Devices and methods for operating a trailer
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- JAGUAR LAND ROVER LTD
- Filing Date
- 2024-07-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-05
Smart Images
Figure 2026526107000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for maneuvering a trailer. Aspects of the present invention relate to a control system, a system, a vehicle, a method, and computer software.
Background Art
[0002] Operating a trailer with a vehicle is considered subjectively to be one of the most difficult aspects of using a trailer. The difficulty is felt particularly from the need to understand in which direction to turn the vehicle's steering wheel in order to rotate the trailer in the desired direction when reversing. That is, when a driver turns left, the trailer turns right, which is not instinctive for most drivers and can cause stress. Furthermore, the driver cannot fully see the rear of the vehicle and may lose the angle between the towing bar of the trailer and the rear of the towing vehicle from memory. When such a situation occurs, there is a possibility of a collision between the vehicle and the trailer. Even with a rearview camera of the vehicle, the towing bar area may not be fully visible in the image from this camera, so it may not be possible to completely avoid a collision.
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0003] It is well known to provide an apparatus and method for assisting in the maneuvering of a trailer connected to a vehicle. The object of the present invention is to solve one or more drawbacks associated with the prior art.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0004] Aspects and embodiments of the present invention provide a control system, a system, a vehicle, a method, and computer software as described in the appended claims.
[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, a control system for a vehicle trailer steering system is provided, which includes one or more processors collectively configured to receive data indicating a desired position of the trailer from a display device showing a graphical user interface, and to output a first movement control signal for controlling the movement of one or more wheels of the vehicle to move the trailer toward the desired position. Advantageously, one or more wheels are controlled to move the trailer toward the desired position. Advantageously, the vehicle is automatically controlled to move the trailer toward the desired position.
[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a control system for a vehicle trailer steering system is provided, which includes one or more processors collectively configured to receive angle data indicating an angle input via a graphical user interface from a display device, receive a direction signal indicating the direction of movement of the vehicle, and output a first movement control signal that controls the movement of one or more wheels of the vehicle in order to move the trailer toward the steering angle. Advantageously, one or more wheels are controlled to move the trailer toward the steering angle. Advantageously, the vehicle is automatically controlled to move the trailer toward the steering angle.
[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a control system for a vehicle trailer steering system is provided, which includes one or more processors collectively configured to receive angle data indicating an angle input in a graphical user interface indicating a request for a steering angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle's axle from a display device displaying a graphical user interface, receive a direction signal indicating the direction of movement of the vehicle, and output a first movement control signal that controls the movement of one or more wheels of the vehicle to move the trailer toward the steering angle when the vehicle is moving in the direction of movement. Advantageously, one or more wheels are controlled to move the trailer toward the steering angle. Advantageously, the vehicle is automatically controlled to move the trailer toward the steering angle.
[0008] The control system includes one or more electronic processors, collectively including at least one electrical input for receiving input signals. The control system may include at least one memory device electrically connected to one or more electronic processors, where instructions are stored; where one or more electronic processors are configured to access the at least one memory device, execute instructions thereon, receive angle data from a display device showing a graphical user interface indicating an angle input in a graphical user interface indicating a request for a steering angle of the trailer relative to the axles of the vehicle, receive a direction signal indicating the direction of movement of the vehicle, and output a first movement control signal that controls the movement of one or more wheels of the vehicle to move the trailer toward the steering angle when the vehicle is moving in the direction of movement.
[0009] The direction of movement may be the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Advantageously, the vehicle moves longitudinally, causing angular movement of the trailer. The direction of movement may be either the forward or reverse direction of the vehicle. One or more wheels may be the steering wheels of the vehicle. The controller can control the load wheel angle (RWA) of the wheels via a first movement control signal. Advantageously, the trailer is steered by controlling the angle of the steering wheels.
[0010] The graphical user interface may be configured to display a visual representation of at least a portion of the trailer and to receive requests for the trailer's steering angle relative to the visual representation of at least a portion of the trailer. Advantageously, the graphical user interface allows the user to understand the steering angle, which may be the desired angular direction of the trailer.
[0011] Optionally, if the direction of movement is in the reverse direction of the vehicle, the first movement control signal is configured to control the movement of one or more steering wheels of the vehicle to move in the opposite direction to the steering angle. Advantageously, counter-steering of the steering wheels is automatically provided to assist the user.
[0012] When the steering angle is directed to the right of the vehicle, one or more of the vehicle's steering wheels may be steered to the left of the vehicle. When the steering angle is directed to the left of the vehicle, one or more of the vehicle's steering wheels may be steered to the right of the vehicle. Advantageously, counter-steering is automatically provided to assist the user.
[0013] The display device can optionally be a portable user device. Advantageously, the graphical user interface can be operated from outside the vehicle. Alternatively, the display device can optionally be an in-vehicle display device. Advantageously, the graphical user interface can be operated from inside the vehicle.
[0014] A signal indicating the direction of vehicle movement is received by a graphical user interface, and the control system is configured to output a second movement control signal that causes longitudinal movement of the vehicle in the direction of movement. The second movement control signal can control the rotation of one or more wheels of the vehicle. The second movement control signal can control the vehicle's powertrain. The second movement control signal can move the vehicle in the direction of movement.
[0015] The control system can be configured to receive manual control data indicating manual control input to the vehicle and, accordingly, to stop the output of a second movement control signal. Advantageously, the vehicle's movement is modified to be manually controlled.
[0016] Manual control input may result in vehicle movement opposite to the steering direction. Advantageously, the user can initiate movement in the opposite direction to perform manual control.
[0017] The control system can be configured to receive restart data from a display device indicating a restart input in a graphical user interface, and accordingly restart the output of a second movement control signal. Advantageously, the vehicle's movement is automatically controlled and restarted.
[0018] Therefore, the first and counterintuitive objective to be achieved, at least when reversing (i.e., the orientation of the trailer at a specific angle relative to the vehicle, which is clearly necessary to position the trailer at a certain angle relative to the vehicle in a particular desired position, but not intuitively understood by everyone), is achieved by applying the control system described herein. Continuously moving the vehicle and trailer when they are at a desired initial relative angle between them may not be suitable for achieving the final desired position of the trailer. However, manual intervention in the vehicle's steering and driving controls, and / or updating the requested angle, can ultimately position the trailer in the desired position.
[0019] The control system is optionally configured to use a vehicle-associated sensor system to detect objects in the vehicle's environment and display the relationship of the detected objects to the vehicle in a graphical user interface. Advantageously, the user can input angles depending on the object's position.
[0020] The control system can optionally be configured to use a sensor system associated with the vehicle to detect if the vehicle will collide with an object in the surrounding environment if it continues moving in its current direction, and to output a second movement termination signal that stops the vehicle's movement depending on the detected object. Advantageously, the vehicle stops before colliding with an object.
[0021] The control system transmits data indicating the detected object to a display device, and based on this data, the display device can display an indication on a graphical user interface that the vehicle has stopped due to the detected object.
[0022] The control system uses the vehicle's sensor system to detect when an object has been removed, outputs a second movement control signal to move the vehicle in the direction of travel, outputs a first movement control signal to control the movement of one or more of the vehicle's steering wheels, and can move the trailer toward the steering angle when the vehicle moves in the direction of travel.
