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:
Oct. 17, 2023
Filed:
May. 21, 2021
Zf Friedrichshafen Ag, Friedrichshafen, DE;
Zf Marine Propulsion Systems Miramar, Llc, Miramar, FL (US);
Stefan Traub, Friedrichshafen, DE;
Gabriela Jager, Friedrichshafen, DE;
Lars Hoffmann, Fort Lauderdale, FL (US);
Andrew Orvieto, Plantation, FL (US);
ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Friedrichshafen, DE;
ZF Marine Propulsion Systems Miramar, LLC, Miramar, FL (US);
Abstract
A navigational system for guiding a boat onto a trailer comprising at least a portion of a tow vehicle which forms a natural marker for the navigation system. A camera is located on the boat to assist the navigational system with aligning a longitudinal axis of the boat with a longitudinal axis of the trailer. A central vertical (mid) axis of the camera is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the boat. An image processing unit receives and processes images from the camera. The image processing unit, based upon a determination of a position of the central vertical (mid) axis of the camera relative to a target area of the detected natural marker, generating guidance commands to assist a user with alignment of the longitudinal axis of the boat with the longitudinal axis of the trailer and thereby facilitate proper loading of the boat onto the trailer.