JP2010160697A - Parking lot guiding device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a parking lot guiding device capable of determining vacancy about a plurality of parking spaces based on cruising track information relating to a cruising track of the other vehicle. <P>SOLUTION: The parking lot guiding device 1 for guiding a vacant state of a parking space or a parked state in the parking lot to a vehicle includes an inter-vehicle communication unit 5 for acquiring vehicle cruising track information relating to a cruising track of a vehicle which is cruising within the parking lot, a parking lot guiding ECU 10 for determining whether the parking space within the parking lot is the vacant state or the parked state based on the vehicle cruising track information relating to the cruising track of the vehicle, and an output unit 6 for guiding the vacant state or the parked state of the parking space to the vehicle based on a determined result of the parking lot guiding ECU 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a parking lot guidance device that guides a vehicle in an empty or parked parking space.

  Conventionally, as a technology in such a field, when a vehicle departs from a parking space, the departure information in the parking space is transmitted to other surrounding vehicles, and the parking is performed when the vehicle is parked in the parking space. A communication device that transmits parking information in a space to other surrounding vehicles is known. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1). The other vehicle to which the information has been transmitted can obtain information on an available parking space that can be parked in the parking lot from the departure information and the parking information.

JP 2005-250984 A

  However, in the above-described conventional communication device, only information related to one parking space can be obtained for each departure information and parking information, so that it is necessary to visually confirm most other parking spaces. was there.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and can determine whether a plurality of parking spaces are in an empty state or in a parked state based on vehicle traveling locus information relating to the traveling locus of the vehicle. It aims at providing a parking lot guidance apparatus.

  The present invention is a parking lot guidance device that guides a vehicle in an empty or parked parking space in a parking lot, and communication means for acquiring vehicle running trajectory information relating to a running trajectory of a vehicle traveling in the parking lot; A determination unit that determines whether the parking space in the parking lot is vacant or a parked state based on the vehicle traveling locus information related to the traveling locus of the vehicle, and an empty parking space based on the determination result of the determining unit And a guide means for guiding the vehicle state or parked state to the vehicle.

  In this parking lot guidance apparatus, the vehicle travel locus in the parking lot is recognized from the vehicle travel locus information, and it is determined from the recognized vehicle travel locus whether a plurality of parking spaces are vacant or parked. be able to. Therefore, since it is possible to determine a plurality of parking spaces from the vehicle travel locus information of one vehicle, the vehicle can be guided efficiently.

  Moreover, it is preferable that a determination means determines with the parking space which the vehicle before parking passed having been parked. In this case, since it is determined whether or not it is in a parked state for a wide region across a plurality of parking spaces, a region other than a parked parking space (that is, a region where there is a high possibility that an empty parking space exists) ), The vehicle can be guided more efficiently.

  Moreover, it is preferable that a communication means is provided in a vehicle and transmits the vehicle travel locus information to other surrounding vehicles. According to this configuration, a plurality of vehicles including the communication means of the present invention function as relay points, so that a so-called multi-hop network is configured, and information can be transmitted and received between vehicles outside the communication range.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it can be determined whether it is a vacant state or a parked state about several parking spaces based on the vehicle traveling locus information regarding the traveling locus of a vehicle.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of one Embodiment of the parking lot guidance apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a top view which shows a parking lot. It is a flowchart which shows a driving | running | working locus | trajectory information delivery process. It is a flowchart which shows the analysis process of the driving track information transmitted from the other vehicle of the warehousing state. It is a flowchart which shows the analysis process of the driving | running | working locus | trajectory information transmitted from the other vehicle of the leaving state. It is a flowchart which shows the information delivery process at the time of departure. It is a flowchart which shows the information transmission process at the time of parking. It is a flowchart which shows the reception process of parked information.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a parking lot guidance apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a parking lot guidance apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a parking lot. In FIG. 2, vehicles A to D are vehicles each equipped with a parking lot guide device 1 according to the present embodiment. Vehicle A is a vehicle in a storage state immediately after entering the parking lot (a state in which a free parking space that can be parked is being searched), and vehicle B is traveling in the parking lot in the same storage state as vehicle A. It is. The vehicle C is a vehicle parked after finding an empty parking space. The vehicle D is a vehicle that has left the parking space and is in a leaving state (a state in which it is about to leave the parking lot). Hereinafter, the vehicle A will be described as a vehicle (own vehicle) described in the claims, and the vehicles B to D will be described as other vehicles.

  As shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2, the parking lot guidance apparatus 1 is provided in the own vehicle A, and guides the own vehicle A to a parking space that is empty in the parking lot. A parking lot guidance ECU (Electric Control Unit) 10 to be controlled is provided.