[0023] The control system is optionally configured to receive trailer data from a display device indicative of trailer selection input at a graphical user interface indicative of a trailer connected to the vehicle, and each trailer data stored in the memory of the vehicle indicates one or more dimensions of the selected trailer.
[0024] The control system may be configured to receive terrain data indicative of terrain selection input at a graphical user interface indicative of a change in the selected terrain profile, where the terrain profile corresponds to one of a plurality of terrain profiles stored in the memory of the vehicle, and the terrain profile includes corresponding torque values applied to the wheels for each terrain, and outputs a torque change control signal that changes the magnitude of the torque applied to the wheels to achieve the torque value corresponding to the selected terrain profile.
[0025] The control system may be configured to receive speed data indicative of speed request input at a graphical user interface indicative of the speed at which the vehicle is to move. The maximum speed of the vehicle may be limited to a pre-set maximum speed.
[0026] A signal indicative of the direction of movement is continuously received, and in response to the cessation of the signal, the control system may be configured to stop the vehicle.
[0027] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system including a control system of a trailer control system of a vehicle connected to a trailer as described above and a display device.
[0028] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle including the system described above.
[0029] According to one aspect of the present invention, a computer implementation method for controlling a vehicle trailer steering system is provided, the method comprising: receiving angle data indicating an angle input in a graphical user interface, indicating a request for a steering angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle's axle, from a display device that displays a graphical user interface; receiving a direction signal indicating the direction of movement of the vehicle; and outputting a motion control signal for controlling the movement of one or more wheels of the vehicle to move the trailer toward the steering angle when the vehicle is moving in the direction of movement.
[0030] According to one aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable instruction is provided which, when executed by a computer, is configured to perform a method according to one aspect of the present invention. The computer-readable instruction may be stored on a computer-readable medium.
[0031] Within the scope of this application, the various aspects, embodiments, examples, and alternatives described in the preceding paragraph, claims, and / or the following description and drawings, in particular their individual features, are expressly intended to be adopted independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and / or features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and / or combination, as long as such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to modify the claims initially filed or to file new claims accordingly. This includes the right to modify the claims initially filed to be dependent on and / or incorporated to features of other claims, even if not initially requested so.
[0032] One or more embodiments of the present invention will be described only by reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0033] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows a vehicle based on one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]Figure 2 shows a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention in relation to a trailer. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows a control system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows a system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows a method according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows a method according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows a method according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8a] Figures 8a, 8b, and 8c show a graphical user interface according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8b] Figures 8a, 8b, and 8c show a graphical user interface according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8c] Figures 8a, 8b, and 8c show a graphical user interface according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9a] Figures 9a, 9b, and 9c show a graphical user interface according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9b] Figures 9a, 9b, and 9c show a graphical user interface according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9c] Figures 9a, 9b, and 9c show a graphical user interface according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows a graphical user interface according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0034] A vehicle 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached Figure 1. The vehicle 100 is a wheeled vehicle having a first pair of steering wheels controlled to steer the vehicle 100. The steering wheels are located at the front of the vehicle 100. The steering wheels are controlled to a selected road wheel angle (RWA) to steer the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 is propelled by torque applied to one or more drive wheels and moves generally in the longitudinal direction, i.e., forward or reverse. The torque causing the longitudinal movement is provided through the steering wheels, non-steering wheels (rear wheels), or both wheel pairs (4WD). It will also be understood that embodiments of the present invention may be such that all four wheels are controlled to steer the vehicle 100, and the rear wheels form a second pair of steering wheels. The second pair of steering wheels is controlled to steer in the opposite direction to the first pair of steering wheels, thereby improving the turning radius of the vehicle at low speeds or enabling the vehicle 100 to "skid" by steering in the same direction. The vehicle 100 may include other numbers of wheels, and may also be, for example, a tracked vehicle.
[0035] Figure 2 shows a vehicle 100 coupled to a trailer 200. The trailer 200 has at least one pair of wheels and is coupled to the vehicle 100 via an articulated coupling 210. Often, the coupling 210 is done via a towing ball that is received by a socket hitch on the trailer 200 and coupled to the vehicle 100, allowing coupling between them, but other types of coupling couplings, such as hook and ring couplings, are also known, and the present invention is not limited to any particular type of coupling. When the vehicle 100 is moving in the forward direction, the trailer 200 moves generally along the path of the vehicle 100, making it easy for the driver of the vehicle 100 to operate. However, to position the trailer 200 in a desired position roughly behind the vehicle 100, the driver needs to know which direction to steer the vehicle 100 in order to properly turn the trailer 200 while reversing. Since the trailer hitch 210 is located at the front of the trailer 200 and the trailer's wheels are often oriented roughly towards the center of the trailer 200, the rear of the trailer 200 moves in the opposite direction to the vehicle 100. In other words, when reversing, steering vehicle 100 to the left causes the rear of the trailer to move to the right, and vice versa. This may not be intuitive for some. Furthermore, preventing a jackknife collision between trailer 200 and vehicle 100 can be difficult.
[0036] Referring to Figure 3, a control system 305 for a vehicle 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown. The control system 305 includes one or more controllers 300 (which may be electronic controllers 300).
[0037] The control system 305 shown in Figure 3 includes one controller 300, but it is understood that this is merely illustrative. The controller 300 includes processing means 310 and storage means 320. The processing means 310 may be one or more electronic processing units 310 or processors 310 that operationally execute computer-readable instructions. The storage means 320 may be one or more memory devices 320. The storage means 320 is electrically connected to the processing means 320. The storage means 320 is configured to store computer-readable instructions, and the processing means 310 is configured to access the storage means 320 and execute the instructions stored therein to perform a method according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0038] The controller 300 includes input means 330 and output means 340. The input means 330 may include one or more electrical inputs 330 of the controller 300 for receiving electrical signals 335. The output means 340 may include one or more electrical outputs 340 of the controller 300 for outputting electrical signals 345. In some embodiments, the inputs 330 and outputs 340 of the controller 300 may be integrated into the I / O interface of the controller 300. The I / O interface may be a network interface for communicating the controller 300 to a communication network of the vehicle 100, such as a communication bus, as understood.
[0039] Figure 4 shows a system 400 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The system 400 includes a controller 300 shown in Figure 3, which is configured to perform a method according to one embodiment of the present invention described later. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the controller 300 is also called a trailer steering controller 300. Thus, system 400 represents a trailer steering system 400 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In some embodiments, the controller 300 is configured to implement one or more modules 460, 470, 480, 490 that perform aspects of the present invention as described later. One or more other parts of system 400 may be formed by other controllers, systems, or sensors of the vehicle 100, as understood.
