IP Library Granted Patent US 11,474,224
Granted Patent B2
US 11,474,224 · App. 17/157,301 · Granted Oct 18, 2022

Detection system

Inventors: Yu Wang (Troy, MI); Liang Ma (Rochester Hills, MI); Robert J. Cashler (Kokomo, IN)
Assignee: Aptiv Technologies Limited
G01S13/08B60D1/245G01S7/2927G01S7/411G01S7/412G01S7/4802G01S13/878G01S13/88G01S17/08G01S17/87G01S17/88G01S2013/9323G01S2013/93272
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,474,224
App. No.
17/157,301
Granted
Oct 18, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed are systems that include a controller circuit in communication with a ranging sensor configured to detect objects proximate to a host vehicle. In an aspect, the controller circuit is configured to perform a first detection count of the detected objects, determine a first group of objects of the detected objects, determine a first distance to the first group of objects, utilize the first distance to determine a trailer distance between the host vehicle and a front of a trailer, determine a second group of objects of the detected objects, determine a second distance to the second group of objects, utilize the second distance to determine an axle distance between the front of the trailer and a trailer axle, and determine a trailer length based on the trailer distance and the axle distance. Methods are also disclosed.

Claims (87)

1. A system comprising:

a controller circuit in communication with a ranging sensor configured to detect objects proximate to a host vehicle, the controller circuit configured to:

perform a first detection count of the detected objects;

determine a first group of objects of the detected objects;

determine a first distance to the first group of objects;

determine, utilizing the first distance, a trailer distance between the host vehicle and a front of a trailer;

determine a second group of objects of the detected objects;

determine a second distance to the second group of objects;

determine, utilizing the second distance, an axle distance between the front of the trailer and a trailer axle;

determine a trailer length based on the trailer distance and the axle distance;

determine a peak threshold that represents detections of real objects by the ranging sensor; and

determine a noise threshold that represents detections of phantom objects by the ranging sensor,

wherein the peak threshold is greater than the noise threshold, the first group of objects being determined by a first detection count that is closer in magnitude to the peak threshold than to the noise threshold, and

wherein the first group is closer in proximity to the host vehicle than the second group is to the host vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller circuit is further configured to:

determine, relative to a centerline of the host vehicle, a first lateral offset representing a third group of objects of the detected objects; and

determine, relative to the centerline, a second lateral offset representing a fourth group of objects of the detected objects.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller circuit is further configured to:

determine a third distance between the third group of objects and the fourth group of objects; and

determine, utilizing the determined third distance, a width of the trailer.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second group of objects is determined by a second detection count that is closer in magnitude to the peak threshold than to the noise threshold, and wherein the second group is second closest in proximity to the host vehicle.

5. A system comprising:

a controller circuit in communication with a ranging sensor, the ranging sensor configured to detect objects proximate to a host vehicle, the controller circuit configured to:

perform a first detection count of the detected objects;

determine a first group of objects of the detected objects;

determine a second group of objects of the detected objects;

determine a first distance to the first group of objects;

determine, utilizing the first distance, a trailer distance between the host vehicle and a front of a trailer;

determine a trailer type being towed by the host vehicle based on the trailer distance;

determine a peak threshold that represents detections of real objects by the ranging sensor; and

determine a noise threshold that represents detections of phantom objects by the ranging sensor,

wherein the first group of objects being determined by a first detection count that is closer in magnitude to the peak threshold than to the noise threshold, and

wherein the first group is closer in proximity to the host vehicle than the second group is to the host vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller circuit is further configured to:

determine, relative to a centerline of the host vehicle, a first lateral offset representing a third group of objects of the detected objects; and

determine, relative to the centerline, a second lateral offset representing a fourth group of objects of the detected objects.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the controller circuit is further configured to:

determine a second distance between the third group of objects and the fourth group of objects; and

determine, utilizing the determined second distance, a width of the trailer.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller circuit is further configured to:

determine a second distance to a second group of objects; and

determine, utilizing the second distance, an axle distance between the front of the trailer and a trailer axle.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller circuit is further configured to:

determine, utilizing the determined trailer distance and the determined axle distance, a trailer length.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller circuit is further configured to:

perform a second detection count of the detected objects.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the second group of objects is determined by a second detection count that is closer in magnitude to the peak threshold than to the noise threshold, and wherein the second group is second closest in proximity to the host vehicle.

