Patent Description:
With regard to this kind of technique, a parking control apparatus is known which is operated from outside of a vehicle and controls the vehicle to park (Patent Document <NUM>).

Patent Document <NUM> describes a parking support device for automatically parking the vehicle at a position desired by a user. The device is capable of determining the presence or absence of a user sitting in the driver's seat. Patent Document <NUM> is seen as the closest prior art and shows a parking method and apparatus according to the preamble of claims <NUM> and <NUM> respectively.

Patent Document <NUM> describes a vehicle control device for driving a vehicle to travel to a parking position on the basis of an input parking command signal. Vehicle control for parking differs depending on whether the parking command signal is a first parking command signal (from a remote controller) or a second parking command signal (from an in-vehicle operation device). Patent Document <NUM> is a document under Article <NUM>(<NUM>) EPC.

In Patent Document <NUM>, however, parking schemes when an occupant (driver or passenger) is present inside the vehicle interior and when no occupant is inside the vehicle interior are not under review.

A problem to be solved by the present invention is to park a vehicle with the control content in accordance with whether or not an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior.

The present invention solves the above problem by controlling a vehicle in accordance with the result of a determination whether or not an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle.

According to the present invention, the vehicle can be parked with the control content in accordance with whether or not an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior.

Hereinafter, one or more embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments, the present invention will be described by exemplifying an example in which the parking control apparatus according to the present invention is applied to a parking control system equipped in a vehicle. The parking control apparatus may also be applied to a portable terminal device (equipment such as a smartphone or a personal digital assistant (PDA)) capable of exchanging information with onboard devices. The parking control method according to the present invention can be used in the parking control apparatus, which will be described below.

<FIG> is a block diagram of a parking control system <NUM> having a parking control apparatus <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. The parking control system <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention comprises cameras 1a to 1d, an image processing device <NUM>, a ranging device <NUM>, an input terminal device <NUM>, the parking control apparatus <NUM>, a vehicle controller <NUM>, a drive system <NUM>, a steering angle sensor <NUM>, and a vehicle speed sensor <NUM>. The parking control apparatus <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention controls an operation of moving (parking) the vehicle into a parking space on the basis of an operation command that is input from the input terminal device <NUM>.

The input terminal device <NUM> is a portable terminal device that can be brought out to outside of the vehicle. The input terminal device <NUM> receives an input of an operation command for controlling the vehicle. The input terminal device <NUM> includes a communication device and is capable of exchanging information with the parking control apparatus <NUM>. The input terminal device <NUM> transmits an operation command, which is input outside the vehicle, via a communication network to the parking control apparatus <NUM> and inputs the operation command to the parking control apparatus <NUM>. The input terminal device <NUM> communicates with the parking control apparatus <NUM> using signals including a unique identification code.

The input terminal device <NUM> includes a display <NUM>. The display <NUM> presents an input interface and various information items. When the display <NUM> is a touch panel-type display, it has a function of receiving an operation command.

The input terminal device <NUM> may be a portable device, such as a smartphone or a personal digital assistant (PDA), in which applications are installed for receiving an input of an operation command used in the parking control method according to one or more embodiments of the present invention and transmitting the operation command to the parking control apparatus <NUM>.

The parking control apparatus <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention comprises a control device <NUM>, an input device <NUM>, and an output device <NUM>. These components of the parking control apparatus <NUM> are connected to one another via a controller area network (CAN) or other in-vehicle LAN to mutually exchange information.

The input device <NUM> includes a communication device <NUM>. The communication device <NUM> receives an operation command transmitted from the external input terminal device <NUM> and inputs the operation command to the input device <NUM>. The input device <NUM> accepts the received operation command. The subject which inputs the operation command to the external input terminal device <NUM> may be a person (a user, a passenger, a driver, or a worker of a parking facility) or may also be a machine (a management device) on the parking facility side. The input device <NUM> receives an operation command which an occupant in the vehicle interior inputs. The input device <NUM> transmits the received operation command to the control device <NUM>.

The output device <NUM> includes a display <NUM>. The output device <NUM> notifies the driver of parking control information. The display <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention is a touch panel-type display having an input function and an output function. When the display <NUM> has an input function, the display <NUM> serves as the input device <NUM>.

The control device <NUM> of the parking control apparatus <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention is a specific computer comprising a ROM <NUM> that stores a parking control program, a CPU <NUM> as an operation circuit that executes the program stored in the ROM <NUM> to serve as the parking control apparatus <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention, and a RAM <NUM> that serves as an accessible storage device.

The parking control program according to one or more embodiments of the present invention is a program that executes a control procedure to make a determination whether or not an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle and control the vehicle to park in accordance with the result of the determination. This program is executed by the control device <NUM> of the parking control apparatus <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.

The parking control apparatus <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention has a remote control function of receiving an operation command from external and controlling the movement of the vehicle to park into a given parking space. During this operation, the occupant may not be present inside the vehicle interior or may also be present inside the vehicle interior. As previously described, it is also possible to input the operation command via the input device <NUM> in the vehicle interior.