[0040] The control system 400 includes a user interface UI 410 that allows a user to interface with the control system 400. The UI 410 allows the user to provide user input to the control system 400 and for the control system 400 to output information to the user. The UI 410 may include display devices 810, 910 for operationally displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) that includes a display of at least a portion of the trailer 200 under the control of the trailer steering controller 300. GUIs according to embodiments of the present invention are shown in Figures 8 and 9, as described below. The display devices 810, 910 of the UI 410 may include touch sensitivity to receive user input and provide the trailer steering controller 300 with a user input signal 415 or data indicating it. In some embodiments, the UI 410 may also output an audible output and / or tactile output to the user. The UI 410 may be located inside the vehicle 100, for example, with the UI 410 oriented towards the driver's seat position inside the vehicle 100. In particular, as will be described later, the UI410 can be configured to receive instructions for a desired position of the trailer 200, including an angle input indicating a request for a steering angle of the trailer relative to the axle of the vehicle 100. In some embodiments, the UI410 can receive instructions from the user for a requested direction of movement corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 100, which may be either the forward or reverse direction of the vehicle 100. The UI410 can provide the controller 300 with a user input signal 415 indicating the requested direction of movement of the vehicle 100.
[0041] The control system 400 includes a vehicle actuation controller 420 that either provides the trailer steering controller 300 with at least one manual actuation signal 425 indicating the actuation or movement of the vehicle 100 or its components under the manual control of the driver, or acts or moves the vehicle 100 or its components in accordance with at least one actuation control signal 426 received from the trailer steering controller 300, or both. When the vehicle 100 is actuated or moved by a user or driver, i.e., under the manual control of the driver, the vehicle actuation controller 420 is configured to provide one or more manual actuation signals 425 to the trailer steering controller 300. For example, the user selects the direction of movement of the vehicle 100 using directional controls such as buttons, graphical icons, or physical switches, and uses controls such as the accelerator pedal of the vehicle 100 to move the vehicle 100 in the selected direction, such as forward, and the vehicle actuation controller 420 provides the trailer steering controller 300 with a manual actuation signal 425 indicating the driver-controlled movement of the vehicle 100. Therefore, in some embodiments, the manual activation signal 425 indicates manually controlled longitudinal movement of the vehicle 100.
[0042] The trailer steering controller 300 is configured to output at least one first movement control signal 426 in the form of an actuation control signal 426 to control the angular movement of one or more steering wheels of the vehicle 100. Thus, at least one actuation control signal 426 may include a steering actuation signal 426. The angular movement of the steering wheels controls the direction of travel of the vehicle 100. The steering actuation signal 426 may indicate the requested load wheel angle RWA of the vehicle 100. Thus, the trailer steering controller 300 is configured to output a steering actuation signal 426 to control the steering action of one or more wheels of the vehicle 100 that acts to move the trailer 200 toward the requested steering angle, as will be described later.
[0043] In some cases, the trailer steering controller 300 may output at least one second movement control signal 426 in the form of an actuation control signal 426 indicating the requested longitudinal movement of the vehicle 100 in order to move the vehicle 100 in either the forward or reverse direction. The actuation control signal 426 is received by the vehicle actuation controller 420, which causes the vehicle 100's powertrain to supply torque to one or more of the vehicle 100's drive wheels. In some embodiments, the actuation control signal 426 specifies the requested distance the vehicle 100 should travel (e.g., 5m, 10m, etc.) and the requested speed the vehicle 100 should travel (e.g., 5km / h). -1 It may include one or both of the following indications (and / or 20m), but these numbers are for illustrative purposes only.
[0044] The control system 400 includes a trailer connection manager 428 that determines the connection between the vehicle and the trailer 200. The connection may be a physical or mechanical connection, i.e., coupling the trailer 200 to the towing hitch of the vehicle 100, and / or an electrical connection, i.e., coupling the electrical connector of the trailer 200 to the vehicle 100, i.e., inserting the electrical plug of the trailer 200 into the corresponding socket of the vehicle 100. The determination of the coupling between the trailer 200 and the towing hitch of the vehicle 100 may depend on corresponding image data of the rear of the vehicle 100 to determine the mechanical coupling, which may be advantageous in some situations, such as when the trailer 200 is a boat trailer and it is necessary to disconnect the electrical connection when maneuvering the trailer 200 underwater. In determining the connection, the connection manager 428 is configured to output a trailer connection signal 429 to the trailer steering controller 300. Thus, the trailer steering controller 300 is configured to receive the trailer connection signal 429 and inform that the trailer 200 has been connected to the vehicle 100. Accordingly, the trailer steering controller 300 is configured to display information on the trailer steering GUI.
[0045] The control system 400 includes a device connection manager 430. The trailer steering controller 300 is configured to communicate signals or data 435 with the device connection manager 430 for wireless communication 436 with a remote device 440. The remote device 440 may be a portable user device 440 such as a mobile phone 440 or a tablet computer 440, or a user device 440 associated with the vehicle 100 such as a device for accessing the vehicle 100 (e.g., a key with a display). Other user devices are also conceivable. Since the device connection manager 430 facilitates wireless communication 436 with the user device 440, “remote” in this sense means physically separated from the vehicle 100. The wireless communication consists of a local radio network such as WiFi or other short-range communication protocols, and the device connection manager 430 can communicate wirelessly 436 with the remote device 400 via this network. However, the wireless communication may include communication with a communication network such as 4G, 5G, 6G or other communication standards for communicating with the user device 440. This communication allows the system to receive data from the user device 440 indicating user input. This communication provides the user device 440 with a user interface. For example, data indicating the position or arrangement of the vehicle 100 and / or trailer 200 can be transmitted to the user device 440, generating a representation of the vehicle 100 and / or trailer 200 and providing a GUI for it. As will be described later, the user device 440 facilitates the remote operation of the trailer 200, i.e., operation from outside the vehicle 100.
[0046] The control system 400 may include a recognition system or sensor system 450 for the vehicle 100 to provide the trailer steering controller 300 with environmental data 455 indicating the environment of the vehicle 100, which may also include the environment of the trailer 200. In particular, the environmental data 455 may restrict the movement of the vehicle 100 and the trailer 200 and may indicate any objects and / or terrain within the environment of the vehicle 100 and the trailer 200. For example, the environmental data 455 may include indications of the size and / or location of one or more objects, and may also indicate terrain features such as slopes or surfaces that would be difficult for the vehicle 100 or the trailer 200 to traverse. The recognition system 450 may include one or more sensors associated with the vehicle 100. One or more sensors may include, for example, a radar system, a lidar system, an ultrasonic sensor, or a vision-based device such as a camera that provides image data about the environment of the vehicle 100, from which objects and terrain can be determined. It is understood that data from one or more sensors can be combined, for example, using a fusion system. In some perception systems or sensor systems 450, sensor data from multiple sensors is used to generate a perception map representing the environment of the vehicle 100. Therefore, in some embodiments, the fused sensor data or perception map may become the environment data 455.
[0047] As described above, in some embodiments of the present invention, the controller 300 is configured to implement one or more modules 460, 470, 480, 490, which may include one or more of the counter-steering module 460, user input interpreter 470, trailer position determination device 480, and steering target determination device 490.
[0048] The counter-steering module 460 is configured to determine the steering of the vehicle 100 in order to position the trailer 200. In particular, the counter-steering module 460 is configured to determine the counter-steering of the vehicle's steering wheels necessary to steer the trailer 200 in the direction requested by the user. The counter-steering module 460 can cause the trailer steering controller 300 to output data or signals to the vehicle operating controller 420 for controlling the direction of the steering wheels, i.e., in some embodiments, it can indicate the RWA of the vehicle 100.
