TRAILER COUPLING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM WITH VEHICLE VIDEO CAMERA

摘要

A method and system for guiding a vehicle having a hitch connector to a trailer operates with a monocular vehicle video camera secured to a rear of the vehicle. In operation, the vehicle video camera generates video images from a rearward direction of the vehicle that are displayed. An electronic control unit including a processor is configured to: receive and display the video images, analyze the video images to confirm the location of a trailer coupler, analyze the video images to determine distance from a hitch connector of the vehicle to the trailer coupler, analyze the video images to determine height of the hitch connector of the vehicle, height of the trailer coupler of the trailer, and the relative height difference between the hitch connector of the vehicle and the trailer coupler of the trailer, and assist in guiding the vehicle to a trailer coupling position.

主权项

1. Method of guiding a vehicle having a hitch connector to a trailer having a trailer coupler comprising:
generating video images with a vehicle video camera mounted at a rear of the vehicle; receiving the video images at an electronic control unit including a processor and a memory; displaying the video images that include the trailer coupler and the trailer; analyzing the video images with the processor to determine a distance from the hitch connector of the vehicle to the trailer coupler; analyzing the video images with the processor to determine a height of the hitch connector of the vehicle, a height of the trailer coupler of the trailer, and the relative height difference between the hitch connector of the vehicle and the trailer coupler of the trailer; and assisting in guiding the vehicle to a trailer coupling position.