Patent ID: 6806809
Filing Date: 2004-10-19
Classification: B60D

Abstract:
A system for estimating a tongue length of a trailer being towed by a vehicle, said vehicle including a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels, said system comprising:a front wheel angle sensor for providing a front wheel angle signal indicative of the angle of the front wheels of the vehicle; a vehicle speed sensor for providing a vehicle speed signal indicative of the speed of the vehicle; a vehicle yaw rate sensor for providing a yaw rate signal indicative of the yaw rate of the vehicle; a hitch angle sensor for providing a measured hitch angle signal indicative of a hitch angle between the vehicle and the trailer; and a tongue length estimation controller for computing the estimate of the tongue length, said estimation controller computing the estimate of the tongue length based on the front wheel angle signal, the vehicle yaw rate signal, the vehicle speed signal and the measured hitch angle signal.