that generates propulsive torque. In such embodiments, generating motor control commands may include generating different motor control commands for each motor on each side of the autonomous electric trailer. In such embodiments, S230 functions to generate motor control commands to produce torque for steering and propulsion. In a non-limiting example, to achieve steering of the autonomous electric trailer, S230 functions to generate motor control commands such that the torque generated by the first motor of the first wheel (e.g., the right wheel) is greater than the torque generated by the second motor of the second wheel (e.g., the left wheel). In such examples, the additional torque generated on one side of the autonomous electric trailer can produce a steering effect based on the direction of the additional torque. In this example, the chassis of the autonomous electric trailer may include steerable axles or casters capable of steering the autonomous electric trailer based on the generation of additional torque.

[0207] In another embodiment, each corresponding wheel pair of the autonomous electric trailer (i.e., the wheels constituting the left and right wheel pairs) may be driven by the same motor, and the autonomous electric trailer may further include a steerable axle or casters that can be actively operated or driven to achieve directional movement of the autonomous electric trailer toward the hook-up hub. In this type of embodiment, the function of S230 is to generate motor control commands that, when executed, cause the wheels of the autonomous electric trailer to generate propulsion, and simultaneously generate steering commands that, when executed, control the steering direction of the steerable axle or casters of the autonomous electric trailer. In a variation of this embodiment, the autonomous electric trailer may not include an actively steerable axle. In this variation, autonomous steering of the autonomous electric trailer can be achieved by controlling and applying differential braking of a pair of opposing (e.g., left and right) wheels of the autonomous electric trailer. In such embodiments, a single motor can provide a constant or identical torque to the pair of opposing wheels while applying a braking operation to one of the opposing wheels, thereby enabling the second wheel in the pair to move. Furthermore, since the wheel to which the braking operation is applied can serve as a fulcrum for the rotational movement or steering of the autonomous electric trailer, rotational steering of the autonomous electric trailer can be achieved.

[0208] Additionally, or optionally, generating autonomous trailer driving instructions may include generating braking instructions. In one or more embodiments, S230 functions to generate dynamic braking instructions in response to environmental conditions and / or the detection of dynamic or static objects on the autonomous electric trailer's driving path. In a preferred embodiment, S230 functions to generate braking instructions based on stopping conditions planned for the autonomous electric trailer's route. That is, before and during the autonomous electric trailer reaches the automatic engagement position with the engagement hub, S230 may generate braking instructions that, when executed, cause the autonomous electric trailer to autonomously apply braking force to one or more of its wheels.

[0209] Additionally, or optionally, generating autonomous trailer driving instructions may include generating jack control instructions (e.g., Z-axis positioning instructions) that, when executed by the autonomous electric trailer, can cause a change in the height control mechanism (e.g., jack) of the autonomous electric trailer. In one or more embodiments, the height control mechanism may be arranged on or near the steerable axle of the autonomous electric trailer. In such embodiments, S230 functions to calculate jack control instructions that cause the height control mechanism of the autonomous electric trailer to avoid the coupling hub, and further, may position the coupling of the autonomous electric trailer in an automatically engaged position, for example, above the upper surface of the coupling hub. In some embodiments, the jack control instructions may cause the coupling hub to be coaxially aligned with the coupling of the autonomous electric trailer to achieve successful engagement.

[0210] Additionally, or alternatively, in some embodiments, the trailer employing method 200 may include a radar sensor (e.g., a hook-up sensor) configured to transmit and receive radio frequency signals to detect one or more features of the spherical tow hook of the towing vehicle. The radar sensor may utilize the Doppler effect to measure relative velocity and may further determine the distance, angle, and position of the spherical tow hook relative to the trailer chassis or hook-up interface. The radar signal data (including time-series echoes and velocity offsets) may be processed and formatted as input features for a deep neural network (DNN).

[0211] Deep neural networks (DNNs) can employ supervised or semi-supervised learning techniques, using labeled datasets containing radar features corresponding to the known position, distance, velocity, and orientation of a spherical tow hook. Training data can include synthetic or real radar capture scenes under varying lighting, environmental, and motion conditions to improve generalization and reliability. The DNN can be configured to output one or more prediction vectors, such as a 3D position estimate, approach angle, and velocity profile of the spherical tow hook, which can be used to infer real-time spatial relationships and motion intentions.