[0049] The user input interpreter 470 is configured to interpret user commands received from either or both the UI 410 and the user device 440. The user input interpreter 470 is configured to provide instructions for the user request determined from the command to the target control unit, which is configured to determine the user's target in response to the received user input, such as a desired position for the trailer 200 or a change in position such as the angle of the trailer 200.
[0050] The trailer positioning device 480 is configured to determine or estimate the position of the trailer 200 relative to the vehicle 100. The position of the trailer 200 is the current position of the trailer, which can be determined in accordance with the received environmental data 455. For example, the angle of the trailer 200 relative to the vehicle can be determined using image data relating to the rear of the vehicle 100, including the trailer 200. The output of the trailer positioning device 480 can be used to display a visual representation of at least a portion of the trailer 200 on a display to present the position of the trailer 200 relative to the vehicle 100 to the user. The output of the trailer positioning device 480 is provided to the counter-steering module 460.
[0051] The steering target determination unit 490 is configured to determine the position of the trailer 200 as a steering target requested by the user. In response to the user input 415 received by the trailer steering controller 300, the steering target determination unit 490 is configured to determine the requested position of the trailer 200. That is, the target position of the trailer 200 requested by the user is as described later. The steering target determination unit 490 is configured to provide the counter steering module 460 with instructions for the requested position of the trailer 200, and the counter steering module 460 is configured to determine one or more steering angles, which can be used for opposite longitudinal movements of the vehicle 100, i.e., forward and reverse, to move the trailer 200 from its current position to the requested position.
[0052] Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a method for determining one or more attributes of a trailer 200 according to embodiments of the present invention. Method 500 shown in Figure 5 can be performed by a user using UI 410. Method 600 shown in Figure 6 can be performed remotely from the vehicle by a user on a user device 440, such as the user's mobile phone. In particular, Method 600 can be performed by a user outside the vehicle 100, as will be described later, thereby conveniently determining the attributes of the trailer 200. Advantageously, favorably determining one or more attributes of the trailer allows for more precise steering.
[0053] Figure 5 shows a method 500 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Method 500 is a method for determining one or more attributes of a trailer 200. In particular, method 500 is a method for determining one or more dimensions of a trailer 200 so that precise steering of the trailer 200 can be performed. Method 500 implemented in a computer may be executed by the system 400 shown in Figure 4. In particular, memory 320 may contain computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor 310, perform method 500 according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0054] Method 500 begins at 501 and includes block 510 for determining whether trailer 200 is connected to vehicle 100. In some embodiments, block 510 may include determining whether trailer 200 is mechanically and / or electrically connected to vehicle 100, as described above. Block 510 may include determining whether the electrical plug of trailer 200 is connected to a corresponding socket on vehicle 100 and whether trailer 200 is connected to vehicle 100 in a communicative manner. Alternatively or additionally, block 510 may include determining whether trailer 200 is mechanically coupled to vehicle 100. If trailer 200 is not connected to vehicle 100, method returns to block 510 via path 515, i.e., waits at block 510. If trailer 200 is connected to vehicle 100, method proceeds to block 520 via path 516.
[0055] In block 520, the system requests the user to provide identification information associated with the trailer 200 (such as the trailer's name) via audio or visual output on the UI 410's display. If the user provides identification information indicating that data associated with the trailer 200 (trailer data) is already stored in memory 320, that data is retrieved by the processor 310. However, if the user indicates that the trailer 200 is new and that the new trailer needs to be configured in system 400, the method moves to block 530. In block 530, the system provides a display of one or more attributes of the trailer 200 either by the user speaking and system 400 using speech-to-text conversion, or by the user entering the information via UI 410, for example using an on-screen keyboard. The information may include one or more dimensions of the trailer 200, such as its length and width. In some embodiments, one or more dimensions may include the length of the trailer 200's towing hitch, for example, the length of the A-frame extending forward of the trailer 200, and / or the distance from the axle of the trailer 200 to the trailer hitch or the front of the trailer 200. This additional information is useful for the system 400 to more accurately estimate the steering of the trailer 200, for example, by calculating the turning radius of the trailer 200 or the maximum angle of the trailer 200 relative to the vehicle 100 before the vehicle 100 and the trailer 200 come into contact. However, in some embodiments, a calibration process is performed in block 540 to avoid the user having to manually enter detailed information, and the data associated with the trailer 200 is automatically determined.
[0056] In block 540, the user is asked to perform a calibration operation on the trailer 200. The calibration operation is the operation of the trailer 200 attached to the vehicle 100, which allows the system 400 to determine the operating characteristics of the trailer 200, such as its turning radius. The system 400 prompts the user via voice and / or visual requests output by the system 400. In the calibration operation, the user can drive the vehicle 100 forward or backward, or both, with the steering wheel operated, so that the vehicle 100 turns together with the trailer 200. The vehicle 100 recognition system 450 is configured to acquire data on the position of the trailer 200 during the calibration operation, which allows the processor 310 to determine the handling characteristics of the trailer 200. For example, image data of the rear of the vehicle 100 can be used to determine the angle of the trailer 200, which can then be correlated with the longitudinal distance traveled and the steering angle of the vehicle 100 during the calibration operation. In this way, the system 400 can determine the steering angle (e.g., RWA) and the longitudinal travel distance of the vehicle 100 required to achieve the desired angle of the trailer 200. The trailer data acquired during method 500 is stored in memory 320.
[0057] Block 550 includes the system 400 outputting an indication that the trailer steering system 400 is configured to be used, for example, to perform the steering of the trailer 200.
[0058] Figure 6 shows a computer implementation method 600 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Method 600 is a method for determining one or more attributes of a trailer 200. In particular, Method 600 is a method for determining one or more dimensions of the trailer 200 via a user device 440 and for performing precise maneuvering of the trailer 200. The computer implementation method 600 may be performed by the system 400 shown in Figure 4. In particular, memory 320 may contain computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor 310, perform Method 600 according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0059] Referring to Figure 6, method 600 begins at 601 and includes block 610 which determines whether user input for configuring a trailer has been received by user device 440. User input may correspond to selecting one of several configuration options. The display of user device 440 may output a display of each of the several configuration options, such as in the form of menu icons or controls, and user input may correspond to activating one of the menu icons. In one embodiment, the configuration options, and therefore in some embodiments, the menu icons, correspond to one or more users who input instructions for one or more attributes of trailer 200, such as the dimensions of trailer 200; users who retrieve stored information associated with trailer 200; and users who use the user device to measure one or more dimensions of trailer 200. The input is received by user device 440 in block 610, and method moves to the appropriate block as described below.
[0060] Block 620 corresponds to the user retrieving stored information associated with the trailer 200. Therefore, block 620 may be the first of several configuration options provided to the user. In block 620, the user device 440 is configured to provide a user interface that allows the user to provide identification information (such as the trailer's name) associated with the trailer 200. The characters corresponding to the trailer's name can be entered on the user device 440 or voice-input to the user device 440. The identification information is transmitted wirelessly from the user device 440 to the system 400 as data indicating a trailer selection input in a graphical user interface that shows the trailer connected to the vehicle. The identification information is used by the processor 310 in the system 400 to retrieve data associated with the trailer 200, such as the dimensions of the trailer 200, which are stored in the system 400's memory 320.
