Remote Automated Vehicle Hitch Alignment System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hitching a trailer to a vehicle is a difficult and time-consuming process due to the lack of sight lines, requiring repeated maneuvers and inference for alignment, and can result in contact between the vehicle and trailer.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle hitch assistance system that includes a steering system, wireless communication module, and detection system, allowing for remote operation using an external device to align the hitch ball with the trailer coupler by deriving a backing path and controlling the vehicle's steering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the driver manually aligns the hitch ball with the trailer coupler through repeated forward and reverse driving, then the alignment can be achieved, but the process becomes time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating the optimal backing path using detected positions of the vehicle and trailer, and pre-positioning guidance markers before the actual hitching maneuver. This allows the driver to follow a predetermined accurate path rather than making repeated trial-and-error adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical trial-and-error alignment process with an automated optical and computational system. Cameras detect positions, a controller calculates the optimal path, and visual markers guide the driver, substituting manual inference and repeated maneuvers with automated visual guidance.
2Manufacturing precision
If the driver repeatedly maneuvers the vehicle forward and reverse to align the hitch ball, then alignment can be achieved, but the operation becomes difficult and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces visual markers as intermediaries between the driver and the alignment task. These markers provide intuitive visual cues that simplify the driver's operation, transforming a complex spatial inference task into a simple follow-the-markers operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex manual maneuvering and spatial inference process is replaced with an automated system using cameras, controllers, and visual markers, making the operation easier while maintaining high alignment precision.
3Productivity
If the driver infers the positioning of the hitch ball without direct visibility, then the hitching process can continue, but the reliability of alignment decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by using cameras to detect the actual positions of the vehicle and trailer, comparing them with the desired alignment, and providing real-time visual guidance through markers. This closed-loop feedback ensures high reliability while maintaining process continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The unreliable human inference process is replaced with an automated detection and guidance system that provides reliable, real-time alignment information through visual markers, maintaining both continuity and accuracy.
4Manufacturing precision
If the driver stops and steps out of the vehicle to confirm alignment, then accuracy can be verified, but the process becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-verification by using cameras and controllers to automatically detect positions and calculate alignment status. The visual markers provide continuous feedback, eliminating the need for the driver to exit the vehicle for verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual verification process requiring driver intervention is replaced with an automated detection and visual feedback system that continuously monitors and confirms alignment status without interrupting the process.
5Manufacturing precision
If the vehicle reverses along a calculated backing path, then precise alignment can be achieved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the alignment task into distinct functional modules: camera detection subsystem, controller calculation subsystem, and visual marker guidance subsystem. This modular segmentation manages complexity by dividing the overall system into independent, manageable components.
6Ease of operation
If the driver uses experience and inference for alignment, then the process can be simplified, but the measurement precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Visual markers serve as intermediaries that translate complex spatial relationships into simple, intuitive visual cues. This maintains ease of operation by providing clear guidance while the underlying detection and calculation systems ensure high measurement precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer includes a vehicle steering system, a wireless communication module, a detection system outputting a signal including scene data of an area to a rear of the vehicle, and a controller. The controller receives, via the wireless communication module, an automated hitching initiation command from an external wireless device, receives the scene data and identifying the trailer within the area to the rear of the vehicle, derives a backing path to align a hitch ball mounted on the vehicle to a coupler of the trailer, and controls the vehicle steering system to maneuver the vehicle including reversing along the backing path.