WO2022148620A1

WO2022148620A1 - Method for providing assistance when parking a motor vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2022148620A1
Application number: PCT/EP2021/085987
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sven Klomp; Christian JÖRDENS; Bastian Göricke; Timo Iken; Philipp Hüger
Original assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2021-01-08
Filing date: 2021-12-15
Publication date: 2022-07-14
Also published as: CN116830173A; EP4275193A1; DE102021200115A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for providing assistance when parking a motor vehicle (10) and to a motor vehicle (10) for carrying out the method. The method comprises: establishing whether the motor vehicle (10) is parked (S1); if it is parked, determining parking position data (64) that describe a current position of the motor vehicle (10) (S2); checking whether a parking frequency value (68), which is below a predefined parking frequency limit value (70), is associated with the determined parking position data (64) in a predefined parking map (30), the predefined parking map (30) comprising a parking frequency value (68) for each predefined parking position data item (64), which parking frequency value quantifies how often at least one swarm vehicle (31) has parked at the position in question (S3); and, if the check is successful, outputting a predefined warning (72) in the motor vehicle (10) indicating that parking at the current position might not be permitted (S4). A parking duration (86) can also be determined and provided together with the determined parking position data (64) of the predefined parking map (30) (S10).

Description

description

Method for assisting in parking a motor vehicle

The present invention relates to a method for assisting in the parking of a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle which is designed to carry out such a method.

Especially in an inner city area, it can be the case that a driver of a motor vehicle who wants to park it there first has to search for a parking space for the motor vehicle for a long time, for example because numerous parking spaces are already occupied by other motor vehicles.

In order to simplify a search for a parking space, it has hitherto been possible, for example, to resort to lists made available online, in which freely available parking spaces are compiled in a given area at a current time. However, such a list often does not include all of the free parking spaces that are actually available, so that the driver could still miss out on a specific free parking space for the motor vehicle. The result of this is that the driver typically still searches for a free parking space himself.

Often, however, the parking areas that are clearly marked as parking areas, for example as a parking lot or parking lane, are occupied. The driver will therefore have a relatively high probability of encountering an area in which it is not clear whether it is a public traffic area for parking or not. The driver will then continue to look for a suitable parking space or even decide to park his motor vehicle there, despite unclear assignment of the free space found as a parking space. The driver can therefore get into a situation in which he parks the motor vehicle in a parking area in which it is not clear whether this is intended as a parking area and whether parking is allowed there at all.

US 2020/0273336 A1 shows a method and a system in which vehicles driving around capture their respective environment using a respective on-board camera device and provide the captured data for creating a parking space map. By evaluating the recorded data, predictions are also made about current parking space availability and locations are recognized where a vehicle is almost never parked.

DE 102017204455 A1 shows a method for collecting information about the availability of parking spaces using at least one camera or sensor arranged in a vehicle. Based on the collected data, occupancy forecasts for parking spaces are created depending on the time of day or the day of the week.

Furthermore, DE 102010003890 A1 discloses a method for generating an information signal for a motor vehicle. In the method, depending on a detected parking position of the motor vehicle in a recognized parking situation and depending on predefined parking ban information, it is determined whether the motor vehicle is in a currently valid parking ban zone or in a future valid parking ban zone. If the motor vehicle is located in the current or future parking ban zone, then a first signal for signaling a parking ban is generated.

Furthermore, DE 102015207804 A1 discloses a method for recognizing free spaces on which parking is not permitted and/or parking areas on which parking is permitted.

In addition, DE 102017 007823 A1 discloses a method for operating a driver assistance device for a vehicle, with at least one parking space being offered as a destination as part of a navigation-based search for a parking space.

It is the object of the invention to provide a solution by means of which a driver of a motor vehicle can be assisted when parking.

This object is solved by the subject matter of the independent patent claims. Possible configurations of the invention are specified in the dependent claims, the following description and the figures.

The method according to the invention is designed to provide support when parking a motor vehicle. This support can be seen in particular in the fact that the method is suitable for warning a driver of the motor vehicle if it can be assumed that the motor vehicle is parked on an area where parking may be critical, since it is there, for example there is a high probability that it is not allowed. The method according to the invention comprises the following steps: First, it is determined whether the motor vehicle is parked. It is therefore detected whether the motor vehicle is parked at a current point in time for an initially indefinite period of time, for example at a current location of the motor vehicle. The determination is made using a parking determination criterion on data that is provided by the motor vehicle and describes a current state of the motor vehicle. These data describe, for example, turning off an ignition of the motor vehicle, for example by actuating an off button in an interior of the motor vehicle; activating a parking brake; opening a seat belt of a driver's seat of the motor vehicle and/or activating a parking aid or an intelligent parking aid assistant. The data also describe whether the motor vehicle is currently moving or is stationary and are therefore suitable for stating whether the motor vehicle is currently in a parking state. The data is provided, for example, by a control device and/or a corresponding sensor device in the motor vehicle, for example a seat belt buckle sensor, and thus by the motor vehicle itself /or is terminated. However, the driver of the motor vehicle is still in the motor vehicle at the current time and has not yet left it for an indefinite period of time and has therefore parked it. For example, the driver of the motor vehicle has driven the motor vehicle into an open area on a roadside of a road. There he presses the off button of the motor vehicle, activates the parking brake of the motor vehicle and opens the safety belt of the driver's seat of the motor vehicle. The parking determination criterion will now determine that the motor vehicle is parked at the current point in time based on the specified data, which is provided by the motor vehicle itself and describes the current state of the motor vehicle.

If the motor vehicle is parked at the current time, in a next method step, parking position data that describe a current position of the motor vehicle is determined. A parking position of the motor vehicle is thus determined. The parking position data are available, for example, as geographic coordinates. The parking position data is determined using a position determination device of the motor vehicle, which is included, for example, in a navigation system of the motor vehicle, the navigation system carrying out a position determination of the motor vehicle based on a global navigation satellite system (GNSS). im above mentioned example, the position data of the area at the roadside, on which the motor vehicle is currently located, determined as parking position data.

