Trailer estimation with elevation enhanced sensing
A trailer-detection system includes a radar-sensor and a controller. The radar-sensor is used to determine a range, an azimuth-angle, and an elevation-angle of a radar-signal reflected by a trailer towed by a host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the radar-sensor. The controller is configured to determine a size of the trailer towed by the host-vehicle based on the range, the azimuth-angle, and the elevation-angle of the radar-signal.
1. A trailer-detection system configured to determine a size of a trailer towed by a host-vehicle, said system comprising:
a radar-sensor used to determine a range, an azimuth-angle, and an elevation-angle of a radar-signal reflected by targets associated with a trailer towed by a host-vehicle; and
a controller in communication with the radar-sensor, said controller configured to determine a size of the trailer towed by the host-vehicle based on the range, the azimuth-angle, and the elevation-angle of the radar-signal;
the controller further configured to determine a trailer-type based on the radar-signal; wherein
the trailer-type includes an enclosed-trailer, a utility-trailer, a utility-trailer-loaded, and a travel-trailer;
the controller further configured to define a three-dimensional trailer-boundary characterized as occupied by the trailer and thereby exclude the trailer from the zone proximate to the host-vehicle where objects are detected.
2. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a trailer-height based on the radar-signal.
3. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a trailer-length based on the radar-signal.
4. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a trailer-width based on the radar-signal.
5. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the radar-sensor comprises a left-sensor and a right-sensor.
6. The system in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the left-sensor and the right-sensor are mounted to rear corners of the host-vehicle.
7. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the radar-sensor comprises three dimensional radar-sensor.
8. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the controller excludes radar-signals indicating that a highest-target associated with the trailer is above a maximum-height of the trailer.
9. The system in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the maximum-height of the trailer is about 4.3 meters.
10. A trailer-detection method configured to determine a size of a trailer towed by a host-vehicle, said method comprising:
determining, with a radar-sensor, a range, an azimuth-angle, and an elevation-angle of a radar-signal reflected by targets associated with a trailer towed by a host-vehicle; and
determining, with a controller in communication with the radar-sensor, a size of the trailer towed by the host-vehicle based on the range, the azimuth-angle, and the elevation-angle of the radar-signal;
determining, with the controller, a trailer-type based on the radar-signal; wherein
the trailer-type includes an enclosed-trailer, a utility-trailer, a utility-trailer-loaded, and a travel-trailer;
defining, with the controller, a three-dimensional trailer-boundary characterized as occupied by the trailer; and
excluding, with the controller, the trailer from a zone proximate to the host-vehicle where objects are detected.
11. The method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a trailer-height based on the radar-signal.
12. The method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a trailer-length based on the radar-signal.
13. The method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a trailer-width based on the radar-signal.
14. The method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the radar-sensor comprises a left-sensor and a right-sensor.
15. The method in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the left-sensor and the right-sensor are mounted to rear corners of the host-vehicle.
16. The method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the radar-sensor comprises three dimensional radar-sensor.
17. The method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the controller excludes radar-signals indicating that a highest-target associated with the trailer is above a maximum-height of the trailer.
18. The method in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the maximum-height of the trailer is about 4.3 meters.
19. A controller comprising:
one or more computer processors;
one or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause performance of operations comprising:
determining, with a radar-sensor, a range, an azimuth-angle, and an elevation-angle of a radar-signal reflected by targets associated with a trailer towed by a host-vehicle; and
determining, with a controller in communication with the radar-sensor, a size of the trailer towed by the host-vehicle based on the range, the azimuth-angle, and the elevation-angle of the radar-signal;
determining, with the controller, a trailer-type based on the radar-signal; wherein
the trailer-type includes an enclosed-trailer, a utility-trailer, a utility-trailer-loaded, and a travel-trailer;
defining, with the controller, a three-dimensional trailer-boundary characterized as occupied by the trailer; and
excluding, with the controller, the trailer from a zone proximate to the host-vehicle where objects are detected.