Patent Description:
Automated parking assist systems support a driver of a vehicle to guide a vehicle optimally into a parking spot. When detecting a parking spot, the dimensions of the spot are estimated usually when reaching the parking spot. In a next step, the drive control of the vehicle is passed from the driver to the automated parking assist system. The trajectory from the current to the final position is calculated when handing over the vehicle to the controller. This might result in several parking maneuvers until the vehicle has reached its final parking position.

<CIT> describes a method for assisting a driver of a vehicle with a parking process, in particular for finding a parking space. <CIT> describes an auto-parking device, wherein an image acquisition unit and a range sensing unit are used to aware the surrounding situation of the vehicle itself. A processing unit can program a parking path despite the initial position of the car. <CIT> is seen as the closest prior art and describes a method for parking a vehicle in a parking space. In the method, a parking aid device having a function that parks in a parking space on an oncoming lane is activated.

It may be seen as an objective of the disclosure to reduce the number of automated maneuvers when driving a vehicle into a parking spot, thereby saving resources as energy and time.

This objective is at least partially achieved by the subject-matter of the independent claims. Embodiments are provided by the dependent claims, the following description and the accompanying figures.

The described embodiments similarly pertain to the method for parking a vehicle in a parking spot, the automated parking assist system for parking a vehicle in a parking spot, the controller, the computer program element and the computer-readable medium. Synergetic effects may arise from different combinations of the embodiments although they might not be described in detail.

Further on, it shall be noted that all embodiments of the present disclosure concerning a method, might be carried out with the order of the steps as described, nevertheless this has not to be the only and essential order of the steps of the method. The herein presented methods can be carried out with another order of the disclosed steps without departing from the respective method embodiment, unless explicitly mentioned to the contrary hereinafter.

Technical terms are used by their common sense. If a specific meaning is conveyed to certain terms, definitions of terms will be given in the following in the context of which the terms are used.

In an example scenario where an automated parking assist system has information about free parking spots, a driver of a vehicle and user of an automated parking assist system comprising a human man interface (HMI) may indicate to the HMI that an automated parking is desired. The driver may optionally have the possibility to select a desired parking spot. The HMI thereupon instructs the driver to hand over the vehicle control to the system.

According to a first aspect, in, e.g., such an example scenario, an automated parking assist system for parking a vehicle in a parking spot is provided. The automated parking assist system comprises a controller, which is configured to handover drive control from a user to the automated parking assist system, and to start an automated parking procedure. The controller is configured to initiate the handover at speed as the vehicle approaches the parking spot, i.e., at speed, and to finish the handover before the vehicle reaches the parking spot.

The early handover enables the controller to perform several actions, e.g., to start calculating the trajectory before reaching the parking spot and/or to find a suitable position from which parking maneuvers may be started, so that the trajectory is improved. The improved trajectory again allows for a reduced number of parking maneuvers as, for example, moving the vehicle forward or backwards in order to drive the vehicle into the parking spot. The term "reaching the parking spot" means that when driving along the road towards the parking spot, the handover is finished before the front side of the vehicle crosses a virtual line perpendicular to the road running, at the beginning of the free space of the parking spot. Therefore, in this disclosure the expression "reaching the parking spot" has to be distinguished from the expression "final parking position", where the vehicle is finally stopped for parking.

Further, according to the first aspect, the controller may be configured to first guide the vehicle to a first stop position from which parking maneuvers being part of the automated parking procedure are starte. The vehicle is not stopped before reaching the first stop position. The number of parking maneuvers may be one or two, or it may be zero, in a case where no further maneuver is necessary.

In other words, the controller may first calculate an ideal first stop position for the parking maneuvers and may guide the vehicle to this first stop position. The controller may acquire or calculate the trajectory and may maneuver from the current position of the vehicle to the final position or it may guide the vehicle to a first stop position, and may acquire the trajectory regarding maneuvers from this position, depending on the local conditions. A predefined first stop position may, for example, be at a pre-defined lateral and longitudinal distance from the parking spot and a pre-defined angle between the vehicle and parking spot. The first stop position further depends on the type of parking spot and whether the vehicle shall be parked in a forward or in a backwards direction. Therefore, the handover may in an example embodiment be finished noticeably before reaching the parking spot, so that the controller has enough time and there is enough space to acquire a favorable trajectory along which the controller can drive the vehicle to a suitable first stop position. In one example, the first stop position may be the final parking position, as explained below.