[0212] Based on the output of a deep neural network, the trailer system 100 can generate a set of autonomous control commands to facilitate docking alignment and connection. These commands may include jack actuation signals (e.g., raising or lowering), steering adjustments (e.g., wheel angles or caster wheel rotation), motor control, braking inputs (e.g., soft stop or active braking), and engagement or release of the parking brake. In some embodiments, the control logic may operate in a closed feedback loop, continuously optimizing the docking process based on updated radar readings and deep neural network inferences to achieve accurate and safe alignment.

[0213] 2.40 Automatic splicing

[0214] The function of S240 (including the automatic coupling of the autonomous electric trailer to the coupling hub) is to execute autonomous trailer operation control and / or command combinations, enabling the autonomous electric trailer to automatically (i.e., without manual intervention) couple its coupling to a separate coupling hub (such as the ball hook of the towing vehicle). Figure 3 As illustrated in the example. In a preferred embodiment, the automatic hook-up operation may be based on the following steps: the autonomous electric trailer detects the location of the target hook-up hub within the hook-up distance and generates an autonomous control and hook-up command based on the detection. When executed by the autonomous electric trailer, the command enables the autonomous electric trailer to autonomously drive and / or turn to the automatic hook-up position, where the hook-up device of the autonomous electric trailer system can make physical contact with and connect to the target hook-up hub.

[0215] In one or more embodiments, an unattached autonomous electric trailer can calculate the position of a target attachment hub based on sensor data collected by one or more of its sensors. In such embodiments, S240 calculates the position and / or dimensions of the attachment hub (or towing entity) and converts this position and / or dimension data into relative position and distance information (e.g., coordinates) of the attachment hub relative to the autonomous electric trailer's attachment device using an algorithm. As described herein, the relative position and distance information can be used to establish the attachment distance and / or achieve alignment between the autonomous electric trailer and the attachment hub.

[0216] Additionally, or optionally, sensor data and / or information extracted from sensor data may be streamed or used as input to an onboard computer system of the autonomous electric trailer, which may accordingly generate automatic engagement commands. In such embodiments, the automatic engagement commands may include control commands to direct the power output of one or more batteries of the autonomous electric trailer to drive one or more electric motors operating the wheels of the autonomous electric trailer. In other words, the function of S240 is to calculate driving and / or steering commands that, when executed, enable the autonomous electric trailer to drive and steer autonomously, transitioning from an unengaged state to an engagement process state, and further to an engaged state.

[0217] In the unattached state, the attach mechanism of the autonomous electric trailer may not be physically connected or engaged with the attachment hub (e.g., the tow hook of the towing vehicle). During the attachment process, the attach mechanism of the autonomous electric trailer may be in a position where it is about to connect with the target attachment hub. "About to connect" as used herein generally refers to the autonomous electric trailer's attach mechanism having autonomously moved to a position where (e.g., the attach mechanism overlaps with the attachment hub) it is likely to make physical contact and / or connect with the target attachment hub when the autonomous electric trailer executes a control command to control the attach mechanism's height. "Already attached" as used herein refers to the autonomous electric trailer's attach mechanism having made physical contact and / or connect with the target attachment hub (e.g., the attach mechanism is locked in place with the attachment hub).

[0218] In one or more embodiments, if it is determined that the hook-up device of the autonomous electric trailer may be in the process of being engaged with the engagement hub of a towing entity, S240 generates and transmits an engagement (pairing or connection) signal, which enables a rocking and / or jacking mechanism at or near the hook of the autonomous electric trailer to automatically adjust the height of the hook-up device until the hook-up device is physically engaged with the engagement hub. In one or more embodiments, S240 triggers a stop condition to terminate the height adjustment based on the detection of one or more loads and / or the detection of a successful connection (or contact) between the hook-up device of the autonomous electric trailer and the target engagement hub.

[0219] In addition, or alternatively, it should be understood that the automatic engagement of the autonomous electric trailer's attacher to the target attaching device can be initiated by the autonomous electric trailer in any suitable manner, including but not limited to: user input on an external trailer interface, user instructions or commands input to a remote device (e.g., a mobile device equipped with an autonomous electric trailer application), or input interface of the towing entity.