The parking control apparatus <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention may be of an automatic control type in which the steering operation and the accelerator/brake operation are automatically performed. The parking control apparatus <NUM> may also be of a semiautomatic type in which the steering operation is automatically performed and the driver performs the accelerator/brake operation.

In the parking control program according to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the user may arbitrarily select a target parking space, or the parking control apparatus <NUM> or the parking facility side may automatically set a target parking space.

The control device <NUM> of the parking control apparatus <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention has functions of executing an operation command acquisition process, an occupant presence confirmation process, and a parking control process. Each of the above processes is executed by cooperation of software for implementing the process and the above-described hardware.

When executing the parking control method for controlling the vehicle to park on the basis of an operation command acquired from inside or outside of the vehicle, the control device <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention makes a determination whether or not an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle and controls the vehicle to park using a control method in accordance with the result of the determination. The control device <NUM> determines the presence or absence of an occupant in the vehicle interior, generates a parking route in accordance with the presence or absence of an occupant, calculates control information in accordance with the presence or absence of an occupant, and controls the vehicle to park into a given parking space on the basis of the above.

The vehicle can be parked by a method suitable for each of the request when an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior and the request when no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior because the vehicle is controlled to park in accordance with the result of determination as to whether or not an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle. For example, when an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, it is required that the amount of change in the behavior of the vehicle be small and an uncomfortable feeling be not given to the occupants. On the other hand, when no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, it is not necessary to take into account the uncomfortable feeling given to the occupants. In this case, smooth parking with a shortened parking operation time is required. The parking control device <NUM> executes the parking process with the control content in accordance with whether or not an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior and can therefore respond to respective requirements in both the scene in which an occupant is present and the scene in which an occupant is absent. An occupant who gets out of the vehicle is in a state of performing a parking operation for the vehicle or in a state of waiting for parking completion. In any state, the occupant is restricted in action due to parking, and it is preferred that such time be short. Particularly in specific cases, such as when the climate is hot/cold and when the weather is rain/snow/strong wind, it is preferred to smoothly complete the parking process without delay.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure of the parking control process executed by the parking control system <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. The trigger for starting the parking control process is not particularly limited, and the parking control process may be triggered by the operation of a start switch of the parking control apparatus <NUM>.

The parking control apparatus <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention has a function of automatically moving a vehicle V to a parking space on the basis of an operation command acquired from outside of the vehicle.

In step <NUM>, the control device <NUM> of the parking control apparatus <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention acquires images captured by the cameras 1a to 1d attached to multiple sites of the vehicle V Although not particularly limited, the camera 1a is disposed on the front grille part of the vehicle V, the camera 1d is disposed in the vicinity of the rear bumper, and the cameras 1b and 1c are disposed on the lower parts of the right and left door mirrors. The cameras 1a to 1d may each be a camera having a wide-angle lens with a wide view angle. The cameras 1a to 1d capture images of boundary lines of parking spaces around the vehicle V and objects existing around the parking spaces. The cameras 1a to 1d may be CCD cameras, infrared cameras, or other appropriate imaging devices.

In step <NUM>, the control device <NUM> also acquires ranging signals from the ranging device <NUM>, which may be a plurality of modules attached to multiple sites of the vehicle V.

The ranging device <NUM> may be provided at the same position as any of the cameras 1a to 1d or may also be provided at a different position. The ranging device <NUM> may be a radar device, such as a millimeter-wave radar, a laser radar or an ultrasonic radar, or a sonar. The ranging device <NUM> detects the presence or absence of objects, positions of the objects, sizes of the objects, and distances to the objects on the basis of the received signal of the radar device. Such objects include installed subjects, pedestrians, other vehicles, and parked vehicles around the vehicle. The received signal is used to make a determination whether or not the parking space is empty (whether or not a vehicle is parked in the parking space). Obstacles may be detected using the motion stereo technique by the cameras 1a to 1d.

In step <NUM>, the control device <NUM> of the parking control apparatus <NUM> controls the image processing device <NUM> to generate an overhead image. On the basis of the acquired plurality of captured images, the image processing device <NUM> generates an overhead image in which the surrounding state including the vehicle V and the parking space for the vehicle V to park is viewed from a virtual viewpoint above the vehicle V Step <NUM> may be followed by step <NUM> without creating an overhead image.

In step <NUM>, the control device <NUM> detects parking spaces into which parking is possible. The control device <NUM> detects white lines on the basis of the captured images from the cameras 1a to 1d. The white lines are boundary lines that define frames (areas) of parking spaces. The control device <NUM> performs edge detection on the captured images and detects the parking spaces on the basis of the luminance difference (contrast). After detecting the parking spaces, the control device <NUM> detects empty parking spaces in accordance with the following parking available condition using the detection data of the ranging device <NUM>/image processing device <NUM>. The control device <NUM> detects parking available spaces from among the parking spaces. The parking available spaces are parking spaces which are empty (i.e., other vehicles are not parked) and to which routes for completing the parking can be derived. The condition that a route can be derived means that a trajectory of the route can be rendered on road surface coordinates without interfering with obstacles (including parked vehicles). In practice, an accurate parking route for controlling the vehicle is derived after a target parking space is set.

