AU2005237776B2

AU2005237776B2 - Method for the display of driver information for parking

Info

Publication number: AU2005237776B2
Application number: AU2005237776A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jan Egelhaaf; Roland Schmid
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 2004-04-27
Filing date: 2005-03-31
Publication date: 2011-06-16
Anticipated expiration: 2025-03-31
Also published as: DE502005001389D1; AU2005237776A1; WO2005105551A1; ES2289707T3; CN1946603A; EP1742825B1; DE102004020424A1; EP1742825A1; JP4314273B2; CN100486854C; JP2006526538A

Description

Translation from German WO 2005/105551 PCT/EP2005/051456 Method for the Display of Driver Information for Parking The invention relates to a method for displaying information for the driver of a motor vehicle.. Driver assistance systems support the driver during backing into and leaving a s parking-gap. These systems use sensors, generally working on an ultrasound-basis, to determine the parking-gap, and they provide a parking-aid based thereon. DE 198 09 416 Al discloses a motor-vehicle parking-support method in which a parking-gap is measured by means of sensors arranged on the vehicle, and - if the parking-gap is large enough - a parking strategy is calculated in accordance /o with the size and position of the potential parking-gap and is communicated to the driver. The calculated parking-strategy can also be communicated to the driver visually. Such a system can in principle make it easier for the driver to back into a parking gap. However, the instructions given are often difficult for the driver to translate 1s into action and to relate to the current driving or parking situation. Therefore, after several attempts, the driver will often stop using such systems at all, and instead will revert to assessing parking-gaps visually and backing into them intuitively. The method of the present invention, on the other hand, is advantageous in that, in particular, it creates a display and operating concept which is intuitively 20 understandable to the driver and which supports the driver continuously throughout the parking operation. The presentation given is clear and comprehensible, and therefore the system will be better accepted and will be used more frequently. The presentation according to the invention enables the driver, when approaching the turning points between the 25 different trajectory-sections and turning the steering-wheel towards the desired, ideal steering-angle, to do so slowly and calmly, whilst viewing divergences from the ideal values directly, on a visual display.

2 WO 2005/105551 PCT/EP2005/051456 The method of the invention basically requires no additional display-devices in the vehicle; instead, it is possible to use, in particular, an existing navigation-device's display, a central display, or a display on the dashboard or instrument cluster. Furthermore, it is also possible to provide a multi-part display with e.g. an s additional display area in the vehicle's righthand C-pillar [in a lefthand-drive vehicle], so that the driver can view driver-assistance information directly when looking to the rear while backing into the parking-gap. The invention is based on the concept of first determining the parking-operation, in the form of a trajectory. This trajectory can, if appropriate, be calculated from io measurement-signals obtained while driving past the parking-place. Such a trajectory is e.g. S-shaped, with two to four steering-direction change-over points ("turning-points"). The trajectory so determined is displayed to the driver visually, as a trajectory image consisting of a number of trajectory-sections with turning points between them. When such a turning-point is reached, the change of steering /s direction then required will be displayed to the driver; and the vehicle's current position will be displayed to the driver in an intuitively understandable way, by subdividing the current trajectory-section into an already-travelled subsection and a yet-to-be-travelled subsection. The driver can approach the turning-point in an appropriate manner - i.e. not too hesitantly, but not too fast - whilst perceiving 20 the vehicle's progress directly on the display. In addition, the setting of the steering-angle can also be indicated in an intuitively understandable manner, with e.g. suitable symbols being highlighted by colour and/or by blinking; and the fact that the current steering-angle is approaching the required steering-angle can also be indicated to the driver quantitatively, e.g. by increasing or reducing the blinking 25 rate until the required steering-angle is reached, at least within a given time. Trajectory sections that have already been travelled, and the already-travelled subsection of the current trajectory-section, are displayed to the driver differently from the yet-to-be-travelled subsection of the current trajectory-section and from the subsequent, yet-to-be-travelled, trajectory-sections. This can suitably be done so by using different colours, but could also be done by using e.g. different degrees of brightness or shades of grey and/or transparency-values on the display. Furthermore, it is also possible, for example, to display the outlines in a different manner, if representing the area in some other suitable fashion would present problems on the display-device concerned.