In an example embodiment, the controller may be provided with information about free parking spots, the type of the parking spots, and further information of the parking area, as, e.g., streets or obstacles. The early knowledge about the parking environment allows the controller to select a free parking spot, to perform the handover and to guide the vehicle to the first stop position.

In an example, the driver may configure, whether the vehicle shall be parked in forwards or in backwards direction. Since the controller has a knowledge of the local conditions, the first stop position can be calculated in advance such that it can perform an efficient forwards or backwards parking procedure.

According to an embodiment, the automated parking procedure may comprise a parallel parking procedure or a bay parking procedure. In a parallel parking procedure, the vehicle will be parked parallel to the street running, whereas in a bay parking procedure the vehicle will be parked perpendicular or diagonally with respect to the street running.

According to an embodiment, in a parallel parking procedure, the controller may be configured to stop the vehicle for a pre-defined time interval at the first stop position, to flash a turn indicator in order to indicate that the vehicle is in the process of parking, and to acquire the parking trajectory. By stopping and flashing a turn indicator, other vehicles are warned that the vehicle is about to perform parking maneuvers and that they should keep distance to the vehicle. Further, they are informed, that the parking spot is now claimed by the vehicle. The pre-defined time interval is in an example embodiment configured such that the controller has enough time for calculating the trajectory, and such that the drivers of other vehicles get aware about the situation. Alternatively, the controller may be configured to at least start calculating the trajectory before reaching the parking spot, i.e., before reaching the virtual line perpendicular to the road running at the beginning of the parking spot, instead of calculating the trajectory at the first stop position.

According to an embodiment, the controller may be configured to perform, in the parallel parking procedure, after the time interval has expired, a parallel parking maneuver which comprises driving forward to an intermediate position, which is, e.g., a second stop position, selecting a reverse gear and guiding the vehicle to the final position according to the acquired parking trajectory.

In an alternative parallel parking procedure, the controller may be configured to both, flash a turn indicator in order to indicate that the vehicle is in the process of parking, and to acquire a parking trajectory while approaching the parking spot, i.e., before reaching the parking spot, and to drive to a first stop position, which may correspond to the intermediate position described above, to select a reverse gear and to guide the vehicle to the final position according to the acquired parking trajectory. The early handover allows acquiring the trajectory before reaching the parking spot and a suitable first stop position. In contrast to the parallel parking procedure, only one stop is necessary. This stop takes place at a position, from which only one maneuver needs to be performed to arrive at the final parking position.

According to an embodiment, in a first bay parking procedure, the controller may be configured to decrease the speed of the vehicle, to indicate that the vehicle is in the process of parking by flashing a turn indicator, to acquire the parking trajectory from the current position to a final position and to guide the vehicle to the first stop position, which is the final position of the vehicle, according to the acquired parking trajectory. That is, after handover, the controller decelerates the vehicle to a proper parking run-up speed, acquires the trajectory to the final position as the vehicle is moving, and drives the vehicle to the final position without stopping.

According to a further embodiment, in a second bay parking procedure, the first stop position may be a position of the vehicle after reaching the parking spot. The controller may be configured to decrease the speed of the vehicle, to acquire the trajectory from the first stop position to the final position before reaching the first stop position, to perform a single parking maneuver from the first stop position to the final position, wherein the parking maneuver comprises stopping the vehicle at the first stop position, selecting a reverse gear, and guiding the vehicle backwards to the final parking position.

Similarly to the first bay parking procedure, after handover, the controller may decelerate the vehicle to a proper parking run-up speed and may acquire the trajectory during driving to the first stop position. The calculation of the trajectory may be performed as soon as the distance to the parking spot can be measured.