In a further method step, it is checked whether the specific parking position data and/or parking position data, which describe a predetermined environment of the current position, is assigned a parking frequency value in a predetermined parking map that is less than a predetermined parking frequency limit value. The predetermined parking map includes a respective parking frequency value for predetermined parking position data, which quantifies how often at least one swarm vehicle has parked at the respective position in a predetermined period of time. The parking map preferably includes the respective parking frequency value for any possible parking position, ie for example for each coordinate of a predetermined area. The data on which the parking map is based is preferably provided by at least one swarm vehicle, in particular a large number of swarm vehicles. Starting from the current point in time and going back into the past, the predefined period is, for example, one week, two weeks, one month, two months, six months or one year or the entire period of data collection by the at least one swarm vehicle. The at least one swarm vehicle has already parked at least once at the corresponding parking position described by the parking position data before the current time, so that the information is linked to this parking position data that and how often it has already been parked there.

The parking map thus includes the parking positions at which at least one of the swarm vehicles has never or at least very rarely parked. The parking position data, which describe positions that are at most very rarely used as parking areas, thus have a respective parking frequency value that is below the predetermined parking frequency limit value. The predefined parking frequency limit is at least one and can have any predefined value, for example between one and ten, 20, 50, 100 or a higher value. By comparing the parking frequency value assigned to the specific parking position data according to the parking map with the predetermined parking frequency limit value, it is determined whether another vehicle was parked at the current position of the motor vehicle in the predetermined time period and, if so, with what frequency. It is therefore checked how frequented the current position of the motor vehicle is as a parking area.

In this case, not only the parking position data, ie the current position of the motor vehicle, is taken into account, but also, if necessary, additionally or alternatively the Parking position data that describes a given environment of the current position. The parking position data describing the predetermined environment of the current position is parking position environment data. The predefined environment can, for example, have a radius of up to one meter, up to two meters or up to five meters around, for example, a center point of the motor vehicle. If, for example, the intelligent parking assistant is activated in the motor vehicle, which is designed to park the motor vehicle at least partially autonomously, the current position of the motor vehicle is not its final parking position. In this case it makes sense, for example, to also take into account the predetermined surroundings of the motor vehicle, since this is where the motor vehicle will actually be parked at the end of the parking process.

The parking frequency value assigned to the specific parking position data can be checked in an evaluation device of the motor vehicle in which the parking card is stored.

If the parking frequency value assigned to the specific parking position data is less than the predefined parking frequency limit value, a predefined warning is output in the motor vehicle. This warning includes that parking may not be permitted at the current location. There is a high probability that parking there is not permitted and is therefore critical. The predefined warning is preferably displayed on a display device inside the motor vehicle. As an alternative or in addition to this, the warning can be output acoustically, for example by means of a loudspeaker device in the motor vehicle.

In the example described above, a check is made as to whether a parking frequency value that is less than the predetermined parking frequency limit value is stored in the parking map for the parking position data that describes the area at the roadside. A predetermined parking frequency limit value of one is assumed here as an example. If the parking frequency value were zero, this value would be less than the predetermined parking frequency limit. Thus, the condition for the parking frequency value of the determined parking position data would only be met if not a single swarm vehicle was parked on the area at the side of the road in the predetermined period of time. However, if there is data from at least one swarm vehicle that indicates that this at least one swarm vehicle has parked at least once on the roadside area in the specified period of time, the parking frequency value is at least equal to the parking frequency limit value and the condition mentioned is therefore not met. Only in the first case This means that if, for example, not a single swarm vehicle has parked on the area at the side of the road in the specified period of time, the warning is issued in the motor vehicle.

Based on the data of the swarm vehicles on which the parking map is based, it can then be concluded in this example that it is probable that parking cannot or may not be parked in the area at the side of the road. However, the driver of the motor vehicle may not seem to be aware of this, which is why the warning notice draws his attention to the fact that he may not be allowed to park at the current position. This supports the driver when parking, since he is warned in good time while the motor vehicle is being parked that the parking area he has selected is apparently not a public traffic area for parking.

The method has the advantage that the frequency with which motor vehicles are parked incorrectly can be reduced, since the respective driver is informed of his probable incorrect parking even before he has left the motor vehicle. In addition, free parking spaces can now be used that are currently unknown to the list of free parking spaces, since its suitability as a parking space is always determined based on the previous use of a specific area. The search for a free parking space is thus comfortable for the driver, since he is supported when parking by checking the current position.

The invention also includes configurations that result in additional advantages.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the motor vehicle transmits the specific parking position data to an external computing device in which the parking card is stored. The external computing device is preferably arranged outside the vehicle and is designed, for example, as a server device. The external computing device checks whether the parking frequency value that is less than the predetermined parking frequency limit value is assigned to the transmitted parking position data and/or the parking position data that describes the predetermined environment of the current position in the stored parking map. The external computing device thus carries out the corresponding method step described above.

The results obtained during checking are transmitted to the motor vehicle as corresponding result data. If the parking frequency value assigned to the specific parking position data is less than the predefined parking frequency limit value, this Information thus transmitted as result data to the motor vehicle, so that the specified warning can be issued in this. As a result, little storage space is required in the evaluation device of the motor vehicle, since the parking ticket does not have to be stored in the motor vehicle itself so that the method described can be carried out. In addition, the parking map can be continuously adapted and revised, since new information about whether and how often at least one swarm vehicle has parked at the respective position can be received by the external computing device and integrated into the parking map. This makes the parking map particularly up-to-date and accurate.

The transmission of data from the motor vehicle to the external computing device and from the external computing device to the motor vehicle takes place by means of a communication connection between a communication interface of the motor vehicle and a communication interface of the external computing device. The communication connection can be a wireless connection, for example via a wireless local area network (WLAN for Wireless Local Area Network), a Bluetooth connection and/or a mobile data network, for example based on the Long Term Evolution (LTE), Long Term Evolution Advanced ( LTE-A) or Fifth Generation (5G).

