Trailer Coupling Camera Guidance With 3D Beam Corridors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Coupling a trailer to a towing vehicle is challenging due to the difficulty in assessing the spatial relative position of the coupling and drawbar eye, especially in truck and trailer assemblies with central axle trailers, as existing driver assistance systems provide only a two-dimensional representation without depth estimation.
Innovation Solution
A driver assistance system featuring a video camera positioned vertically above the coupling on the towing vehicle, displaying static beam corridors that provide a three-dimensional representation of the drawbar eye's position, allowing the driver to estimate both lateral and height positions, and optionally influencing engine, transmission, brake, or air suspension controls for autonomous coupling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a video camera is positioned close to the coupling to provide a clear view, then the coupling components become visible in the video image, but the camera is exposed to increased risk of damage from the coupling mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The video image is segmented into multiple regions including a first region for the coupling, a second region for the drawbar eye, and a third region for beam corridors. This segmentation allows the system to focus on critical areas while maintaining camera safety at a distance.
Solution Approach 2:
Beam corridors are introduced as an intermediary visual element that indirectly indicates the position and alignment of the drawbar eye relative to the coupling. Instead of directly showing the coupling components up close, the beam corridors serve as a safe intermediary representation that provides alignment guidance without requiring the camera to be in a dangerous position.
2Device complexity
If a two-dimensional guide marking is displayed to show coupling position, then the system is simple to implement, but the driver cannot estimate the spatial depth and three-dimensional position of the drawbar eye
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a traditional two-dimensional guide marking to a three-dimensional spatial representation using beam corridors that converge towards a vanishing point. This dimensional enhancement provides depth perception and allows the driver to estimate the spatial position of the drawbar eye in three dimensions while maintaining system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The beam corridors change their visual parameters (width, convergence angle, position) based on the detected position of the drawbar eye. As the drawbar eye moves closer to or farther from the coupling, the beam corridors dynamically adjust their appearance to accurately represent the changing spatial relationships, providing continuous depth information.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the coupling is positioned far inwards towards the rear axle for central axle trailers, then the trailer coupling is achieved, but the spatial relative position assessment between coupling and drawbar eye becomes particularly difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously provides visual feedback through beam corridors that indicate the relative position of the drawbar eye to the coupling. The beam corridors dynamically adjust based on the detected positions of both the coupling and drawbar eye, giving the driver real-time feedback on alignment and distance, which is especially valuable when the coupling is positioned far inwards making visual assessment difficult.
Data Source
AI summary
A driver assistance system for coupling a trailer to a towing vehicle is described, including a video camera attached to the towing vehicle and an associated display device in the driver's field of vision, in whose video image a static guide marking is displayed along which a coupling mouth arranged on the towing vehicle can be contacted with a drawbar eye held on the trailer by a drawbar. Providing a driver assistance system which helps the driver estimating the three-dimensional position of the drawbar eye in relation to the towing vehicle while rearwards approaching a trailer. The video camera is arranged at a vertical distance from the coupling and the guide marking is formed by two beam corridors arranged on both sides of the vehicle's longitudinal axis converging towards one another in the rearward direction of the towing vehicle.