Trailer Hitch Position Detection With Manual Fallback Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle hitching assist systems face challenges in accurately detecting the position of the hitch portion on a trailer, leading to potential failures in hitching assistance due to errors in position detection.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle hitching assist system that uses an external world perception sensor to compare image patterns and output steering instructions for accurate hitching, with a secondary mode to prompt the driver for manual hitching when image patterns are not acquired, enabling precise detection and improved hitching accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If image pattern detection is used to detect the position of the hitch portion, then automation level is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to possible detection errors or failures
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by first attempting automatic detection using image pattern recognition. Only when this preliminary automatic detection fails does the system proceed to the backup manual detection mode, ensuring that automation is utilized whenever possible while maintaining reliability through a fallback mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides beforehand cushioning by preparing a manual detection mode as a backup before automatic detection fails. This prior cushioning ensures that if the automatic image pattern detection encounters errors or failures, the system can seamlessly transition to manual detection, preventing complete system failure and maintaining operational reliability.
2Productivity
If automatic detection mode is used, then productivity is improved, but reliability worsens due to detection errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary automatic detection to maximize productivity, but only proceeds to manual detection as a backup when the preliminary automatic detection fails. This ensures that the system maintains high productivity through automation while having a reliable fallback to prevent failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides beforehand cushioning by preparing a manual detection mode as a backup before automatic detection fails. This prior cushioning ensures that if the automatic image pattern detection encounters errors, the system can seamlessly transition to manual detection, preventing complete system failure and maintaining operational reliability.
3Ease of operation
If only automatic detection is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to lack of manual intervention capability
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts its operation mode based on detection success. It operates in automatic mode for ease of operation when detection is successful, but can dynamically switch to manual mode when detection fails, thereby maintaining both ease of operation and reliability through flexible adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the automatic detection process to determine whether to continue with automatic mode or switch to manual mode. When image pattern detection succeeds, the system receives positive feedback and maintains automatic operation. When detection fails, the feedback triggers a switch to manual detection, ensuring reliability while maintaining ease of operation through intelligent mode switching.
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle hitching assist apparatus according to the present invention includes a first mode configured to, when an image pattern of a second hitch portion provided on a trailer is acquired, detect a position of the second hitch portion based on a comparison between the image pattern and an image acquired by an external world perception sensor mounted on a rear portion of a vehicle and output a steering instruction for assisting in hitching between the trailer and the vehicle based on the detected position of the second hitch portion to a steering controller of the vehicle, and a second mode configured to, when the image pattern is not acquired, issue a notification for prompting a driver of the vehicle to manually hitch the trailer and the vehicle