An additional embodiment provides that a parking parameter is assigned to the predetermined parking position data in the predetermined parking map. The parking parameter includes whether there is at least one predefined parking restriction for the respective parking position data and also includes the at least one existing predefined parking restriction. A parking restriction is always present when free parking is not possible at the specified parking position data, but parking there is only possible to a limited extent and under certain conditions. This is the case, for example, when only temporary parking with a specified maximum parking time is permitted at the specified parking position data.

As an alternative or in addition to this, it can be provided as a parking restriction that parking at the specified parking position data is reserved for only a specific group of people, for example women in the case of a so-called women's parking space, i.e. a marked and designated parking area for use by women in, for example, multi-storey car parks, underground car parks or in parking lots. The parking parameter indicates whether there is any parking restriction at all for the respective parking position data of the parking card. If at least one parking restriction exists, the parking parameter also includes the existing at least one parking restriction. Furthermore, the parking parameter assigned to the determined parking position data of the motor vehicle is determined. The corresponding parking parameter is thus determined for the parking position data describing the current position of the motor vehicle. As an alternative or in addition to this, the corresponding parking parameter can be determined for the parking position data, which describe the predefined surroundings of the current position.

In particular, if the at least one predetermined parking restriction exists according to the determined parking parameter, a predetermined notice is output in the motor vehicle, which includes the determined parking parameter. In addition or as an alternative to the warning that parking may not be permitted at the current position, the parking restriction that may exist is displayed in the motor vehicle. The specified information can be displayed by means of the display device inside the motor vehicle and/or can be output acoustically.

However, it is possible that the specified information is always output, ie even when the specific parking position data according to the parking map is assigned the parking parameter, which includes the fact that there is no specified parking restriction. In this case, the advice given may include that free parking is possible at the parking position. However, the information is preferably only output if there is a predetermined parking restriction. The existing predetermined parking restriction is named using the information, ie communicated to the driver using the information. If, for example, the area at the edge of the road is a parking area where you can only park for a maximum of two hours, this parking restriction is displayed as a corresponding notice in the vehicle. As a result, the driver of the motor vehicle is informed particularly conveniently and in good time, namely during parking, of any predefined parking restrictions that may exist.

In addition, one embodiment provides that, if the at least one predetermined parking restriction exists according to the determined parking parameter, it is checked whether the at least one predetermined parking restriction exists when the motor vehicle is currently occupied by occupants. The specified information is output only if the at least one specified parking restriction exists for the current occupants. The occupants are all the occupants of the motor vehicle, ie a person driving the motor vehicle, such as the driver, or a person in a driver's position and other occupants, such as one in the front passenger seat or at least a person seated in a rear seat of the motor vehicle. If, for example, there are only two women in the motor vehicle, the current occupancy meets the requirements for a women's parking space, i.e. a so-called women's parking space. If the parked motor vehicle is in a current position whose parking position data is assigned by the parking map to the parking parameter with the parking restriction women's parking area, this parking restriction will be determined when checking the corresponding parking parameter that has been determined, but no corresponding notification will be issued because the motor vehicle is at the current inmates can be parked in the women's parking area without any problems. This avoids an unnecessary message being output when there are no restrictions at all for the motor vehicle with regard to parking it at the current position due to the occupants of the motor vehicle. This also increases the convenience for the driver, since only parking restrictions that are actually relevant to him are output as information.

An additional embodiment provides that the current occupant occupancy is determined by means of an interior sensor device of the motor vehicle. An interior camera and/or a driver observation camera can be provided as the interior sensor device of the motor vehicle, the respective camera data of which is evaluated by means of an image evaluation device that is included, for example, in the evaluation device of the motor vehicle. Here, based on the data from the interior sensor device, for example, a respective gender of the individual occupants can be detected and it can be determined whether there are children in the motor vehicle. As an alternative or in addition to this, the interior sensor device can detect whether there is a special structure in the motor vehicle which could be an indication that the motor vehicle is being used by a person with physical limitations, such as a physical disability.

Alternatively or additionally, the information about a typical occupancy of the motor vehicle can be stored in the motor vehicle, for example, the information that the motor vehicle is designed as a motor vehicle suitable for the disabled and/or a specific resident's parking permit is available for the motor vehicle. Alternatively or additionally, a personalized key for the motor vehicle, for which a user profile is stored in the motor vehicle, can be used to determine the occupancy of the motor vehicle when the personalized key is positioned in the motor vehicle

This makes it possible for the exact current occupant occupancy to be recorded with little effort by means of the motor vehicle's own means and thus the indication of possible Parking restrictions are always possible depending on the situation. The driver is then only confronted with information that is currently of interest to him, which is particularly pleasant and convenient for him.

According to another embodiment, it is provided that the at least one predetermined parking restriction describes one of the following parking areas: a parking area with a predetermined maximum parking time, in particular with a

parking disc regulation; a paid parking area; a disabled parking space; a women's parking area; a parent-child parking area; a resident parking lot.

The parking card is therefore designed to differentiate between different types of parking areas, these different types being specified using at least one of the predefined parking restrictions. A parking area without a specified parking restriction is a free parking area. Instead of the term parking area, a corresponding designation of the respective parking area as a parking lot is possible.

The parking area with a specified maximum parking time and the paid parking area are typically part of parking space management, i.e. located in an area in which a number of parked motor vehicles exceeds the number of available parking spaces and regulatory measures have therefore been taken to reduce the ratio of traffic looking for a parking space to the number to control the available parking spaces. There is a time limit for parking in the parking area with a specified maximum parking time, with the actual parking time of the motor vehicle being displayed, for example, by means of a parking disc visible from outside the motor vehicle, on which the arrival time of the motor vehicle in the parking area is displayed. The maximum parking time can alternatively be referred to as maximum parking time. As an alternative to the parking disc regulation, the parking area with a predetermined maximum parking time can be linked to a parking ticket machine or a digital parking time management system, for example a corresponding application for the motor vehicle or a mobile device of the driver or another occupant of the motor vehicle, so that a free parking ticket, for example, can be drawn from the parking ticket machine or in the digital parking time management system is activated when the corresponding parking area is properly parked. The paid parking area is characterized by the fact that a predetermined fee always has to be paid for parking there. The paid parking area can also be a parking area with the specified maximum parking time if, for example, the total parking time in the paid parking area is limited in time. The predetermined fee for parking, ie a predetermined parking fee, can be paid, for example, by means of the parking ticket machine against receipt of a corresponding parking ticket for placing in the motor vehicle or by means of the digital parking time management system.

