Patent ID: 11919497
Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A method to assist maneuvering of a trailer being towed by a vehicle, the trailer comprising:
a left wheel;
a right wheel;
an axle;
the left and right wheels on opposed ends of the axle;
a left brake device coupled to the left wheel;
a right brake device coupled to the right wheel;
a left wheel speed sensor;
a right wheel speed sensor; and
the method comprising:
receiving, via at least one processor, a driver command for a target path for the trailer;
receiving, via the at least one processor, a measured left wheel speed from the left wheel speed sensor;
receiving, via the at least one processor, a measured right wheel speed from the right wheel speed sensor;
determining, via the at least one processor, a target yaw rate for the trailer based on the driver command;
deriving a target left wheel speed based on the target yaw rate;
deriving a target right wheel speed based on the target yaw rate;
determining, via the at least one processor, a left braking torque for the left wheel and a right braking torque for the right wheel based on the target path so as to provide for differential braking, wherein the determining the left braking torque is based on a difference between the target left wheel speed and the measured left wheel speed, and wherein the determining the right braking torque is based on a difference between the target right wheel speed and the measured right wheel speed;
applying, via the left brake device and the right brake device, the left braking torque and the right braking torque to assist maneuvering of the trailer along the target path.