According to a further embodiment, in a third bay parking procedure, the first stop position may be a position of the vehicle after reaching the parking spot. The controller may be configured to decrease the speed of the vehicle, acquire the trajectory from the first stop position to the final position before reaching the first stop position, perform a first and a second parking maneuver, wherein the controller is configured to stop the vehicle at the first stop position, select a reverse gear and starts the first parking maneuver. The first parking maneuver may comprise guiding the vehicle from the first stop position to an intermediate position, where it is stopped, a forward gear is selected, and from which the second parking maneuver is started. The second parking maneuver may comprise guiding the vehicle forwards from the intermediate position to the final parking position.

According to an embodiment, the automated parking assist system may further comprise a human machine interface, HMI, for selecting the parking spot before the handover of the drive control. The HMI may comprise a microphone, a touch display, switches and/or soft or hardware buttons for a user input and a display, loudspeaker, LEDs for communicating information to the user.

According to an aspect, a vehicle is provided comprising an automated parking assist system as described above.

According to a further aspect, a controller for an automated parking assist system for parking a vehicle in a parking spot as described above is provided. The controller may comprise circuits without programmable logics or may be or comprise a micro controller, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an ASIC, a Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLD), or any other programmable logic devices known to person skilled in the art. According to a further aspect, a method for parking a vehicle in a parking spot is provided.

The method comprises handing overdrive control from a user to an automated parking assist system and starting an automated parking procedure, wherein the handover is initiated at speed as the vehicle approaches the parking spot, wherein the handover is finished before the vehicle reaches the parking spot, and wherein the controller is configured to first guide the vehicle (<NUM>) to a first stop position from which parking maneuvers being part of the automated parking procedure are started; and wherein the vehicle is not stopped before reaching the first stop position. This allows the automated parking assist system to acquire the trajectory at an early stage in the parking procedure. , the trajectory may be acquired as soon as the distance to the parking spot can be measured, and while the vehicle approaches the parking spot at decreased speed.

In an example, the method may further comprise scanning a parking lot for parking spots ahead, selecting a parking spot before handing over drive control, and calculating a parking trajectory.

In a further example, the method may further comprise, after the step of starting an automated parking procedure: switching on turning indicators and driving to a first stop position; if the first stop position is the final position, stopping the car and switching off the turning indicators, otherwise selecting a forward or a reverse gear and driving to a next stop position according to the parking trajectory; if the next stop position is not the final position, repeating the step of selecting a forward or a reverse gear and driving to a further next stop position according to the parking trajectory until the vehicle has reached the final parking position.

In a further example, driving according to the parking trajectory may comprise: driving to a parallel parking spot, which is a parking spot aligned parallel to the road running, or driving to a bay parking spot, which is a parking spot non-parallel to the road running.

According to a further aspect, a program element is provided, which when being executed by the controller in the automated parking assist system for parking a vehicle in a parking spot, instructs the automated parking assist system to perform the steps of the method described above. The program element may be part of a computer program, but it can also be an entire program by itself. For example, the computer program element may be used to update an already existing computer program to get to the present disclosure.

According to a further aspect, a computer readable medium is provided, on which such a program element is stored. The computer readable medium may be seen as a storage medium, such as for example, a USB stick, a CD, a DVD, a data storage device, a hard disk, or any other medium on which a program element as described above can be stored.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood with reference to the accompanying figure and the following description.

<FIG> shows a block diagram of an automated parking assist system <NUM> for a vehicle comprising a controller <NUM> and a human-man-interface (HMI) <NUM>. The HMI <NUM> may be controlled by controller <NUM> and comprises a communication interface <NUM> for connecting to a database, to a navigation system, to a camera or other sensors as, e.g., sensors of a parking system providing information regarding free and occupied parking spots. Connections may be realized via a wireless data transmission device or via cable. The HMI <NUM> may further comprise a user interface <NUM> with user input means <NUM> and user output means <NUM> as a display, a touch screen, an acoustic interface or other control elements. The HMI <NUM> is responsible for detecting free parking spots and providing the results, e.g., by visual or acoustic means, to a driver of the vehicle. The HMI <NUM> may be configured to provide the driver a choice, whether the HMI <NUM> shall automatically select a parking spot out of the detected free parking spots or to manually select a preferred parking spot and/or to park forwards or backwards. The HMI <NUM> further detects the type of parking spot, i.e., a parallel parking spot or a bay parking spot. Once the parking spot is selected, the driver may handover the control of the vehicle to the automated parking assist system <NUM> as explained in the following figures. The controller <NUM> comprises an interface <NUM> to devices controlling the motor, the gear, and the steering of the vehicle.