The handicapped parking area is a special, usually barrier-free parking area for people with special requirements, for example for a person with a physical handicap or a sensory handicap. Permission to park in the handicapped parking area is typically displayed in the motor vehicle, for example by means of a predetermined parking permit that is to be displayed in the motor vehicle so that it is easy to read from the outside. As an alternative or in addition to this, the parking area for the handicapped can be a parking area specially designated for war invalids.

The women's parking area is a parking area specially designated for women as vehicle occupants. The women's parking area is typically arranged closer to an escape route and/or an exit of a parking area around the women's parking area than other parking areas of the parking area. The women's parking area is often particularly brightly lit or located in a recording area of at least one camera, so that the people parking there have a high subjective sense of security at the women's parking area.

The parent-child parking lot, which is often referred to as a mother-child parking lot or as a customer-with-child parking lot, designates a designated parking area especially for heavily pregnant women and people with at least one small child. The parent-child parking area is often found in a customer parking lot, for example a supermarket or a shopping center, or for example in front of a hospital or a public facility.

The residents' parking area is a parking area where special parking rules apply to people who live in the vicinity of the parking area, i.e. in a specific area where the parking area is located. The residents' parking area can alternatively be referred to as residents' parking area or residents' parking area. Parking in the residents' parking area can For example, only be allowed with a special parking permit or, for motor vehicles without a corresponding parking permit, only be permitted in certain time windows and/or for the specified maximum parking time and/or against payment.

In addition or as an alternative to the parking area as a position at which a motor vehicle can be parked, a parking space area can be taken into account, ie a private parking area for a motor vehicle. Whether there is a parking area or a parking space at the given parking position data can be stored in the parking map. The assignment as a parking space can, for example, be stored as a corresponding parking restriction by means of the parking parameter in the parking card.

As an alternative or in addition to the parking restrictions mentioned, other special parking areas can be taken into account, which are provided specifically for at least one group of people or group of vehicles and are marked accordingly, for example by a corresponding sign. A vehicle-specific parking restriction exists, for example, in a bus parking area or an area reserved for waiting taxis. The parking parameter assigned to the parking position data of such a parking area can then include a correspondingly defined parking restriction.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that a parking time of the motor vehicle is determined at the current position and the parking position data determined and the parking time determined are made available to the predetermined parking card. This method step takes place at the end of the parking of the motor vehicle, ie after the motor vehicle has been parked in the parking position for a certain time, which is referred to as the parking period. For this purpose, the time that has elapsed between the parking of the motor vehicle and the end of the parking, ie, for example, the further driving of the motor vehicle, is evaluated. The elapsed time corresponds to the parking time. For example, if the driver of the motor vehicle parked it at the current position at 2:00 p.m., then left the vehicle and unlocked the vehicle again at 5:00 p.m., switched it on and left the current position, a period of three hours together with for example, the coordinates of the current position are provided as parking position data of the parking map as information provided by the motor vehicle.

As a result, the motor vehicle becomes a swarm vehicle that collects and makes available data for creating, updating and improving the parking map. This can be implemented particularly easily if the parking ticket is in the external computing device is saved. The parking position data determined and the parking time determined can then be transmitted to the external computing device via the communication link between the motor vehicle and the external computing device and evaluated and used by the latter. Alternatively or additionally, the parking card can be updated in the external computing device at predetermined time intervals and made available to the motor vehicle as an updated parking card, for example via the communication link between the external computing device and the motor vehicle. This ensures that current information is always available, on the basis of which the parking frequency value can be checked. This increases the reliability of the issuing of the warning notice.

An additional embodiment provides that the specific parking position data and the specific parking duration are only made available to the specified parking card if it is determined by evaluating vehicle data of the motor vehicle that a specified parking criterion is met. It is therefore first checked whether the motor vehicle was actually parked and not just stopped at the current position. The vehicle data is provided by the motor vehicle and includes, for example, at least one of the following items of information: detecting a door contact, ie an opening and/or closing of a vehicle door, in particular a driver's door; locking the motor vehicle; locating the key for the motor vehicle outside or inside the interior of the motor vehicle; switched on or off state of the ignition of the motor vehicle; closed or open buckle of one and/or all seat belts of the motor vehicle. The predetermined parking criterion includes rules that indicate which vehicle data are assumed to be in a parked state and which are not.

When the parking criterion is met, the vehicle data provided indicate, for example, that door contact of the vehicle door was detected, that locking of the motor vehicle was detected and/or the key was located outside the interior of the motor vehicle. In contrast to this, the parking criterion is not met, for example, if the vehicle data indicate that the motor vehicle is simply being stopped. A stop, for example, refers to a brief break in travel of typically a few minutes, which takes place to get in and/or get out and/or load and/or unload the motor vehicle. Stopping can be recognized, for example, by the fact that the ignition is switched on, the key is located inside the motor vehicle and the driver's belt buckle and/or at least one other occupants of the motor vehicle is closed. According to the parking criterion, the corresponding vehicle data therefore signal that no parking is present.

Only the parking position data at which parking is usual, that is to say at which it was actually parked and not just stopped, is actually of interest for the parking map. For this reason, the data on which the parking card is based is first checked to see whether it can be assigned to a parking event at all. They are only made available to the parking card and included in the corresponding parking frequency value if this requirement is met. This avoids the driver of the motor vehicle being signaled that he can park there, for example, at a pure stopping possibility due to the motor vehicles often stopping there, by no warning being displayed, although parking is not possible there. This increases the reliability of the method.