3 WO 2005/105551 PCT/EP2005/051456 There is a preferred form of embodiment of the invention in which, when the actual trajectory deviates from the required trajectory (in particular, when the steering-angle is greater or less than the required steering-angle, i.e. in the case of oversteering or understeering), a correction-aid in the form of a divergence-image s is provided, in which the actual trajectory is shown together with the required trajectory (e.g. with the actual trajectory underlying the required trajectory). In addition, the symbols provided for the turning-points can continue to be displayed, e.g. blinking or in red, to show the additional steering angle needed for the driver to get back onto the required trajectory again. o According to the invention, the initially-determined trajectory T could also be adapted continually; in which case, the trajectory-image will also be continually changed accordingly, in addition to the dynamic change occurring within the trajectory-image. The invention will now be explained in greater detail on the basis of several 1s embodiments, which are illustrated in the appended drawings. In the drawings: Fig. Ia represents a vehicle with sensors and a control-unit for implementing the method of the present invention; Fig. l b shows a street-scene with a motor vehicle in a parking situation; Figs. 2a to h represent a correct parking-operation, on a display, in accordance 20 with the inventive method for displaying driver-assistance information; Fig. 3 represents a parking-operation in accordance with the inventive method, with understeering; Fig. 4 represents a parking-operation in accordance with the inventive 23 method, with oversteering; 4 WO 2005/105551 PCT/EP2005/051456 Fig. 5 represents another parking-operation according to the inventive method, with understeering; and Fig. 6 shows an optional, subsequent, forward course to be covered in accordance with the inventive method, following on from Fig. 2h. s According to the invention, a motor vehicle I is provided with: a control-unit 2, which can be provided for implementing the inventive method for displaying driver-assistance information and advantageously also for vehicle dynamics control; a displacement signal transmitter 3; a number of distance-sensors 6, installed at the front and rear of the vehicle 1, e.g. on a front bumper 4 and a rear /o bumper 5; a steering-angle sensor 9; a user-interface (human-machine interface, HMI) 10; and at least two sensors 11 for measuring parking-gaps. Although it is possible, for example, to provide only one parking-gap measurement sensor I I on the left and right sides of the vehicle 1, it is advantageous to provide two such sensors 11 on each side of the vehicle 1, as shown in Fig. 1 a, with the two front 1s sensors 11 being provided e.g. in the front bumper 4 and the two rear sensors I I being provided in the rear bumper 5. It is advantageous if a yaw-rate sensor 12 is also provided. Sensors 3, 6, 9, 11, and 12 issue measurement-signals S to the control-unit 2; and correspondingly, the user issues input-signals P to the control unit 2, via the user-interface 10. Sensors 3, 6, 9, 11, and 12 and the user-interface 20 10 are, advantageously, connected to the control-unit 2 by way of an onboard bus, e.g. the onboard CAN bus. In addition, a display-device 14 is provided, to display driver-assistance information. This display-device 14 can be provided e.g. in the vehicle's dashboard. It can also e.g. form part of the windscreen, in that the driver assistance information is projected onto the windscreen. Furthermore, the display 25 device 14 can also consist of more than one part, with one part of the display device being provided in the vehicle's C-pillar so that the driver can obtain information therefrom when looking to the rear. When wishing to enter a parking-gap, the user starts up the driver-assistance information display process according to the invention by e.g. inputting an input so signal P via the user-interface 10. The driver then drives the vehicle 1, in driving direction F, past a parking-gap 15 between e.g. two parked vehicles 16 and 17, as shown in Fig. Ib, until the vehicle 1 reaches the starting-position A for the process 5 WO 2005/105551 PCT/EP2005/051456 of backing into the parking-gap 15. The parking-gap measurement sensors 11 measure the parking-gap 15; and from this, a trajectory T from the starting position A into the parking-gap 15 is determined by methods known in the art. It is advantageous if the trajectory T is determined so as to consist of a number of s successive sections, each with a constant steering-angle which is set at the respective turning-point TP1, TP2, TP3. The trajectory T can e.g. also include a change of driving-direction: e.g. the vehicle moving forward after backing in. The driver is then shown an image 19, on the display-device 19, that changes dynamically during the parking-process, as illustrated in Figs. 2a to 2h. The image 1o 19 contains a trajectory-image TI, which is at least a diagrammatic representation of the trajectory T, and which is in the form of a two-dimensional area, particularly a two-dimensional strip representing the course of the trajectory T. The trajectory-image TI is made up of a number of trajectory-sections TSi, namely TSI, TS2, TS3 and TS4, each representing a trajectory-section with a constant 1s steering-angle. The trajectory-sections TSi are thus straight or arcuate, and preferably change smoothly from one to the next. Fundamentally, however, it is also possible for the individual trajectory-sections TSi to have an irregular curvature instead, in which case the driver will need to somewhat change the steering-angle accordingly, within individual trajectory-sections TSi - but without 20 changing the steering-direction from left to right or vice versa. Next to the trajectory-image TI, steering-direction symbols L, R are shown at the turning points TPi (i.e. TPI, TP2 and TP3) between the trajectory-sections TSi. These steering-direction symbols L, R can be e.g. in the form of arrows pointing to the relevant place on the trajectory-image, i.e. the boundary between the trajectory 25 sections TSi. To complete the picture, it is advantageous to show a line J between two adjacent trajectory-sections TSi. In addition, other symbols can also be shown, e.g. a symbol FR representing the required direction of travel (Forward or Reverse, or stop), e.g. a direction-arrow or stop-sign. According to the invention, dynamic adaptation of the trajectory-image TI with its 30 trajectory-sections TSi, and of the steering-direction symbols L, R and driving direction symbols FR, occurs as the vehicle I is driving on the trajectory T in Fig. I b, with trajectory-sections that have already been travelled TSi being displayed differently from yet-to-be-travelled trajectory-sections TSi; and the already travelled subsection TSSA of the trajectory-section TSi currently being travelled is 6 WO 2005/105551 PCT/EP2005/051456 displayed differently from the yet-to-be-travelled subsection TSSB of the trajectory-section TSi currently being travelled. The trajectory-image TI has: a starting point SP, shown at the top of the Figures, and corresponding to position A in Fig. I b; and an endpoint EP, shown at the 5 bottom edge of the trajectory-image TI, and corresponding to the end-position in the parking-gap 15. In a more complex trajectory, in which the driver drives forward after backing into the parking-gap, it is possible, for the time being, to show only the endpoint of the first part of the trajectory, driven entirely in reverse, instead of showing the ending-position in the parking-gap. 1o As shown in Fig. 2a, the driver starts backing from the starting-point SP, beginning with the first trajectory-section TS1, which is driven with the steering wheels pointing straight instead of at an angle. Accordingly, the driver is at first shown only the first trajectory-section TSI in colour, with the following trajectory-sections TS2, TS3 und TS4 being shown, for 1s the time being, with no special colouring or all in another uniform colour to distinguish them from the first trajectory-section TS1. The control-device 2 detects the vehicle's reverse travel by means of the displacement signal transmitter 3, and can also monitor the vehicle's current position in the trajectory T and relative to parking-gap by means of the parking 20 gap measurement sensors 11. The control-device 2 can also take into account the measurement-signals S from the distance-sensors 6 - particularly within the parking-gap 15, before the end-position is reached - to detect the distance from the other parked vehicles 16, 17. During backing with the wheels straight, within the first trajectory-section TSi, the 25 subsection TSSA already travelled is displayed in green to the driver, and the subsection still to be travelled TSSB is displayed in yellow. In the drawings, the different colours are represented by different hatchings. Thus the current trajectory-section TSi is made up of the already-travelled subsection TSSA, which progressively increases in size, and the yet-to-be-travelled subsection TSSB, 7 WO 2005/105551 PCT/EP2005/051456 which progressively decreases in size. The direction-of-travel symbol FR indicates reverse-travel by a suitable downward-pointing Arrow, and the steering-direction symbols L, R are at first not specially highlighted. In Fig. 2b, the vehicle 1 has reached the first turning point of the trajectory T, at s which the steering-direction is changed. The required steering-direction is indicated to the driver by suitably changing the colour of the steering-direction symbols for the first turning-point TPL. In the example illustrated, the required right steering-direction is indicated by blinking and/or showing in red the right, arrow-shaped, steering-direction symbol R for the first turning-point TPl. In /o addition, a stop-sign is shown as a direction-of-travel symbol FR, because the driver must not for the moment drive any further. The driver now turns the steering-wheel, thereby changing the steering-angle and steering-direction, which is detected by the vehicle's steering-angle sensor 9, which transmits the corresponding measurement-signals S to the control-device 2. 1s As soon as the driver has turned the steering-wheel to the required position for the calculated trajectory T, the blinking of the right steering-direction symbol R for the first turning-point TPI ceases, as shown in Fig. 2c. Preferably, however, the right-hand steering-direction symbol R remains marked e.g. by continuing to be lit red, so as to indicate that the wheels are to remain turned right. In addition, the 20 second trajectory-section TS2 is displayed to the driver as yet-to-be-travelled, being at first shown entirely as a yet-to-be-travelled subsection TSSB, i.e. here again in yellow. In addition, the direction-of-travel symbol FR is again shown as a downward-pointing arrow. In Fig. 2d, the driver has completed the second trajectory-section TS2, which is 25 therefore shown entirely in green, i.e. in the same colour as the already-travelled first trajectory-section TS1. Because the driver has to turn the front wheels to the left at the second turning-point TP2, the steer-left symbol L at the second turning point TP2 is again displayed in colour (i.e. red), and blinking, as in Fig. 2b. In addition, the direction-of-travel symbol FR is again shown as a downward 30 pointing arrow. The driver can now change the steering-direction by turning the steering-wheel left until the front wheels are at the required steering angle.