In step <NUM>, the control device <NUM> transmits the parking available spaces to the display <NUM> of the parking control device <NUM> or to the input terminal device <NUM>, which is controlled to display the parking available spaces on the display <NUM>. The parking available spaces may be superimposed on the overhead view image based on the captured images and displayed thereon.

Then, communication with the input terminal device <NUM> is established and an operation command acquisition process is executed. In step <NUM>, the control device <NUM> determines whether or not a target parking space is input. The control device <NUM> determines whether or not a target parking space is input, on the basis of the operation command which is directly input to the input device <NUM>.

The target parking space is a parking space into which the vehicle is parked by automated driving, and represents a target position in the automated driving. The target parking space is input via the input terminal device <NUM>. For example, when the display <NUM> is a touch panel-type display, the user can touch the portion of a desired parking space thereby to select one target parking space. Identification information of the selected target parking space is transmitted to the parking control device <NUM> and input to the control device <NUM>. When, in step <NUM>, an operation command that specifies one parking space is input to the input terminal device <NUM>, the parking space is set as the target parking space. Until the target parking space is input, the control flow returns to step <NUM> and waits for the input of an operation command. The operation command includes any one of activation of the parking control device <NUM>, selection of a target parking space, and an execution command for the parking control.

In step <NUM>, the presence confirmation process is executed to determine whether or not an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior. The control device <NUM> makes a determination whether or not an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior. The control device <NUM> determines the presence or absence of an occupant on the basis of the detection signal from a seating sensor provided on the seat surface of a seat. In addition or alternatively, the control device <NUM> may determine the presence or absence of an occupant on the basis of the fact that the user input any of the information indicating that the occupant gets out of the vehicle, the information on the start of a remote control mode, and the activation information of the parking control device <NUM>. In addition or alternatively, the presence or absence of an occupant may be determined on the basis of detection signals from a camera, a human sensor, or the like provided in the vehicle interior.

When the operation command is acquired from outside of the vehicle interior of the vehicle, the control device <NUM> may determine that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle. In a scene in which the operation command is input from outside of the vehicle, it is highly possible that no occupant is present inside the vehicle. The control device <NUM> therefore estimates that no occupant is present inside the vehicle because the operation command is input from outside of the vehicle. Depending on the management operation of the parking lot, the occupant and the operator may be different persons, so a determination can be made whether the estimation process is applied to each parking process. When the operation command is acquired from outside of the vehicle interior of the vehicle, a determination can be made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle, thereby to determine the presence or absence of an occupant without using the detection information on the vehicle side (such as the output signal from the seating sensor).

The parking route is calculated in accordance with the determination result of step <NUM>. In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the following schemes are proposed when calculating a parking route suitable for the case in which no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior.

The control device <NUM> evaluates the obtained parking route using the above evaluation function. When an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the control device <NUM> accepts the maximum curvature or the like to increase and calculates a shorter route. The evaluation scheme (evaluation function) for the parking route is not particularly limited, and any scheme known at the time of filing of this application can be appropriately applied.

In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the smoothness of behavior of the vehicle can be obtained using any one or more of the longitudinal speed jerk, lateral speed jerk, and yaw jerk. The jerk, which refers to the time derivative of acceleration, is a factor that affects the ride quality for the occupants. The shortness of the time required for parking as an evaluation item may be substituted with the shortness of the distance of a parking route. This is because the shortness of the distance of a parking route contributes to shortening the time required for parking.

When a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, a relatively high weighting parameter for the shortness of the time required for parking and a relatively low weighting parameter for the smoothness of the behavior of the vehicle can be set thereby to calculate a parking route in which priority is given to shortening the parking operation time.

Referring again to step <NUM> of <FIG>, when a determination is made that an occupant is present, the routine proceeds to step <NUM>, while when a determination is made that no occupant is present, the routine proceeds to step <NUM>.

In step <NUM>, a first parameter for parking route calculation used when an occupant is present is read. This first parameter is used for the calculation of a first parking route in the subsequent step <NUM>. In step <NUM>, a second parameter for parking route calculation used when no occupant is present is read. This second parameter is used for the calculation of a second parking route in the subsequent step <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates an example of parameters used for calculating a parking route. As illustrated in <FIG>, each parameter includes the first parameter used when an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior and the second parameter used when an occupant is absent in the vehicle interior. The second parameter is read in step <NUM> after the determination in step <NUM>.

The parameters include any one or more of the length of the parking route, the maximum curvature of the parking route, the maximum curvature change rate of the parking route, and the upper limit steering speed.