<FIG> shows a flow diagram of a method <NUM> for an optimized automated run-up for a parallel parking procedure. Starting with <NUM>, the parking assist system <NUM> automatically scans for free parking spots ahead. The scan may be supported, for example, by external information, and/or by on-vehicle sensors. The found spots are presented to the driver. In <NUM>, the HMI <NUM> waits for an input of the driver, who selects a desired parking spot in the HMI <NUM>. Alternatively, the driver may allow the HMI <NUM> to select a parking spot. In <NUM>, the parking assist system <NUM> acknowledges the selection of the parking spot by instructing the driver to hand over the vehicle control to the parking assist system <NUM>. The handover is performed at speed. , the handover is performed at an early stage before reaching the parking spot and the vehicle does not have to be stopped for the handover. In <NUM>, the parking assist system <NUM> checks, whether the handover has been performed. If not, for example, because the driver did not give a corresponding input to the HMI <NUM>, in <NUM> it is checked, whether the spot has been passed. If yes, the procedure goes to <NUM>, where system <NUM> scans further for spots and presents the found spots to the driver. If no, steps <NUM> and <NUM> are repeated. If the result of the check <NUM> for handover is positive, the automated parking assist system <NUM> is in <NUM> in control of the vehicle, so that the driver is only supervising the actions of the system <NUM>. The system <NUM> then begins to decelerate the vehicle towards standstill. In <NUM>, the system <NUM> stops the vehicle at a first stop position right next to the selected parking spot for a pre-determined period of time and activates the turn indicators. The period of time is large enough for claiming the parking spot and to acquire the trajectory. Therefore, the combination of two automated sequential actions constitute the claiming of the spot: Firstly, the vehicle is stopped next to the parking spot. Secondly, the turn indicators are started to flash. These two actions cause the driver of the vehicle behind to stop its vehicle and to stay at a secure distance, instead of spoiling the parking opportunity. The trajectory may also be acquired before reaching the first stop position. The trajectory may comprise an intermediate stop position. Finally, in <NUM>, the automated parking assist system <NUM> drives the vehicle forward to the intermediate stop position, stops and changes the gear to a reverse gear, and maneuvers in <NUM> the vehicle backwards into the parking slot according to the acquired trajectory. There, the controller stops the vehicle at the final park position, so that the parallel parking procedure is finished in <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates the method <NUM> described above. Vehicle <NUM> at current position <NUM> drives along the road and is about to approach parking spot <NUM>. In this phase, the HMI <NUM> has information about free parking spots along the road, which are arranged parallel to the street. The HMI <NUM> presents the next free spot <NUM> to the driver who selects the spot, e.g., by touching a display of the HMI <NUM> or by a speech command and hands over the control of the vehicle <NUM> to the automated parking assist system <NUM>. After the handover, the controller <NUM> of the system <NUM> decreases the speed of the vehicle and stops at first stop position <NUM> next to the spot <NUM>. The handover is therefore finished distinctly before reaching the parking spot <NUM>, i.e., before reaching line <NUM> in <FIG>, so that there is enough time to decrease the speed and drive the vehicle <NUM> to the first stop position <NUM>. At the first stop position <NUM>, the turning indicators <NUM> are switched on. Further, the trajectory for the parallel parking maneuvers is acquired. The stopping for a period of time and switching on the turning indicators signals to the vehicle <NUM> behind vehicle <NUM> that the spot is claimed by vehicle <NUM> and that a parking procedure will be started. The parking procedure comprises two maneuvers. In the first maneuver, the controller <NUM> drives the vehicle <NUM> forward to the intermediate position <NUM>, where it stops the vehicle <NUM> and selects a reverse gear. In the second parking maneuver, the controller guides the vehicle <NUM> backwards to its final parking position <NUM>.

