Trailer Maneuver Assist With Touch-Selected Reverse Path Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle systems lack an efficient method to automatically maneuver trailers to a desired location without manual steering, acceleration, or braking input from the driver, especially in complex environments with obstacles.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle vision system utilizing one or more CMOS cameras to capture image data and control the vehicle and trailer to reverse along a determined path, displaying bird's-eye or surround views to select a target location, and using control algorithms to navigate the trailer autonomously or semi-autonomously, avoiding obstacles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If manual steering, acceleration, or braking input is required from the driver to maneuver the trailer, then the driver maintains direct control over the vehicle, but the complexity and time required for maneuvering increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables the vehicle-trailer combination to maneuver itself automatically to the target location without requiring continuous manual input from the driver. The control system autonomously processes sensor data, plans paths, and executes steering and acceleration commands, allowing the system to serve itself in the maneuvering task.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical manual control system with an automated electronic control system that uses sensors, processors, and actuators. Instead of direct mechanical steering and acceleration input from the driver, the system uses electronic signals to control the vehicle's movement based on computer-vision-based environmental understanding and automated path planning.
2Productivity
If the driver manually maneuvers the trailer without automated assistance, then the system remains simple, but the time required to complete maneuvering tasks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-planning the maneuvering path to the target location before execution. The control system processes sensor data to understand the environment, calculates an optimal path avoiding obstacles, and prepares the maneuver sequence in advance, enabling faster and more efficient execution compared to reactive manual control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the vehicle's position, the trailer's position, and environmental obstacles using sensors and cameras. This real-time feedback allows the control system to adjust the maneuvering path and control commands dynamically, ensuring accurate and efficient arrival at the target location while maintaining safety.
3Ease of operation
If the system provides detailed real-time control options to the driver, then the driver has maximum control, but the ease of operation decreases due to information overload
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and separates the complex control computations from the user interface. The control system autonomously handles path planning, obstacle avoidance, and vehicle control computations, presenting only simplified interaction options to the driver through the display device. This extraction allows complex maneuvers to be executed automatically while keeping the interface simple and intuitive.
Solution Approach 2:
The display device serves as an intermediary between the complex control system and the driver. It visualizes the computed maneuver path, target location, and environmental context in an intuitive manner, allowing the driver to understand and supervise the automated maneuver without being overwhelmed by raw sensor data or control parameters.
4Measurement precision
If the system uses multiple cameras and sensors to detect obstacles and environment, then the measurement precision increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple sensor inputs (cameras, ultrasonic sensors, other sensors) into a unified environmental model. The control system integrates data from these diverse sensors to create a comprehensive understanding of the environment, target location, and obstacles, achieving high measurement precision while managing complexity through unified processing and coordination of the sensor network.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular trailer assist system includes a plurality of vehicle cameras disposed at a vehicle, a trailer camera disposed at a rear portion of a trailer and viewing at least rearward of the trailer, and an electronic control unit (ECU) having a processor operable to process image data captured by the cameras. A display screen displays images of a region rearward of the trailer and includes a touch screen. Responsive to a touch input that is representative of a target location, the ECU, via processing of image data captured by the cameras, determines a path of travel for the vehicle and trailer to follow to maneuver the vehicle and trailer toward the target location. The ECU, responsive to an input indicative of an updated target location, updates the path of travel for the vehicle and trailer to follow to maneuver the vehicle and trailer toward the updated target location.