Mobile Trailer Control Using Tilt and Heading Input
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Solution Overview
Problem
Operating a vehicle with a trailer in tow can be challenging, especially for unskilled drivers, as the direction of the steering wheel input may be counterintuitive to the resulting trailer direction, making reversing with a trailer difficult.
Innovation Solution
A mobile device with a user interface and control input mechanism that utilizes tilt and heading to provide propulsion and steering control signals for the vehicle and trailer, allowing for intuitive control by defining propulsion and steering control input sectors based on the device's tilt and heading angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional manual steering control is used for reversing a trailer, then the driver has direct control over the vehicle, but the steering input direction becomes counterintuitive to the resulting trailer direction, making operation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical steering wheel and manual control system with an automated mobile device-based control system. The mobile device uses sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer) to detect device orientation and automatically generates steering commands, eliminating the need for the driver to manually interpret counterintuitive steering inputs while maintaining control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device acts as an intermediary between the driver's intuitive device orientation input and the vehicle's steering system. Instead of directly connecting steering wheel input to vehicle movement, the system uses the mobile device's sensors and processing capabilities to translate simple device tilting into appropriate steering commands that account for trailer dynamics.
2Ease of operation
If a mobile device with tilt and heading control is used, then intuitive control is achieved, but the device complexity increases due to multiple sensors and processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device performs multiple functions using a single integrated system: it detects device orientation through accelerometer and gyroscope sensors, determines heading through magnetometer sensors, processes this information to calculate steering angles, and transmits control commands to the vehicle. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each control function.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device uses its own built-in sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer) to determine its orientation and heading without requiring external sensing equipment. The device self-calibrates and self-determines its spatial position, eliminating the need for additional external sensors or complex installation infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure describes systems and methods including a mobile device for remotely controlling the movement of a vehicle and trailer. The mobile device provides an intuitive user interface and control input mechanism for controlling the movement of the vehicle and trailer. The control input mechanism uses the tilt and heading of the mobile device to provide a propulsion command and a steering curvature command.