  The parking lot guidance ECU 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that performs arithmetic processing, a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory) serving as a storage unit, an input signal circuit, an output signal circuit, a power supply circuit, and the like. Yes. The parking lot guidance ECU 10 is electrically connected to the position sensor 2, the vehicle speed sensor 3, the ignition switch 4, the inter-vehicle communication unit 5, and the output unit 6.

  The position sensor 2 detects the position of the host vehicle A. The position sensor 2 includes, for example, a GPS receiver, a gyro sensor, and an acceleration sensor. The GPS receiver detects the position of the host vehicle A on the ground surface by receiving radio waves from a plurality of GPS satellites. The gyro sensor detects the posture of the host vehicle A from the change in the angular velocity of the host vehicle A. The acceleration sensor detects a change in the acceleration of the host vehicle A.

  The position sensor 2 detects the position of the host vehicle A on the ground surface from the detection result of the GPS receiver, and detects the position (that is, altitude) of the host vehicle A in the vertical direction from the detection results of the gyro sensor and the acceleration sensor. The position sensor 2 transmits the detected position and altitude of the own vehicle A on the ground surface to the parking lot guidance ECU 10 as own vehicle position information. Thus, by transmitting the position and altitude information of the host vehicle A, the parking lot guidance ECU 10 can appropriately recognize the position of the host vehicle A even in a three-dimensional parking lot or an underground parking lot.

  The vehicle speed sensor 3 is provided, for example, on the wheel of the host vehicle A, and detects the vehicle speed of the host vehicle A from the rotational speed of the wheel. The vehicle speed sensor 3 transmits vehicle speed information regarding the detected vehicle speed of the host vehicle A to the parking lot guidance ECU 10.

  The ignition switch 4 is a switch that is provided near the instrument panel and that allows the driver to start and stop the engine of the host vehicle A. The engine of the host vehicle A is started by switching the ignition switch 4 to the ON state, and the engine of the host vehicle A is stopped by switching to the OFF state. When the ignition switch 4 is switched from the ON state to the OFF state, the ignition switch 4 transmits an OFF state signal to the parking lot guidance ECU 10. Further, the ignition switch 4 transmits an ON state signal to the parking lot guidance ECU 10 when switched from the OFF state to the ON state.

  The inter-vehicle communication unit 5 functions as a communication unit that performs inter-vehicle communication between the host vehicle A and the other vehicles B to D. The inter-vehicle communication unit 5 acquires various information such as other vehicle travel locus information related to the travel locus of the other vehicles B to D. Further, the inter-vehicle communication unit 5 distributes the own vehicle travel locus information related to the travel locus of the own vehicle A to the other surrounding vehicles B and C. The other vehicle D shown in FIG. 2 is located outside the communication range of the inter-vehicle communication unit 5 of the own vehicle A. The vehicles A to D constitute a so-called multi-hop network that functions as a relay point for inter-vehicle communication, and the own vehicle A realizes communication with the other vehicle D by using the other vehicles B and C as relay points. To do.

  The output unit 6 includes a display for outputting video information and a speaker for outputting audio information in the vehicle. The output unit 6 transmits various information to the driver of the host vehicle A through a display and a speaker. The output unit 6 functions as a guidance unit that guides the host vehicle A to an empty parking space in the parking lot using a display and a speaker.

  The parking lot guidance ECU 10 stores map information related to roads and the like, and parking map information related to the parking space and the travel path in the parking lot in association with the map information. The parking lot guidance ECU 10 acquires new parking lot map information by, for example, road-to-vehicle communication.

  The parking lot guidance ECU 10 determines whether or not the own vehicle A has entered the parking lot based on the map information and the own vehicle position information and map information transmitted from the position sensor 2. When the parking lot guidance ECU 10 determines that the host vehicle A has entered the parking lot, the parking lot guidance ECU 10 determines that the host vehicle A is in a state of searching for an empty parking space, and sets the vehicle state to the warehousing state.

  When the vehicle state is set to the warehousing state, the parking lot guidance ECU 10 starts a timer for measuring preset traveling locus information storage timing and traveling locus information distribution timing. The parking lot guidance ECU 10 determines whether or not the count of the timer is a preset traveling locus information storage timing. When it is determined that the timer count is the travel locus information storage timing, the parking lot guidance ECU 10 associates the determination time with the own vehicle position information at the determination time and stores it as travel locus information. The parking lot guidance ECU 10 repeatedly saves the travel locus information every time the timer count reaches the travel locus information storage timing.

