GB2319420A - Parallel parking aid using radar - Google Patents

Parallel parking aid using radar Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2319420A
GB2319420A GB9623640A GB9623640A GB2319420A GB 2319420 A GB2319420 A GB 2319420A GB 9623640 A GB9623640 A GB 9623640A GB 9623640 A GB9623640 A GB 9623640A GB 2319420 A GB2319420 A GB 2319420A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
parking
vehicle
space
length
parking aid
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB9623640A
Other versions
GB9623640D0 (en
Inventor
Graeme Peter Smith
Toby Harcombe-Smee
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Ford Motor Co
Original Assignee
Ford Motor Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ford Motor Co filed Critical Ford Motor Co
Priority to GB9623640A priority Critical patent/GB2319420A/en
Publication of GB9623640D0 publication Critical patent/GB9623640D0/en
Publication of GB2319420A publication Critical patent/GB2319420A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S13/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of radio waves, e.g. radar systems; Analogous systems using reflection or reradiation of waves whose nature or wavelength is irrelevant or unspecified
    • G01S13/88—Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications
    • G01S13/93—Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes
    • G01S13/931—Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes of land vehicles
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S13/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of radio waves, e.g. radar systems; Analogous systems using reflection or reradiation of waves whose nature or wavelength is irrelevant or unspecified
    • G01S13/87—Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
    • G01S13/878—Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S13/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of radio waves, e.g. radar systems; Analogous systems using reflection or reradiation of waves whose nature or wavelength is irrelevant or unspecified
    • G01S13/88—Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications
    • G01S13/89—Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications for mapping or imaging
    • G01S13/895—Side looking radar [SLR]
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60T—VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL; ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES
    • B60T2201/00—Particular use of vehicle brake systems; Special systems using also the brakes; Special software modules within the brake system controller
    • B60T2201/10—Automatic or semi-automatic parking aid systems
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S13/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of radio waves, e.g. radar systems; Analogous systems using reflection or reradiation of waves whose nature or wavelength is irrelevant or unspecified
    • G01S13/88—Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications
    • G01S13/93—Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes
    • G01S13/931—Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes of land vehicles
    • G01S2013/9314—Parking operations
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S13/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of radio waves, e.g. radar systems; Analogous systems using reflection or reradiation of waves whose nature or wavelength is irrelevant or unspecified
    • G01S13/88—Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications
    • G01S13/93—Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes
    • G01S13/931—Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes of land vehicles
    • G01S2013/9327—Sensor installation details
    • G01S2013/93274—Sensor installation details on the side of the vehicles
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S13/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of radio waves, e.g. radar systems; Analogous systems using reflection or reradiation of waves whose nature or wavelength is irrelevant or unspecified
    • G01S13/88—Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications
    • G01S13/93—Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes
    • G01S13/931—Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes of land vehicles
    • G01S2013/9327—Sensor installation details
    • G01S2013/93275—Sensor installation details in the bumper area

Abstract

A parallel parking aid comprises at least two radar transmitters and receivers arranged to detect the presence of objects 9,7 (eg other cars) at the side of the vehicle 5. First and second signals indicative of the positions of the obstacles are used to calculate the length of the parking space 3 and a display indicates whether a parallel park should be attempted. The system includes experienced/inexperienced settings or a difficulty scale. The parking aid can include four receivers/transmitters which provide information on parking spaces at the driver or passenger side. The radar system may also provide other driver information such as collision warnings or side vision aids. The transmitters and receivers are impulse radar sensors which utilise signals of short radio frequency without a carrier wave.

