Patent Description:
It is known to provide vehicles with an automatic parking capability such that the vehicle may park without receiving any direction from the driver. Such a vehicle may have for instance an onboard system including an automatic parking unit suited to control a maneuver of the vehicle in or out of a garage.

Prior art systems are disclosed in <CIT>.

Besides, in many regions around the world, it is quite common to possess a garage that is accessible through a remote controlled door. A remote control device is usually provided to trigger the opening of a garage door or a gate. Such access systems are generally known as GDO (for "Garage Door Opener") and the devices remotely controlling them UGDO (for "Universal Garage Door Opener").

In this context, the invention provides an onboard system for a vehicle, according to claim <NUM>, comprising an automatic parking unit suited to control a maneuver of the vehicle in or out of a park area secured by a remotely controlled access system; a communication circuit suited to send a wireless instruction for operating the access system; and a human machine interface (HMI) suited to monitor the communication circuit to send the wireless instruction upon actuation of the human machine interface, wherein the human machine interface is also suited to command the automatic parking unit that controls the maneuver subsequent to actuation of said human machine interface.

It is thus possible for the user to control the automatic parking maneuver and the park area access system using the same human machine interface.

For clarity, the access system may be for instance a garage door, a gate, a barrier or a lift, that needs to be operated while maneuvering the car.

The following optional (and thus not exhaustive) features are also proposed:.

Other features and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention will be better understood upon reading of preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the appended drawings.

<FIG> shows a possible context in which the invention may be used. The invention is however not limited to this possible context.

In this context, a vehicle <NUM> is about to enter a park area <NUM> (here a garage) secured by an access system <NUM> (here a garage door).

A mechanism <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM> for operating (e.g. opening or closing) the access system <NUM> (here for opening or closing the garage door) can be remotely controlled, i.e. activated when receiving a wireless instruction with valid credentials.

The vehicle <NUM> is equipped with an automatic parking unit <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM> suited to maneuver the vehicle <NUM> into the park area <NUM> after a pre-defined user action is detected on a human machine interface (HMI) <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>.

The same human machine interface <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM> is suited to command a communication circuit <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM> to send the above-mentioned wireless instruction upon actuation of an element <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM> of the human machine interface <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>, thereby triggering operation (e.g. opening) of the access system <NUM>.

As already mentioned, the access system <NUM> is here a garage door. According to a possible variation, the access system <NUM> could be an elevator making it possible for the vehicle to access the park area.

In addition, in another possible context, the communication circuit <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM> could also send a wireless instruction to control a comfort equipment (e.g. a garage lighting) associated with the access system (or, in another embodiment, independent of the access system).

According to a first embodiment schematically represented in <FIG>, the vehicle onboard system <NUM> comprises the automatic parking unit <NUM>, the human machine interface <NUM> and a data communication circuit <NUM>.

The data communication circuit <NUM> is suited to establish a wireless data link with the mechanism <NUM> for operating (opening) the access system <NUM>. In practice, this wireless data link is for instance a Bluetooth data link or a data link in a wireless local area network (WLAN).

The human machine interface <NUM> comprises a control unit <NUM> and an HMI element <NUM>. The HMI element <NUM> is here a (push) button. As a variation, this element could be another type of mechanical knob, or a virtual button on a touchscreen, or a voice or gesture command.

Upon actuation of this element <NUM> by the user, an actuation signal is received at the control unit <NUM>, which then commands the automatic parking unit <NUM> to perform an automatic maneuver into the park area <NUM> and the data communication circuit <NUM> to send the wireless instruction to the mechanism <NUM> via the established wireless data link.

Precisely, the control unit <NUM> of the human machine interface <NUM> sends a request to a control unit <NUM> of the automatic parking unit <NUM> to start the automatic parking procedure. Further operation of the automatic parking unit <NUM> is described below.

In parallel, as the wireless instruction is transmitted to the mechanism <NUM>, the mechanism operates (e.g.opens) the access system <NUM> (here the garage door), which enables the vehicle <NUM> to maneuver into the park area <NUM>.

According to a possible implementation, transmission of the wireless instruction by the data communication circuit <NUM> is synchronized with the maneuver. In this goal, the automatic parking unit <NUM> may for instance be suited to compute an appropriate time to operate the access system <NUM> (possibly taking into account the time needed to operate the access system) and to communicate said appropriate time to (the control unit <NUM> of) the human machine interface <NUM> such that (the control unit <NUM> of) the human machine interface <NUM> may control operation of the access system <NUM> at said appropriate time.

According to a second embodiment schematically represented in <FIG>, the vehicle onboard system <NUM> comprises the automatic parking unit <NUM>, the human machine interface <NUM>, a button <NUM> and a radio communication circuit <NUM>.

The button <NUM> and the radio communication circuit <NUM> are connected via a bus <NUM>. When the user depresses the button <NUM>, an actuation instruction is transmitted on the bus <NUM>. Upon detecting this actuation instruction on the bus <NUM>, the radio communication circuit <NUM> generates a sub GHz radiofrequency signal (i.e. a radiofrequency signal having a main frequency below <NUM>) intended to operate the mechanism <NUM> (and corresponding to the wireless instruction mentioned above).

The mechanism <NUM> is designed to operate the access system <NUM> (here to open the garage door) when receiving the radiofrequency signal.

Thus, actuation of the button <NUM> by the user results in operating the access system <NUM> of the park area <NUM>.

As in the first embodiment, the human machine interface <NUM> comprises a control unit <NUM> and an HMI element <NUM>. The HMI element <NUM> is here a (push) button, but could be another type of mechanical knob, or a virtual button on a touchscreen, or a voice or gesture command.