[0061] Block 630 corresponds to the user inputting instructions for one or more attributes of the trailer 200, such as the dimensions of the trailer 200. Thus, block 630 can be the second of several configuration options. Block 630 is provided either by the user speaking and the user device 440 using speech-to-text conversion, or by the user inputting information through the interface of the user device 440. The information may include one or more dimensions of the trailer 200, such as the length and width of the trailer 200. In some embodiments, one or more dimensions may include the length of the trailer 200's towing hitch, for example, the length of the A-frame extending forward of the trailer 200, and / or the distance from the axle of the trailer 200 to the trailer hitch or the front of the trailer 200. This additional information may be useful, for example, when calculating the turning radius of the trailer 200.
[0062] Block 640 corresponds to measuring the trailer 200 using a user device. The user device 440 includes at least one imaging device, such as a camera, capable of capturing image data of part of the trailer 200 and / or vehicle 100. In block 640, an image corresponding to the image data is displayed on the display of the user device 440. User input is received on the display and a region of the image corresponding to a first reference location of the trailer 200, such as the front, rear, or side of the trailer 200, is selected. Once selected, the user can move the user device 440 to orient the image data to a second reference location in another region of the trailer 200, for example, the opposite side of the trailer, thereby enabling the user device 440 to determine measurements between the selected first and second reference locations of the trailer 200. Thus, the user device 440 is advantageously configured to visually determine one or more dimensions of the trailer 200 without requiring the user to own a measuring device. Alternatively, the user device 440 can be positioned around the trailer to capture an image of the vehicle 100 with known dimensions, and from that, the distance between the user device 440 and the vehicle 100 can be determined.
[0063] In block 650, data corresponding to one or more attributes of the trailer 200 is transmitted from the user device 440 to the system 400. In particular, the trailer data is wirelessly communicated to the connection manager 430 (436) and stored in the memory 320 of the system 400 for use by the processor 310.
[0064] Figure 7 shows a computer implementation method 700 for operating a trailer according to one embodiment of the present invention. Method 700 can be performed by a trailer steering control device 300 shown in Figure 3 and a trailer steering system 400 shown in Figure 4. In particular, the memory 320 of the trailer steering control device 300 may contain computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor 310, perform Method 700 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Method 700 will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9, which show a graphical user interface for operating a trailer 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Method 700 begins with 701, and block 710 includes displaying on display devices 810, 910, as shown in Figure 8 or Figure 9, at least a representation of the trailer 200 and at least a visual representation of the vehicle 100 in relation to each other. These representations include, or enable, the user to visually recognize the orientation of the longitudinal axis 830 of the vehicle 100 relative to the orientation of the longitudinal axis 840 of the trailer 200. Block 710 may include displaying a trailer control graphical user interface 820, 920 as shown in Figure 8 or Figure 9, which will be described below.
[0065] Block 710 may include determining whether memory 320 stores trailer data indicating one or more attributes of trailer 200. As described above, this information may include an indication of one or more dimensions of trailer 200, such as the length and width of trailer 200, and in some embodiments may include the length of the towing hitch of trailer 200, such as the length of the A-frame extending forward of trailer 200, and / or the distance of the axle of trailer 200 from the hitch of trailer 200 or the front of trailer 200.
[0066] If no trailer data is stored in memory 320, method 700 moves to block 720. However, if trailer data for one or more trailers is stored in memory 320, identification information associated with trailer 200, such as the name of each trailer, is output, allowing the user to select one of the one or more trailers. For example, the names of each stored trailer are output, user input corresponding to the desired trailer is received, and that trailer is selected. In this way, one or more attributes of the selected trailer, such as length and width, can be obtained from memory 320. At least some representations of trailer 200 may be displayed according to one or more attributes. Furthermore, as will be described later, the movement of trailer 200 may be controlled according to one or more attributes. If no trailer data is stored, one or more default attributes of trailer 200, such as the default length and width, may be used.
[0067] Figures 8a to 8c show a display device 810 that displays a trailer operation graphical user interface (GUI), which may be a trailer operation GUI generally referred to as 820. The display device 810 may also be a display device for a UI 410 installed inside the vehicle 100. Therefore, the GUI 820 is used by a user seated inside the vehicle 100, such as in the driver's seat of the vehicle 100. As shown in the figures, the display device 810 is generally oriented horizontally, but it should be understood that this is merely an example.
[0068] The trailer control GUI 820 includes a visual representation of at least a portion of the trailer 200 and a visual representation of at least a portion of the vehicle 100 in relation to each other. This allows the user to understand the orientation of the vehicle 100 along its longitudinal axis 830 and the orientation of the trailer 200 along its longitudinal axis 840. The trailer control GUI 820 shown in Figures 8a-8c provides a plan view of the vehicle 100 and trailer 200, but it is understood that other diagrams, such as perspective views, that allow the user to understand the longitudinal relationship between the vehicle 100 and trailer 200 are also possible. Advantageously, such images allow the user to better understand the relative positional relationship between the vehicle 100 and trailer 200 than images from a camera positioned behind the vehicle 100, such as a rearview camera.
[0069] The trailer control GUI 820 allows the user to input a desired position for the trailer 200. The trailer control GUI 820 may include at least one steering angle control 850 to allow the user to input an angle. The angle input indicates a request for the steering angle of the trailer 200 relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle 100; that is, the user indicates the requested steering angle of the trailer 200 relative to the vehicle 100. The steering angle may be the relative angle between the longitudinal axis 840 of the trailer and the longitudinal axis 830 of the vehicle. The steering angle control 850 allows the user to input an indication for the desired position of the trailer 200. In some embodiments, the steering angle control 850 corresponds to a visual representation of at least a portion of the trailer 200, which the user can operate or control on the display device 810 to provide the angle input.
[0070] In the embodiments shown in Figures 8a to 8c, the steering angle control 850 is shown as an integrally formed control or icon, and the user can select clockwise or counterclockwise rotation or relative angle of the trailer 200 relative to the vehicle 100 by user input corresponding to different parts of the steering angle control 850. For example, user input for the first part of the steering angle control 850 corresponds to clockwise or left rotation of the trailer 200, and user input for the second part of the steering angle control 850 corresponds to counterclockwise or right rotation of the trailer 200.
[0071] Figures 8a-8c show the trailer steering GUI 820, which includes a display of any objects detected in the environment of vehicle 100. Detected objects may be any objects or surface features that could restrict the movement of vehicle 100 and / or trailer 200. Objects may be detected using sensors associated with vehicle 100, such as the recognition system 450. For example, the location of object 860 may be determined by controller 300 based on point cloud data stored in memory accessible to the controller and its representation provided as part of the trailer steering GUI 820. The representation of object 860 allows the user to understand the possible trailer steering angles required, or where a requested trailer steering angle could cause trailer 200 to collide with object 860. If controller 300 determines that vehicle 100 is about to collide with object 860 in the environment surrounding vehicle 100, it can output a movement termination signal 426 to stop the movement of vehicle 100. The controller 300 is configured to use the vehicle 100's sensor system to determine that an object has been removed, and then output an activation signal 426 to move the vehicle back in the direction of travel.