In addition, one embodiment provides that using a parking space evaluation criterion on environmental data of the motor vehicle detected by means of an external sensor device of the motor vehicle, the at least one predefined parking restriction is determined and a corresponding parking parameter is assigned to the specific parking position data of the motor vehicle and the predefined parking card is provided. As soon as it has been detected that the motor vehicle has really been parked and the parking position data and the parking time have been determined, the surroundings of the motor vehicle are also detected. The aim here is to determine whether there are indications of a parking restriction, for example because a corresponding sign has been set up near the parking area. The external sensor device is designed, for example, as an external camera of the motor vehicle, for example as a front camera, side camera and/or rear camera, and captures image data of the area surrounding the motor vehicle as environmental data, for example. By using image evaluation methods that are stored in the parking area evaluation criterion, for example, the sign next to the parking area can be recognized and evaluated with regard to its content. For this purpose, both text recognition of text on the sign and symbol recognition, for example of a corresponding pictogram displayed on the sign, can be carried out.

If automatic detection of the parking restriction and thus automatic determination of the parking parameter should not be feasible, a corresponding request can be issued to the driver of the motor vehicle, for example using the Display device in motor vehicles. The driver can then manually enter information about the parking parameter associated with the current parking position data. For example, a softkey request can therefore be made, that is to say a request that requires actuation of a control element in the motor vehicle, with the control element being able to perform different functions depending on an associated screen display.

Alternatively or additionally, the parking parameter can be predicted. This is possible, for example, by evaluating the occupancy of the occupants and/or a parking time of the parking. For example, if parking only takes place on a specific day of the week at a predetermined position, it can be concluded that parking is only permitted there on the specific day of the week and otherwise not. For this purpose, for example, a predetermined evaluation criterion is stored in the motor vehicle or in the external computing device, which is used to predict the parking parameter. A women's parking area could be recognized, for example, by the fact that at least almost exclusively motor vehicles with exclusively female occupants are parked there, so that the parking restriction can be inferred from the occupancy.

The motor vehicle according to the invention is designed to carry out the method according to the invention. In particular, it is suitable for contributing to the parking map as a swarm vehicle. The embodiments presented in connection with the method according to the invention also apply, insofar as they are applicable, to the motor vehicle according to the invention. The motor vehicle has an evaluation device. This has a processor device that is set up to carry out an embodiment of the method according to the invention. For this purpose, the processor device can have at least one microprocessor and/or at least one microcontroller. In addition, the processor device can have program code which is set up to carry out the embodiment of the method according to the invention when executed by the processor device. The program code can be stored in a data memory of the processor device.

The motor vehicle according to the invention can be designed as a motor vehicle, in particular as a passenger car or truck, or as a passenger bus or motorcycle.

Further features of the invention can result from the following description of the figures and from the drawing. Those mentioned above in the description Features and combinations of features and the features and combinations of features shown below in the description of the figures and/or in the figures alone can be used not only in the combination specified in each case, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the invention.

The drawing shows in:

1 is a schematic representation of a motor vehicle that is assisted in parking;

FIG. 2 shows a signal flow graph of a method for assisting in parking a motor vehicle in a graphic representation; FIG.

3 shows a schematic representation of a parking card;

4 shows a signal flow graph of a method for providing data from a motor vehicle for a parking card in a graphic representation.

Elements that are the same or have the same function are provided with the same reference symbols in the figures.

A motor vehicle 10 is sketched in four situations A, B, C, D in FIG. Motor vehicle 10 is initially in situation A and then moves along a direction of movement 11 to situation B, from there along a direction of movement 11' to situation C, and from situation C along direction of movement 11" to situation D.

In situation A, the motor vehicle 10 is traveling on a road 12 that has a roadside 13 that includes a flat surface. Street 12 is a one-way street here. A building 14 , which has a garage entrance 15 , adjoins the roadside 13 .

The motor vehicle 10 has an evaluation device 16, a

Position determination device 17, a display device 18, an interior sensor device 19, an exterior sensor device 20 and a communication interface 21. The position determining device 17 can be included in a navigation system of the motor vehicle 10, the navigation system being designed to be based on a global navigation satellite system (GNSS for global navigation satellite system). Carry out position determination of the motor vehicle 10. The display device 18 is embodied as a touch-sensitive screen and/or screen with an actuating device, wherein the actuating device can be embodied as a button, knob and/or rotary-push switch and can be embodied to execute a softkey request. Interior sensor device 19 and exterior sensor device 20 are each embodied as a camera, with interior sensor device 19 being embodied to capture an interior of motor vehicle 10, i.e. an interior of motor vehicle 10, and exterior sensor device 20 being embodied to capture an area surrounding motor vehicle 10 capture. The external sensor device 20 is embodied here as a front camera of the motor vehicle 10 . The communication interface 21 is designed for wireless communication with an external communication interface 21 .

The individual components of motor vehicle 10 are only outlined for motor vehicle 10 in situation A in FIG. 1 . However, the components are also located in motor vehicle 10 in situations B, C, D.

There is an area on the side of the road in front of garage entrance 15 where parking is prohibited. This area is referred to as the no-parking area 22 . The motor vehicle 10 now initially drives from the road 12 to the no-parking area 22 since a driver of the motor vehicle 10 wants to park there. In situation B, motor vehicle 10 is therefore in no-parking area 22.

A process taking place in situation B is outlined in FIG. In a first method step S1, it is determined whether motor vehicle 10 is currently being parked. This is done using a parking determination criterion 60 on data that is provided by the motor vehicle 10 and describes a current state of the motor vehicle 10 and is referred to here as state data 62 . Here, status data 62 describes switching off an ignition of motor vehicle 10, for example by actuating an off button in the interior of motor vehicle 10, activating a parking brake of motor vehicle 10 and/or opening a seat belt of a driver's seat of motor vehicle 10. Alternatively or in addition to this For example, parking of motor vehicle 10 can be recognized by the fact that, according to status data 62 provided, activation of a parking aid or an intelligent parking aid assistant of motor vehicle 10 is detected, which suggests that assisted parking of motor vehicle 10 is beginning. The status data 62 provided also describe whether the motor vehicle 10 is currently moving or is at a standstill and are therefore suitable for state whether the motor vehicle 10 is currently in a state of parking the motor vehicle 10 .

