Trailer backup assist system

1. A trailer backup assist system for use on a vehicle having an attached trailer comprising:

a human machine interface device in communication with a controller;

a setup module receiving trailer measurements at the controller;

a calibration module applying the trailer measurements to calibrate a curvature control algorithm associated with the trailer backup assist system and to calibrate a hitch angle sensor associated with the trailer backup assist system;

an activation module for activating a steering system on the vehicle during reverse movement of the vehicle-trailer combination;

a trailer backup steering input apparatus having a rotatable control element positionable at a zero curvature command position defined by backward movement of the trailer along a substantially straight path defined by a centerline longitudinal axis of the trailer and positionable at positions within opposing rotational ranges of motion relative to the zero curvature commanding position and generating driver request for a trailer path curvature command that is a function of at least one of an amount of rotation of the rotatable control element with respect to the zero curvature commanding position, a rate movement of the rotatable control element, and a direction of movement of the rotatable control element with respect to the zero curvature commanding position; and

a control module to receive the driver request, implement the curvature control algorithm, provide steering commands to the steering system to control the reverse movement of the vehicle-trailer combination in a manner consistent with the driver request, and implement a jackknife counter-measure by altering at least one vehicle operating parameter that increases a radius of a curvature path of the trailer and inhibits a decrease in the radius of the curvature path of the trailer, the steering commands during reverse movement of the vehicle-trailer combination are limited to those provided by the control module.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of menus displayed by way of the human machine interface device to assist with the setup, calibration, activation and control modules.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the trailer backup assist system further comprises:

a target attached to the trailer;

a first confirmation signal, generated at the human machine interface device and communicated to the controller, indicating the vehicle and trailer are in straight alignment with each other;

a second confirmation signal, generated at the human machine interface device and communicated to the controller, indicating that the target has been acquired by the trailer backup assist system;

the trailer measurements being generated at the human machine interface device and received by the setup module only after receipt of the first and second confirmation signals by the controller, and

a trailer configuration stored in a memory of the controller and being associated with the received trailer measurements.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the setup module further comprises a menu selection displayed by the human machine interface device that provides an opportunity to revise the trailer measurements received by the setup module.

5. The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the setup module further comprises a database containing a plurality of trailer configurations stored in a controller memory and displayed for selection by the human machine interface device, the received trailer measurements are retrieved from a stored trailer configuration selected from the database.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the setup module further comprises a menu selection displayed by the human machine interface device that provides an opportunity to revise the trailer measurements stored in the selected trailer configuration.

7. The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the trailer measurements being received by the setup module are being manually generated at the human machine interface device.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a plurality of images stored in controller memory and displayed by the human machine interface device, each image is representative of a desired trailer measurement that is being requested for receipt by the setup module and is presented in a predetermined order.

9. The system as claimed in claim 3 further comprising a display at the human machine interface device instructing the driver to apply a corrective action that is required for at least one of the setup, calibration, activation and control modules.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the corrective action is selected from the group consisting of: pulling the vehicle forward, cleaning the target, moving the target, replacing the target, cleaning a camera on the vehicle that is in communication with the trailer backup assist system, pulling the vehicle forward, entering or re-entering trailer measurements that are within a predetermined range, remove hands from a vehicle steering wheel, and reduce a speed of the vehicle.

11. The system as claimed in claim 9 further comprising a third confirmation signal, generated at the human machine interface device and received by the controller, indicating that the corrective action required by at least one of the setup, calibration, activation and control modules has been completed.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control module further comprises a monitoring function.

