Patent ID: 8308182

Claim:
A trailer connection assist system, comprising: a towing vehicle having a hitch receiver; a trailer having a trailer hitch; a system controller; a position sensor provided on said hitch receiver and said trailer hitch and communicating with said system controller, said position sensor comprising a wireless transmitter and receiver adapted to communicate with one another and said system controller to indicate the position of said hitch receiver relative to said trailer hitch in three dimensions comprising an X, Y, and Z axis, said position including said hitch receiver and said trailer hitch uncoupled to one another; a vehicle motor of said towing vehicle interfacing with said system controller; vehicle wheels of said towing vehicle interfacing with said vehicle motor; a steering system connected to said system controller and said vehicle wheels and adapted to steer said vehicle wheels; and wherein said system controller is adapted to operate said vehicle including said vehicle motor and said steering system responsive to input from said position sensor to align said hitch receiver and said trailer hitch in three dimensions including along said Z-axis, said alignment prior to coupling said hitch receiver and said trailer hitch together.