If the motor vehicle 10 is not currently in a state where the motor vehicle 10 is parked, for example because it is only stopping at the current position, the method is ended 66 .

If motor vehicle 10 is parked, a method step S2 involves determining parking position data 64 that describe a current position of motor vehicle 10 . Here, parking position data 64 includes coordinates of motor vehicle 10 in no-parking area 22.

After the parking position data 64 has been determined, a method step S3 checks whether a parking frequency value 68 that is less than a predetermined parking frequency limit value 70 is assigned to the determined parking position data 64 in a predetermined parking map 30 . The predetermined parking map 30 includes a respective parking frequency value 68 for predetermined parking position data 64, which quantifies how often in a predetermined period of time at least one swarm vehicle 31 has parked at the respective position. The at least one swarm vehicle 31 can be motor vehicle 10, for example.

As an alternative or in addition to this, parking position data 64 are checked, which describe a predetermined environment of the current position. This makes sense, for example, when parking using a driver assistance system, such as the parking aid or the intelligent parking aid assistant. At the time when parking is determined, ie at method step S1, motor vehicle 10 is not yet at a designated parking position, but only in its vicinity. Therefore, instead of the specific parking position data 64 , the parking position data 64 describing the surroundings can be compared with the corresponding parking frequency value 68 on the parking map 30 .

If the parking frequency value 68 assigned to the specific parking position data 64 is less than the predefined parking frequency limit value 70, a predefined warning 72 is output in the motor vehicle 10 in a method step S4. The predefined warning 72 is displayed by the display device 18 in the motor vehicle 10 and includes the fact that parking at the current position may not be permitted. The driver of motor vehicle 10 is thus informed by means of warning 72 that Parking where he currently wants to park the motor vehicle 10 is critical and, for example, forbidden with a relatively high probability.

Here it is determined in method step S3 that at least one swarm vehicle 31 has never been parked in the no-parking area 22 . The parking frequency value 68 for the specific parking position data 64 at which the motor vehicle 10 is located in situation B is therefore zero. This parking frequency value 68 is less than the predefined parking frequency limit value 70, which is, for example, one or a larger number. Therefore, the specified warning 72 is now displayed in the motor vehicle 10 in method step S4.

Method steps S1, S2, S3, S4 were all carried out in motor vehicle 10, namely by evaluation device 16 in the case of method steps S1, S3, by position determination device 17 in the case of method step S2 and by display device 18 in the case of method step S4. As an alternative or in addition to this, it is possible, as outlined in FIG. 1 , for the parking position data 64 determined in method step S2 to be transmitted to an external computing device 50 in which the parking card 30 is stored in a storage device 52 . The external computing device 50 then carries out the method step S3 and then transmits corresponding result data to the motor vehicle 10. The result data here include the information that the current position of the motor vehicle 10 is in the no-parking area 22. The specific parking position data 64 and the result data are transmitted via a wireless communication link 54 between the communication interface 21 of the motor vehicle 10 and the communication interface 21 of the external computing device 50.

1 outlines that the driver of the motor vehicle 10 is made aware by the display of the warning 72 on the display device 18 that he is not allowed to park at the current position. He then moves along the direction of movement 11 'to a new current position, which is shown in situation C. The new current position is on a parking disc parking area 24. Parking disc parking area 24 is a parking area with a predetermined maximum parking time, i.e. there is a time limit for parking there, with the actual parking time of motor vehicle 10 being indicated by a visibly placed in motor vehicle 10 parking disc is to be displayed. There is therefore a parking restriction 76 (reference number 76 is shown in FIG. 2) for parking at the new current position, since it is not possible to park there indefinitely and unconditionally. A method step S5 is outlined in FIG. Due to parking restrictions 76 that may exist, a parking parameter 74 is assigned to the predetermined parking position data 64 in the predetermined parking map 30 . The parking parameter 74 includes whether there is at least one predetermined parking restriction 76 for the respective parking position data 64 . In addition, the parking parameter 74 includes, if the at least one predefined parking restriction 76 exists, the at least one existing predefined parking restriction 76. If there is no parking restriction 76, the method can be ended 66 . Alternatively, however, the method can still be continued with a method step S6.

The parking parameter 74 assigned to the determined parking position data 64 of the motor vehicle 10 is now determined in method step S5. If the at least one predefined parking restriction 76 exists according to the determined parking parameter 74, a predefined notice 78, which includes the determined parking parameter 74, is output in the motor vehicle 10 by means of the display device 18 in method step S6. After the specified notice 78 has been output, the method is ended 66 . Alternatively, the information 78 can be output, although no parking restriction 76 was determined in method step S5. The notice 78 then includes that free parking is possible.

Here it is determined in method step S5 that there is a parking restriction 76 at the new current position of motor vehicle 10 because it is a parking area with a predetermined maximum parking time that requires a parking disc to be displayed in motor vehicle 10 . This information is displayed to the driver using the specified information 78 . As an alternative to the displayed notice 78, the driver could obtain this information from a sign 26 which, as sketched in FIG.

The new current position is an area where numerous swarm vehicles 31 have already been parked. In method step S3, it is therefore determined that a parking frequency value 68 that is greater than predetermined parking frequency limit value 70 is assigned to new parking position data 64 describing the new current position. The warning 72 is therefore not displayed on the display device 18 and the method is ended 66 . In Fig. 3, the parking card 30 is outlined. Street 12, roadside 13 and building 14 are marked on this. In addition, the current position of motor vehicle 10 in situation B and in situation C are marked on parking map 30 with crosses for better orientation. In the parking map 30, areas of parking position data 64 to which a parking frequency value 68 lower than the parking frequency limit value 70 is assigned are plotted as shaded areas. These are thus stored in the parking map 30 as a no-parking area 22 .

