DE102018101454A1 - Method, vehicle and mobile device for autonomous parking - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for autonomous parking of a vehicle (10), comprising the steps of: positioning the vehicle (10) at a predetermined exit location (12); Activating an autonomous parking function; and autonomously driving the vehicle (10) from the exit location (12) to a predetermined parking location (24) on a predetermined path (22), the vehicle (10) being stopped when an obstacle (28) is stopped by at least one sensor (26) ) is detected on the predetermined path (22); and wherein the at least one sensor (26) comprises at least one sensor outside the vehicle (10). The invention further relates to a vehicle (10) and a mobile device (16) designed to carry out such a method.

Description

The invention relates to a method for autonomous parking of a vehicle, a vehicle designed to carry out such a method, and a mobile device designed to communicate with such a vehicle.

Increasingly autonomous vehicles are being developed to relieve drivers of vehicles, such as cars, of their usual driving tasks. However, a generally autonomously operating vehicle is subject to very stringent safety requirements, which in turn make equally high demands on the vehicle systems, such as sensors, data processing units and the like.

It is therefore desirable, instead of completely autonomous vehicles, to provide vehicles which can relieve the driver of certain routine tasks, such as parking the vehicle. Such routine tasks can be solved more easily while still meeting the necessary security requirements.

For example, the EP 2 897 014 A1 a vehicle designed for autonomous driving, which can follow a predetermined path between an exit location and a parking position. Such a vehicle can relieve the driver of the tedious routine task of parking his vehicle, for example in a garage, and instead offers a parking service assistance function.

However, such a vehicle still needs to be able to detect obstacles in the predetermined path and respond accordingly. For this purpose, it is known to provide an on-vehicle object detection by sensor systems and to stop the parking operation in the event that such an obstacle is detected.

Consequently, such a car requires high quality sensors capable of object detection under varying conditions. This offers no significant simplification compared to a completely autonomous vehicle.

The present invention is therefore based on the objective technical problem of providing a cost-effective method for the autonomous parking of a vehicle. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a vehicle and a mobile device for carrying out such a method. This is to avoid the need for an expensive vehicle.

1. a) Positionieren des Fahrzeugs an einem vorbestimmten Ausstiegsort;
2. b) Aktivieren einer Funktion zum autonomen Parken; und
3. c) Autonomes Fahren des Fahrzeugs von dem Ausstiegsort zu einem vorbestimmten Parkort auf mindestens einem vorbestimmten Weg, wobei das Fahrzeug angehalten wird, wenn mittels mindestens eines Sensors ein Hindernis auf dem vorbestimmten Weg erkannt wird; und wobei der mindestens eine Sensor mindestens einen Sensor außerhalb des Fahrzeugs und/oder separat von diesem umfasst.

This object is achieved by a method for autonomous parking of a vehicle, comprising the following steps:

1. a) positioning the vehicle at a predetermined exit location;
2. b) activating an autonomous parking function; and
3. c) autonomously driving the vehicle from the exit location to a predetermined parking location in at least one predetermined path, the vehicle being stopped when an obstacle in the predetermined path is detected by at least one sensor; and wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one sensor outside the vehicle and / or separately therefrom.

By providing one or more external or separate sensors, the vehicle itself may not necessarily require its own high quality on-board sensor equipment. In addition, external or separate sensors may be specifically designed for the particular location where the parking operation is to be performed to ensure a safe and full field of view on the predetermined path through the external sensors.

The autonomous parking function can be activated either from inside or outside the vehicle. In the case that it is activated from within, an operating unit of the vehicle, which is provided in particular by the dashboard of the vehicle, can be used to put the vehicle into parking mode. In case the activation is from outside the vehicle, a mobile device may be used.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the at least one sensor is positioned in the predetermined path and / or at the predetermined parking location.

The specific sensor placements depend on the particular geometry of the predetermined path and the available fields of view and viewing angles. The method can thus be optimized for each particular parking location without having to change the hardware equipment of the vehicle itself.

The at least one sensor may comprise at least one additional sensor of the vehicle.

It is preferred that the at least one sensor comprises a camera, a lidar sensor, a laser sensor, a radar sensor and / or an ultrasound sensor.

