System and method for contacting vehicle for tandem parking

• US 10,491,677 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2017
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yuan, Alvin T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Rodney A
• Application Number:
  US15/852,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20180118198A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for tandem parking are provided. A vehicle includes a camera that obtains an image of a second vehicle parked in tandem with the first vehicle. The vehicle also includes a processor that extracts a vehicle identifier of the second vehicle from the image. The vehicle further includes a wireless modem that sends, from the vehicle, a notification request for the second vehicle including the vehicle identifier. A method of notification includes scanning, by the camera mounted in the first vehicle, a vehicle identifier from a second vehicle parked in tandem with the first vehicle. The method further includes transmitting, by the wireless modem operably connected to the camera, a notification request for the second vehicle including the vehicle identifier.

Claims

1. A method of notification comprising:

scanning, by a camera mounted on a first vehicle that is parked in tandem with a second vehicle, an image including a vehicle identifier of the second vehicle parked in tandem with the first vehicle, wherein a driver of the first vehicle is remote from the first vehicle;

extracting, by a processor coupled to the camera, the vehicle identifier for the second vehicle from the image;

transmitting, by a wireless modem operably connected to the camera, a notification request for the second vehicle including the extracted vehicle identifier of the second vehicle;

receiving, via the wireless modem, contact information for the second vehicle; and

transmitting, via the wireless modem, a request to move the second vehicle based on the contact information for the second vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, via the wireless modem, an indication that a driver of the first vehicle wants to move the first vehicle, wherein the scanning is in response to receiving the indication.

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

capturing an image of the second vehicle using the camera; and

analyzing the image to determine the identifier.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising illuminating the second vehicle with a light of the first vehicle while capturing the image.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the identifier is a license plate number or quick response (QR) code.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting comprises:

transmitting the notification request to a server that provides a notification portal that processes notification requests including vehicle identifiers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second vehicle performs a driverless maneuver to allow the first vehicle to exit the tandem position in response to the request.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second vehicle sends a notification to a user of the second vehicle indicating that the second vehicle has been moved.

9. A method for tandem parking comprising:

receiving, via a wireless modem of a first vehicle, a request to move the first vehicle;

confirming that the first vehicle is parked in blocking position with respect to a parking space of a second vehicle, wherein confirming that the first vehicle is parked in the blocking position with respect to a parking space of the second vehicle comprises;

obtaining an image from a front camera and an image from a rear camera;

extracting an identifier of the second vehicle from one of the images; and

determining that the second vehicle is present in one of the images in response to determining that the identifier of the second vehicle matches a vehicle identifier of a requesting vehicle included in the request to move the first vehicle; and

performing a driverless maneuver to allow the second vehicle to exit the parking space in response to the request.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a mobile device associated with the first vehicle; and

requesting permission, via the wireless modem, from the mobile device to move the first vehicle.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein confirming that the first vehicle is parked in the blocking position with respect to a parking space of the second vehicle comprises:

determining that the second vehicle does not have an alternative route for exiting the parking space.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein performing the driverless maneuver comprises disengaging a braking system of the first vehicle and shifting the first vehicle into a neutral gear.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein performing the driverless maneuver comprises:

moving the first vehicle a prescribed distance away from the second vehicle without turning the first vehicle; and

moving the first vehicle the prescribed distance in an opposite direction to return to the same parking space.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein performing the driverless maneuver comprises moving the first vehicle to another available parking space.

15. A first vehicle comprising:

a camera that obtains an image of a second vehicle parked in tandem with the first vehicle;

a processor that extracts a vehicle identifier for the second vehicle from the image;

a wireless modem that sends, from the first vehicle, a notification request for the second vehicle including the extracted vehicle identifier of the second vehicle; and

an automatic driving system, wherein the wireless modem receives, at a first vehicle, a request to move the first vehicle;

wherein the processor confirms that the first vehicle is parked in a tandem parking position with a second vehicle; and

wherein the automatic driving system performs a driverless maneuver to allow the second vehicle to exit the tandem parking position in response to the request.

16. The first vehicle of claim 15, further comprising:

an external light; and

an electronic control unit that turns the external light on in response to a request to obtain the image of the second vehicle.