With regard to the length of the route, the second parameter LR2 is set to a value shorter than the first parameter LR1. When no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the second parameter LR2 is used to calculate a relatively short parking route. With regard to the maximum curvature, the second parameter MR2 is set to a value larger than the first parameter MR1. When no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the second parameter MR2 is used to calculate a parking route having a relatively large curve. With regard to the maximum curvature change rate, the second parameter CR2 is set to a value larger than the first parameter CR1. When no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the second parameter CR2 is used to calculate a parking route having a relatively non-continuous curvature (the change amount is large).

In one or more embodiments of the present invention, among the parameters including the maximum curvature, the maximum curvature change rate, and the upper limit steering speed which are used for the calculation of a target route for the vehicle, any one or more of the parameters are set in the following manner. The control device <NUM> calculates the target route through setting the second parameter used when a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior to a higher value than the first parameter used when a determination is made that an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior.

The control device <NUM> increases the parameters including the maximum curvature, the maximum curvature change rate, and the upper limit steering speed thereby to calculate a shorter parking route. Shortening the parking route can reduce the time required for parking.

<FIG> illustrates the change over time in the curvature as the vehicle moves along the parking route. The broken-line graph MR1 represents the curvature of a parking route R1 calculated using the first parameter and the solid-line graph MR2 represents the curvature of a parking route R2 calculated using the second parameter. As illustrated in the figure, the maximum curvature MX2 indicated by the solid-line graph MR2 using the second parameter is a value larger than the maximum curvature MX1 indicated by the broken-line graph MR1 using the first parameter. With regard to the maximum curvature change rate represented by the inclination from the point of origin to the maximum value, the maximum curvature change rate CR2 in the solid-line graph MR2 using the second parameter is a value larger than the maximum curvature change rate represented by the broken-line graph MR1 using the first parameter.

<FIG> illustrates the parking route R1 calculated using the first parameter and the parking route R2 calculated using the second parameter. As illustrated in the figure, the parking route R2 is a route having a larger curvature than that of the parking route R1, but the distance of the entire route can be shortened. The distance of the parking route is shortened and the time required for parking can thus be also shortened.

The parameters include the shortness of the time required for parking as the first weighting and the smoothness of the behavior of the vehicle as the second weighting. With regard to the shortness of the parking operation time as the first weighting, the second parameter TVR2 is set to a value larger than the first parameter TVR1. When no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the second parameter TVR2 is used to calculate the parking route with a shorter parking operation time. With regard to the smoothness of the behavior of the vehicle as the second weighting, the second parameter SR2 is set to a value smaller than the first parameter SR1. When no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the second parameter SR2 is used to calculate the parking route in which the smoothness of the behavior of the vehicle is impaired (the maximum curvature and the maximum curvature change rate are large).

The control device <NUM> calculates control information in accordance with the determination result of step <NUM>.

In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the following schemes are proposed as those for calculating the control information suitable for the case in which no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior.

Collision of a tire with a curbstone shakes the vehicle and gives an uncomfortable feeling to the occupants. When an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the control device <NUM> provides a predetermined margin from the curbstone to stop the vehicle before the curbstone (on the upstream side of the curbstone). This is to prevent an uncomfortable feeling given to the occupants. On the other hand, when no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, priority is given to shortening the parking operation time rather than the ride quality for the occupants. The parking operation time can be shortened by setting the parking completion point, at which the vehicle is controlled to stop, to a position at which the vehicle comes into contact with a curbstone.

The control device <NUM> evaluates the calculated control information using the evaluation function. Evaluation items in the evaluation function are the shortness of the time required for parking and the smoothness of the behavior of the vehicle. The control information is evaluated on the basis of the sum of these evaluation items. Weighting is applied to each evaluation item to optimize the evaluation. The evaluation scheme (evaluation function) for the control information such as the target vehicle speed is not particularly limited, and any scheme known at the time of filing of this application can be appropriately applied.

In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the control device <NUM> calculates the smoothness of behavior of the vehicle using any one or more of the longitudinal speed jerk, lateral speed jerk, and yaw jerk. The jerk, which refers to the time derivative of acceleration, is a factor that affects the ride quality for the occupants. The smoothness of the behavior of the vehicle can be positioned as a value relating to the ride quality for the occupants. When no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the acceptable level of the ride quality for the occupants can be set low to shorten the parking operation time. The shortness of the time required for parking as an evaluation item may be substituted with the highness of the vehicle speed when parking. This is because the highness of the vehicle speed when parking contributes to shortening the time required for parking.

The control information refers to a control command for the vehicle speed or the like obtained using parameters such as the acceleration, yaw rate, steering amount, steering speed, and lateral acceleration for controlling the behavior of the vehicle.

When a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, a relatively high weighting parameter for the shortness of the time required for parking and a relatively low weighting parameter for the smoothness of the behavior of the vehicle can be set thereby to calculate the control information in which priority is given to shortening the parking operation time.