[0072] Figure 9 shows the display device 910 of the user device 440, which displays the “mobile” trailer control GUI 920 in different states as shown in Figures 9a–9c. The GUI 920 can be used by the user on the device when the user is outside the vehicle 100, such as when the user is away from the vehicle 100 and observing the vehicle 100 and trailer 200. As shown in the figure, the display device 910 is generally oriented vertically, but it should be understood that this is merely an example. The trailer control GUI 920 is suitable for, for example, mobile phones and smartphones, but the GUI 920 can also be displayed on other devices such as tablet computers. The user device 440 receives instructions for visual representations provided as part of the GUI 920 from the controller 300 via a connection manager 430, etc., and operates to transmit user input instructions to the controller 300. Similar to Figure 8, the trailer control GUI 920 of the user device 440 includes visual representations of at least a portion of the trailer 200 and visual representations of at least a portion of the vehicle 100 in relation to each other. Therefore, the user can recognize the orientation of the longitudinal axis of vehicle 100, the orientation of the longitudinal axis of trailer 200, and their relative orientations.
[0073] The GUI920 allows the user to input the desired position of the trailer 200. The GUI920 in Figure 9 includes multiple steering angle controls 930, 940, in particular first control 930 and second control 940 for receiving user input corresponding to first and second rotation or steering directions of the trailer 200 relative to the vehicle 100, respectively. It is understood that the GUI820 in Figure 8 may also include multiple steering angle controls, and vice versa.
[0074] In Figure 9, the GUI 920, similar to Figure 8, includes a graphical representation of objects detected in the environment of the vehicle 100, in relation to the vehicle 100. The illustrated objects 970, 980 are surface features, such as changes in gradient, that may restrict the movement of the vehicle 100 and / or trailer 200. For example, at least one of the objects 970, 980 may be a slope or a surface protrusion. In some embodiments, the objects may represent types of surfaces that may affect the steering of the vehicle 100 and / or trailer 200.
[0075] The graphical user interface in Figures 8 and 9 may be configured to receive instructions for terrain selection input, which indicates the selection of a terrain profile corresponding to one of a plurality of terrain profiles stored in memory 320. Each terrain profile contains torque values applied to the wheels according to the respective terrain, such as paved roads, sandy areas, muddy roads, and rocky areas. Depending on the terrain selection, the controller 300 is configured to output a torque control signal to control the magnitude of the torque applied to the wheels in order to achieve the torque value corresponding to the selected terrain profile. The torque value may be suitable for towing the trailer 200 on the selected terrain. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the controller 300 is configured to receive instructions for speed request from the user interface, which defines the speed at which the vehicle 100 will travel. In some embodiments, the speed request may define a maximum speed for the vehicle 100, which limits the vehicle 100 to a preset maximum speed.
[0076] Block 720 includes receiving instructions for a desired position of the trailer 200. The instructions for a desired position may include angle data related to angle input in GUI 920, indicating a required steering angle of the trailer 200 relative to the longitudinal axis 830 of the vehicle 100.
[0077] As described above, GUI820 in Figure 8 and GUI920 in Figure 9 each include one or more steering angle controls 850, 930, and 940, respectively, which allow the angle of the trailer 200 relative to the vehicle 100 to be displayed or selected, for example, by repeated activation or pressing, input to a display device (e.g., the user's finger movements), or by the length or time of activation corresponding to an increase in the rotation angle of the trailer 200. Alternatively, the user may be able to drag the representation of the trailer 200 within GUI810, 920 to a desired position or angle, or otherwise manipulate it. Figure 8b shows GUI820 of Figure 8a with the trailer 200 rotating counterclockwise, i.e., facing to the right of the vehicle 100. GUI820 includes a display of the rotation position of the trailer 870 and provides the user with feedback on the requested steering angle of the trailer 870. In some embodiments, GUI820 may also include a display of the current position of the trailer 200, thereby allowing the user to recognize changes in the angle or position of the trailer corresponding to a requested steering angle. Figure 8b shows the required steering angle 880, which is the angle between the longitudinal axes 830 and 840 of the vehicle 100 and the trailer 200. The steering angle 880 may not be displayed in the GUI 820 itself, but is shown here for illustrative purposes. A similar representation is provided in the mobile trailer steering GUI 920 in Figure 9.
[0078] Therefore, in block 720, the user operates GUI 820, 920, i.e., using one or more inputs, to indicate a desired position for the trailer 200, such as a requested steering angle 880. User inputs are provided from the user device 440 to the steering target determination device 490, which is configured to determine the requested position of the trailer 200 in response to the user inputs, as described above.
[0079] Block 730 includes receiving a signal indicating the direction of movement of the vehicle 100. The signal may be received by the controller 300 after being transmitted from either a user interface such as the UI 410 or the interface of the user device 440, or after being transmitted from the vehicle operating controller 420 as described later.
[0080] Referring to Figure 9a, the GUI 920 includes one or more directional controls or icons 950, 960. In the illustrated embodiment, the GUI 920 includes first and second directional controls 950, 960 corresponding to the forward and reverse directions of the vehicle 100, respectively. One or more directional controls or icons 950, 960 allow the user to select the longitudinal direction of movement of the vehicle 100. For example, the user can choose to activate the reverse control 960 to reverse the vehicle 100 and trailer 200. Thus, as can be understood, the angle and direction of movement of the trailer 200 are required in blocks 720, 730 corresponding to the desired position of the trailer 200. Embodiments of the present invention are particularly useful when reversing the vehicle 100 and trailer 200 because, as will be described later, the user does not need to counter-steer the vehicle 100 to steer the trailer 200. Accordingly, signals indicating the direction of movement of the vehicle correspond to signals 435, 436 received wirelessly from a portable user device 440.
[0081] In some embodiments, data indicating one or both of an angular input (angular data) and data indicating a directional input (directional data or directional signal) are continuously received by the trailer steering controller 300 from the user device 440 and recognized as valid. That is, in some embodiments, in order to move the vehicle 100, user inputs at the user device 440 must be continuously received, and signals indicating these must be continuously provided to the trailer steering controller 300 so that the controller 300 can move the vehicle 100. Advantageously, continuous reception acts as a "dead man's handle," preventing unintended movement of the vehicle 100 or stopping movement, for example, when the user is distracted.
[0082] The GUI 820 displayed on the display device 810 in Figure 8 may include one or more directional controls or icons, although these are not specifically shown in Figure 8. When one or more directional controls are activated, the signals indicating the direction of movement may correspond to the signals 415 from the UI 410 provided to the controller 300.
[0083] The trailer steering controller 300 controls the vehicle's default or user-inputted speed, for example, 5 km / h. -1 or 10 km / h -1 Data such as speed data can be stored in memory 320. Alternatively, user input in GUI 820, 920 may indicate a desired travel speed. For example, the number of activations or the duration of activation of either the first direction control 950 or the second direction control 960 can indicate a desired travel speed of the vehicle 100.
