Parking assistance control for vehicle with autonomous operation capability

• US 10,252,714 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2016
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Johnson, Miles J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trivedi, Atul
• Application Number:
  US15/234,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20180043884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 701 25
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4026 Cycles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4029 Pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/406 Traffic density
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/55 using telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/12 Limiting control by the driver depending on vehicle state, e.g. interlocking means for the control input for preventing unsafe operation
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/143 inside the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/147 where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

Provided is a method and device parking assistance for a vehicle capable of autonomous operation. The embodiment herein operates to receive a parking zone, which is based on a destination location and a user-defined parking parameter, and includes a plurality of parking locations. When on approach to the parking zone under an autonomous vehicle operation, the parking assistance determines whether the parking zone includes at least one parking location that is physically available for parking the vehicle. When the parking zone does not, the parking assistance prompts the vehicle to engage in a holding pattern for a predetermined period of time. While in the holding pattern under the autonomous operation, the parking assistance periodically determines whether the at least one parking location becomes available. When the predetermined period of time lapses, parking status of the vehicle is transmitted to a vehicle user.

Claims

1. A method in a parking assistance control unit for a vehicle capable of autonomous operation, the method comprising:

receiving a parking zone based on a destination location and a user-defined parking parameter, the parking zone including a plurality of parking locations;

when on approach to the parking zone under the autonomous operation, determining whether the parking zone includes at least one parking location of the plurality of parking locations that is physically available for parking the vehicle;

when the parking zone does not include the at least one parking location that is physically available for parking the vehicle;

prompting the vehicle to engage in a holding pattern for a predetermined period of time, wherein the holding pattern includes at least one of a dynamic holding pattern indicative of placing the vehicle in motion and a stationary holding pattern indicative of placing the vehicle in a stopped state;

while in the holding pattern under the autonomous operation, periodically determining whether the at least one parking location becomes available;

when the predetermined period of time lapses, transmitting a parking status of the vehicle based on a result of the periodically determining whether the at least one parking location becomes available.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the parking zone includes at least one parking location that is physically available for parking the vehicle further comprises at least one of:

receiving a vehicle-to-vehicle communications relating to the at least one parking location;

receiving a vehicle-to-infrastructure communications relating to the at least one parking location; and

sensing through a plurality of sensor devices at a periphery of the vehicle relating to the at least one parking location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the holding pattern comprises:

a combinational stationary and dynamic holding pattern.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the holding pattern is based on traffic trends related to the parking zone.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the traffic trends include at least one of:

a traffic density assessment; and

a local venue activity assessment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the holding pattern is based on a vehicle restriction, the vehicle restriction including at least one of:

a vehicle range limitation; and

a maneuverability limitation of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the predetermined period of time has elapsed; and

when the period of time has elapsed;

receiving a secondary parking zone based on the destination location and the user-defined parking parameter;

when on approach to the secondary parking zone under the autonomous operation, determining whether the secondary parking zone includes at least one parking location that is physically available for parking the vehicle; and

when the secondary parking zone does not include the at least one parking location;

prompting the vehicle to engage in another holding pattern for another period of time;

while in the holding pattern under the autonomous operation, periodically determining whether the secondary parking zone includes the at least one parking location or another at least one parking location; and

transmitting another parking status of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the parking zone is defined by a graphic user interface of the vehicle.

9. A parking assistance control unit for a vehicle comprising:

a wireless communication interface to service communication with user equipment of a vehicle user;

a plurality of sensor devices disposable about the vehicle;

one or more processors coupled to the wireless communication interface and in communication with the plurality of sensor devices, the one or more processors for controlling operations of the parking assistance control unit;

a memory coupled to the one or more processors, the memory for storing data and program instructions used by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to;

receive a parking zone based on a destination location and a user-defined parking parameter, the parking zone including a plurality of parking locations;

when on approach to the parking zone under the autonomous operation, determine whether the parking zone includes at least one parking location being physically available for parking the vehicle via sensor data of the plurality of sensor devices; and