For any one or more of parameters among the parameters relating to the behavior of the vehicle which are used for calculation of the target speed of the vehicle and include the upper limit acceleration, upper limit yaw rate, upper limit lateral acceleration, upper limit steering speed, upper limit acceleration jerk, upper limit deceleration, and upper limit deceleration jerk, the control device <NUM> sets the second parameter, which is used when a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, to a higher value than the first value which is used when a determination is made that an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, and calculates the target speed when parking.

The smoothness of the behavior of the vehicle is obtained using any one or more of the longitudinal speed jerk, lateral speed jerk, and yaw jerk.

For the parameters relating to the behavior of the vehicle, the second parameter when no occupant is present can be set higher than the first parameter when an occupant is present, thereby to shorten the time required for parking while accepting the behavior of the vehicle to be emphasized.

Referring again to <FIG>, the processing procedure will be described. When a determination is made that an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the control device <NUM> reads the first parameter for the control information calculation in step <NUM>. In step <NUM>, the control device <NUM> calculates the first control information using the first parameter. The first control information is information for controlling the behavior of the vehicle when moving the vehicle to the target parking space.

When a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the control device <NUM> reads the second parameter for the control information calculation in step <NUM>. In step <NUM>, the control device <NUM> calculates the second control information using the second parameter. The second control information is information for controlling the behavior of the vehicle when moving the vehicle to the target parking space.

In the parking control method according to one or more embodiments of the present invention, both the above-described calculation process for the parking route using the first parameter and the calculation process for the control information using the first parameter may be executed, or only one of the calculation processes may also be executed. When a determination is made in step <NUM> that an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the first parameter for the parking route calculation is read in step <NUM> to calculate the first parking route and then the routine may proceed to step <NUM> in which the control information is calculated using a default parameter to move the vehicle along the first parking route. When a determination is made in step <NUM> that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the second parameter for the parking route calculation is read in step <NUM> to calculate the second parking route and then the routine may proceed to step <NUM> in which the control information is calculated using a default parameter to move the vehicle along the second parking route. The action and effect of the present invention can be obtained merely by shortening the second parking route.

When a determination is made in step <NUM> that an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the first parking route may be calculated using a default parameter without reading the first parameter for the parking route calculation in step <NUM> and then the routine may proceed to step <NUM> to read the first parameter for the control information calculation. In step <NUM>, the control information may be calculated using the first parameter to move the vehicle along the first parking route. When a determination is made in step <NUM> that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the second parking route may be calculated using a default parameter without reading the second parameter for the parking route calculation in step <NUM> and then the routine may proceed to step <NUM> in which the control information is calculated using the second parameter to move the vehicle along the second parking route. The action and effect of the present invention can be obtained merely by emphasizing the behavior of the vehicle.

<FIG> illustrates an example of parameters used for the control information calculation when parking. As illustrated in <FIG>, each parameter includes the first parameter used when an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior and the second parameter used when an occupant is absent in the vehicle interior. The second parameter is read in step <NUM> after the determination in step <NUM>.

The parameters include index values that dominate the behavior of the vehicle. The index values include any one or more of the speed, acceleration, deceleration, yaw rate, lateral acceleration, steering amount, steering speed, lateral acceleration, and jerk.

With regard to the upper limit acceleration, the second parameter AR2 is set to a value larger than the first parameter AR1. When no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the second parameter AR2 is used to calculate the control information with which the behavior of the vehicle is relatively emphasized. With regard to the upper limit deceleration, the second parameter DR2 is set to a value larger than the first parameter DR1. When no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the second parameter DR2 is used to calculate the control information with which the behavior of the vehicle is relatively emphasized. The same applies to the upper limit yaw rate (YR1, YR2), the upper limit lateral acceleration (HAR1, HAR2), the upper limit steering speed (SRR1, SRR2), and the upper limit jerk (STJR1, STJR2) as illustrated in the figure. When no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the second parameter (YR2, HAR2, SRR2, STJR2) is used to calculate the control information with which the behavior of the vehicle is relatively emphasized. Parking can be completed in a short time because the emphasized behavior of the vehicle is accepted.

The parameters include a deceleration time from when deceleration of the vehicle is started to when the vehicle stops. This deceleration time is used for calculating the target speed when controlling the vehicle to stop. For the parameters relating to the deceleration time from when deceleration of the vehicle is started to when the vehicle stops, the control device <NUM> sets the second deceleration time STRR2 when a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior to a shorter value than the first deceleration time STRR1 when a determination is made that an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, and calculates the target speed when parking. The control device <NUM> controls the vehicle on the basis of the target speed. When an occupant is absent in the vehicle, the deceleration time from when deceleration of the vehicle is started to when the vehicle stops is set shorter to obtain the target speed, and the parking operation time can therefore be shortened. The deceleration time can also be expressed as a deceleration distance.

<FIG> illustrates the change over time in the target speed of the vehicle. The broken-line graph SDR1 represents the change over time in the target speed (control information) calculated using the first parameter while the solid-line graph SDR2 represents the change over time in the target speed (control information) calculated using the second parameter. Comparison is made during the time from the start of deceleration to the completion of parking (the time until the target speed comes to zero). As illustrated in the figure, the time until the completion of parking indicated by the solid-line graph SDR2 using the second parameter is STRR2, and the time until the completion of parking indicated by the broken-line graph SDR1 using the first parameter is STRR1.

