US 11,912,348 B2
Vehicle and method of profiling a trailer and determining vehicle driving range
Stuart C. Salter, White Lake, MI (US); Darren Palmer, Bloomfield Hills, MI (US); Ryan O'Gorman, Beverly Hills, MI (US); Peter Phung, Windsor (CA); and Katherine Howard-Cone, Canton, MI (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Oct. 11, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/498,215.
Prior Publication US 2023/0110069 A1, Apr. 13, 2023
Int. Cl. B62D 37/02 (2006.01); G07C 5/08 (2006.01); G01S 15/86 (2020.01); G01S 13/86 (2006.01); G01S 15/89 (2006.01); G01S 13/89 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 37/02 (2013.01) [G07C 5/0841 (2013.01); G01S 13/867 (2013.01); G01S 13/89 (2013.01); G01S 15/86 (2020.01); G01S 15/89 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle comprising:
a sensor arrangement configured to sense one or more regions proximate to an exterior of the vehicle; and
a controller configured to process signals generated by the sensor arrangement and to detect and generate a geometric profile of a trailer in the one or more regions proximate to the exterior of the vehicle, the controller further determining an air resistance of the trailer based on the geometric profile and calculating an expected driving range of the vehicle when towing the trailer based on the determined air resistance.