Patent ID: 8099214
Filing Date: 2012-01-17
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
1. A method of determining a vehicle path for autonomously parallel parking a vehicle in a space between a first object and a second object in response to an available parking distance between the first object and second object, the method comprising the steps of: remotely sensing a distance between the first object and the second object; determining whether the distance is sufficient to parallel park the vehicle between the first object and the second object based on a threshold; determining a first position to initiate a parallel parking maneuver; determining a second position within the available parking space corresponding to an end position of the vehicle path; determining a first arc shaped trajectory of travel between the first position and an intermediate position, and a second arc shaped trajectory of travel between the second position and the intermediate position, wherein the first arc shaped trajectory is complementary to the second arc shaped trajectory for forming a clothoid which provides a smoothed rearward steering maneuver between the first position to the second position; and controlling a steering actuator to follow the determined vehicle path; wherein the first arc shaped trajectory includes a first segment based on a circle arc having a first center point, and wherein the second arc shaped trajectory includes a first segment based on a circle arc having a second center point, wherein the first arc shaped trajectory further includes a second segment extending from the first segment of the first arc shaped trajectory to the intermediate position, wherein the second arc shaped trajectory further includes a second segment extending from the first segment of the second arc shaped trajectory to the intermediate position, and wherein the second segment of the first arc shaped trajectory and the second segment of the second arc shaped trajectory are clothoids.