With regard to the maximum deceleration represented by the inclination at the start of deceleration, the maximum deceleration STJR2 in the solid-line graph SDR2 using the second parameter is a value larger than the maximum deceleration STJR1 indicated by the broken-line graph SDR1 using the first parameter. With regard to the behavior of the vehicle, it is possible to accept the behavior (deceleration) of the vehicle to be emphasized by using the second parameter larger than the first parameter. This can shorten the time from the deceleration to the completion of parking.

The parameters include a stop position margin to the parking completion point for the vehicle. When a determination is made that an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the control device <NUM> controls the vehicle to stop on the upstream side of the parking completion point by a first stop position margin MR1. When a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the control device <NUM> controls the vehicle to stop on the upstream side or downstream side of the parking completion point by a second stop position margin MR2. The second stop position margin MR2 is a value smaller than the first stop position margin MR1. The parking completion point is, for example, the position of a curbstone. When the stop position margin is set to a small value on the upstream side of the parking completion point, the possibility that the vehicle comes into contact with a curbstone is high. When the stop position margin is set to zero, the vehicle stops at the parking completion point, that is, a position at which the vehicle comes into contact with a curbstone. When the stop position margin is set on the downstream side of the parking completion point, the vehicle comes into contact with a curbstone. In other words, it is highly possible to give an uncomfortable feeling to the occupants. When a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the deceleration time to the parking completion point is set to a short time or the vehicle is controlled to stop when it comes into contact with a curbstone, while accepting the possibility that the vehicle may come into contact with a curbstone.

<FIG> illustrates the relationship between the distance to the parking completion point and the target vehicle speed. The position of zero distance is the parking completion point, which is the position of a curbstone CR. The first stop position margin MR1 is set on the upstream side (+x) with respect to a traveling direction DR of the vehicle. In this case, the second stop position margin MR2 is shorter than the first stop position margin MR1. The second stop position margin MR2 may be set on the downstream side (-x) with respect to the traveling direction DR of the vehicle.

Thus, by controlling the vehicle to stop at a point in the vicinity of the upstream of the parking completion point such as a curbstone or at a point on the downstream side of the parking completion point, the parking operation time can be shortened while accepting the vehicle to come into contact with a curbstone.

The parameters include the shortness of the time required for parking as the first weighting and the smoothness of the behavior of the vehicle as the second weighting. With regard to the shortness of the parking operation time as the first weighting, the second parameter TVR2 is set to a value larger than the first parameter TVR1. When no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the second parameter TVR2 is used to calculate the control information with which a shorter parking operation time is achieved. With regard to the smoothness of the behavior of the vehicle as the second weighting, the second parameter SR2 is set to a value smaller than the first parameter SR1. When no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the second parameter SR2 is used to calculate the control information with which the smoothness of the behavior of the vehicle is impaired.

Referring again to <FIG>, when an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, in step <NUM>, the control device <NUM> uses the acquired first parameter to calculate the first control information when controlling the vehicle to move to the target parking space. On the other hand, when no occupant is present inside the room, in step <NUM>, the control device <NUM> uses the acquired second parameter to calculate the second control information when controlling the vehicle to move to the target parking space.

When an execution command for the parking control process is input in step <NUM>, the routine proceeds to step <NUM> in which the parking control apparatus <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention executes the parking control process.

The parking control apparatus <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention controls the operation of the drive system <NUM> via the vehicle controller <NUM> so that the vehicle V1 moves along the parking route in accordance with the control information.

The parking control apparatus <NUM> calculates command signals to the drive system <NUM> of the vehicle V1, such as an EPS motor, while feeding back the output value of the steering angle sensor <NUM> of the steering apparatus so that the travel trajectory of the vehicle V1 coincides with the calculated parking route, and transmits the command signals to the drive system <NUM> or to the vehicle controller <NUM> which controls the drive system <NUM>.

The parking control apparatus <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention includes a parking control unit. The parking control unit acquires shift range information from an AT/CVT control unit, wheel speed information from an ABS control unit, steering angle information from a steering angle control unit, engine speed information from an ECM, and other necessary information. On the basis thereof, the parking control unit calculates and outputs instruction information on the automated steering to the EPS control unit, instruction information such as warning to a meter control unit, etc. The control device <NUM> acquires information items, which are acquired by the steering angle sensor <NUM> of the steering apparatus of the vehicle V1 and the vehicle speed sensor <NUM> and other sensors of the vehicle, via the vehicle controller <NUM>.