A supermarket 32 near road 12 is also marked on the parking map 30 . A customer parking lot 34 of the supermarket 32 is located in front of the supermarket 32. Four free parking spaces 36 are located in the customer parking lot 34. Free parking is possible in the free parking areas 36, i.e. parking without a maximum parking time and/or parking fee and/or parking restriction 76. In addition, the customer parking area 34 has a disabled parking area 38, a women’s parking area 40 and two parent-child parking areas 42. The disabled parking area 38, the women's parking area 40 and the two parent-child parking areas 42 each have a specific parking restriction 76, since only the motor vehicle 10 may park there that has a corresponding occupancy 80 (reference number 80 is shown in Fig. 2). .

2 outlines that if at least one of the specified parking restrictions 76 exists according to the determined parking parameter 74, it is checked in a method step S7 whether the at least one specified parking restriction 76 exists for the current occupant occupancy 80 of the motor vehicle 10. Only if this is the case is the specified information 78 output by means of the display device 18 . When parking in the parking space 38 for the disabled, it is checked whether the driver of the motor vehicle 10 is allowed to park in the parking space 38 for the disabled. When parking in the women's parking area 40, it is checked whether there are only women in the motor vehicle 10. When parking in one of the two parent-child parking areas 42, it is checked whether there is at least one person with at least one small child in the motor vehicle 10. If the corresponding one of the three occupants 80 is present, the specifications of the parking restriction 76 are met and the information 78 on the parking parameter 74 and the parking restriction 76 is superfluous. The specified information 78 is therefore not displayed by means of the display device 18 in any of the three cases mentioned. The current occupant occupancy 80 is determined by means of the interior sensor device 19 of the motor vehicle 10 determined and the data recorded by the interior sensor device 19 are evaluated, for example, by means of the evaluation device 16 .

Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows that a street 44 parallel to street 12 is drawn in on parking map 30 . Resident parking spaces 46 and thus further spaces with a parking restriction 76 are located along the parallel street 44. At least two paid parking spaces 28 are also provided along the street 12 in a direction of travel of the motor vehicle 10 in front of the garage entrance 15. The at least one predefined parking restriction 76 therefore describes at least one of the following parking areas: the parking disc parking area 24, ie a parking area with a predefined maximum parking time, in particular with a parking disc regulation; the pay parking area 28; handicap parking space 38; the women's parking lot 40; the parent-child parking area 42; the resident parking area 46.

Method steps are outlined in FIG. 4 which take place some time later, here for example three hours after parking in situation C. At this later time, the driver comes back to the motor vehicle 10. The motor vehicle 10 can now leave its parking area again and continue driving on the road 12, as is shown in situation D. It is now detected that a door lock of motor vehicle 10 is unlocked, a driver's door of motor vehicle 10 is opened and closed again, the ignition of motor vehicle 10 is switched on, the parking brake of motor vehicle 10 is deactivated and/or the safety belt of the driver's seat of motor vehicle 10 is closed. This information is in the form of vehicle data 84 of motor vehicle 10 which is evaluated by evaluation device 16 . The evaluation is carried out using a predetermined parking criterion 82. This serves to ensure that motor vehicle 10 has actually been parked and has not just stopped at the new current position. Checking whether parking is actually present takes place in a method step S8. If a hold is determined here, the method is terminated 66 .

If the condition is met, i.e. if it is determined by evaluating the vehicle data 84 of the motor vehicle 10 that the predetermined parking criterion 82 is met, the specific new parking position data 64, which describe the new current position, i.e. ultimately the parking position of the motor vehicle 10 descriptive position data, the predetermined parking map 30 provided in a step S10.

Furthermore, a parking time 86 of motor vehicle 10 at the current position, that is to say here at the new current position, is determined, which in this example is three hours amounts to. The specific parking period 86 is also made available to the specified parking ticket 30 in method step S10. If the specified parking ticket 30 is stored in the storage device 52 of the external computing device 50 , the parking position data 64 and the parking duration 86 are transmitted to the external computing device 50 via the communication link 54 .

Motor vehicle 10 in situation C can determine parking parameter 74 for specific parking position data 64 of motor vehicle 10 in a method step S9 and make it available to parking card 30 in addition to specific parking position data 64 of motor vehicle 10 and specific parking duration 86 . This is done using a parking space evaluation criterion 88 on environmental data 90 of the motor vehicle 10 detected by means of the external sensor device 20 of the motor vehicle 10. In this context, the sign 26 is detected here, which provides information about the parking disc regulation at the parking disc parking area 24, and its information content is automatically determined.

The examples show that swarm vehicles 31 provide their position in the form of the parking position data 64 for the parking map 30 as soon as they have been parked for a longer period of time, specifically for the specific parking period 86 . For this purpose, the parking position data 64 can be aggregated and summarized in the external computing device 50, which serves as a backend. This results in a map where parking is frequent, ie the parking map 30. This therefore includes the swarm data provided by the at least one swarm vehicle 31.

In contrast to known approaches such as lists of free parking spaces, however, the part of the parking map 30 where swarm vehicles never park is interesting. Basically, a corresponding parking card 30 is generated, which is loaded into motor vehicle 10 . As soon as the driver parks motor vehicle 10, motor vehicle 10 checks the current position in parking map 30. If motor vehicle 10 is in a location where it is never or only rarely parked, warning 72 is output to the driver. Warning 72 indicates that parking may not be permitted here.

Instead of the entire parking card 30 being stored in the motor vehicle 10, the motor vehicle 10 can send a query with the current position, ie the parking position data 64, to the external computing device 50 when parking, in order to obtain an estimate of the selected parking space. It is advantageous if the external computing device 50 then immediately receives the current position of the parked motor vehicle 10 and can use this information to extend the parking map 30 . Since many parking areas are subject to at least one of the parking restrictions 76 mentioned, for example with regard to a maximum parking time, as a parking area for the disabled, as a parent-child parking area, etc., this information should also be included. The corresponding parking parameters 74 can therefore be taken into account when creating the parking card 30 and when comparing it with the motor vehicle 10 .