[0220] Additionally, or optionally, S240 functions to terminate, suspend, and / or stop the automatic attachment of the autonomous electric trailer to the target attachment hub based on various situations that may lead to unsuitable, unsafe, and / or dangerous automatic attachment. For example, in cases where a collision with an object is possible, S240 automatically terminates the automatic attachment operation to prevent the autonomous electric trailer from potentially colliding with the object.

[0221] It should be understood that, in various embodiments, the automatic hook-up operation and / or process (including autonomous driving operation) of the autonomous electric trailer may include an iterative process comprising one or more feedback loops or systems that continuously assist in the autonomous driving and / or automatic hook-up calculations of the autonomous electric trailer. In such embodiments, one or more steps of method 200 (i.e., S205-S240) may be performed once or multiple times (or repeatedly), whether sequentially or non-sequentially, to support the generation of autonomous control commands for the autonomous electric trailer's driving, steering, and / or automatic hook-up to hook-up hubs, etc.

[0222] It should also be understood that, although in various embodiments, autonomous electric trailers include trailers generally designed for towing, in some embodiments, autonomous electric trailers may be recreational vehicles (RVs) or recreational trailers (e.g., a recreational vehicle RV may be a mobile home on wheels, a temporary dwelling on wheels, a business premises, etc.). In one or more embodiments, a recreational vehicle or recreational trailer may include sleeping or living space for people or pets.

[0223] Therefore, in some embodiments, method 200 functions to transition the autonomous electric trailer from an unattached state to an attaching process state, at least based on detecting or determining that the autonomous electric trailer is in an undeployed or movable state. In such embodiments, the autonomous electric trailer may remain in an unattached state until it is detected or determined that the autonomous electric trailer is no longer in a deployed or immovable state.

[0224] In some embodiments, the autonomous electric trailer may be in an deployed or immobile state when method 200 detects that one or more autonomous electric trailer objects are currently in use or in a deployed state. For example, in a non-limiting example, method 200 may detect or determine that the autonomous electric trailer is in a deployed or immobile state when it is detected or determined that the door of the autonomous electric trailer is open, that one or more entities are detected inside the autonomous electric trailer, that one or more steps of the autonomous electric trailer are detected in a deployed state, that the awning of the autonomous electric trailer is detected in a deployed state, or that one or more utility components of the autonomous electric trailer (e.g., charging components, water supply facilities, etc.) are connected to one or more external sources.

[0225] Conversely, in some embodiments, the autonomous electric trailer may be in an undeployed or movable state when method 200 detects that one or more autonomous electric trailer objects are in an undeployed (e.g., unused) state. For example, in a non-limiting example, method 200 may detect or determine that the autonomous electric trailer is in an undeployed or movable state when it is detected or determined that the autonomous electric trailer's door is closed, one or more steps of the autonomous electric trailer are retracted, the autonomous electric trailer's awning is retracted, or one or more utility components of the autonomous electric trailer (e.g., charging components, water supply facilities, etc.) are disconnected from one or more external sources.

[0226] 3. Computer implementation methods and computer program products

[0227] Implementations of the system and / or method may include all combinations and arrangements of various system components and various method processes, wherein one or more instances of the methods and / or processes described herein may be executed and / or used by one or more of the systems, elements and / or entities described herein in an asynchronous (e.g., sequential), concurrent (e.g., parallel) or any other suitable order.

[0228] The preferred embodiments and variations thereof may at least partially embody and / or be implemented as a machine configured to receive a computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions. The instructions are preferably executed by a computer-executable component, which is preferably integrated with one or more portions of the system and its processor and / or controller. The computer-readable medium may be stored on any suitable computer-readable medium, such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), optical devices (optical disk or digital versatile optical disk), hard disk drives, floppy disk drives, or any suitable device. The computer-executable component is preferably a general-purpose or special-purpose processor, but any suitable special-purpose hardware or hardware / firmware combination device may alternatively or additionally execute the instructions.