The drive system <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention controls the vehicle V1 to move (travel) from the current position to the target parking space by driving based on the control command signals acquired from the parking control apparatus <NUM>. The steering apparatus according to one or more embodiments of the present invention is a drive mechanism that moves the vehicle V1 in the right and left directions. The EPS motor included in the drive system <NUM> drives the power steering mechanism of the steering of the steering apparatus on the basis of the control command signals acquired from the parking control apparatus <NUM> to control the steering amount and controls the operation when moving the vehicle V1 to the target parking space. The control content and operation scheme for parking of the vehicle V1 are not particularly limited, and any scheme known at the time of filing of this application can be appropriately applied.

When the parking control apparatus <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention controls the vehicle V1 to move to the target parking space along the route calculated based on the position P4 of the vehicle V1 and the position of the target parking space, the accelerator and the brake are automatically controlled on the basis of the specified control vehicle speed (set vehicle speed), and the operation of the steering apparatus is also automatically controlled in accordance with the vehicle speed. That is, during the parking control according to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the steering operation and the accelerator/brake operation are automatically performed. Furthermore, the parking control apparatus <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention is also applicable to manual parking in which the driver performs the operation of the accelerator, brake, and steering.

The parking control apparatus <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention is capable of a remote control parking process in which the vehicle V1 with no driver is parked by transmitting a setting command for the target parking space, a parking process start command, a parking process suspension/cancellation command, etc. to the vehicle V1 from the outside.

Simulation was conducted to confirm the effects of one or more embodiments of the present invention. In this simulation, profiles of the behavior (such as speed) of the vehicle V1 were obtained using different parameters in accordance with the determination result as to whether or not an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior. <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> illustrate the profiles of the behavior (such as speed) of the vehicle V1 in a parking route with a single turn for parking, and <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> illustrate the profiles of the behavior (such as speed) of the vehicle V1 in a parking route with multiple turns for parking.

<FIG> is a diagram for describing conditions of a first simulation. The vehicle as a model starts from a first position VP1 and moves along a first route T1 to a second position VP2. The vehicle then turns back at the second position VP2 and moves along a second route T2 to a third position VP3. The third position VP3 is a target position PK at which the vehicle V1 stops. Simulation was conducted under the same conditions when an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior and when no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior. In the simulation, the conditions are set as the lane width: lane width [m], the parking space width: spot width [m], the vehicle width: lat. [m], the parking start angle: init. ], and the parking completion angle: fin [deg. These conditions determine acceptable routes and operations. An optimum route (a route with which parking can be performed in the minimum time or a route with which the behavior is suppressed) is generated from among the acceptable routes and operations, and the simulation is executed.

<FIG> illustrates changes over time in the target speed (a), the curvature of route (b), the remaining distance (c), the acceleration (d), and the yaw jerk (e) when an occupants is present inside the vehicle interior. <FIG> illustrates changes over time in the target speed (a), the curvature of route (b), the remaining distance (c), the acceleration (d), and the yaw jerk (e) when no occupants is present inside the vehicle interior. In both <FIG> and <FIG>, Traj <NUM> in the figure represents a profile for the first route T1 and Traj2 represents a profile for the second route T2.

Comparison will be made between the profiles of <FIG> and <FIG>.

<FIG> is a diagram for describing conditions of a second simulation. The second simulation is different from the first simulation in the number of turns for parking.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the vehicle as a model starts from a first position VP1 and moves along a first route T1 to a second position VP2. The vehicle then turns back at the second position VP2 and moves back along a second route T2 to a third position VP3. The vehicle then moves forward from the third position VP3 along a third route T3 and moves to a fourth position VP4.

The fourth position VP4 is a target position PK at which the vehicle V1 stops. Simulation was conducted under the same conditions when an occupant is present inside the vehicle and when no occupant is present inside the vehicle. In the simulation, the conditions are set as the lane width: lane width [m], the parking space width: spot width [m], the vehicle width: lat. [m], the parking start angle: init. ], and the parking completion angle: fin. These conditions determine acceptable routes and operations. An optimum route (a route with which parking can be performed in the minimum time or a route with which the behavior is suppressed) is generated from among the acceptable routes and operations, and the simulation is executed.

<FIG> illustrates changes over time in the target speed (a), the curvature of route (b), the remaining distance (c), the acceleration (d), and the yaw jerk (e) when an occupants is present inside the vehicle interior. <FIG> illustrates changes over time in the target speed (a), the curvature of route (b), the remaining distance (c), the acceleration (d), and the yaw jerk (e) when no occupants is present inside the vehicle interior. In both <FIG> and <FIG>, Traj <NUM> in the figure represents a profile for the first route T1, Traj2 represents a profile for the second route T2, Traj3 in the figure represents a profile for the third route T3, and Traj4 represents a profile for the fourth route T4.

The parking control method according to one or more embodiments of the present invention is used in the parking control apparatus as the above and therefore has the following effects. The parking control apparatus <NUM> according to one or more embodiments of the present invention is configured and operates as the above and therefore has the following effects.

The following is a brief description of further aspects and embodiments of the present invention.

