Trailer Length Estimation Using Vehicle Radar and Hitch Geometry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle radar systems fail to accurately determine the length of a trailer attached to a vehicle, which is crucial for safe lane changing and collision avoidance, as they do not account for the trailer's presence and length.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a processor and sensors mounted on the vehicle that estimate the trailer's length using wheel angle, hitch point, hitch angle, wheel base, distance between the hitch point and front axle, and lane radius, with a correction factor applied to the wheel-based length to calculate the trailer's overall length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a trailer is connected to the vehicle, then the area needed for safe lane changing increases, but the existing radar systems cannot accurately determine the trailer length to provide appropriate safety information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the vehicle's existing radar system as an intermediary to detect targets on the trailer. By processing radar data along with vehicle state information (wheel angle, hitch point, lane radius), the system indirectly measures trailer length without adding dedicated measurement hardware, thus avoiding increased device complexity while achieving precise measurement
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces potential mechanical measurement systems with an information-processing approach. Instead of using physical sensors or mechanical devices to measure trailer length directly, the system uses radar data and vehicle state parameters, processed through geometric relationships, to calculate trailer length. This substitution maintains measurement precision while minimizing added complexity
2Reliability
If the radar system is modified to consider trailer presence, then the safety information accuracy improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing radar system multi-functional by enabling it to serve both its original collision avoidance function and the new trailer length measurement function. The same radar hardware and processing infrastructure are used for both purposes, eliminating the need for separate systems and thereby improving reliability without proportionally increasing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the vehicle's own existing sensors and data (radar targets, wheel angle, hitch point, lane radius) to determine trailer length. By leveraging already-available vehicle systems and data, the patent avoids adding complex external measurement devices, achieving improved safety information accuracy through intelligent processing of existing resources
3Measurement precision
If multiple parameters are used to estimate trailer length, then the measurement precision improves, but the calculation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the trailer length measurement problem into a parameter estimation problem using available vehicle state parameters (wheel angle, hitch point, lane radius, target location). By changing the approach from direct physical measurement to geometric parameter calculation, the system achieves high measurement precision using standard vehicle sensor data, avoiding the need for complex dedicated measurement equipment
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for estimating the length of a trailer attached to a vehicle includes a processor and a sensor mounted to the vehicle and in communication with the processor. The sensor is configured to sense at least one target on the trailer and provide information to the processor regarding the location of the at least one target. The processor is configured to determine an estimate of the wheel based length (laa1) of the trailer by utilizing a wheel angle (α) of the vehicle, a hitch point (zk) of the vehicle, the first hitch angle (γ1), a wheel base (lza) of the vehicle, a distance (lzk) between the hitch point (zk) and a front axle of vehicle, and a lane radius (rza). The processor is configured to determine the length of a trailer attached to the vehicle by utilizing the wheel based length (laa1) of the trailer.