8 WO 2005/105551 PCT/EP2005/051456 On detecting the appropriate steering-angle and direction, as a result of the corresponding output-signal S from the steering-angle sensor 9, the control-device 2 ends the blinking of the steer-left symbol L again, as shown in Fig. 2e, and displays in yellow the following, third, trajectory-section TS3, thus showing that it s is still to be travelled. When, as shown in Fig. 2f, the third turning-point TP3 is reached, at which the driver must turn the wheels from left to straight, the steer-right symbol R of the third turning-point TP3 is again displayed initially as a flashing red symbol R. In Fig. 2g, once the driver has turned the wheels straight, both steering-direction /o symbols, L and R at the third turning-point TP3 are shown the same, because the driver has to keep the wheels pointing straight; and here again, the fourth trajectory-section TS4 is shown in yellow, to indicate the trajectory-subsection TSSB still to be driven, with the yellow successively changing to green to indicate the already-travelled trajectory-subsection TSSA, until the end point EP is 1s reached, as shown in Fig. 2h, which is indicated by displaying the driving direction symbol FR as a stop sign and by displaying the entire trajectory-image TI in green. Fig. 3 shows the image 19 during an incorrect parking operation in which the driver has not turned the wheels to the correct steering-angle for the second 20 trajectory-section TS2, having failed to turn the wheels far enough to the right. In Fig. 3, merely by way of example, this situation is shown with the two dimensional strip indicated simply as an arrow. The actual course taken by the vehicle 1 is shown as a deviation-region DR, next to the trajectory-image TI. It is advantageous here to display the deviation-region DR not over the already 25 travelled path, but as a second, deviating trajectory-image lying under the trajectory-image TI. The deviation-region DR is shown in red, and can, if desired, also be shown by blinking, to make the deviation clear to the driver. The driver can change course from the deviation-region DR to the trajectory-image TI by suitably correcting the steering-angle, whereupon the deviation-region DR will get 30 gradually smaller and then disappear completely, which appears to the driver as though the red, "wrong", trajectory-image is disappearing beneath the correct trajectory-image.

