FR3082652A1 - DYNAMIC PROCESS TO HELP SEARCH FOR A PARKING SPACE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for assisting in the search for a parking space for a search vehicle (1) having dimensions, said method comprising: activation of a search function by the search vehicle ( 1), sending a message to a plurality of surrounding parked vehicles (2, 4, 6, 8) and / or to traffic or parking management systems (9), determination by surrounding vehicles parked (2, 4, 6, 8), available spaces (3, 5, 7) between surrounding parked vehicles (2, 4, 6, 8) successive, the sending by each of the surrounding parked vehicles (2, 4, 6, 8) of a message including its position and the spaces available between successive parked vehicles (2, 4, 6, 8), the calculation of the sum of the available spaces (3, 5, 7), and, if the sum available spaces (3, 5, 7) is adapted to generate sufficient parking space for the vehicle being searched (1), the e autonomous movement of at least one surrounding parked vehicle (4, 6) so as to enlarge one (5) of the spaces available to generate a parking space sufficient for the vehicle in search (1).

Description

DYNAMIC PROCESS TO HELP SEARCH FOR A PARKING SPACE [0001] The invention relates, in general, to the parking of vehicles in urban areas. The physical space for parking spaces is often limited and the demand for parking often exceeds the available parking capacity.

The invention relates more particularly to a device for optimizing the number of parking spaces available via communication between surrounding vehicles and / or traffic or parking management systems and by a automatic movement of surrounding autonomous vehicles in order to generate sufficient space to park if the environment allows.

The number of parking spaces has tended to decrease in recent years, especially around very busy places such as near schools, places of worship, etc. In particular, spaces are now reserved for carsharing of motor vehicles or bicycles, which also contributes to the decrease in the number of parking spaces available.

In any event, the demand for parking spaces is often greater than the supply of available parking spaces, especially in large urban centers.

A car driver wishing to park must therefore seek an available parking space, which contributes to the congestion of car traffic in the urban area considered and causes additional pollution.

At the same time, the number of motor vehicles has increased significantly from year to year.

The ratio between the number of parking spaces which decreases and the number of vehicles which increases encourages the active development of systems and methods for assisting in parking vehicles.

In this context, there are many computer applications for helping to find parking spaces or parking itself.

One method, for example, consists of a self-parking system where the vehicle, through wireless communications between vehicles and between infrastructure (designated V2X communications by those skilled in the art) allowing improve road safety and traffic flow, can be guided to an available parking space.

Another method resides in a system for managing the available space of an automatic parking lot for autonomous vehicles with an optimization of the occupied space.

Another approach consists in using robots which optimize the number of places in closed parking lots.

However, these solutions are limited because they do not promote the optimization of the availability of parking spaces in a public space.

According to the state of the art, it is known from document US9449512 a parking system intended to optimize the parking space, taking into account the dimensions of the vehicles to be parked. Vehicle movements can then be automatically controlled by the parking control system. This driver assistance system detects whether there is enough space between two vehicles and helps the driver maneuver when parking.

However, the device described in document US9449512 does not envisage the fact of being able to automatically move the other vehicles in order to enlarge a place where it then becomes possible to park.

The invention aims to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a driving assistance device capable of generating an enlargement of an available space in order to allow the parking of a vehicle in search of a parking space. According to the invention, the vehicle in search of a space communicates with traffic or parking management systems and / or with the surrounding vehicles and, if it is detected that the sum of the spaces separating vehicles occupying spaces of successive parking is sufficient, the method provides for the automatic movement of a portion of said vehicles, having an autonomous movement capacity, generating sufficient space to form a parking space for the vehicle in search of a place.

If a vehicle is not autonomous, it can nevertheless communicate with the research vehicle, thanks to sensors and to a communication device, its location, its dimensions and the front and rear spaces which separate it from other vehicles. .

Optimization of the number of available parking spaces is thus achieved.

In other words, the invention provides a solution based on communications from a vehicle in search of a parking space, to surrounding vehicles and / or to traffic or parking management systems, which allows, when the “geometrical” conditions, calculated according to the dimensions of the vehicles, are met, to cause a displacement of the surrounding vehicles, autonomously, in order to leave a parking space large enough for the vehicle in search.

The present invention thus makes it possible to optimize the number of parking spaces in a given environment.

The present invention mainly relates to a driving assistance device in the context of use for parking purposes in a slot, but the device can be extended to other parking modes, in particular in battle or on the cob.

To achieve this result, the present invention relates to a method of assisting in the search for a parking space in a perimeter for a research vehicle having dimensions, said method comprising:

- the activation of a search function by the vehicle in search,

- sending a message to a plurality of surrounding vehicles parked in the perimeter and / or to surrounding traffic or parking management systems,

- the determination, by the surrounding parked vehicles, of the spaces available between successive parked surrounding vehicles,

- the sending by each of the surrounding parked vehicles of a message to the vehicle in search and / or to the surrounding traffic or parking management systems, said message comprising its position and the spaces available between successive parked vehicles,

- the calculation of the sum of the spaces available to assess the possibility of generating a sufficient parking space for the research vehicle taking into account the dimensions of the research vehicle (1), and,

- if the sum of the available spaces is adapted to generate a sufficient parking space for the vehicle in search, the autonomous movement of at least one surrounding vehicle parked so as to enlarge one of the spaces available to generate a sufficient parking space for the vehicle in search.