Description

PARKING AID Field of the Invention The invention relates to an improved vehicle parking aid for a motor vehicle.
Although a number of systems have been developed which act as parking aids, usually warning drivers of an obstacle in their path when reversing, help with parallel parking has not been so forthcoming. On-street parking involves parking on the roadside, parallel to the direction of traffic. In many countries, especially within Europe, parallel on-street parking is the norm. Many drivers experience difficulties in parking correctly, and some will not try to park this way.
One reason is the added pressure on the driver to park quickly, so as not to interfere with normal traffic flow.
Impatience, added to little knowledge of a cars length or inability to see the corners of the car causes a number of unnecessary accidents to occur.
A number of radar systems have been proposed for installation in motor vehicles for detecting objects around a vehicle. Transmitters and receivers are mounted upon the vehicle to detect the presence or approach of objects in a particular direction to be used to help to warn an occupant of a potential collision. Typically, such systems have been developed for collision warning and reversing aids.
Summary of the Invention According to the invention there is provided a parallel parking aid for aiding parking in a space substantially parallel to the direction of the vehicle between a first and a second obstacle, and comprising a radar sensing system including at least two radar transmitters and receivers arranged to detect the presence of an object in a pre determined area in the region of the side of the vehicle, coupled to a microprocessor arranged to produce a first obstacle signal indicative of the position of the first obstacle, and a second obstacle signal indicative of the position of the second obstacle, and from those signals calculate the length of a parking space and feed a signal to a display to display whether a parallel park should be attempted.
The system may just provide a display which shows the length of a particular potential parking space and leave it to the skill of the driver to assess whether parking should be attempted.
Preferably however the microprocessor compares the length of the space with the length of the vehicle and provides a display indicating a yes/no signal as to whether parking in the space is possible. Clearly the space needs to include enough margin over the length of the vehicle to ensure that parking is possible. The microprocessor may include a difficulty scale which allows for the difference between an experienced and inexperienced driver, having at least two settings so that an inexperienced driver will be given a 'No' signal when the space is tight, whereas on an experienced driver setting, the indication for that space would be a 'Yes' to indicate parking is possible.
Alternatively the display could include a difficulty scale, for example HARD, MEDIUM and EASY so that on indicating that parking is possible within the space, the degree of difficulty is also displayed. This will help the driver to determine whether to attempt to park, dependant upon his experience, the road conditions and the time available to the driver.
Thus such an aid will greatly reduce the time taken in attempting to park in a space too small for the vehicle, reduce damage to other vehicles and will increase the confidence of a driver when parking in a space which is big enough for the vehicle.
Preferably the predetermined area at the side of the vehicle extends up to 1.5m in front of and to the rear of the vehicle. Preferably the predetermined area extends to approximately 2m from the side of the vehicle.
The sensing system may be configured to measure the length of a parking space at the passenger side or drivers side of the vehicle. Preferably the system can assess parking spaces at both sides of the vehicle with the system including a switch to indicate which side of the vehicle the system is operating.
Although the radar sensing system may be used in a vehicle, purely for use in the parallel parking aid, the invention is applicable with particular advantage to a vehicle in which the radar sensing system is used also for providing driver information and warnings, such as a collision warning system or side vision aid. The advantage is that the same sensors are multi functional.
Preferably the system includes at least two radar transmitters and receivers, which are impulse radar transmitters and receivers. Such a system could be used to track accurately the path of an object outside the vehicle to accurately predict the potential of a collision, its likely position and time before impact. This would be useful in parking on a busy street where while concentrating on parking, the driver may fail to notice other moving vehicles. This is especially true where one of the first and second obstacles is a car which is moved while parking in the space adjacent is taking place.
In the specification, the term 'impulse radar' is intended to encompass any radar signal of short radio frequency, without a carrier wave, and includes radar sometimes referred to as 'broadband radar.' Brief Description of the Drawings A parallel parking aid in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of the parallel parking aid; Figure 2 is a first schematic view of the predetermined area scanned by the radar receiver; and, Figure 3 is a second schematic view of the predetermined area scanned by the radar receiver.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment A parallel parking aid 1 is for aiding parking in a space 3 substantially parallel to the direction of the vehicle 5 between a first obstacle 7 and a second obstacle 9.
The parallel parking aid 1 comprises a radar sensing system 11 including at least two radar transmitters and receivers 13 arranged to detect the presence of an object in a predetermined area in the region of the side of the vehicle, coupled to a microprocessor 17 arranged to produce a first obstacle signal indicative of the position of the first obstacle 7, and a second obstacle signal indicative of the position of the second obstacle 9, and from those signals calculate the length of the parking space and feed a signal to a display 19 to indicate whether a parallel park should be attempted.
The radar transmitters and receivers are impulse radar sensors which can detect objects in at least the predetermined area 15 to the side of the vehicle. Typically the vehicle will be at a distance of about lm from the edge of the space (here indicated as distance x). Since the objects forming the obstacles are likely to be cars having an edge substantially perpendicular to the vehicle, it is not necessary for the area to be scanned to cover the entire width of the space 3. Here 1m into the space is scanned. A distance of approximately 1.5m in front of and to the rear of the vehicle has been found to be optimal for the sensing of objects to the side of the vehicle.
The display is in the instrument panel and displays two signals, the first being a length signal showing the length of the space and the second a Yes/No signal indicating whether a parallel park should be attempted.
In this case the radar system 11 comprises four sensors (not shown) mounted at the corners of the vehicle in the region of the bumper. Each sensor comprises an impulse radar transmitter and receiver. This arrangement of four sensors allows the envelope around the vehicle to be monitored. This arrangement of sensors allows the system to monitor a predetermined area at both sides of the vehicle so that parallel parking spaces at the driver side and the passenger side can be measured. The sensors are used for collision warning or side vision aids so that the sensors are multipurpose.
The choice of microprocessor and display will be readily apparent to the skilled addressee of the specification.

