Trailer Camera Calibration for Collision Angle Warning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle vision systems struggle to accurately determine the trailer collision angle, especially in scenarios with non-symmetrical vehicle and trailer bodies, obstacles, and shadows, which can lead to potential collisions during vehicle and trailer maneuvers.

Innovation Solution

A trailer assist system utilizing a CMOS camera to capture image data, processing it with an image processor to determine a trailer template and collision angle during a calibration maneuver, and continuously monitoring the current trailer angle relative to the vehicle's longitudinal axis to alert the driver of potential collisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If image processing is performed to determine trailer collision angle in complex environments with non-symmetrical bodies, obstacles, and shadows, then measurement precision deteriorates, but the system needs to maintain high accuracy for collision prevention

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetrailer collision angle determination accuracyVSAvoiddifficulty of determining collision angle in complex environments

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs a calibration maneuver before normal operation to pre-determine the trailer collision angle. During this calibration phase, the vehicle executes specific movements (forward drive, reverse, turn) to capture image data that establishes the geometric relationship between vehicle and trailer. This preliminary action creates a reference template that simplifies subsequent angle determination during actual driving, avoiding the need to process complex environmental factors in real-time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The determination process is divided into two distinct phases: calibration phase and operational phase. During calibration, the system captures comprehensive image data to establish the collision angle template. During operational phase, it only needs to compare current trailer angle against the pre-established template, significantly reducing processing complexity while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If a calibration maneuver is performed to determine trailer template and collision angle, then measurement precision improves, but loss of time increases due to the additional calibration step

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetrailer collision angle accuracyVSAvoidtime required for calibration maneuver

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The calibration maneuver is performed as a preliminary setup step before normal trailering operations begin. Although it requires additional time initially, it establishes accurate geometric parameters that enable precise real-time angle monitoring during subsequent driving without requiring repeated calibration, thus amortizing the time investment over extended operational periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors the current trailer angle during driving and compares it against the collision angle threshold established during calibration. When the current angle approaches the collision threshold, the system provides feedback to the driver through alerts or warnings, enabling proactive collision prevention without requiring continuous complex image processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If continuous monitoring of trailer angle is performed during driving, then reliability of collision prevention improves, but use of energy increases due to continuous image processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollision prevention reliabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption during continuous monitoring

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary calibration to establish the collision angle template before continuous monitoring begins. During operational phase, it only needs to extract trailer angle information and compare against the pre-stored template, which requires significantly less energy than performing full image processing and collision angle calculation continuously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of performing complete image processing and collision angle determination continuously, the system performs partial processing by only extracting necessary angle parameters and comparing them against pre-established thresholds. This selective monitoring approach maintains collision prevention reliability while substantially reducing energy consumption compared to full continuous analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS20250118087A1Vehicular trailering assist system

Publication Date: 2025.04.10 MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC

AI summary

A vehicular trailering assist system includes a forward-viewing camera disposed at a vehicle and viewing at least forward of the vehicle and a rear backup camera disposed at the vehicle and viewing at least a portion of a trailer hitched to the vehicle. With the vehicle operating in a calibration state, the vehicular trailering assist system, via processing of image data captured by the rear backup camera, determines a portion of the trailer hitched to the vehicle and determines a trailer collision angle. With the trailer hitched to the vehicle and with the vehicle not operating in the calibration state, the vehicular trailering assist system, via processing of image data captured by the rear backup camera, determines a current angle of the trailer relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and determines whether the determined current trailer angle is within a threshold amount of the determined trailer collision angle.