Trailer Hitch Angle Target Plausibility Validation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Trailer backup assist systems using image-based target detection often mistakenly identify unreliable or false targets, leading to erroneous hitch angle calculations.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that determines target plausibility by using an imaging device to generate image data, sensors for hitch angle, steering angle, and vehicle speed measurements, and a controller to calculate the hitch angle and select a plausible target based on these measurements when specific driving conditions are met.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If image-based target detection is used to determine hitch angle, then the system can automatically detect target position, but it may mistakenly identify unreliable or false targets leading to erroneous calculations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic target detectionVSAvoidtarget identification accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback by comparing the detected target position with the calculated hitch angle from sensor measurements. When the image-based target position and sensor-based calculated position disagree beyond a threshold, the system identifies the image target as unreliable and uses only the sensor data, thereby resolving the contradiction between automation and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The hitch angle calculation serves as an intermediary validation mechanism. Instead of directly trusting the image-based target detection, the system introduces an intermediate check using sensor measurements (steering angle, wheelbase, trailer length) to verify whether the detected target is plausible, thus improving reliability while maintaining automation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If multiple sensors are used to measure hitch angle, steering angle, and vehicle speed, then measurement accuracy improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehitch angle measurement accuracyVSAvoidsensor system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The controller performs multiple functions using the sensor data: it calculates hitch angle, validates image targets, and provides backup assist control. By making the sensor system multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for additional dedicated sensors, thereby maintaining measurement precision while limiting the increase in system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines image-based detection with sensor-based measurement in a unified target validation system. Rather than treating them as separate systems, it merges their functions where the sensor data validates and corrects the image data, reducing overall system complexity while improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9296422B2Trailer angle detection target plausibility

Publication Date: 2016.03.29 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC

AI summary

According to one aspect of the present invention, a system for determining target plausibility is comprised of an imaging device for imaging a scene and generating image data, sensors for generating hitch angle measurements, steering angle measurements, and vehicle speed measurements. A controller in communication with the imaging device and the sensors, wherein when a driving condition is satisfied, the controller calculates a hitch angle and selects a plausible target from the imaged scene based on the image data and the calculated hitch angle.