US 11,772,557 B2
Guided coaching for vehicle positioning to operate an automated hitching feature
Seyed Armin Raeis Hosseiny, Canton, MI (US); Bo Bao, Bloomfield, MI (US); and Luke Niewiadomski, Dearborn, MI (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Nov. 5, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/674,589.
Prior Publication US 2021/0129752 A1, May 6, 2021
Int. Cl. B62D 13/06 (2006.01); B60R 1/00 (2022.01); B60D 1/36 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); B60W 10/20 (2006.01); G05D 1/02 (2020.01)
CPC B60R 1/003 (2013.01) [B60D 1/36 (2013.01); B60W 10/20 (2013.01); B62D 13/06 (2013.01); G05D 1/0033 (2013.01); G05D 1/0238 (2013.01); B60W 2420/42 (2013.01); B60W 2520/22 (2013.01); B60W 2720/22 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer, comprising:
an imager outputting image data of a field of view rearward of the vehicle; and
a controller:
receiving a system initiation command and scanning the image data using an image processing routine to identify at least one of the trailer or a coupler of the trailer within the image data;
determining that the at least one of the trailer or the coupler is outside of a specified area relative to the vehicle using the image processing routine and outputting an instruction for user-controlled movement of the vehicle determined to position the vehicle such that the at least one of the trailer or the coupler is within the specified area; and
determining that the at least one of the trailer or the coupler is within the specified area using the image processing routine and outputting a steering signal to the vehicle to cause the vehicle to steer to align a hitch ball of the vehicle with the coupler.