13. A method for implementing a trailer backup assist system on a vehicle having an attached trailer, the method carried out in a controller associated with the trailer backup assist system and comprising the steps of:

receiving trailer measurements representative of distances on the trailer, on the vehicle and between the trailer and the vehicle;

calibrating a curvature control algorithm and a hitch angle sensor associated with the trailer backup assist system in accordance with the received trailer measurements;

activating a steering system on the vehicle after calibrating the curvature control algorithm and the hitch angle sensor;

receiving a driver request to control reverse movement of the vehicle-trailer combination according to a desired trailer path curvature, the driver request being a function of an amount of rotation of a rotatable control element with respect to a zero curvature commanding position defined by backward movement of the trailer along a substantially straight path defined by a centerline longitudinal axis of the trailer, a rate of movement of the rotatable control element, and a direction of movement of the rotatable control element; and

implementing the curvature control algorithm to provide steering commands to the steering system in response to the driver request, the steering commands during reverse movement of the vehicle-trailer combination are limited to those provided by the curvature control algorithm.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the step of receiving trailer measurements further comprises receiving trailer measurements at the controller that are manually generated at a human machine interface device in communication with the controller.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the step of receiving trailer measurements further comprises the steps of:

receiving a first confirmation signal that a compatible trailer is attached;

receiving a second confirmation signal that a vehicle is “on”;

receiving a third confirmation signal that the vehicle is in “park”.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the step of receiving trailer measurements further comprises the steps of:

indicating, on the human machine interface device, a location of at least one trailer measurement; and

indicating, on the human machine interface device that the at least one trailer measurement, once received at the controller, is within or outside of predetermined boundaries.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the step of receiving trailer measurements further comprises the steps of:

presenting at least one trailer configuration, stored in a controller memory, for selection by way of the human machine interface device; and

receiving the trailer measurements for a selected trailer configuration from the controller memory.

18. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the step of calibrating a hitch angle sensor further comprises the steps of:

indicating to a driver of the vehicle, by way of the human machine interface device, a need to pull the vehicle-trailer combination forward to align the vehicle and the trailer; and

indicating, by way of the human machine interface device, that the calibration of the hitch angle sensor is complete.

19. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the step of implementing the curvature control algorithm further comprises implementing a jackknife counter-measure by altering at least one vehicle operating parameter that increases a radius of a curvature path of the trailer and inhibits a decrease in the radius of the curvature path of the trailer, the steering commands during reverse movement of the vehicle-trailer combination are limited to those provided by the curvature control algorithm.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the step of implementing a jackknife counter measure further comprises inhibiting a rate of change the driver request may be received.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the step of inhibiting a rate of change the driver request may be received further comprises restricting an amount of rotation of a rotatable control element with respect to a zero curvature commanding position, restricting a rate of movement of the rotatable control element and restricting a direction of movement of the rotatable control element.

22. The method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the step of implementing a jackknife counter measure further comprises overriding a driver request.

23. A trailer backup assist system on a vehicle having an attached trailer comprising:

a human machine interface device in communication with a controller;

a setup module for receiving trailer measurements at the controller,

a calibration module applying the trailer measurements to calibrate a curvature control algorithm and a hitch angle sensor associated with the trailer backup assist system;

an activation module for activating a steering system on the vehicle during reverse movement of the vehicle-trailer combination;

a rotatable control element positionable at a zero curvature command position defined by backward movement of the trailer along a substantially straight path defined by a centerline longitudinal axis of the trailer and at positions within opposing rotational ranges of motion relative to the zero curvature commanding position, the rotatable control element generates a driver request as a function of at least one amount of rotation of the rotational control element, a rate of movement of the rotatable control element and a direction of movement of the rotatable control element; and

a control module to receive the driver request for a trailer path curvature command, implement the curvature control algorithm and provide steering commands to the steering system in response to the driver request to control the reverse movement of the vehicle-trailer combination in a manner consistent with the driver request, the steering commands during reverse movement of the vehicle-trailer combination being limited by those provided by the control module.

24. The system as claimed in claim 23 , wherein the control module is configured to implement a jackknife counter-measure upon detection of a jackknife condition, the jackknife counter-measure includes at least one of reducing a speed of the vehicle, increasing a radius of curvature of a path of the trailer, and inhibiting a decrease in the radius of the curvature of the path of the trailer.

25. The system as claimed in claim 24 wherein the jackknife counter measure further comprises affecting the rotatable control element to restrict an amount of rotation of a rotatable control element with respect to a zero curvature commanding position, restrict a rate of movement of the rotatable control element and restrict a direction of movement of the rotatable control element.