Vehicular trailer angle detection system
A vehicular trailer angle detection system includes a camera disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle. The vehicular trailer angle detection system, via processing of frames of image data captured by the camera, tracks changes of features present in a current frame of captured image data and present in a previous frame of captured image data and determines features of the trailer based on the tracked changes of features. The determined features of the trailer have respective changes between the current frame of image data captured by the camera and the previous frame of image data captured by the camera. The vehicular trailer angle detection system determines angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle based at least in part on tracking of the determined features of the trailer over multiple captured frames of image data.
1. A vehicular trailer angle detection system, the vehicular trailer angle detection system comprising:
a camera disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle, the camera viewing exterior and at least rearward of the vehicle;
wherein the camera comprises an imaging array having at least one million photosensor elements arranged in rows and columns;
wherein the camera is operable to capture frames of image data;
an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera;
wherein, with a trailer hitched at the vehicle, and as the vehicle and the trailer are traveling along a road, the vehicular trailer angle detection system, via processing by the image processor of captured image data, tracks changes of features present in a current frame of image data captured by the camera and present in a previous frame of image data captured by the camera and determines a first feature of the trailer and a second feature of the trailer based on the tracked changes of features;
wherein the determined first feature of the trailer has a first change between the current frame of image data captured by the camera and the previous frame of image data captured by the camera, and wherein the determined second feature of the trailer has a second change between the current frame of image data captured by the camera and the previous frame of image data captured by the camera; and
wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle based at least in part on tracking of the determined first feature of the trailer and the determined second feature of the trailer over multiple captured frames of image data.
2. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines angle of the trailer without use of a target on the trailer.
3. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines a mean angular change of the determined first feature of the trailer and the determined second feature of the trailer from a reference captured frame of image data to the current captured frame of image data, and wherein determination of the mean angular change results in a determined change in trailer angle from the reference captured frame of image data.
4. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 3 , wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle by combining the determined change in trailer angle with an offset angle for the reference captured frame of image data.
5. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines if the trailer is a trailer for which the vehicular trailer angle detection system is calibrated.
6. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 5 , wherein, responsive to determination that the trailer is not a trailer for which the vehicular trailer angle detection system is calibrated, the vehicular trailer angle detection system collects data during a calibration drive.
7. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 6 , wherein the calibration drive comprises (i) a straight portion where the vehicle tows the trailer in a forward direction along a straight path and (ii) a curved portion where the vehicle tows the trailer in the forward direction along a curved path.
8. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 7 , wherein, during the calibration drive, the vehicle is driven along the straight path for at least a threshold period of time, and, after being driven along the straight path for at least the threshold period of time, the vehicle is turned such that the angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle exceeds ±5 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.
9. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 8 , wherein the threshold period of time is at least three seconds.
10. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle independent of lighting conditions at the vehicle and trailer.
11. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle independent of road surfaces along which the vehicle is towing the trailer.
12. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 1 , wherein the determined first feature of the trailer and the determined second feature of the trailer are tracked over multiple captured frames of image data based at least in part on at least one vehicle parameter.
13. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one vehicle parameter comprises vehicle speed.
14. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one vehicle parameter comprises vehicle steering.
15. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one vehicle parameter comprises a plurality of vehicle parameters, and wherein the plurality of vehicle parameters comprises (i) vehicle speed and (ii) vehicle steering.
16. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 1 , wherein the image processor comprises a digital signal processor.
17. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines trailer length from a hitch ball of the vehicle to an axle of the trailer based on tracking of the determined first feature of the trailer and the determined second feature of the trailer over multiple captured frames of image data while the trailer is towed by the vehicle.
18. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 17 , wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle based at least in part on the determined trailer length.
19. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 17 , wherein, responsive to determination of the trailer length, the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines trailer parameters for the trailer and stores the determined trailer parameters for use in future trailer recognition.
20. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 1 , wherein the first change and the second change differ by less than a threshold amount.
21. A vehicular trailer angle detection system, the vehicular trailer angle detection system comprising:
a camera disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle, the camera viewing exterior and at least rearward of the vehicle;
wherein the camera comprises an imaging array having at least one million photosensor elements arranged in rows and columns;
wherein the camera is operable to capture frames of image data;
an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera;
wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines if a trailer hitched at the vehicle is a trailer for which the vehicular trailer angle detection system is calibrated;
wherein, responsive to determination that the trailer is not a trailer for which the vehicular trailer angle detection system is calibrated, the vehicular trailer angle detection system collects data during a calibration drive;
wherein, with the trailer hitched at the vehicle, and as the vehicle and the trailer are traveling along a road after the calibration drive, the vehicular trailer angle detection system, via processing by the image processor of captured image data, tracks changes of features present in a current frame of image data captured by the camera and present in a previous frame of image data captured by the camera and determines a first feature of the trailer and a second feature of the trailer based on the tracked changes of features,
wherein the determined first feature of the trailer has a first change between the current frame of image data captured by the camera and the previous frame of image data captured by the camera, and wherein the determined second feature of the trailer has a second change between the current frame of image data captured by the camera and the previous frame of image data captured by the camera;
wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle based at least in part on tracking of the determined first feature of the trailer and the determined second feature of the trailer over multiple captured frames of image data; and
wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines angle of the trailer without use of a target on the trailer.
22. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 21 , wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines a mean angular change of the determined first feature of the trailer and the determined second feature of the trailer from a reference captured frame of image data to the current captured frame of image data, and wherein determination of the mean angular change results in a determined change in trailer angle from the reference captured frame of image data.
23. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 22 , wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle by combining the determined change in trailer angle with an offset angle for the reference captured frame of image data.
24. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 21 , wherein the calibration drive comprises (i) a straight portion where the vehicle tows the trailer in a forward direction along a straight path and (ii) a curved portion where the vehicle tows the trailer in the forward direction along a curved path.
25. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 24 , wherein, during the calibration drive, the vehicle is driven along the straight path for at least a threshold period of time, and, after being driven along the straight path for at least the threshold period of time, the vehicle is turned such that the angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle exceeds ±5 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.
26. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 25 , wherein the threshold period of time is at least three seconds.
27. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 21 , wherein the determined first feature of the trailer and the determined second feature of the trailer are tracked over multiple captured frames of image data based at least in part on at least one vehicle parameter.
28. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 27 , wherein the at least one vehicle parameter comprises vehicle speed.
29. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 27 , wherein the at least one vehicle parameter comprises vehicle steering.
30. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 27 , wherein the at least one vehicle parameter comprises a plurality of vehicle parameters, and wherein the plurality of vehicle parameters comprises (i) vehicle speed and (ii) vehicle steering.
31. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 21 , wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines trailer length from a hitch ball of the vehicle to an axle of the trailer based on tracking of the determined first feature of the trailer and the determined second feature of the trailer over multiple captured frames of image data while the trailer is towed by the vehicle.
32. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 31 , wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle based at least in part on the determined trailer length.
33. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 31 , wherein, responsive to determination of the trailer length, the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines trailer parameters for the trailer and stores the determined trailer parameters for use in future trailer recognition.
34. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 21 , wherein the first change and the second change differ by less than a threshold amount.
35. A vehicular trailer angle detection system, the vehicular trailer angle detection system comprising:
a camera disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle, the camera viewing exterior and at least rearward of the vehicle;
wherein the camera comprises an imaging array having at least one million photosensor elements arranged in rows and columns;
wherein the camera is operable to capture frames of image data;
an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera;
wherein, with a trailer hitched at the vehicle, and as the vehicle and the trailer are traveling along a road, the vehicular trailer angle detection system, via processing by the image processor of captured image data, tracks changes of features present in a current frame of image data captured by the camera and present in a previous frame of image data captured by the camera and determines a first feature of the trailer and a second feature of the trailer based on the tracked changes of features;
wherein the determined first feature of the trailer has a first change between the current frame of image data captured by the camera and the previous frame of image data captured by the camera, and wherein the determined second feature of the trailer has a second change between the current frame of image data captured by the camera and the previous frame of image data captured by the camera;
wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines trailer length from a hitch ball of the vehicle to an axle of the trailer based on tracking of the determined first feature of the trailer and the determined second feature of the trailer over multiple captured frames of image data while the trailer is towed by the vehicle;
wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle based at least in part on the determined trailer length and tracking of the determined first feature of the trailer and the determined second feature of the trailer over multiple captured frames of image data; and
wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines angle of the trailer without use of a target on the trailer.
36. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 35 , wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines a mean angular change of the determined first feature of the trailer and the determined second feature of the trailer from a reference captured frame of image data to the current captured frame of image data, and wherein determination of the mean angular change results in a determined change in trailer angle from the reference captured frame of image data.
37. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 36 , wherein the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle by combining the determined change in trailer angle with an offset angle for the reference captured frame of image data.
38. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 35 , wherein the determined first feature of the trailer and the determined second feature of the trailer are tracked over multiple captured frames of image data based at least in part on at least one vehicle parameter.
39. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 38 , wherein the at least one vehicle parameter comprises vehicle speed.
40. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 38 , wherein the at least one vehicle parameter comprises vehicle steering.
41. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 38 , wherein the at least one vehicle parameter comprises a plurality of vehicle parameters, and wherein the plurality of vehicle parameters comprises (i) vehicle speed and (ii) vehicle steering.
42. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 35 , wherein, responsive to determination of the trailer length, the vehicular trailer angle detection system determines trailer parameters for the trailer and stores the determined trailer parameters for use in future trailer recognition.
43. The vehicular trailer angle detection system of claim 35 , wherein the first change and the second change differ by less than a threshold amount.