Trailer Anti-Sway Control Using Multi-Sensor Hinge Angle Prediction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sway phenomena during towing operations pose significant safety risks due to alignment failures and dynamic air flow changes, leading to potential accidents.
Innovation Solution
A trailer anti-sway system utilizing sensors and IMUs to predict sway occurrences, warn drivers, and perform stability control through deceleration, steering, and partial braking to stabilize the tow truck and trailer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple sensors and IMUs are installed to detect sway conditions, then the prediction accuracy of sway occurrence is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the detection function into multiple independent sensors positioned at different locations (front sensor, rear sensor, tow truck IMU, trailer IMU, hinge angle sensor). Each sensor independently monitors specific parameters, and the controller integrates these segmented detection results to achieve comprehensive sway prediction with high accuracy while maintaining modular system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller serves multiple functions: it receives signals from all sensors, predicts sway occurrence, warns the driver, and performs stability control. This multi-functional design consolidates what could be separate systems into a single control unit, improving measurement precision through integrated data processing while avoiding the complexity of multiple independent control systems.
2Reliability
If stability control is performed by stages according to reference conditions, then the suppression effectiveness of sway is improved, but the control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adjusts its response based on real-time sensor data and predetermined reference conditions. The controller evaluates current sway conditions against multiple reference thresholds and automatically selects the appropriate control stage (warning, first-stage stability control, or second-stage stability control). This dynamic, condition-based approach maximizes suppression effectiveness while maintaining operational simplicity through automated decision-making.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes multiple reference conditions and corresponding control stages before operation. When sway conditions approach threshold values, the system proactively issues warnings and implements preventive stability control measures before severe sway occurs. This preliminary action approach improves reliability by preventing problems before they escalate, while the pre-programmed reference conditions simplify the control logic.
3Measurement precision
If pitch change detection is performed to detect alignment failure, then the alignment monitoring accuracy is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses pitch change of the tow truck as an intermediary indicator to detect alignment failure between the tow truck and trailer. Instead of directly measuring the complex alignment relationship, the system monitors the pitch angle change caused by misalignment, which serves as a measurable proxy. This intermediary approach improves alignment detection accuracy while avoiding the complexity of direct alignment measurement systems.
Data Source
AI summary
Proposed is a trailer anti-sway system including a front camera, a front and side radar, a tow truck IMU, a hinge angle sensor configured to measure a hinge angle between the tow truck and a trailer, a rear camera configured to photograph a rear side of the trailer, a rear and side radar configured to monitor the rear and side of the trailer, a trailer IMU mounted to the trailer, and a controller configured to receive a signal of at least one of the front camera, the front and side radar, the tow truck IMU, the hinge angle sensor, the rear camera, the rear and side radar, the trailer IMU, predict the possibility of the sway occurrence to warn a driver of the possibility of the sway occurrence, and perform stability control for the tow truck and the trailer by stages according to a predetermined reference condition.