12. The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller circuit is further configured to:

determine if the trailer distance is less than a distance threshold, and

wherein, responsive to determining that the trailer distance is less than a distance threshold, the controller circuit determines that the trailer type is a cargo trailer.

13. The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller circuit is further configured to:

determine if the trailer distance is greater than a distance threshold, and

wherein, responsive to determining that the trailer distance is greater than a distance threshold, the controller circuit determines that the trailer type is a boat trailer.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the ranging sensor is further configured to detect a centerline of the host vehicle.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller circuit is further configured to:

determine, relative to the centerline, a first lateral offset representing a third group of objects of the detected objects;

determine, relative to the centerline, a second lateral offset representing a fourth group of objects of the detected objects;

determine a second distance between the third group of objects and the fourth group of objects; and

determine, utilizing the determined second distance, a width of the trailer.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller circuit is further configured to:

determine a last distance to a last group of objects of the detected objects;

determine, utilizing the last distance, an end distance to an end of the trailer based on the last group of objects; and

determine, utilizing the determined end distance, a trailer length.

17. A method comprising:

receiving, by a controller circuit in communication with a ranging sensor configured to detect objects proximate to a host vehicle, data indicative of detected objects;

performing a first detection count of the detected objects;

determining, by the controller circuit, a first group of objects of the detected objects;

determining, by the controller circuit, a first distance to the first group of objects;

determining, by the controller circuit utilizing the first distance, a trailer distance between the host vehicle and a front of a trailer;

determining, by the controller circuit, a second group of objects of the detected objects;

determining, by the controller circuit, a second distance to the second group of objects;

determining, by the controller circuit utilizing the second distance, an axle distance between the front of the trailer and a trailer axle;

determining, by the controller circuit, a trailer length based on the trailer distance and the axle distance;

determining, by the controller circuit, a peak threshold that represents detections of real objects in the detected objects by the ranging sensor; and

determining, by the controller circuit, a noise threshold that represents detections of phantom objects in the detected objects by the ranging sensor, the peak threshold is greater than the noise threshold,

wherein the first group of objects being determined by a first detection count that is closer in magnitude to the peak threshold than to the noise threshold, and

wherein the first group is closer in proximity to the host vehicle than the second group is to the host vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

determining, by the controller circuit, relative to a centerline of the host vehicle, a first lateral offset representing a third group of objects of the detected objects; and

determining, by the controller circuit, relative to the centerline, a second lateral offset representing a fourth group of objects of the detected objects.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

determining, by the controller circuit, a third distance between the third group of objects and the fourth group of objects; and

determining, by the controller circuit, utilizing the determined third distance, a width of the trailer.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

performing a second detection count of the detected objects,

wherein the second group of objects is determined by a second detection count that is closer in magnitude to the peak threshold than to the noise threshold, and

wherein the second group is second closest in proximity to the host vehicle.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 11, 2024
From: APTIV MANUFACTURING MANAGEMENT SERVICES S.À R.L.
To: APTIV TECHNOLOGIES AG
Reel/Frame 066551/0219 →
MERGER Recorded Feb 11, 2024
From: APTIV TECHNOLOGIES (2) S.À R.L.
To: APTIV MANUFACTURING MANAGEMENT SERVICES S.À R.L.
Reel/Frame 066566/0173 →
ENTITY CONVERSION Recorded Feb 11, 2024
From: APTIV TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
To: APTIV TECHNOLOGIES (2) S.À R.L.
Reel/Frame 066746/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 25, 2021
From: WANG, YU; MA, LIANG; CASHLER, ROBERT J.
To: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 055022/0208 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 25, 2021
From: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
To: APTIV TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
Reel/Frame 055022/0219 →