  In addition, the parking lot guidance ECU 10 determines whether or not the count of the timer is a preset travel locus information distribution timing. When the parking lot guidance ECU 10 determines that the count of the timer is the traveling locus information distribution timing, the parking lot guidance ECU 10 transmits the warehousing information related to the warehousing state of the own vehicle A and the traveling locus information of the own vehicle A through the inter-vehicle communication unit 5. Deliver to the vehicle. The parking lot guidance ECU 10 repeats the delivery of the warehousing information and the running locus information every time the timer count reaches the running locus information delivery timing.

  The parking lot guidance ECU 10 determines whether an OFF state signal is transmitted from the ignition switch 4 or whether the host vehicle A has left the parking lot. When an OFF state signal is transmitted from the ignition switch 4, the parking lot guidance ECU 10 determines that the host vehicle A is parked and stops the timer. When the parking lot guidance ECU 10 determines that the host vehicle A has left the parking lot, the parking lot guidance ECU 10 determines that the parking lot guidance is no longer necessary and stops the timer.

  Further, the parking lot guidance ECU 10 determines whether the parking space in the parking lot is in a vacant state based on the other vehicle traveling locus information related to the traveling locus of the other vehicle acquired by the inter-vehicle communication unit 5 and the parking lot map information. It functions as a determination means for determining whether the vehicle is in a parked state. Parking lot guidance ECU10 matches a determination result and its determination time, and preserve | saves it as determination result information. When a predetermined time has elapsed from the determination time, the parking lot guidance ECU 10 discards the determination result information. The parking lot guidance ECU 10 notifies the driver of the host vehicle A of the determination result information through the output unit 6.

  Further, the parking lot guidance ECU 10 is in a state where the host vehicle A is about to leave the parking lot when the ON state signal is transmitted from the ignition switch 4 after the host vehicle A is parked in the parking space in the parking lot. Judgment is made and the vehicle state is set to the leaving state. The parking lot guidance ECU 10 clears the saved traveling locus information of the host vehicle A when the vehicle state is set to the leaving state. Parking lot guidance ECU10 distributes the leaving state information regarding a leaving state and the empty parking space information regarding the parking space where the own vehicle A departs to other surrounding vehicles by the inter-vehicle communication unit 5.

  Further, when the host vehicle A is parked in the parking space, the parking lot guidance ECU 10 refers to the determination result information and determines whether or not the parking space has been determined to be empty. If the parking lot guidance ECU 10 determines that the parking space has been determined to be empty, the surrounding other vehicle may recognize that the parking space where the own vehicle A is parked is empty. The parked information relating to parking in the parking space is distributed to other surrounding vehicles through the inter-vehicle communication unit 5.

  In addition, the parking lot guidance ECU 10 refers to the determination result information when the vehicle state of the host vehicle A is the warehousing state and the parked information is transmitted from another vehicle, and the parking space included in the parked information. It is determined whether or not the parking space where the other vehicle is parked has already been determined as an empty state. When the parking lot guidance ECU 10 determines that the parking space at the position included in the parked information has been determined to be vacant, the parking lot guidance ECU 10 changes the determination result information regarding the parking space to the parked state. Moreover, parking lot guidance ECU10 updates the determination time of determination result information to change time. When a predetermined time has elapsed from the change time, the parking lot guidance ECU 10 discards the determination result information. The parking lot guidance ECU 10 notifies the driver of the vehicle A of the determination result information updated through the output unit 6.

  Next, operation | movement of the parking lot guidance apparatus which concerns on this embodiment is demonstrated. First, the travel locus information distribution process in the parking lot guidance apparatus will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a travel locus information distribution process. This process is performed when the host vehicle A enters the parking lot.

  As shown in FIG.2 and FIG.3, first, based on the own vehicle position information and the parking lot map information transmitted from the position sensor 2, it is determined whether or not the own vehicle A has entered the parking lot ( S11). This determination is repeated until it is determined that the host vehicle A has entered the parking lot. When it is determined that the host vehicle A has entered the parking lot, the vehicle state of the host vehicle A is set to the warehousing state (S12).

  When the vehicle state of the host vehicle A is set to the warehousing state, a timer is started (S13). Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the timer count is a preset traveling locus information storage timing (S14). This determination is repeated until it is determined that the timer count is the locus storage timing. When it is determined that the count of the timer is the traveling locus information storage timing, the determination time and the vehicle position information at the determination time are associated with each other and stored as traveling locus information (S15).

  Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the timer count is a preset traveling locus information distribution timing (S16). If it is determined that the count of the timer is not the travel locus information distribution timing, each step is repeated from step S14. On the other hand, when it is determined that the count of the timer is the traveling locus information distribution timing, the warehousing information regarding the warehousing state of the own vehicle A and the traveling locus information of the own vehicle A are distributed to other surrounding vehicles B and C (S17). ).

  After the distribution of the travel locus information, it is determined whether an OFF state signal is transmitted from the ignition switch 4 or whether the host vehicle A has left the parking lot (S18). When an OFF state signal is not transmitted from the ignition switch 4 and it is not determined that the host vehicle A has left the parking lot, each step is repeated from step S14. On the other hand, when an OFF state signal is transmitted from the ignition switch 4 or when it is determined that the host vehicle A has left the parking lot, the timer is stopped (S19). Thereafter, each step is repeated from step S11. According to such traveling locus information distribution processing, traveling locus information of the host vehicle A can be distributed to other surrounding vehicles.

  Next, analysis processing of travel locus information transmitted from other vehicles in the warehousing state will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an analysis process of travel locus information transmitted from another vehicle in the warehousing state. This process is a process when the other vehicle travel locus information is transmitted from the other vehicle B in the warehousing state.

  As shown in FIG.2 and FIG.4, first, the warehousing state information regarding the warehousing state of the other vehicle B and the other vehicle traveling locus information regarding the traveling locus Sb of the other vehicle B are received (S21). It is recognized from the received warehousing state information that the other vehicle B is in the warehousing state. Thereafter, the travel locus Sb of the other vehicle B is recognized from the transmitted other vehicle travel locus information and the parking lot map information of the map database. Then, since the other vehicle B in the warehousing state does not have an empty parking space, it is determined that the vehicle B has passed through the area, and the parking space through which the other vehicle B has passed is determined to be in a parked state (S22).

  Then, the determination time and the parking space area determined to be in the parked state are associated with each other and stored as determination result information (S23). Thereafter, the determination result information stored through the output unit 6 is notified to the driver of the host vehicle A (S24). According to such analysis processing of the travel locus information, it is determined whether or not a plurality of parking spaces are in a parked state from the travel locus information transmitted from other vehicles in the warehousing state, and the determination result is sent to the driver. You can be notified.

  Next, analysis processing of travel locus information transmitted from other vehicles in the leaving state will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an analysis process of travel locus information transmitted from another vehicle in the leaving state. This process is a process when the other vehicle travel locus information is transmitted from the other vehicle D in the leaving state. In addition, the own vehicle A and the other vehicle D are located outside the range in which inter-vehicle communication is possible, and the other vehicles B and C function as a relay point by the multi-hop network, so that information can be exchanged. .

  As shown in FIG.2 and FIG.5, first, the leaving state information regarding the leaving state of the other vehicle D and the other vehicle traveling locus information regarding the traveling locus Sd of the other vehicle D are received (S31). It is recognized that the other vehicle D is in the leaving state from the sent out state information. Thereafter, the travel locus Sd of the other vehicle D is recognized from the other vehicle travel locus information and the parking lot map information, and it is determined that the parking space from which the other vehicle D has departed is empty (S32).

  Then, the determination time and the parking space determined to be free are associated with each other and stored as determination result information (S33). Thereafter, the determination result information stored through the output unit 6 is notified to the driver of the host vehicle A (S34). According to such analysis processing of the travel locus information, it is determined whether or not the parking space is empty from the travel locus information transmitted from the other vehicle in the leaving state, and the determination result is notified to the driver. Can do.

  Next, information distribution processing at the time of departure will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing information distribution processing at the time of departure. This process is a process when the ignition switch 4 is switched to the ON state after the host vehicle A is parked in the parking space in the parking lot.

  As shown in FIG. 6, first, when the ON state signal is transmitted from the ignition switch 4 in the parking lot, the vehicle state of the host vehicle A is set to the leaving state (S41). Thereafter, the travel locus information previously stored is cleared (S42).

  And based on the own vehicle position information and the parking lot map information transmitted from the position sensor 2, the position information of the parking space where the own vehicle A departs is acquired (S43). Thereafter, the delivery state information relating to the delivery state and the empty parking space information relating to the parking space from which the host vehicle A departs are distributed to other surrounding vehicles through the inter-vehicle communication unit 5 (S44). According to such information distribution processing at the time of departure, information on a parking space vacated by the departure of the host vehicle A can be distributed to other surrounding vehicles.