9 WO 2005/105551 PCT/EP2005/051456 Similarly, Fig. 4 shows an incorrect parking operation in which the driver is oversteering in the second trajectory-section TS2, as a result of which the deviation-region DR is shown to the right of the trajectory-image TI, as a red region which the driver can reduce and finally eliminate by suitably correcting the s steering-angle. Fig. 5 shows understeering in the third trajectory-section TS3, with the deviation region DR shown in red as an extension of the trajectory for the remaining path to be travelled. Fig. 6 shows the case where the vehicle I has to be moved forward, after Fig. 2h. 1o In this case, as shown in Fig. 6, the forward distance still to be travelled is indicated by a further trajectory-section TS5 added to the trajectory-image TI. As shown in Fig. 6, the old trajectory-sections TS1 to TS4 can continue to be shown; they can, for example, be shown dimmer or brighter, in order to prevent confusion and to make it intuitively obvious to the driver that they do not represent a path 1s still to be travelled. In contrast to Fig. 6, it is also possible to entirely remove the first trajectory-image shown in Figs. 2a to 5, and only show the new trajectory image TS5. The new trajectory-image TS5 is again shown in yellow, representing the subsection thereof still to be travelled TSSB, and then gradually reducing as the vehicle moves, being replaced by the growing, green-coloured, already 20 travelled subsection TSSA of trajectory-section TS5. The driving-direction symbol FR is in the form of an upward-pointing arrow, to indicate the direction of travel.