[0084] When the longitudinal direction of movement of the vehicle 100 is selected by user input in GUI920 in Figure 9 or GUI820 in Figure 8, the controller 300 is configured to output an actuation control signal 426 to move the vehicle 100 longitudinally in the selected direction. The actuation control signal 426 is also called the longitudinal or second movement control signal 426 output from the trailer steering controller 300 to the vehicle actuation controller 420. The second movement control signal 426 may be a torque request signal that applies torque to or increases torque on one or more wheels of the vehicle 100 to move the vehicle 100 in the requested direction.
[0085] If the display device 810 is located inside the vehicle 100, it is likely that the user will manually control the longitudinal movement of the vehicle 100. Therefore, in block 730, the signal 425 (direction signal) indicating the direction of movement of the vehicle 100 may be a manual actuation signal 425 indicating the direction in which the user is manually moving the vehicle 100. That is, the manual actuation signal 425 indicates the direction in which the user is moving the vehicle 100 and may be provided from the vehicle actuation controller 420 to the controller 300. The user can use the controls inside the vehicle (e.g., activating a touch-sensitive button or moving a control (e.g., a gear selector)) to select a desired direction of movement of the vehicle 100 (e.g., reverse) and then apply a throttle input, for example, by pressing the accelerator pedal. The manual actuation signal 425 provided to the controller 300 indicates the movement of the vehicle 100 under the user's control.
[0086] When a user operates the GUI 820 on the display device 810 inside the vehicle 100, it is expected that the user will manually control the longitudinal movement of the vehicle 100, for example by selecting reverse and applying throttle input with the accelerator pedal. However, when the user is using the GUI 920 shown in Figure 9 while outside the vehicle, the longitudinal movement of the vehicle 100 will be controlled by activating either the first direction control 950 or the second direction control 960.
[0087] Referring to Figure 9b, the GUI 920 of the user device 440 is configured to receive user input indicating terrain selection, i.e., user input indicating one of several different terrain types in which the vehicle 100 and trailer 200 are currently located. The user can make input such as selecting a terrain selection icon, and accordingly, the user device 440 is configured to display a terrain menu or window 985 of the GUI 920 in which terrain can be selected. Alternatively, the terrain menu or window 985 depends on whether the vehicle 100 has detected a change in terrain, for example, whether excessive wheel slip has been detected. The terrain menu 985 consists of several graphical controls 986, 987 (two are shown in Figure 9b, but it should be understood that this is illustrative), each corresponding to a different terrain profile. For example, the first control 986 is associated with a mountainous or hilly terrain profile, and the second control 987 is associated with a light off-road or grassy terrain profile, but it should be understood that other terrain controls and corresponding profiles are also possible. The terrain controls 986 and 987 each correspond to one or more vehicle configuration profiles related to the powertrain, brakes, etc. Data indicating the selection of either graphical control 986 or 987 is transmitted wirelessly from the user device 440 to the trailer steering controller 300. Each terrain profile corresponds to one of several terrain profiles stored in the vehicle's associated memory. Each terrain profile may include corresponding torque values applied to the drive wheels of each terrain, such as minimum or maximum torque values and torque curves applied through the drive wheels. Therefore, the trailer steering controller 300 is configured to output torque change control signals to change the magnitude of the torque applied to the drive wheels of the vehicle 100 in order to achieve the torque values corresponding to the selected terrain profile.
[0088] Block 740 includes determining whether a desired or requested position of the trailer 200 has been achieved. In particular, in some embodiments, block 740 includes determining whether a requested steering angle of the trailer 200 has been achieved. If not, the method proceeds to block 750 via path 741. If the requested position of the trailer has been achieved, the method proceeds to block 790 via path 745 and terminates. Block 740 may include determining whether an received signal indicating the direction of movement of the vehicle 100 corresponds to the reverse direction of the vehicle. Thus, if the vehicle 100 is requested to reverse and has not yet reached the steering angle, it may reach block 750.
[0089] In block 750, a first motion control signal 426 is output to control the movement of one or more wheels of the vehicle so that the trailer 200 moves toward a requested steering angle as the vehicle 100 moves in the direction of motion. The first motion control signal 426 corresponds to a steering actuation signal 426 configured to control the movement of one or more steering wheels of the vehicle 100. The steering actuation signal 426 is provided from the controller 300 to the vehicle actuation controller 420. The steering actuation signal 426 may be generated by a counter-steering module 460. The counter-steering module 460 can receive instructions for a requested steering angle of the trailer 200 from the steering target determination unit 490. Furthermore, the counter-steering module 460 can receive instructions for the current angle of the trailer 420 from the trailer position determination unit 480 and calculate the difference between them. In this way, the counter-steering module 460 can determine the remaining turning angle of the trailer 200. The counter-steering module 460 is configured to control one or more steering wheels of the vehicle 100 when the vehicle is reversing, so as the vehicle 100 is reversing, the trailer 200 moves toward the requested steering angle. The counter-steering module 460 is configured to output a steering actuation signal 426 to control the movement of one or more steering wheels of the vehicle 100, so that they move in the opposite direction to the steering angle. That is, if the steering angle is to the right of the vehicle, one or more steering wheels of the vehicle move toward the left of the vehicle. Similarly, if the steering angle is to the left of the vehicle 100, one or more steering wheels of the vehicle move toward the right of the vehicle 100. In other words, the steering actuation control signal 426 rotates the vehicle 100 in the opposite direction to the steering angle. In the plan view, if the steering angle corresponds to a clockwise rotation of the trailer 200, the counter-steering module 460 controls the steering actuation signal 426 to rotate the vehicle 100 counterclockwise, and vice versa.As those skilled in the art will understand, such counter-steering of the vehicle's steering wheels is not intuitive, and the counter-steering module 460 operates to assist the user, particularly when reversing the vehicle 100. As the vehicle 100 reverses and the steering wheels are counter-steered, the trailer 200 rotates toward the steering angle in accordance with the longitudinal movement of the vehicle 100.
[0090] In block 760, it is determined whether one or more predetermined conditions are met. If they are not met, the method returns to block 740 via path 765. In some embodiments, one or more conditions include a change in the direction of movement of the vehicle 100. A change in direction of movement can be determined in accordance with a direction signal 425 indicating the direction of movement of the vehicle 100. When steering the trailer 200 after reversing a certain distance, it may be necessary to perform a "corrective shuffle" to change the position of the trailer 200 by moving the vehicle 100 forward before reversing further with appropriate counter-steering.
[0091] In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, the controller 300 is configured to determine whether a manual actuation signal 425 has been received indicating a manual control input in the vehicle 100 corresponding to the vehicle 100 moving forward. The manual actuation signal 425 may be received by the controller 300 from the vehicle actuation controller 420. If a manual actuation signal 425 indicating forward movement is received, the method moves to block 770 via path 761. Otherwise, the method 700 returns to block 740 via 765. For example, the manual actuation signal 425 is generated in response to a user in the vehicle 100 selecting forward or drive and applying input to the accelerator of the vehicle 100 to move it forward. In block 770, the controller 300 is configured to output a longitudinal or second movement control signal 426 to stop the application of reverse torque. That is, the controller 300 is configured to send a signal to the vehicle actuation controller 420 requesting that the vehicle 100 stop moving backward because the vehicle 100 is being manually controlled to move forward. Thus, the vehicle 100 can move forward manually under the control of the driver. While the vehicle 100 is moving forward, the GUI 820 can continue to display representations of the vehicle 100 and trailer 200 in relation to the display of any object 860 in the environment of the vehicle 100.