Of course, different types of sensors can be combined to provide multi-modal sensor imaging of the predetermined path and location, thus increasing the safety and probability of detecting even small, non-moving obstacles.

It is preferable that a signal is sent to a driver of the vehicle if an obstacle is detected.

The signal can be sent via a mobile network, a WLAN connection and / or Bluetooth and / or the signal can be sent to a mobile device of the vehicle driver, in particular a smartphone, a smartwatch, an intelligent body-worn device and / or a tablet computer includes, and / or to a display of the vehicle, which is preferably provided by a dashboard of the vehicle sent.

This allows the use of standard communication technology generally available in modern vehicles, eliminating the need for specialized transmitters and receivers.

Further, since virtually anyone already owns a mobile device, there is no need to provide specialized equipment for controlling the autonomous parking operation, and the convenience for the driver is increased.

It is also preferred that the signal is received by the mobile device, in particular via an application of the mobile device, and that a warning message is output, in particular displayed on a display.

This enables the driver to provide for the removal of possible obstacles so that the autonomous parking operation can be continued.

According to the invention, the autonomous driving can be continued in the predetermined path, if the removal of the object is detected by the at least one sensor.

This ensures that the parking operation can be completed even in the temporary presence of an obstacle in autonomous mode, so that the driver does not, for example, get back into the vehicle and manually complete the driving process.

Additionally or alternatively, autonomous driving may continue on the predetermined path when the vehicle receives another signal from the mobile device and / or the driver of the vehicle. The further signal is preferably generated by an input of the driver via the application and / or in the mobile device.

This is a particularly safe embodiment, since autonomous driving is continued only when the driver is convinced of the further safety of the autonomous driving process and explicitly allows its continuation.

An advantageous method according to the invention is characterized in that the vehicle learns the predetermined route by means of at least one training unit, in which the vehicle is driven in a non-autonomous driving mode by the driver on the predetermined path.

This is a particularly simple and versatile training process, with which the vehicle can be trained for different parking lots with different local geographies and the like.

Embodiments of the invention may be characterized in that the predetermined parking location is provided by a garage with a garage door and the at least one sensor is suitable for detecting an opening state of the garage door.

For example, in these embodiments, the vehicle may begin to drive on the predetermined path, stop until a garage door is opened wide enough for safe passage, and then complete the parking operation. In this case, it may not be necessary to signal the driver of the presence of the particular obstacle (here a partially closed garage door).

The invention further relates to a vehicle adapted to carry out such a method and to a mobile device designed to communicate with such a vehicle when carrying out the method as described above. In both cases, the advantages explained above also come into play.

• 1: eine schematische Darstellung eines autonomen Parkvorgangs; und
• 2: eine schematische Darstellung eines autonomen Parkvorgangs bei Vorhandensein eines Hindernisses.

In the following, the invention and its embodiments will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. It shows:

• 1 : a schematic representation of an autonomous parking process; and
• 2 : a schematic representation of an autonomous parking process in the presence of an obstacle.

For autonomous parking of a vehicle 10 becomes the vehicle 10 at a predetermined drop-off 12 off. The vehicle 10 includes a communication unit 14 for communicating with a mobile device 16 , which is a computer program in the form of an application 18 that runs on a display 20 of the mobile device 16 is displayed is designed.

After stopping the vehicle 10 at the predetermined exit location 12 the driver can get out of the vehicle 10 get off and give a command to the vehicle 10 about the application 18 on the mobile device 16 start the autonomous parking process. Alternatively, the driver may start the autonomous parking operation while he is still sitting in the vehicle, in particular via the dashboard of the vehicle (not shown).

The vehicle 10 now follows a predetermined path 22 towards a predetermined parking place 24 such as a garage.

On the predetermined path 22 and / or at the predetermined parking location 24 is at least one external sensor 26 positioned. The sensor 26 may be a video camera, an infrared camera, a lidar sensor, a radar sensor, an ultrasound sensor, or any combination of those that is capable of objects 28 on the predetermined path 22 or at the predetermined parking location 24 to recognize. Either the raw data of the sensor 26 or preprocessed sensor data, which may simply be the basic information of the presence / absence of an object, is provided by the sensor 26 to the communication unit 14 of the vehicle 10 transmitted. If in this way the presence of an object 28 is detected, the vehicle becomes 10 stopped and a signal from the communication unit 14 to the mobile device 16 sent to over the application 18 on the display 20 to display a warning message.