  Next, the information transmission process at the time of parking is demonstrated. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing information transmission processing during parking. This process is a process when the host vehicle A parks in a parking space in the parking lot.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the stored determination result information is searched for the parking space where the own vehicle A is parked, and it is determined whether or not it is determined that the parking space is empty ( S51). If it is determined that the parking space is not yet vacant, the process ends. When it is determined that the parking space is in an empty state, the parked information regarding parking in the parking space is distributed to other surrounding vehicles through the inter-vehicle communication unit 5 (S52). According to such information distribution processing at the time of parking, the parked information related to the parking space that has been parked by the parking of the host vehicle A can be distributed to other surrounding vehicles.

  Next, the reception process of parked information will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a reception process of parked information. This process is a process when the own vehicle A is in the warehousing state and the parked information is received.

  As shown in FIG. 8, first, parked information related to the fact that another vehicle is parked in the parking space is received (S61). Thereafter, the stored determination result information is searched for the parking space recognized from the parked information, and it is determined whether or not it is determined that the parking space is in an empty state (S62).

  Then, when it is determined that the parking space is not yet vacant, the process ends. When it is determined that the parking space is in an empty state, the determination result information regarding the parking space is changed to a parked state (S63). Thereafter, the determination result information changed through the output unit 6 is notified to the driver of the host vehicle A (S64). According to such reception processing of parked information, the determination result information can be changed based on the parked information, and the changed determination result information can be notified to the driver.

  According to the parking lot guidance apparatus described above, the traveling locus of the other vehicle in the parking lot is recognized from the parking lot map information and the other vehicle traveling locus information, and a plurality of parking spaces are in an empty state from the recognized traveling locus of the other vehicle. It can be determined whether there is a parked state. Therefore, since it is possible to determine a plurality of parking spaces from the travel locus information of one other vehicle, the vehicle can be guided efficiently.

  Specifically, it is determined whether or not the parking space in which the vehicle B other than the warehousing state is parked is in a parked state by determining that the parking space is in a parked state. Therefore, by guiding the vehicle to pass through an area other than the parked parking space (that is, an area where there is a high possibility that there is an empty parking space), the vehicle is efficiently guided to the empty parking space. Can do. As a result, there is less time for the driver to find an empty parking space in the parking lot, the driver's stress is reduced, and unnecessary driving is eliminated, reducing carbon dioxide emissions and gasoline consumption. Mitigation is achieved.

  In addition, since a plurality of vehicles provided with the parking lot guidance apparatus of the present invention function as relay points, so-called multi-hop networks are configured, so that information can be transmitted and received between vehicles outside the communication range. This realizes information sharing between vehicles in a wide range, and smooth traffic in the parking lot can be achieved by appropriate guidance. Moreover, since the said effect is implement | achieved only by providing the parking lot guidance apparatus 1 which concerns on this invention in a vehicle, it is not necessary to provide an installation in parking lot itself.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. For example, the parking lot guidance apparatus 1 may be provided not in the vehicle but in the parking lot itself, or may be provided in both the vehicle and the parking lot. In this case, the parking lot guidance apparatus 1 may be an embodiment that realizes the above-described effect by cooperation of the vehicle and the parking lot facilities.

  Moreover, when the own vehicle A parks in the parking space or departs from the parking space, the parking lot guidance device 1 does not have to distribute the parked information or the empty parking space information. In this case, the parking lot guidance ECU 10 recognizes that the other vehicle has entered the parking space or departed from the parking space from the other vehicle travel locus information and the parking lot map information, and is either a parking space or an empty space. Whether it is a parking space can be determined.

  Moreover, the parking lot guidance apparatus 1 is not restricted to what comprises a multihop network between each vehicle.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Parking lot guidance apparatus, 2 ... Position sensor, 3 ... Vehicle speed sensor, 4 ... Ignition switch, 5 ... Inter-vehicle communication part (communication means), 6 ... Output part (guidance means), 10 ... Parking lot guidance ECU (determination means) ).

Claims (3)

A parking lot guidance device that guides a vehicle in an empty or parked parking space in a parking lot,
Communication means for acquiring vehicle travel locus information relating to a travel locus of a vehicle traveling in the parking lot;
Determination means for determining whether the parking space in the parking lot is in an empty state or in a parked state based on vehicle traveling locus information relating to the traveling locus of the vehicle;
Based on the determination result of the determination means, guide means for guiding the vacant state or the parked state of the parking space to the vehicle;
A parking lot guidance device comprising:   The parking determination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines that a parking space through which a vehicle before parking has passed is in the parked state.   The parking lot guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit is provided in a vehicle and transmits the vehicle travel locus information to other surrounding vehicles.

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