System and method for preventing contact between a truck cab and a fifth wheel trailer

1. A system comprising:

a trailer distance module that determines a distance from a cab of a truck to a fifth wheel trailer attached to the truck based on an input from a sensor;

a trailer contact module that identifies potential contact between the fifth wheel trailer and the truck cab based on the cab-to-trailer distance; and

at least one of:

a driver warning module that warns a driver of the potential contact between the fifth wheel trailer and the truck cab;

a brake control module that applies a brake of at least one of the truck and the trailer when potential contact is identified; and

a steering control module that increases an amount of driver effort required to steer the truck in at least one direction when potential contact is identified.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a trailer width module that determines a width of the fifth wheel trailer based on the cab-to-trailer distance, wherein the trailer contact module identifies potential contact between the fifth wheel trailer and the truck cab based on the cab-to-trailer distance and the trailer width.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising a trailer angle module that, based on the cab-to-trailer distance and the trailer width, determines an angle between a centerline of the fifth wheel trailer and a centerline of the truck when the fifth wheel trailer contacts the truck cab, wherein the trailer contact module identifies potential contact between the fifth wheel trailer and the truck cab based on the contact angle.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein:

the trailer angle module determine a current angle between the centerline of the fifth wheel trailer and the centerline of the truck; and

the trailer contact module identifies potential contact between the fifth wheel trailer and the truck cab based on a comparison of the current angle and the contact angle.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the sensor is a camera mounted to the truck cab and operable to generate an image of the trailer; and

the trailer distance module determines the cab-to-trailer distance based on the image.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein:

the camera is operable to generate a first image of the fifth wheel trailer before the truck and the fifth wheel trailer travel a first distance;

the camera is operable to generate a second image of the fifth wheel trailer after the truck and the fifth wheel trailer travel the first distance; and

the trailer distance module determines the cab-to-trailer distance based on the first and second images of the trailer and the first distance using vision-based ranging.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the trailer distance module determines the cab-to-trailer distance based on a distance travelled by the truck and the fifth wheel trailer, a position of the camera on the truck, a steering angle of the truck, an angle between a centerline of the fifth wheel trailer and a centerline of the truck, a track width of the truck, a wheelbase of the truck, a track width of the trailer, and a wheelbase of the trailer.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein:

the camera is operable to generate an image of a front edge of the trailer and side edges of a bed of the truck when the fifth wheel trailer is attached to the truck; and

the trailer distance module determines the cab-to-trailer distance based on a location of an intersection between a plane in which the front edge of the trailer is disposed and at least one of the side edges of the truck bed.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising an edge detection module that detects the front edge of the trailer and the side edges of the truck bed in the image.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

a pixel-to-width ratio module that selects a pixel-to-width ratio based on the cab-to-trailer distance; and

a trailer width module that determines a width of the trailer based on a number of pixels spanning across the width of the trailer in the image and the pixel-to-width ratio, wherein the trailer contact module identifies potential contact between the fifth wheel trailer and the truck cab based on the cab-to-trailer distance and the trailer width.

11. A method comprising:

determining a distance from a cab of a truck to a fifth wheel trailer attached to the truck based on an input from a sensor;

identifying potential contact between the fifth wheel trailer and the truck cab based on the cab-to-trailer distance; and

at least one of:

warning a driver of the potential contact between the fifth wheel trailer and the truck cab;

applying a brake of at least one of the truck and the trailer when potential contact is identified; and

increasing an amount of driver effort required to steer the truck in at least one direction when potential contact is identified.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining a width of the fifth wheel trailer based on the cab-to-trailer distance; and

identifying potential contact between the fifth wheel trailer and the truck cab based on the cab-to-trailer distance and the trailer width.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

based on the cab-to-trailer distance and the trailer width, determining an angle between a centerline of the fifth wheel trailer and a centerline of the truck when the fifth wheel trailer contacts the truck cab; and

identifying potential contact between the fifth wheel trailer and the truck cab based on the contact angle.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein:

determining a current angle between the centerline of the fifth wheel trailer and the centerline of the truck; and

identifying potential contact between the fifth wheel trailer and the truck cab based on a comparison of the current angle and the contact angle.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the sensor is a camera mounted to the truck cab and operable to generate an image of the trailer, the method further comprising determining the cab-to-trailer distance based on the image.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein:

the camera is operable to generate a first image of the fifth wheel trailer before the truck and the fifth wheel trailer travel a first distance; and

the camera is operable to generate a second image of the fifth wheel trailer after the truck and the fifth wheel trailer travel the first distance, the method further comprising determining the cab-to-trailer distance based on the first and second images of the trailer and the first distance using vision-based ranging.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining the cab-to-trailer distance based on a distance travelled by the truck and the fifth wheel trailer, a position of the camera on the truck, a steering angle of the truck, an angle between a centerline of the fifth wheel trailer and a centerline of the truck, a track width of the truck, a wheelbase of the truck, a track width of the trailer, and a wheelbase of the trailer.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the camera is operable to generate an image of a front edge of the trailer and side edges of a bed of the truck when the fifth wheel trailer is attached to the truck, the method further comprising determining the cab-to-trailer distance based on a location of an intersection between a plane in which the front edge of the trailer is disposed and at least one of the side edges of the truck bed.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising detecting the front edge of the trailer and the side edges of the truck bed in the image.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

selecting a pixel-to-width ratio based on the cab-to-trailer distance;

determining a width of the trailer based on a number of pixels spanning across the width of the trailer in the image and the pixel-to-width ratio; and

identifying potential contact between the fifth wheel trailer and the truck cab based on the cab-to-trailer distance and the trailer width.