The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 30, 2021
Filed:
Aug. 30, 2018
Ford Global Technologies, Llc, Dearborn, MI (US);
Luke Niewiadomski, Dearborn, MI (US);
Erick Michael Lavoie, Dearborn, MI (US);
Eric L. Reed, Livonia, MI (US);
Chen Zhang, San Jose, CA (US);
Roger Arnold Trombley, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Douglas J. Rogan, Ferndale, MI (US);
Bruno Sielly Jales Costa, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A vehicle system comprises a hitch ball mounted on a vehicle. The system further comprises a plurality of sensor devices comprising an ultrasonic sensor and an image sensor. A controller is configured to process image data from the image sensor identifying a coupler position of a trailer. The controller is further configured to process ultrasonic data from the ultrasonic sensor identifying a proximity of the trailer. Based on the proximity of the trailer, the system is configured to identify the trailer in a detection range of the image sensor.