Claims

1. A method for the display of drive-assistance information, said method including the steps of: 5 determining positional data for a parking-gap, from measurement-signals in the vehicle, determining a trajectory , and turning-points on the trajectory , at which the direction of the wheels is to be changed, and displaying the trajectory as a trajectory image on a display-device in the vehicle, with 10 - the representation of the trajectory-image being continually updated on the basis of measurement-signals in the vehicle, - trajectory-sections being shown between the turning-points, as parts of the trajectory-image, - already-travelled and yet-to-be-travelled trajectory-sections being 15 shown differently, and - the already-travelled subsection within the currently travelled trajectory-section being shown differently from the yet-to-be-travelled subsection thereof. 20 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the trajectory is determined as a series of trajectory-sections, within each of which the steering-angle is constant.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the trajectory-image is in the form of a two-dimensional strip representing the course of the trajectory. 25

4. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein trajectory-sections already travelled by the vehicle are shown in a different colour from trajectory-sections yet to be travelled; and in the trajectory-section currently being travelled, the already-travelled trajectory-subsection is shown in a different 30 colour from the trajectory-subsection that is yet to be travelled. 05/05/1 ,dh-15229 - claims - cdm.doc, 10 - 11 5. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the trajectory-sections already travelled and the already-travelled subsection of the trajectory-section currently being travelled are shown the same. 5 6. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the turning-points between the trajectory-sections are shown by symbol.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein when a turning-point is reached, a symbol representing the direction that the wheels are to be turned is visually 10 emphasised. e.g. by flashing and/or by its colour.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein no representation of the trajectory-section to be travelled next is shown until the driver has turned the wheels to the required angle. 15

9. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a direction-of-travel symbol is displayed to indicate the direction of travel, and said symbol indicates the direction of travel as the trajectory-sections are being travelled; and when a turning-point is reached, said symbol is changed to indicate to the driver 20 to stop until the front wheels have been turned to a determined angle.

10. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the symbols for the turning-points are adjacent to the trajectory-image. 25 IL. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein when the vehicle's current course deviates from the trajectory on the display-device, a deviation-region representing the vehicle's actual course is shown next to the trajectory-image. 30 12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the vehicle's actual course is extrapolated for yet-to-be-travelled trajectory-sections, the extrapolated course being shown as a deviation-region. 05/05/1 ,dh-15229- claims - cdm.doc, I I - 12 13. The method as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein the deviation-region is shown in the form of a two-dimensional area underlying the trajectory-image. 5 14. The method as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein the deviation-region is shown in a different colour from the trajectory-image.

15. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein when there is a change in the direction of travel, the trajectory-image is extended or a new 10 trajectory-image is produced, and the changed direction of travel is indicated in the display.

16. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the trajectory determined is continually adjusted as a function of the current position of 15 the vehicle. 05/05/1 ,dh- 15229 -claims - cdm.doc, 12