The parking parameters 74 that may be relevant are listed below. Automatic detection of the parking restriction 76 and thus of the parking parameter 74 with the aid of the vehicle's own means, ie board means, is desirable here in order to keep the interaction effort with the driver to a minimum. If individual parking parameters 74 cannot be recognized automatically, the driver can be explicitly queried about them using softkeys.

In general, a distinction can be made between: free parking in free parking area 36;

Parking with a parking disc with a maximum parking time on the parking disc parking area 24, the maximum parking time being able to be determined from swarm data from many swarm vehicles 31; a pay parking area 28; a disabled parking space 38, in which case there may be special structures in motor vehicle 10 which are an indication of use by a person with physical disabilities and can be detected by means of interior sensor device 19; a women's parking area 40, wherein a driver observation camera as an interior sensor device 19 can identify a gender of the occupants; a parent-child parking area 42, ie a mother-child or family parking space, with an interior camera being able to recognize several people as the interior sensor device 19 and children to be identified.

It is also possible to differentiate between stopping and parking. Indications for parking are: door contact actuated, motor vehicle 10 locked, key outside the vehicle 10. Indications for holding are: ignition on, key in the vehicle 10, belt buckle inserted.

The determination of the parking parameter 74 improves the parking map 30 for future applications, such as a request for a nearby stop. Overall, this reduces the risk of parking incorrectly and free parking spaces that are currently unknown to the list of free parking spaces can be used. Reference List

Motor vehicle , i r, 11 direction of movement

Street

roadside

building

garage entrance

evaluation device

positioning device

display device

indoor sensor device

outdoor sensor device

communication interface

no parking area

parking disc parking area

Sign

paid parking area

parking card

swarm vehicle

Supermarket

customer parking

free parking area

disabled parking space

women parking area

Parent-child parking area

parallel road

resident parking area

External computing device

storage facility

communication link

parking permit criteria

status data

parking position data 66 Exit

68 parking frequency value

70 parking frequency limit

72 Warning

74 parking parameters

76 parking restriction

78 Note

80 inmate occupation

82 parking criterion

84 vehicle data

86 parking duration

88 parking area evaluation criterion

90 environmental data

A, B, C, D Situation S1 - S10 Process steps

Claims

patent claims

A method for assisting in parking a motor vehicle (10), comprising the steps of:

Determining whether a motor vehicle (10) is parked using a parking determination criterion (60) on data (62) (S1) describing a current state of the motor vehicle (10) provided by the motor vehicle (10); if the motor vehicle (10) is parked, determining parking position data (64) which describe a current position of the motor vehicle (10) (S2);

Checking whether the specific parking position data (64) and/or parking position data (64), which describe a predetermined environment of the current position, is assigned a parking frequency value (68) in a predetermined parking map (30) that is less than a predetermined parking frequency limit value (70 ) is, wherein the predetermined parking map (30) for predetermined parking position data (64) comprises a respective parking frequency value (68) which quantifies how often in a predetermined period at least one swarm vehicle (31) has parked at the respective position (S3); if the parking frequency value (68) assigned to the specific parking position data (64) is less than the specified parking frequency limit value (70), outputting a specified warning (72) in the motor vehicle (10), which includes that parking at the current position may not be permitted (S4).

2. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein the motor vehicle (10) transmits the specific parking position data (64) to an external computing device (50) in which the parking card (30) is stored, and the external computing device (50) checks whether the transmitted parking position data (64) and/or the parking position data (64), which describe the specified environment of the current position, in the stored parking map (30) the parking frequency value (68), which is less than the specified parking frequency limit value (70), is assigned, and corresponding result data to the motor vehicle (10) transmitted.

3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in the specified parking map (30) the specified parking position data (64) is assigned a parking parameter (74), which includes whether for the respective parking position data (64) at least one specified parking restriction (76) exists, and which also includes the at least one existing predetermined parking restriction (76), and the parking parameter (74) assigned to the specific parking position data (64) of the motor vehicle (10) is determined (S5) and, in particular if according to the determined parking parameter (74) the at least one predetermined parking restriction (76) exists, a predetermined notice (78) is output in the motor vehicle (10), which includes the determined parking parameter (74) (S6).

4. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein, if the at least one predetermined parking restriction (76) exists according to the determined parking parameter (74), a check is made as to whether the at least one predetermined parking restriction (76) is present with a current occupancy (80) of the motor vehicle ( 10) exists and only if the at least one specified parking restriction (76) exists for the current occupancy (80) of the specified information (78) is output (S7).

5. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein the current occupant occupancy (80) is determined by means of an interior sensor device (19) of the motor vehicle (10).

6. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the at least one predetermined parking restriction (76) describes one of the following parking areas: a parking area with a predetermined maximum parking time, in particular with a

parking disc regulation;

pay parking area (28);

disabled parking space (38);

women's parking area (40);

parent-child parking area (42);

- Resident parking area (46).

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a parking time (86) of the motor vehicle (10) is determined at the current position and the specific parking position data (64) and the specific parking time (86) of the specified parking card (30) are provided (S10) .

8. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein the specific parking position data (64) and the specific parking duration (86) are only provided to the specified parking card (30) (S10) if determined by evaluating vehicle data (84) of the motor vehicle (10). is that a predetermined parking criterion (82) is met (S8).

9. The method according to the preceding claim and one of claims 3 to 6, wherein using a parking space evaluation criterion (88) on environmental data (90) of the motor vehicle (10) detected by means of an external sensor device (20) of the motor vehicle (10) the at least one predetermined parking restriction (76) is determined and a corresponding parking parameter (74) is assigned (S9) to the specific parking position data (64) of the motor vehicle (10) and the predetermined parking card (30) is provided (S10).

10. Motor vehicle (10), which is designed to carry out a method according to any one of the preceding claims.