Thus, due to the early handover on the fly, the controller is enabled to drive the vehicle <NUM> to a suitable first stop position, e.g., position <NUM>. Further, at the first stop position <NUM>, measures are taken to prevent the following vehicle from intruding into the area needed for the maneuvers or even occupying the parking spot claimed by vehicle <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a flow diagram of a second method <NUM>. The flow diagram describes an optimized automated run-up for a bay parking procedure. Starting with <NUM>, the parking assist system <NUM> automatically scans for spots ahead. The found spots are presented to the driver. In <NUM>, the HMI <NUM> waits for an input of the driver, who selects a desired parking spot in the HMI <NUM>. In <NUM>, the parking assist system <NUM> acknowledges the selection of the parking spot by instructing the driver to hand over the vehicle control to the parking assist system <NUM>. The handover is performed at speed, so that it is performed at an early stage before reaching the parking spot. In <NUM>, the parking assist system <NUM> checks, whether the handover has been performed. If not, for example, because the driver did not give a corresponding input to the HMI <NUM>, in <NUM> it is checked, whether the spot has been passed. If not, the procedure goes back to <NUM>. If yes, in <NUM>, the automated parking assist system <NUM> is in control of the vehicle, so that the driver is only supervising the actions of the system <NUM>. The controller starts to decelerate the vehicle to a proper parking run-up speed and activates the turn indicators. As soon as the distance to the parking spot can be measured, the trajectory is acquired as the vehicle is moving. The acquired trajectory may lead to one of several positions. , in a direct forward parking procedure, the trajectory may comprise a single step, so that the "first stop position" coincides with the final position. If this is in <NUM> the case, the parking procedure is finished <NUM>. Otherwise, in <NUM> the trajectory leads directly to a first stop position, whereby it passes the parking spot without stopping before it reaches the first stop position. At the first stop position, the vehicle is stopped for the first time, and a reverse gear is selected. Afterwards, a first maneuver is conducted from the first stop position to a next position. If, in <NUM>, the vehicle shall be parked backwards, the next position of the maneuver is the final position and the procedure is finished <NUM>. Otherwise, in case of a forward parking procedure according to check <NUM>, in <NUM>, the controller drives vehicle to the next position, which is an intermediate position, at which a forward gear is selected and a second maneuver is started. If, in <NUM>, the final position cannot be reached, the procedure has failed <NUM>. Otherwise, the final position is reached and the procedure is finished <NUM> successfully.

Therefore, by calculating the trajectory on the fly during approaching the parking spot, the vehicle can be driven directly to a first stop position with only zero (direct forward parking), one (rearward parking) or two (indirect forward parking) maneuvers. The number of stops including the first stop position and the final position is only one (direct forward parking), two (backwards parking) or three (indirect forward parking).

<FIG> illustrate the method <NUM>. <FIG> shows a first scenario, where a vehicle is parked forwards into the parking spot <NUM>. Vehicle <NUM> drives along the road and is about to approach parking spot <NUM>. In this phase, the HMI <NUM> has information about free parking spots along the road, which are arranged perpendicular to the street. The HMI <NUM> presents the next free spot <NUM> to the driver who selects the spot, e.g., by touching a display of the HMI <NUM> or by a speech command and hands over the control of the vehicle <NUM> to the automated parking assist system <NUM>. The controller <NUM> of the system <NUM> switches on the turning indicators at position <NUM> and acquires the trajectory and contemporarily decreases the speed of the vehicle. The handover is therefore finished distinctly before reaching the parking spot <NUM>, i.e. before reaching line <NUM> in <FIG>, so that the controller can acquire the trajectory <NUM> and drive the vehicle <NUM> along the acquired trajectory <NUM>. The controller finally drives the vehicle to its final parking position <NUM> without stopping in-between.