[0229] Although some details have been omitted for the sake of brevity, preferred embodiments may include all combinations and arrangements of implementations of the systems and methods described herein.

[0230] Those skilled in the art will recognize from the foregoing detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the claims that modifications and changes may be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. An autonomous electric (AEP) trailer, characterized in that, include: Trailer chassis; Trailer shell supported by the trailer chassis; A trailer hitch assembly connected to the trailer chassis, wherein the trailer hitch assembly includes: Trailer hook, and A coupling sensor configured to detect in the direction of the coupling hub of the towing vehicle; and The processing unit uses the detection data detected by the hook-up sensor to autonomously control the physical connection between the trailer hook and the hook-up hub of the towing vehicle.

2. The autonomous electric trailer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The attached sensor includes an image sensor, and Detection toward the coupling hub of the tractor vehicle includes at least: Capture an image of the hook-up hub from a perspective perpendicular to the hook-up hub.

3. The autonomous electric trailer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The attached sensor includes an image sensor. The optical axis of the image sensor extends from the center of the image sensor lens and is perpendicular to the mounting hub. The field of view of the image sensor includes the mounting hub but does not include the trailer hook.

4. The autonomous electric trailer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The attachment hub includes a spherical tow hook. The maximum height of the spherical tow hook is defined as the vertical distance from the ground supporting the multiple wheels of the autonomous electric trailer to the apex of the spherical tow hook. The minimum height of the spherical tow hook is defined as the vertical distance from the ground to the lowest point of the spherical tow hook, and When the trailer hook is physically engaged with the hooking hub of the towing vehicle, at least a portion of the hooking sensor is located between the maximum and minimum heights of the spherical hook.

5. The autonomous electric trailer according to claim 4, characterized in that, When the trailer hook is not physically engaged with the hooking hub of the towing vehicle, the portion of the hooking sensor is not between the maximum and minimum heights of the spherical hook.

6. The autonomous electric trailer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The attachment hub includes a spherical tow hook. The plane at the vertex of the spherical tow hook extends tangentially to the vertex of the spherical tow hook and is parallel to the ground supporting the multiple wheels of the autonomous electric trailer. The plane of the lowest point of the spherical tow hook extends tangentially to the lowest point of the spherical tow hook and is parallel to the ground. When the trailer hook is physically engaged with the hooking hub of the towing vehicle, at least a portion of the hooking sensor is located between the apex plane of the spherical hook and the lowest point plane of the spherical hook.

7. The autonomous electric trailer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The autonomous electric trailer's multiple wheels are supported by the ground. The trailer hitch assembly includes a top and a bottom opposite the top, wherein the bottom of the trailer hitch assembly is closer to the ground than the top of the trailer hitch assembly. The trailer hook is connected to the top of the trailer hitch assembly, and The attachment sensor is connected to the bottom of the trailer attachment assembly.

8. The autonomous electric trailer according to claim 7, characterized in that, The autonomous electric trailer includes a front section and a rear section opposite to the front section. The trailer hitch assembly has a length measured in the front-to-back direction. The trailer hitch extends along the length of the trailer hitch assembly from a starting position to an ending position, wherein the starting position of the trailer hitch is closer to the rear of the autonomous electric trailer than the ending position of the trailer hitch. The attachment sensor extends along the length of the trailer attachment assembly from its starting position to its ending position, wherein the starting position of the attachment sensor is closer to the rear of the autonomous electric trailer than the ending position of the attachment sensor. The sensor's starting position is closer to the rear of the autonomous electric trailer than the trailer hitch's starting position, and The termination position of the trailer hook is closer to the front of the autonomous electric trailer than the termination position of the sensor.

9. The autonomous electric trailer according to claim 7, characterized in that, The autonomous electric trailer also includes swivel wheels connected to the trailer hitch assembly. The trailer hook and the attachment sensor are closer to the front of the autonomous electric trailer than the omnidirectional wheels, and The attachment sensor is located at the bottom of the trailer attachment assembly and adjacent to the trailer hook.