The leader of the vehicle 10 can the object 28 now manually remove and over the application 18 a signal to the vehicle 10 send, that the autonomous parking process can be safely continued. In this case, the vehicle drives 10 on the predetermined path 22 continue until it reaches the predetermined parking place 24 reached.

In the event that the obstacle 28 is temporary nature, for example, an animal crosses a driveway or the like, the autonomous parking operation can be continued without intervention of the vehicle driver, as soon as the sensor 26 the absence of the obstacle 28 is recognized.

The sensor 26 may also include a sensor, the opening state of a garage door, not shown, at the parking location 24 measures so that the vehicle can be safely stopped in front of a garage until the door is sufficiently open to ensure the safe passage of the vehicle 10 to allow.

The vehicle 10 may be further configured to have one or more predetermined paths 22 between one or many predetermined locations 12 and predetermined parking locations 24 can learn. This can be done, for example, in a simple machine learning process. In this case, the vehicle becomes 10 from the predetermined exit location 12 on the predetermined path 22 in a non-autonomous driving mode by the driver of the vehicle 10 even to the predetermined parking place 24 hazards. If necessary, such training rides may be repeated several times, for example, an optimal or average distance on the predetermined path 22 to determine.

In summary, the invention provides a safe and simple method for autonomous parking of a vehicle 10 in the manner of a valet parking ready.

The features disclosed in the claims, the description and the drawings, both individually and in any combination with each other, may be essential to various embodiments of the claimed invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

vehicle

12

predetermined exit point

14

communication unit

16

mobile device

18

app

20

display

22

predetermined way

24

predetermined parking place

26

sensor

28

obstacle

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• EP 2897014 A1 [0004]

Claims (14)

Method for the autonomous parking of a vehicle (10), comprising the following steps: a) positioning the vehicle (10) at a predetermined exit location (12); b) activating an autonomous parking function; and c) autonomously driving the vehicle (10) from the exit location (12) to a predetermined parking location (24) on at least one predetermined path (22), the vehicle (10) being stopped when an obstacle by means of at least one sensor (26) (28) is detected on the predetermined path (22); and wherein the at least one sensor (26) comprises at least one sensor outside the vehicle (10) and / or separately therefrom. Method according to Claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor (26) is positioned on the predetermined path (22) and / or at the predetermined parking location (24). Method according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the at least one sensor (26) comprises at least one additional sensor of the vehicle (10). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one sensor (26) comprises a camera, a Lidarsensor, a laser sensor, a radar sensor and / or an ultrasonic sensor. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a signal is sent to a driver of the vehicle (10) if an obstacle (26) is detected. Method according to Claim 5 wherein the signal is sent via a mobile network, a WLAN connection and / or Bluetooth and / or the signal to a mobile device (16) of the driver, in particular a smartphone, a smartwatch, a smart body worn on the device and / or a Tablet computer includes, and / or to a display of the vehicle, which is preferably provided by a dashboard of the vehicle is sent. Method according to Claim 5 or 6 in which the signal is received by the mobile device (16), in particular via an application (18) of the mobile device (16), and a warning message is output, in particular displayed on a display (20). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the autonomous driving on the predetermined path (22) is continued when the removal of the object is detected by the at least one sensor (26). The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein autonomous driving continues on the predetermined path (22) when the vehicle (10) receives another signal from the mobile device (16) and / or the driver of the vehicle (10). Method according to Claim 9 wherein the further signal is generated by an input of the driver via the application (18) and / or in the mobile device (16). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle (10) learns the predetermined path (22) by means of at least one training unit in which the vehicle (10) is driven in a non-autonomous driving mode by the driver on the predetermined path (22). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the predetermined parking place (24) is provided by a garage with a garage door and the at least one sensor (26) is suitable for detecting an opening state of the garage door. A vehicle (10) having a communication unit adapted to carry out a method according to any one of the preceding claims. A mobile device (16) adapted to receive and send signals for carrying out the method according to any one of Claims 1 to 12 to a vehicle Claim 13 is designed.

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