{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9696723","patent":{"patent_number":"US-9696723","title":"Smart trailer hitch control using HMI assisted visual servoing","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2015-06-23T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2017-07-04T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["G05D","B62D","G05D"],"num_claims":19,"abstract":"A method for autonomously aligning a tow hitch ball on a towing vehicle and a trailer drawbar on a trailer through a human-machine interface (HMI) assisted visual servoing process. The method includes providing rearview images from a rearview camera. The method includes touching the tow ball on a display to register a location of the tow ball in the image and touching the drawbar on the display to register a location of a target where the tow ball will be properly aligned with the drawbar. The method provides a template pattern around the target on the image and autonomously moves the vehicle so that the tow ball moves towards the target. The method predicts a new location of the target as the vehicle moves and identifies the target in new images as the vehicle moves by comparing the previous template pattern with an image patch around the predicted location."},"analysis":{"summary":null,"layman_explanation":null,"technical_analysis":null,"business_analysis":null,"faqs":null,"topics":[],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Smart trailer hitch control using HMI assisted visual servoing","description":"A method for autonomously aligning a tow hitch ball on a towing vehicle and a trailer drawbar on a trailer through a human-machine interface (HMI) assisted visual servoing process. The method includes","keywords":[]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9696723","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9696723","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Smart trailer hitch control using HMI assisted visual servoing\" (US-9696723). https://patentable.app/patents/US-9696723","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9696723","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-9696723","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-06-06T06:46:16.268Z"}