when the parking zone does not include the at least one parking location that is physically available for parking the vehicle;

prompt the vehicle to engage in a holding pattern for a predetermined period of time, wherein the holding pattern includes at least one of a dynamic holding pattern indicative of placing the vehicle in motion and a stationary holding pattern indicative of placing the vehicle in a stopped state;

while in the holding pattern under the autonomous operation, periodically determining whether the at least one parking location becomes available; and

when the predetermined period of time lapses, transmit via the wireless communication interface to the user equipment of the vehicle user a parking status of the vehicle based on a result of the periodically determining whether the at least one parking location becomes available.

10. The parking assistance control unit of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute further instructions stored in the memory to determine whether the parking zone includes at least one parking location that is physically available for parking the vehicle further comprising:

vehicle-to-vehicle communication relating to the at least one parking location; and

vehicle-to-infrastructure communication relating to the at least one parking location.

11. The parking assistance control unit of claim 10, wherein the holding pattern comprises:

a combinational stationary and dynamic holding pattern.

12. The parking assistance control unit of claim 10, wherein the holding pattern is based on traffic trends related to the parking zone.

13. The parking assistance control unit of claim 12, wherein the traffic trends include at least one of:

a traffic density assessment; and

a local venue activity assessment.

14. The parking assistance control unit of claim 10, wherein the holding pattern is based on a vehicle restriction, the vehicle restriction including at least one of:

a vehicle range limitation; and

a maneuverability limitation of the vehicle.

15. The parking assistance control unit of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute further instructions stored in the memory to:

determine whether the predetermined period of time has elapsed; and

when the predetermined period of time has elapsed;

receive a secondary parking zone based on the destination location and the user-defined parking parameter;

when on approach to the secondary parking zone under the autonomous operation, determine whether the secondary parking zone includes at least one parking location that is physically available for parking the vehicle; and

when the secondary parking zone does not include the at least one parking location;

prompt the vehicle to engage in another holding pattern for another period of time;

while in the holding pattern under the autonomous operation, periodically determine whether the secondary parking zone includes the at least one parking location or another at least one parking location; and

transmit another parking status of the vehicle.

16. The parking assistance control unit of claim 9, wherein the parking zone is defined by a graphic user interface of the vehicle.

17. A parking assistance device comprising:

one or more sensor devices disposable about a vehicle, the one or more sensor devices configured to monitor surroundings relative to the vehicle;

a wireless communication interface operable to service communications; and

a computing device coupled to the wireless communication interface and in communication with the one or more sensor devices, the computing device including;

one or more processors, the one or more processors for controlling operations of the parking assistance device;

a memory coupled to the one or more processors, the memory for storing data and program instructions used by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to;

receive a parking zone based on a destination location and a user-defined parking parameter, the parking zone including a plurality of parking locations;

when on approach to the parking zone under the autonomous operation, determine whether the parking zone includes at least one parking location that is physically available for parking the vehicle via sensor data of the one or more sensor devices; and

when the parking zone does not include the at least one parking location that is physically available for parking the vehicle;

prompt the vehicle to engage in a holding pattern for a predetermined period of time, wherein the holding pattern includes at least one of a dynamic holding pattern indicative of placing the vehicle in motion and a stationary holding pattern indicative of placing the vehicle in a stopped state;

while in the holding pattern under the autonomous operation, periodically determining whether the at least one parking location becomes available; and

when the predetermined period of time lapses, transmit via the wireless communication interface, a parking status of the vehicle based on a result of the periodically determining whether the at least one parking location becomes available.

18. The parking assistance device of claim 17, wherein the holding pattern comprises:

a combinational stationary and dynamic holding pattern.

19. The parking assistance device of claim 17, wherein the holding pattern is based on traffic trends related to the parking zone.

20. The parking assistance device of claim 19, wherein the traffic trends include at least one of:

a traffic density assessment; and

a local venue activity assessment.