The message sent by each of the surrounding parked vehicles can also include the dimensions of the corresponding parked vehicle.

Advantageously, said message sent by the surrounding parked vehicles includes information relating to their ability, or not, to move autonomously.

According to one embodiment, said autonomous movement comprises the sending of a message by the research vehicle to the surrounding vehicles parked to be moved having an ability to move autonomously, said message comprising movement instructions adapted to generate a sufficient parking space for the vehicle in search.

Advantageously, the method comprises the sending, to the vehicle in search, of a movement confirmation message by each surrounding vehicle parked to be moved having made the movement corresponding to the instructions.

Advantageously, if the sum of the available spaces is not suitable for generating a sufficient parking space, the method comprises increasing the perimeter considered in the search for a parking space. The method may also include increasing the number of surrounding parked vehicles polled.

According to one embodiment, the movement of at least one surrounding parked vehicle comprises preserving available spaces between successive parked surrounding vehicles to allow an exit of each of said surrounding parked vehicles from their respective parking spaces.

The present invention also relates to a parking assistance system for a vehicle in search of a parking space comprising means of communication with surrounding parked vehicles, traffic or parking management systems and means computing means, said communication means, said traffic or parking management systems and said computing means being configured to implement the method briefly described above.

Advantageously, said motor vehicle sends to surrounding vehicles having an ability to move autonomously, a message comprising displacement instructions adapted to generate a parking space sufficient for the vehicle in search.

The present invention also relates to a vehicle comprising a parking assistance system as briefly described above.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description of the embodiments of the invention, given by way of example only, and with reference to the drawings which show:

FIG. 1, a schematic representation of a vehicle in search of parking sending a message to the surrounding vehicles and to traffic or parking management systems according to the invention, • FIG. 2, a schematic representation of surrounding vehicles and traffic or parking management systems sending information to the vehicle in search of parking, according to the invention, • Figure 3, a schematic representation of a vehicle in search of parking indicating to the surrounding vehicles and to the management systems of traffic or parking where it will park, according to the invention, and • Figure 4, a schematic representation of automatic movement of surrounding vehicles allowing a vehicle in search of parking to park, according to the invention.

The invention lies first in a method of helping to find a parking space for a vehicle, in a given perimeter, especially in urban centers.

The research vehicle comprises means for communicating with surrounding parked vehicles and / or with traffic management systems or parking in the area considered. These communication means include in particular a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna and an on-board computer module.

The surrounding vehicles include similar means of communication, as well as adapted sensors making it possible to inform said research vehicle, by means of a dedicated message, on their respective location and on the distance in front and behind them, in other words on the distances between them and the vehicles parked in front of and behind them.

Thus, the vehicle in search sends a message to the surrounding parked vehicles and to the traffic or parking management systems to indicate that it is looking for a parking space, said message comprising information relating to the dimensions of the vehicle in search.

The surrounding parked vehicles respond to the vehicle in search and / or to the traffic or parking management systems by communicating, in a message, their position and the distances separating them from the vehicles located in front and behind. Thus, the vehicle in search of disposition of information relating to the spaces available between the successive parked vehicles and their respective location.

Preferably, the message sent by the surrounding parked vehicles and includes information relating to their ability, or not, to move independently.

In this way, the research vehicle can calculate, by means of suitable calculation means, if the sum of the available spaces is sufficient for said research vehicle to be able to park on an enlarged available space.

Figures 1 to 4 show an example of implementation of the method according to the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, a motor vehicle 1 in search of a parking space, activates the method according to the invention to help in the search for a parking space. Said method comprises the sending, by suitable means of communication, of a message signaling that the vehicle 1 is in search of a parking space corresponding to its dimensions. This message is received, within the research scope considered, by the surrounding vehicles 2, 4, 6, 8 parked and by the traffic or parking management systems. These surrounding parked vehicles 2, 4, 6, 8 are for example capable of implementing the same method of assisting in the search for a parking space as the vehicle in search 1. The surrounding parked vehicles 2, 4, 6 , 8 have between them available spaces 3, 5, 7.

Referring to Figure 2, the surrounding vehicles 2, 4, 6, 8 receive said message sent by the vehicle 1. Vehicles 2, 4, 6, 8 have means, such as sensors, radars, and / or cameras, associated with calculation means, to determine the distance separating them from the vehicle parked in front and from the vehicle parked behind. Each of the surrounding parked vehicles 2, 4, 6, 8 then send the search vehicle 1 and the traffic or parking management systems a message comprising its position and the spaces available separating them from the vehicle parked in front and from the vehicle parked behind. According to one embodiment, the message also includes information relating to their ability, or not, to move in autonomous mode. The vehicle 1 will then collect this information and calculate whether the sum of the available spaces 3, 5, 7 provided is sufficient to generate a parking space suitable for the vehicle in search 1.