According to a further particular aspect of the invention, a parking control method for controlling a vehicle to park on a basis of an operation command acquired from inside or outside of the vehicle, is provided. The parking control method comprises making a determination whether or not an occupant is present inside a vehicle interior of the vehicle and controlling the vehicle in accordance with a result of the determination.

According to embodiments of the aspect, when a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle, the vehicle is controlled so that a parking operation time is shortened than when a determination is made that an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle.

According to embodiments of the aspect, when a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle, the vehicle is controlled so that a behavior of the vehicle is emphasized than when a determination is made that an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle.

According to embodiments of the aspect, when a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle, the vehicle is controlled so that a parking operation time required for completion of the parking is shortened than when a determination is made that an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle.

According to embodiments of the aspect, when a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle, a parking route is calculated to be shorter than when a determination is made that an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle, and the vehicle is controlled so as to move along the parking route.

According to embodiments of the aspect, when a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle, the vehicle is controlled so that a speed of the vehicle is increased than when a determination is made that an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle.

According to embodiments of the aspect, for any one or more of parameters among parameters including a maximum curvature, a maximum curvature change rate, and an upper limit steering speed that are used for calculation of a target route for the vehicle, the target route for the vehicle to park is calculated through setting a second parameter used when a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle to a higher value than a first parameter used when a determination is made that an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle, the vehicle is controlled on a basis of the target route.

According to embodiments of the aspect, for any one or more of parameters among parameters including an upper limit acceleration, an upper limit yaw rate, an upper limit lateral acceleration, an upper limit steering speed, an upper limit acceleration jerk, an upper limit deceleration, and an upper limit deceleration jerk that are used for calculation of a target speed of the vehicle, the target speed for the vehicle to park is calculated through setting a second parameter used when a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle to a higher value than a first parameter used when a determination is made that an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle, and the vehicle is controlled on a basis of the target speed.

According to embodiments of the aspect, for a parameter that is used for calculation of a target speed when the vehicle is stopped and that relates to a deceleration time from start of deceleration to stop of the vehicle, the target speed for the vehicle to park is calculated through setting a second deceleration time when a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle to a shorter value than a first deceleration time when a determination is made that an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle, and the vehicle is controlled on a basis of the target speed.

According to embodiments of the aspect, when a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle, a parking completion point at which the vehicle is stopped is set to a position at which the vehicle comes into contact with a curbstone.

Preferably, contact of a tire of the vehicle with the curbstone is detected on a basis of a change in a behavior of the vehicle.

According to embodiments of the aspect, when a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle, the target speed for the vehicle to park is calculated through setting a stop position margin to a parking completion point for the vehicle to a smaller value than when a determination is made that an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle.

According to embodiments, in a case of evaluating the parking control using an evaluation function in which weighting parameters are shortness of a time required for the parking and smoothness of a behavior of the vehicle, when a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior, the weighting parameter of the shortness of the time required for parking is set to a higher value than when a determination is made that an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle, and the weighting parameter of the smoothness of the behavior of the vehicle is set to a lower value than when a determination is made that an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle.

Preferably, the smoothness of the behavior of the vehicle is obtained using any one or more of a longitudinal speed jerk, a lateral speed jerk, and a yaw jerk.

According to embodiments of the aspect, when the operation command is acquired from outside of the vehicle interior of the vehicle, a determination is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle.

According to still a further particular aspect of the invention, a parking control apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a communication device configured to acquire an operation command acquired from inside or outside of a vehicle and a control device configured to control the vehicle in accordance with the operation command. The control device is configured to make a determination whether or not an occupant is present inside a vehicle interior of the vehicle and control the vehicle in accordance with a result of the determination.

Claim 1:
A parking control method for controlling a vehicle (V1) to park on a basis of an operation command acquired from an input terminal device (<NUM>) inside or outside of the vehicle (V1), the parking control method comprising the steps of:
acquiring (<NUM>) images captured by cameras (1a to 1d) and ranging signals from a ranging device (<NUM>),
detecting (<NUM>) parking available spaces,
displaying (<NUM>) the parking available spaces on a display (<NUM>, <NUM>),
setting (<NUM>) a parking space specified by the operation command input to the input terminal device (<NUM>) by an operator of the vehicle (V1) as a target parking space (PK), and
making a determination (<NUM>) whether or not an occupant is present inside a vehicle interior of the vehicle (V1) when the target parking space (PK) is set based on the operation command (<NUM>: Y) input to the input terminal device (<NUM>);
characterized by the steps of
when a determination (<NUM>: Y) is made that occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle (V1) when the target parking space (PK) is set using the input terminal device (<NUM>), controlling (<NUM>) the vehicle (V1) based on a first parking route and / or a first control information calculated based on a first parameter; and
when a determination (<NUM>: N) is made that no occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle (V1) when the target parking space (PK) is set using the input terminal device (<NUM>), controlling (<NUM>) the vehicle (V1) based on a second parking route and / or a second control information calculated based on a second parameter so that a parking operation time is shortened than when a determination (<NUM>: Y) is made that an occupant is present inside the vehicle interior of the vehicle (V1).