Claims (9)

Claims
1. A parallel parking aid for aiding parking in a space substantially parallel to the direction of the vehicle between a first and a second obstacle, and comprising a radar sensing system including at least two radar transmitters and receivers arranged to detect the presence of an object in a pre-determined area in the region of the side of the vehicle, coupled to a microprocessor arranged to produce a first obstacle signal indicative of the position of the first obstacle, and a second obstacle signal indicative of the position of the second obstacle, and from those signals calculate the length of a parking space and feed a signal to a display to display whether a parallel park should be attempted.
2. A parking aid according to claim 1, in which the microprocessor compares the length of the parking space with the length of the vehicle and feeds a signal to the display to indicate a YES/NO display dependant on whether parking in the space is possible.
3. A parking aid according to claim 2, in which the aid is coupled to an experience switch switchable between at least two settings, EXPERIENCED and INEXPERIENCED and the microprocessor operates in the EXPERIENCED setting to indicate that parking is possible when the space is over a predetermined first length, and operates in the INEXPERIENCED setting to indicate that parking is possible when the space is over a predetermined second length, where the first length is less than the second length.
4. A parking aid according to claim 2, in which the display displays a difficulty scale and the microprocessor calculates the difficulty of parking in a space dependant upon its length.
5. A parking aid according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the predetermined area at the side of the vehicle extends up to 1.5m in front of and to the rear of the vehicle.
6. A parking aid according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the predetermined area extends to substantially 2m from the side of the vehicle.
7. A parking aid according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the system may assess parking spaces to both sides of the vehicle, the system including a switch to indicate the side of the vehicle on which the space is situated.
8. A parking aid according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the radar sensing system is used also for providing driver information and warnings.
9. A parallel parking aid arranged substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.
GB9623640A 1996-11-13 1996-11-13 Parallel parking aid using radar Withdrawn GB2319420A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9623640A GB2319420A (en) 1996-11-13 1996-11-13 Parallel parking aid using radar

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9623640A GB2319420A (en) 1996-11-13 1996-11-13 Parallel parking aid using radar

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9623640D0 GB9623640D0 (en) 1997-01-08
GB2319420A true GB2319420A (en) 1998-05-20

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ID=10802896

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9623640A Withdrawn GB2319420A (en) 1996-11-13 1996-11-13 Parallel parking aid using radar

Country Status (1)

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GB (1) GB2319420A (en)