The human machine interface <NUM> (and precisely here the control unit <NUM>) is connected to the bus <NUM>.

Upon actuation of the element <NUM> of the human machine interface <NUM> by the user, an actuation signal is received at the control unit <NUM>.

The control unit <NUM> of the human machine interface <NUM> then sends the above-mentioned actuation instruction on the bus <NUM> and commands the automatic parking unit <NUM> to perform an automatic maneuver into the park area <NUM> (as further explained below).

In parallel (i.e. here contemporaneously), the actuation instruction sent by the control unit <NUM> on the bus <NUM> is received (detected) by the radio communication circuit <NUM>, commanding it to generate a (here sub GHz) radiofrequency signal intended to the mechanism <NUM> (in a similar fashion as when button <NUM> is depressed, as explained above).

Upon receiving the radiofrequency signal (in practice: together with correct credentials), the mechanism <NUM> operates (here: opens) the access system <NUM> (here the garage door), which enables the vehicle <NUM> to maneuver into the park area <NUM> (under the control of the automatic parking unit <NUM>).

According to a possible implementation, transmission of the radiofrequency signal is synchronized with the maneuver. In this goal, the automatic parking unit <NUM> may for instance be suited to determine an appropriate time to operate the access system <NUM> (possibly taking into account the time needed to operate the access system) and to communicate said appropriate time to (the control unit <NUM> of) the human machine interface <NUM> such that (the control unit <NUM> of) the human machine interface <NUM> may send the actuation instruction on the bus <NUM> (and thus control operation of the access system <NUM>) at said appropriate time.

According to a third embodiment schematically represented in <FIG>, the vehicle onboard system <NUM> comprises the automatic parking unit <NUM>, the human machine interface <NUM> and a radio communication circuit <NUM>.

The human machine interface <NUM> comprises a control unit <NUM> and at least an HMI element (such as a button <NUM>), here a plurality of HMI elements, such as for instance said (push) button <NUM> and at least another (push) button <NUM>.

The human machine interface <NUM> (and precisely here the control unit <NUM>), the automatic parking unit <NUM> (here a control unit <NUM> of the automatic parking unit <NUM>) and the radio communication circuit <NUM> are interconnected by a bus <NUM>.

When the user depresses the button <NUM>, the control circuit <NUM> of the human machine interface <NUM> sends a given instruction on the bus <NUM>. Upon receiving this given instruction on the bus <NUM>, the radio communication circuit <NUM> generates a sub GHz radiofrequency signal (i.e. a radiofrequency signal having a main frequency below <NUM>) intended to the mechanism <NUM> (and corresponding to the wireless instruction mentioned above).

As in the second embodiment, the mechanism <NUM> is designed to operate (e. open) the access system <NUM> (here to open the garage door) when receiving the radiofrequency signal (in practice: together with correct credentials).

Thus, actuation of the button <NUM> by the user leads to operating the access system <NUM> of the park area <NUM>.

In addition, the automatic parking unit <NUM> (precisely the control unit <NUM> of the automatic parking unit <NUM>) is suited to receive (or detect) the given instruction on the bus <NUM> and to trigger an automatic parking maneuver upon detecting the given instruction on the bus <NUM>.

Thus, actuation of the button <NUM> by the user leads also to starting the automatic parking maneuver.

Operation of the automatic parking unit <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> is now described.

The automatic parking unit <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> comprises at least one sensor <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM> (generally a plurality of sensors), a processing circuit <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>, a control circuit <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM> and at least a vehicle motion control mechanism <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM> (such as a power train and/or a steering system and/or a braking system).

Each sensor <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM> (for instance a video camera or an ultrasonic sensor) captures data representative of the environment of the vehicle <NUM>.

The processing circuit <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM> processes (e.g. analyzes) the (raw) data captured by the sensor(s) <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM> to generate processed data, which also incorporates the vehicle environment, but in a more synthetic manner. The processed data contains for instance the location of detected objects in the environment of the vehicle <NUM>.

The control circuit <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM> receives these processed data and possibly a command from the human machine interface <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>, e.g. a request to start the automatic parking procedure.

When the command received from the human machine interface <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM> indicates the automatic maneuver should be started or proceed, the control circuit <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM> controls the vehicle motion control mechanism(s) <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM> based on the processed data so as to drive the vehicle <NUM> in its environment.

When the command received from the human machine interface <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM> indicates the automatic maneuver should be stopped, the control circuit <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM> controls the vehicle motion control mechanism(s) <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM> to halt the vehicle <NUM>.

Claim 1:
An onboard automatic parking system (<NUM>) for a vehicle (<NUM>) comprising:
an automatic parking unit (<NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>) suited to control a maneuver of the vehicle (<NUM>) in or out of a park area (<NUM>) secured by a remotely controlled access system (<NUM>);
a communication circuit (<NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>) suited to send a wireless instruction for operating the access system (<NUM>); and
a human machine interface (<NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>) suited to monitor the communication circuit (<NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>) to send the wireless instruction upon actuation of the human machine interface (<NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>),
wherein transmission of the wireless instruction by the data communication circuit (<NUM>) is synchronized with the maneuver;
wherein the automatic parking unit (<NUM>) computes an appropriate time to operate the access system (<NUM>);
wherein the automatic parking unit (<NUM>) communicates said appropriate time to the human machine interface (<NUM>) such that the human machine interface (<NUM>) controls operation of the access system (<NUM>) at said appropriate time;
wherein the human machine interface (<NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>) is also suited to command the automatic parking unit (<NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>) that controls the maneuver subsequent to actuation of said human machine interface (<NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>).