10. The autonomous electric trailer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The autonomous electric trailer includes an X-axis parallel to the ground that supports multiple wheels of the autonomous electric trailer. The detection data detected by the attached sensor includes at least: The first image of the hook-up hub captured when the trailer hitch is in a first position along the X-axis, and A second image of the hook-up hub captured when the trailer hitch is in a second position along the X-axis and closer to the hook-up hub than the first position; and The pixels of the mounting hub in the second image are larger than those in the first image.

11. The autonomous electric trailer according to claim 10, characterized in that, When the number of pixels corresponding to the hook in the second image is greater than the number of pixels corresponding to the hook in the first image, the pixels of the hook in the second image are displayed as larger than those in the first image.

12. The autonomous electric trailer according to claim 1, characterized in that, Autonomous control of the physical connection between the trailer hook and the towing vehicle's coupling hub using the aforementioned detection data includes: (1) The actual location of the attachment hub is determined by the processing unit based on the detection data. (2) The processing unit calculates the attachment instructions that can be executed by the computer based on the actual location of the attachment hub. (3) Through the processing unit, multiple wheels of the autonomous electric trailer are driven according to the computer-executable hook-up command, and (4) Repeat (1)-(3) until the trailer hook is connected to the coupling hub of the towing vehicle.

13. The autonomous electric trailer according to claim 12, characterized in that, The autonomous electric trailer includes an X-axis parallel to the ground supporting multiple wheels of the autonomous electric trailer, and The computer-executable hook-up instructions include at least an X-axis positioning instruction that specifies a target voltage to be applied to the plurality of wheels to align the trailer hook with the X-axis position of the hook-up hub.

14. The autonomous electric trailer according to claim 13, characterized in that, The autonomous electric trailer includes a Y-axis perpendicular to the ground supporting multiple wheels of the autonomous electric trailer, and The computer-executable hook-up instructions also include Y-axis positioning instructions, which specify a target voltage to be applied to the plurality of wheels to align the trailer hook with the Y-axis position of the hook-up hub.

15. The autonomous electric trailer according to claim 14, characterized in that, The autonomous electric trailer includes a Z-axis that is perpendicular to both the X-axis and the Y-axis, and The computer-executable hook-up instructions also include Z-axis positioning instructions, which specify the height to which the trailer hitch is raised so as to align the trailer hook with the hook-up hub along the Z-axis.

16. A trailer, characterized in that, include: Trailer chassis; Trailer shell supported by the trailer chassis; A trailer hitch assembly connected to the trailer chassis, wherein the trailer hitch tongue includes: Trailer hook, and A coupling sensor configured to detect in the direction of the coupling hub of the towing vehicle; and The processing unit uses the detection data detected by the hook-up sensor to autonomously control the physical connection between the trailer hook and the hook-up hub of the towing vehicle.

17. The trailer according to claim 16, characterized in that, The attached sensor includes an image sensor, and Detection toward the coupling hub of the tractor vehicle includes at least: An image of the mounting hub is captured from a perspective substantially perpendicular to the mounting hub.

18. The trailer according to claim 16, characterized in that, The attached sensor includes an image sensor. The optical axis of the image sensor extends from the center of the image sensor lens and is substantially perpendicular to the mounting hub. The field of view of the image sensor includes the mounting hub but does not include the trailer hook.

19. The trailer according to claim 16, characterized in that, The trailer's multiple wheels are supported by the ground. The trailer hitch assembly includes a top and a bottom opposite the top, wherein the bottom of the trailer hitch assembly is closer to the ground than the top of the trailer hitch assembly. The trailer hook is connected to the top of the trailer hitch, and The attachment sensor is connected to the bottom of the trailer hitch.

20. The trailer according to claim 19, characterized in that, The trailer includes a front section and a rear section opposite to the front section. The trailer hitch assembly has a length measured in the front-to-back direction. The trailer hitch extends along the length of the trailer hitch assembly from a starting position to an ending position, wherein the starting position of the trailer hitch is closer to the rear of the trailer than the ending position of the trailer hitch. The attachment sensor extends along the length of the trailer attachment assembly from its starting position to its ending position, wherein the starting position of the attachment sensor is closer to the rear of the trailer than the ending position of the attachment sensor. The sensor's starting position is closer to the rear of the trailer than the starting position of the trailer hitch, and The termination position of the trailer hook is closer to the front of the trailer than the termination position of the sensor.

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