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2822547A1 (en) * 2001-03-26 2002-09-27 Daimler Chrysler Ag Three dimensional parking sensor for motor vehicle has two dimensional sensed data passed to processor for three dimensional output to driver
EP1333296A1 (en) * 2002-02-05 2003-08-06 Robert Bosch Gmbh Method for determining the distance between two objects located in the same plane
GB2385570A (en) * 2002-02-23 2003-08-27 Farvardin Kowssari An arrangement for assisting parking
EP1403659A1 (en) * 2002-09-28 2004-03-31 Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH Parking aid with graphic and acoustic notification
EP1484620A1 (en) * 2003-06-06 2004-12-08 Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH Apparatus and method for detecting the contour of an object
EP1486797A1 (en) * 2003-06-12 2004-12-15 Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH Parking assistance device an method of determining the length of a parking space
WO2005047931A1 (en) * 2003-11-11 2005-05-26 Robert Bosch Gmbh Method for providing information for parallel parking of a vehicle
US7068211B2 (en) 2000-02-08 2006-06-27 Cambridge Consultants Limited Methods and apparatus for obtaining positional information
WO2008029038A1 (en) * 2006-09-07 2008-03-13 Renault S.A.S. Device and method for estimating the dimensions of a parking space, motor vehicle comprising such a device
US7528740B2 (en) 2003-11-11 2009-05-05 Robert Bosch Gmbh Method for providing information for parallel parking of a vehicle
EP2261084A1 (en) * 2009-06-04 2010-12-15 Robert Bosch GmbH Control device and method for localising a parking space for a vehicle
US9696420B2 (en) 2013-04-09 2017-07-04 Ford Global Technologies, Llc Active park assist object detection
FR3104524A1 (en) * 2019-12-13 2021-06-18 Renault S.A.S Method and device for assisting the parking of a vehicle and vehicle comprising such a device.

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3858204A (en) * 1973-07-19 1974-12-31 Sperry Rand Corp Closed loop gain control tunnel-diode base band object detector

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3858204A (en) * 1973-07-19 1974-12-31 Sperry Rand Corp Closed loop gain control tunnel-diode base band object detector

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7227493B2 (en) 2000-02-08 2007-06-05 Cambridge Consultants Limited Methods and apparatus for obtaining positional information
US7068211B2 (en) 2000-02-08 2006-06-27 Cambridge Consultants Limited Methods and apparatus for obtaining positional information
GB2379111A (en) * 2001-03-26 2003-02-26 Daimler Chrysler Ag On-board monitoring of a vehicle environment
GB2379111B (en) * 2001-03-26 2003-08-27 Daimler Chrysler Ag On-board monitoring of a vehicle environment
FR2822547A1 (en) * 2001-03-26 2002-09-27 Daimler Chrysler Ag Three dimensional parking sensor for motor vehicle has two dimensional sensed data passed to processor for three dimensional output to driver
EP1333296A1 (en) * 2002-02-05 2003-08-06 Robert Bosch Gmbh Method for determining the distance between two objects located in the same plane
GB2385570A (en) * 2002-02-23 2003-08-27 Farvardin Kowssari An arrangement for assisting parking
EP1403659A1 (en) * 2002-09-28 2004-03-31 Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH Parking aid with graphic and acoustic notification
EP1484620A1 (en) * 2003-06-06 2004-12-08 Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH Apparatus and method for detecting the contour of an object
EP1486797A1 (en) * 2003-06-12 2004-12-15 Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH Parking assistance device an method of determining the length of a parking space
WO2005047931A1 (en) * 2003-11-11 2005-05-26 Robert Bosch Gmbh Method for providing information for parallel parking of a vehicle
US7528740B2 (en) 2003-11-11 2009-05-05 Robert Bosch Gmbh Method for providing information for parallel parking of a vehicle
WO2008029038A1 (en) * 2006-09-07 2008-03-13 Renault S.A.S. Device and method for estimating the dimensions of a parking space, motor vehicle comprising such a device
FR2905765A1 (en) * 2006-09-07 2008-03-14 Renault Sas DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ESTIMATING THE DIMENSIONS OF A PARKING PLACE, MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING SUCH A DEVICE.
EP2261084A1 (en) * 2009-06-04 2010-12-15 Robert Bosch GmbH Control device and method for localising a parking space for a vehicle
US9696420B2 (en) 2013-04-09 2017-07-04 Ford Global Technologies, Llc Active park assist object detection
FR3104524A1 (en) * 2019-12-13 2021-06-18 Renault S.A.S Method and device for assisting the parking of a vehicle and vehicle comprising such a device.

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9623640D0 (en) 1997-01-08

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)