The calculation means on board the vehicle 1 determine whether the available space 5 can be increased by moving the parked vehicles 4 and 6 in order to generate a parking space for the vehicle 1, corresponding to the available space 5 enlarged.

Referring to Figure 3, the calculation having led to the conclusion that the available space 5 could be enlarged to allow the parking of the vehicle in search 1, said vehicle 1 indicates to vehicles 4 and 6 that it will park on space 5 to enlarge and sends them automatic movement instructions, to enlarge space 5.

With reference to FIG. 4, the vehicle 4 moves autonomously towards the front, thus reducing the space 3, while the vehicle 6 moves autonomously towards the rear, thus reducing the space 7. The space 5 is enlarged by recovering the portions taken from the space 3 at the front of the vehicle 4 and at the rear of the vehicle 2, and those taken from the space 7 at the front of the vehicle 8 and at the rear of the vehicle 6.

For example, the vehicle 1 awaits confirmation that the free space 5 thus enlarged is sufficient to allow it to park. Once this confirmation has been obtained, the vehicle will park on the enlarged free space 5.

The vehicle 1, once installed in the parking space of space 5, has an available space 5 "at the front of the vehicle 1 and an available space 5" at the rear.

Thanks to the invention, the number of parking spaces is increasing. Parking spaces that are a priori too narrow can be enlarged by the autonomous movement of parked vehicles.

Furthermore, the search time for a parking space is reduced and pollution is reduced.

In addition, a map of available parking spaces can be drawn up and updated in real time.

The invention provides in particular the autonomous movement of third-party vehicles in order to enlarge a parking space for the benefit of a vehicle in search.

It should be noted that, according to one embodiment, provision is made for the movement of the surrounding parked vehicles 4, 6 includes the preservation of spaces available between surrounding surrounding vehicles 2, 4, 6, 8 successive to allow an exit of each of said surrounding vehicles parked 2, 4, 6, 8 from their respective parking spaces.

Claims (9)

Claims: 1. Method for helping to find a parking space within a perimeter for a research vehicle (1) having dimensions, said method comprising: the activation of a search function by the vehicle in search (1), - sending a message to a plurality of surrounding vehicles parked (2, 4, 6, 8) in the perimeter and / or to traffic or parking management systems (9), - the determination, by the surrounding parked vehicles (2, 4, 6, 8), of the available spaces (3, 5, 7) between successive parked vehicles (2, 4, 6, 8), - the sending by each of the surrounding parked vehicles (2, 4, 6, 8) of a message to the research vehicle (1) and / or to the traffic or parking management systems (9), said message comprising its position and available spaces (3, 5, 7) between successive parked vehicles (2, 4, 6, 8), - the calculation of the sum of the available spaces (3, 5, 7) to assess the possibility of generating a sufficient parking space for the research vehicle (1) taking into account the dimensions of the research vehicle (1), and, - if the sum of the available spaces (3, 5, 7) is adapted to generate a sufficient parking space for the research vehicle (1), the autonomous movement of at least one surrounding vehicle parked (4, 6) so to enlarge one (5) of the spaces available to generate a parking space sufficient for the vehicle in search (1). 2. Method for assisting in the search for a parking space according to claim 1, said message sent by the surrounding parked vehicles (2, 4, 6, 8) and to the traffic or parking management systems (9) including information relating to their ability, or not, to move independently. 3. Method for assisting in the search for a parking space according to one of the preceding claims, said autonomous movement comprising the sending of a message by the research vehicle (1) to the surrounding parked vehicles (4 , 6) and / or traffic or parking management systems (9) to be moved having an ability to move autonomously, said message comprising movement instructions adapted to generate a sufficient parking space for the vehicle in search (1). 4. Method for assisting in the search for a parking space according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the sending, to the vehicle in search (1), of a message of confirmation of movement by each surrounding vehicle parked to move (4, 6) having made the movement corresponding to the instructions. 5. Method for helping to find a parking space according to one of the preceding claims, comprising, if the sum of the available spaces (3, 5, 7) is not suitable for generating a sufficient parking space , the increase in the scope considered in the search for a parking space by traffic or parking management systems (9) or by the increase in the number of vehicles questioned. 6. Method for assisting in the search for a parking space according to one of the preceding claims, in which the movement of at least one parked surrounding vehicle (4, 6) comprises the preservation of available spaces between surrounding vehicles parked (2, 4, 6, 8) successive to allow an exit of each of said surrounding parked vehicles (2, 4, 6, 8) from their respective parking places. 7. Parking assistance system for a vehicle (1) in search of a parking space comprising means of communication with parked surrounding vehicles (2, 4, 6, 8), traffic management systems or parking (9) and calculation means, said communication means, said traffic or parking management systems (9) and said calculation means being configured to implement the method according to one of the preceding claims. 8. Motor vehicle parking assistance system according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said motor vehicle (1) sends to surrounding vehicles (2, 4, 6, 8) having a capacity to move autonomously and traffic or parking management systems (9), a message comprising movement instructions adapted to generate a sufficient parking space for the vehicle being searched (1). 9. Vehicle (1) comprising a parking assistance system according to one of claims 7 to 8.