Driver assistance apparatus and method for operating the same

• US 10,040,482 B1
• Filed: 05/15/2017
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Jung, Chan Hee, Seo, Gil Won
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHAVAL V
• Application Number:
  US15/595,051
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 3409322, 340901, 701 2, 701 23
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/088 using transmission control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/10 Automatic or semi-automatic parking aid systems
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement

Abstract

A driver assistance apparatus includes: a user interface generating a user input; a surroundings sensor obtaining surrounding information; and a controller verifying whether a user'"'"'s intention is a remote control intention or a remote control termination intention based on at least one of the user input or the surrounding information and switching a starting mode in a case that the user'"'"'s intention is the remote control intention or the remote control termination intention.

Claims

1. A driver assistance apparatus comprising:

a user interface configured to generate a user input;

a controller configured to verify whether a user'"'"'s intention is a remote control intention or a remote control termination intention based on the user input and a user'"'"'s action and to switch a starting mode when the user'"'"'s intention is the remote control intention or the remote control termination intention,

wherein the user'"'"'s action includes getting-on/off a vehicle of the user.

2. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a getting-on/off sensor configured to sense the getting-on/off the vehicle of the user.

3. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to:

receive the user input for instructing an activation of a remote control function from the user interface; and

determine that the user'"'"'s intention is the remote control intention when the getting-off the vehicle of the user is sensed by the getting-on/off sensor.

4. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to:

receive the user input for setting one of a target parking space and a target vehicle entrance space from the user interface; and

determine that the user'"'"'s intention is the remote control intention when the getting-off the vehicle of the user is sensed by the getting-on/off sensor.

5. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a surroundings sensor configured to obtain surrounding information of the vehicle,

wherein the controller is configured to:

recognize a stop of the vehicle in the vicinity of the target parking space or the target vehicle entrance space sensed by a navigation terminal or the surroundings sensor; and

determine that the user'"'"'s intention is the remote control intention when the getting-off the vehicle of the user is sensed by the getting-on/off sensor.

6. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a communicator configured to wireless communicate with a remote control terminal.

7. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to:

receive an engine start instruction from the user interface; and

determine that the user'"'"'s intention is the remote control intention when a remote control signal is received from the remote control terminal within a predetermined time after the getting-off the vehicle of the user is sensed by the getting-on/off sensor.

8. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the user'"'"'s intention is not the remote control intention in a case that the remote control signal is not received within the predetermined time.

9. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the user'"'"'s intention is the remote control termination intention in a case that an engine of the vehicle starts and the vehicle completely exits in response to a remote control signal provided from the remote control terminal.

10. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the user'"'"'s intention is the remote control termination intention in a case that the remote control terminal is located inside the vehicle after an engine of the vehicle starts and the vehicle completely exits in response to a remote control signal provided from the remote control terminal.

11. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the user'"'"'s intention is the remote control termination intention in a case that the user interface is operated after an exit of the vehicle is remotely completed.

12. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 1, wherein the starting mode comprises a normal starting mode and a remote starting mode.

13. A method of operating a driver assistance apparatus, the method comprising steps of:

verifying a user'"'"'s intention based on at least one of a user input and a user'"'"'s action; and

switching a starting mode in a case that the user'"'"'s intention is a remote control intention or a remote control termination intention

wherein the user'"'"'s action includes getting-on/off a vehicle of the user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of verifying comprises verifying whether the user'"'"'s intention is the remote control intention or the remote control termination intention.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of verifying comprises determining that the user'"'"'s intention is the remote control intention in a case that a remote control function is activated in response to the user input and a getting-off a vehicle of the user is sensed by a getting-on/off sensor.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of verifying comprises determining that the user'"'"'s intention is the remote control intention in a case that one of a target parking space and a target vehicle entrance space is set by the user input and a getting-off a vehicle of the user is sensed by a getting-on/off sensor.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of verifying comprises determining that the user'"'"'s intention is the remote control intention in a case that a stop of a vehicle in the vicinity of a target parking space or a target vehicle entrance space is sensed by a navigation terminal or a surroundings sensor and a getting-off a vehicle of the user is sensed by a getting-on/off sensor.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of verifying comprises determining that the user'"'"'s intention is the remote control intention in a case that an engine starts in response to the user input, a getting-off a vehicle of the user is sensed by a getting-on/off sensor, and a remote control signal is received from a remote control terminal within a predetermined time.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of verifying comprises determining that the user'"'"'s intention is not the remote control intention in a case that the remote control signal is not received within the predetermined time.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of verifying comprises determining that the user'"'"'s intention is the remote control termination intention in a case that a getting-on a vehicle of the user is sensed by a getting-on/off sensor after an exit of the vehicle is remotely completed.