<FIG> shows a scenario where the driver or the system <NUM> has chosen to park backwards into the parking spot <NUM>. In this case, after handing over the control of the vehicle <NUM> to the system <NUM> during approaching the parking spot <NUM>, the controller switches on the turning indicators at position <NUM> and calculates a first stop position <NUM> to which it guides the vehicle <NUM> without stopping, and the trajectory from the first stop position to the final parking position <NUM> in the spot <NUM>. At the first stop position <NUM> a reverse gear is selected, and the controller guides the vehicle to the final parking position <NUM> in a single maneuver.

<FIG> shows a scenario where the driver or the system <NUM> has chosen to park forwards into the parking spot <NUM>. In this example, the space may be too narrow to follow a trajectory as shown in <FIG>. Therefore, an intermediate step might be necessary. Similar to the previous example in <FIG>, the handover of the vehicle control and the calculation of the trajectory are performed in an early phase, when the vehicle <NUM> is approaching the parking spot <NUM>. The controller switches on the turning indicators at position <NUM> and calculates a suitable first stop position <NUM> to which it drives the vehicle <NUM> without stopping. A first maneuver is initiated from the first stop position <NUM>, where the controller selects a reverse gear and guides the vehicle <NUM> to the intermediate position <NUM>. At this position, the controller changes the gear, switches of the turn indicator and drives the vehicle <NUM> to the final parking position according to the acquired trajectory.

Thus, also in this relatively complex scenario, there is only one stop between first stop position <NUM> and end position <NUM>.

This is achieved by handing over the control of the vehicle <NUM> and calculating the trajectory in a very early stage, so that the first stop position, which is a position, where the vehicle is stopped the first time, is a position, which is followed by only very few further stop positions. In one scenario (<FIG>), besides of the stop at the final position, no further stop is performed, so that when reaching the "first stop position" the final parking position is yet reached, and no maneuver has to be performed.

<FIG> shows a block diagram of a vehicle <NUM> with an automated parking assist system <NUM> as presented in <FIG>. The vehicle comprises sensors <NUM> as, for example, a camera, radar, sonar, or sensors for measuring speed, direction and distances, etc. Furthermore, the vehicle <NUM> comprises a communication unit <NUM> for receiving external sensor data. , the parking lot is equipped with sensors for detecting whether a parking spot is occupied or not, and transmits this information to the vehicle <NUM>. Further, a map of the parking lot may be obtained either by transmission from an external source to the communication unit <NUM>, or by a navigation system device <NUM>. Other combinations are possible; e.g., external information may be received by the communication unit <NUM> and stored in a memory of the navigation system <NUM>, which is accessed by the parking assist system <NUM>. Moreover, the vehicle <NUM> comprises turn indicators <NUM>, which may be activated by the parking, assist system <NUM>. Furthermore, the parking assist system <NUM> is connected to devices for controlling the motor, the steering, and the gears.

Claim 1:
Automated parking assist system (<NUM>) for parking a vehicle in a parking spot, comprising a controller (<NUM>) configured to
handover drive control from a user to the automated parking assist system (<NUM>); and
start an automated parking procedure,
wherein the controller (<NUM>) is configured to initiate the handover at speed as the vehicle approaches the parking spot, and to finish the handover before a front side of the vehicle (<NUM>) crosses a virtual line perpendicular to a road running, at a beginning of a free space of the parking spot (<NUM>, <NUM>), when driving along the road towards the parking spot (<NUM>, <NUM>); wherein with the handover the controller is configured to calculate a trajectory from a current position of the vehicle to a final position and find a suitable first stop position before reaching the parking spot, the first stop position being dependent on a type of the parking spot and whether the vehicle shall be parked in a forward or in a backwards direction;
wherein the controller is configured to first guide the vehicle (<NUM>) to the first stop position from which parking maneuvers being part of the automated parking procedure are started; and wherein the vehicle is not stopped before reaching the first stop position.