[0092] As shown in Figure 8c, when the vehicle 100 is being controlled manually, the controller 300 can be configured to display a restart control 890 on the GUI 820. The restart control 890 is a control, such as an icon 890, displayed on the display 810, which the user selects and sends restart data to cause the controller 300 to restart the vehicle 100 in reverse, positioning the trailer 200 at the desired position previously specified by the user. The restart control 890 may be activated after the user has re-selected the reverse mode of the vehicle 100, such as by selecting reverse using the gear or reverse control. When the restart control 890 is activated, the controller 300 is configured to resume control of one or more of the steering wheels of the vehicle 100 to position the trailer 200 as described above.
[0093] Referring again to block 760, in the embodiment of Figure 9, a user input corresponding to activating either the first or second directional controls 950, 960 in order to move the vehicle 100 forward for corrective shuffling may be received by the user device 440. Signals 436, 435 indicating a user input to select the forward directional control 950 are transmitted from the user device 440 to the controller 300, and in block 770, the controller 300 is configured to output a longitudinal or second movement control signal 426 for applying forward torque to one or more wheels of the vehicle 100 so that the vehicle 100 moves forward.
[0094] As shown in Figure 9c, when the vehicle 100 and / or trailer 200 approaches an object in the environment (such as object 980), the controller 300 is configured to output a signal 426 to stop the vehicle 100. The signal 426 is provided to the vehicle actuation controller 420, which applies brake torque to one or more wheels of the vehicle 100. Furthermore, the controller 300 is configured to display a graphical display 990 on the GUI 920 on the user device 440, corresponding to a warning about the possibility of collision with object 980. As shown in Figure 9c, the graphical display is an exclamation mark, but it can be seen that other forms of graphical displays can also be used. After the vehicle 100 has been stopped by the controller 300, the user can move the vehicle 100 in the opposite direction to the object 980, for example, in reverse, by activating a second direction control 960, for example. When the second direction control or reverse direction control 960 is activated and the corresponding signals 436, 435 are transmitted from the user device 440 to the controller 300, the controller 300 is configured to resume the reverse and counter-steering of the vehicle 100 to orient the trailer 200 to the desired position.
[0095] In block 780, it is determined whether the restart control 890 or the reverse control 960 is active. If it is active, the method proceeds to 785 to restart. Otherwise, the method proceeds to 786 to terminate.
[0096] Referring to Figure 10, a trailer collision warning screen 1010 of GUI 820, 920, which may be displayed on either the UI 410 in the vehicle 100 or the user device 440, is shown. The trailer collision warning screen 1010 is configured to be displayed when the trailer 200 is likely to collide with or come into contact with the vehicle 100. The trailer position estimation device 480 is configured to determine the position when the current position of the trailer 200 is at an angle to the vehicle 100 and there is a possibility of contact between the two. The position can be determined using stored trailer data related to one or more dimensions of the trailer 200, for example. When the user requests a large angle of the trailer 200 relative to the vehicle 100 via GUI 820 or 920, the vehicle 100 reverses, and the trailer 200 is at an angle where the vehicle 100 is likely to come into contact with the trailer 200. In this case, the trailer collision warning screen 1010 is configured to notify the user of the potential collision, for example by a graphic display 1020. If the user does not intervene to stop the vehicle 100 from reversing, the trailer steering controller 300 is configured to output a second control signal 426 to stop the vehicle 100 from reversing. The user can then resume the reverse operation as described above, or manually control the vehicle 100 to move forward, i.e., away from the trailer 200, before indicating that the operation is complete.
[0097] It goes without saying that the present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from its scope.
Claims
1. A control system for a vehicle trailer steering system, comprising one or more processors configured to collectively perform the following: Receiving angle data from a display device that displays a graphical user interface, indicating an angle input in the graphical user interface that indicates a request for the steering angle of the trailer relative to the axle of the vehicle; Receiving a direction signal indicating the direction of movement of the vehicle; Outputting a first movement control signal to control the movement of one or more wheels of the vehicle in order to move the trailer toward the steering angle when the vehicle moves in the direction of movement.
2. The aforementioned graphical user interface is Displaying at least a portion of the visual representation of the aforementioned trailer, The request for the steering angle of the trailer for at least a portion of the visual representation of the trailer is received. The control system according to claim 1, configured as described above.
3. The control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, when the steering direction is the reverse direction of the vehicle, the first movement control signal is configured to control the movement of one or more steering wheels of the vehicle to move in the opposite direction to the steering angle.
4. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the display device is a portable user device.
5. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the direction signal indicating the direction of movement of the vehicle is received by the graphical user interface, and the control system is configured to output a second movement control signal to cause longitudinal movement of the vehicle in the direction of movement.
6. The aforementioned one or more processors further, The system receives manual control data indicating a manual control input to the vehicle, and accordingly stops the output of the second movement control signal; The display device receives restart data indicating a restart input in the graphical user interface, and the output of the second movement control signal is restarted accordingly. The control system according to claim 5, configured as described above.
7. The aforementioned one or more processors further, Using the sensor system associated with the vehicle, objects in the vehicle's environment are detected; Display the detected object on the graphical user interface in relation to the vehicle. A control system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, configured as described above.
8. The aforementioned one or more processors further, Using the sensor system associated with the vehicle, if the vehicle continues to move in its current direction, it will be detected that the vehicle will collide with an object in the environment surrounding the vehicle; Depending on the detected object, a second movement termination signal is output to stop the movement of the vehicle. A control system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, configured as described above.
9. The aforementioned one or more processors further, The display device is configured to receive trailer data indicating a trailer connected to the vehicle, which represents a trailer selection input in the graphical user interface; The trailer data stored in the vehicle's memory in relation to the selected trailer indicates the dimensions of one or more of the selected trailers. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 8.
10. The aforementioned one or more processors further, The display device receives speed data indicating a speed request input in the graphical user interface that indicates the speed at which the vehicle should move. A control system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, configured as described above.
11. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the angle data and the direction data are received in succession.
12. A control system according to any one of claims 1 to 11 for a trailer steering system of a vehicle connected to a trailer; and display device A system that includes this.
13. A vehicle comprising the system described in claim 12 or the control system described in any one of claims 1 to 11.
14. A computer-implemented method for controlling a vehicle's trailer steering system, Receiving angle data from a display device that displays a graphical user interface, indicating an angle input in the graphical user interface that indicates a request for the steering angle of the trailer relative to the axle of the vehicle; Receiving a direction signal indicating the direction of movement of the vehicle; To move the trailer toward the steering angle when the vehicle moves in the direction of movement, a motion control signal is output to control the movement of one or more wheels of the vehicle. A method that includes this.
15. A computer-readable instruction configured to perform the method described in claim 14 when executed by a computer.