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:
Aug. 26, 2025
Filed:
Feb. 02, 2022
Ford Global Technologies, Llc, Dearborn, MI (US);
Saeid Nooshabadi, Gilroy, CA (US);
Yongbo Qian, San Jose, CA (US);
Vijay Nagasamy, Fremont, CA (US);
Gurjeet Singh, Castro Valley, CA (US);
Manan Sanjay Patel, Canton, MI (US);
Ali Mustafa, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
Systems and methods for estimation of vehicle hitchball location are disclosed. A plurality of image frames may be received from a rear-facing camera of a vehicle. The rear-facing camera may be directed at a front of a trailer that is coupled to the vehicle at a hitchball. An approximate lateral location of the hitchball coupled to the vehicle may be determined by obtaining a plurality of cropped images along a hitch drawbar coupled to the vehicle by stepping along the vertical direction, and performing a stepwise lateral scan, centered at the hitch drawbar.