18613495. HITCH ASSIST TRAILER, COUPLER AND HITCHBALL DETECTION AND TRACKING METHOD simplified abstract (Ford Global Technologies, LLC)

HITCH ASSIST TRAILER, COUPLER AND HITCHBALL DETECTION AND TRACKING METHOD

Organization Name

Ford Global Technologies, LLC

Inventor(s)

Vidya Nariyambut Murali of Sunnyvale CA (US)

Roger Arnold Trombley of Ann Arbor MI (US)

Leonidas Kiliaris of Southgate MI (US)

Jeremy Ferack of Livonia MI (US)

Akshay Prabhakarrao Moharir of South Lyon MI (US)

Michael Litvak of Dearborn MI (US)

Noga Zieber of Dearborn MI (US)

Asaf Kagan of Dearborn MI (US)

Rotem Littman of Dearborn MI (US)

HITCH ASSIST TRAILER, COUPLER AND HITCHBALL DETECTION AND TRACKING METHOD - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18613495 titled 'HITCH ASSIST TRAILER, COUPLER AND HITCHBALL DETECTION AND TRACKING METHOD

Simplified Explanation: This patent application describes a hitch assistance system that helps maneuver a vehicle towards a trailer using an image sensor and a controller.

• The system identifies the position of the trailer's coupler by analyzing image data from the sensor.
• It then guides the vehicle towards an aligned position where the hitch ball matches the coupler.
• The system predicts the coupler's location in the image data based on sensor data.
• It crops the image data to focus on the coupler's prospective location.

Key Features and Innovation:

• Utilizes an image sensor and controller for hitch assistance.
• Trains a coupler detection model based on a library of images.
• Guides vehicle movement towards an aligned position with the trailer.
• Predicts coupler location in image data for precise maneuvering.
• Crops image data to focus on the coupler's location.

Potential Applications: This technology can be used in various industries such as automotive, logistics, and transportation for efficient trailer hitching.

Problems Solved:

• Simplifies the process of aligning a vehicle with a trailer coupler.
• Increases accuracy and precision in hitching maneuvers.
• Reduces the risk of damage to vehicles and trailers during coupling.

Benefits:

• Saves time and effort in hitching trailers.
• Improves safety and reduces the likelihood of accidents.
• Enhances overall efficiency in trailer maneuvering tasks.

Commercial Applications: Title: Advanced Hitch Assistance System for Vehicle Trailering This technology can be commercialized for use in automotive manufacturing, trailer rental services, and logistics companies to streamline trailer hitching processes and improve operational efficiency.

Prior Art: Readers interested in prior art related to this technology may explore patents in the field of vehicle guidance systems, trailer hitching aids, and image processing for automotive applications.

Frequently Updated Research: Researchers in the field of autonomous vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems may conduct studies on improving hitch assistance technologies for enhanced safety and efficiency.

Questions about Hitch Assistance Systems: 1. How does the hitch assistance system improve the accuracy of vehicle-trailer alignment? 2. What are the potential challenges in implementing this technology in different types of vehicles and trailers?

Original Abstract Submitted

A hitch assistance system for assisting in maneuvering a vehicle toward a trailer includes a sensing system that includes an image sensor and a controller. The controller is configured to: identify a position of a coupler of the trailer based on image data received from the image sensor by utilizing a coupler detection model trained based on a library of images depicting couplers; control movement of the vehicle toward an aligned position based on the identified position of the coupler, wherein a hitch ball of the vehicle is aligned with the coupler of the trailer; determine a prospective location of the coupler in image data based on sensor data received from the sensing system; and crop image data based on the determined prospective location of the coupler.