Self hitching and parking trailers, and systems and methods for trailers

Inventors: Lance M. King (Austin, TX); Zach Radkey-Pechacek (Austin, TX); Nathan Swanson (Austin, TX); Timothy Wulff (Austin, TX)

Assignee: STREAM IT, INC.

B62D59/04 G05D1/0088

View Patent ↗

Loading inventors, assignments & file history…

Monitor This Case

Get email alerts when status or documents change.

Order Certified Copies

Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.

Order via The Patent Place →

Pre-filled with this patent's details

Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12662207
App. No.: 18/137,974
Granted: Jun 23, 2026
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

Self-hitching and parking trailers, and systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for controlling a trailer are provided herein. A system for controlling a trailer can comprise one or more sensors configured to detect sensor data associated with a trailer, a tow vehicle, and/or an area surrounding the trailer, and a controlling having one or more processors, and a memory storing software instructions that, when executed by the processor(s), cause the processor(s) to obtain sensor data, obtain an indication of an event based at least in part on the sensor data, and initiate a trailer action.

Claims (36)

1 . A system for controlling a trailer, comprising:

one or more sensors configured to detect data associated with at least one of the trailer, a tow vehicle the trailer is configured to mechanically couple to, and an area surrounding at least one of the trailer and the tow vehicle; and

a controller, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory storing software instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

obtain the sensor data from the one or more sensors;

obtain an indication of an event based at least in part on the sensor data; and

initiate a mechanical coupling and decoupling of the trailer to the tow vehicle, as well as autonomously parking the trailer, based at least in part on obtaining the indication of the event.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the indication of the event based at least in part on the sensor data comprises identifying the event based at least in part on the sensor data.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the indication of the event comprises transmitting the sensor data to a computing device having a memory storing a machine learning model, and receiving the indication of the event based at least in part on the sensor data and the machine learning model.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the software instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to initiate an action related to at least one component of the trailer based at least in part on identifying the event.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the action comprises at least one of an adjustment to a power system of the trailer, adjustment to a braking system of the trailer, adjustment to a steering system of the trailer, adjustment to a lighting system of the trailer, adjustment to a propulsion system of the trailer, an adjustment to a suspension system of the trailer, and an adjustment to a hitching system of the trailer.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises at least one of an image sensor, a video sensor, an accelerometer, a force sensor, a distance sensor, a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, a radar sensor, a light detection and ranging (lidar) sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the controller comprises a communication interface, and wherein the software instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to transmit to a computing device, via the communication interface, at least one of sensor data and a notification associated with the event, and receive an input from the computing device, wherein initiating the action is further based at least in part on the input.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the event comprises at least one of a turn, a braking, an acceleration, a deceleration, a stop, a predicted change to a stop light, arrival at a destination, a step in a navigation, an accident, and an obstacle.

9 . A trailer configured to mechanically couple to a tow vehicle, comprising:

a powering system;

a steering system;

a hitching system; and

a controller operably coupled to the powering system, the steering system and the hitching system the controller, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory storing software instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

obtain the sensor data from the one or more sensors;

obtain an indication of an event based at least in part on the sensor data; and

initiate a mechanical coupling and decoupling of the trailer to the tow vehicle, as well as autonomously parking the trailer, based at least in part on obtaining the indication of the event.

10 . The trailer of claim 9 , wherein the controller comprises:

a communication interface; and

wherein the one or more software modules are further configured to, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, cause the one or more software modules to receive an input from a computing device.

11 . The trailer of claim 10 , wherein the one or more software modules, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, are further configured to cause the at least one processor to initiate an action related to at least one of the powering system, the steering system and the hitching system of the trailer based at least in part on the input.

12 . The trailer of claim 10 , further comprising a sensing system comprising the one or more sensors.

13 . The trailer of claim 12 , wherein the one or more software modules are further configured to, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, cause the one or more software modules to obtain sensor data from at least one sensor of the sensing system, and initiate an action related to at least one of the powering system, the steering system and the hitching system of the trailer based at least in part on the sensor data.

14 . The trailer of claim 13 , wherein the one or more software modules are further configured to, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, cause the one or more software modules to initiate the action is based at least in part on the input.

15 . The trailer of claim 12 , wherein the sensing system comprises at least one of an image sensor, a video sensor, an accelerometer, a force sensor, a distance sensor, a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, a radar sensor, a light detection and ranging (lidar) sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor.

16 . The trailer of claim 13 , wherein the one or more software modules are further configured to, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, identify an event based at least in part on the sensor data, and wherein initiating the action is based at least in part on identifying the event.

17 . The trailer of claim 9 , further comprising a braking system.