Parking assist device and method for assisting parking

• US 20030151526A1
• Filed: 01/10/2003
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Satonaka, Hisashi, Kataoka, Hiroaki, Endo, Tomohiko, Iwazaki, Katsuhiko, Kawakami, Seiji, Morita, Mitsuhiko, Tanaka, Yuu, Iwata, Yoshifumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,053,794 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/004 using wave sensors radar designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicles and fixed obstacles G01S13/931
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/10 Automatic or semi-automatic parking aid systems
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically

Abstract

A parking assist device (1) includes a camera (3) for capturing an image of an exterior of a vehicle, and a monitor (4) for displaying the captured image, and sets a target parking position by moving a target parking frame (11) displayed on a screen of the monitor (4). A default position of the target parking frame (11) is determined based on a target parking position (P2) which is a relative position with respect to a parking preparation position (P1). The target parking position (P2) is estimated based on a running state of the vehicle until the vehicle reaches the parking preparation position (P1).

Claims

1. A parking assist device which is provided with image capturing means (5) for capturing an image of an area outside the vehicle, and displaying means (4) for displaying the captured image, displays a target parking frame (11) on a screen of the displaying means (4) to assist a parking operation executed by a driver of the vehicle characterized in that

the parking assist device estimates a target parking position which is a relative position with respect to a parking preparation position (P1) based on a running state of the vehicle until the vehicle reaches the parking preparation position (P1), and calculates an initial setting position of the target parking frame (11) based on the estimated target parking position (P2).

2. The parking assist device according to claim 1, characterized in that

the running state includes a moving straight and a turn after moving straight, and

the parking assist device calculates the deflection angle (θ

) between a direction of the moving straight and a direction of the vehicle at the parking preparation position (P1) based on the running state, and estimates the target parking position based on the calculated deflection angle (θ

).

3. The parking assist device according to claim 2, characterized in that

the parking assist device calculates the deflection angle (θ

) based on a moving distance of the vehicle from a certain position to the parking preparation position (P1).

4. The parking assist device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that

formulas for estimating the target parking position vary depending on degrees of the calculated deflection angle (θ

).

5. A method for assisting a parking operation by displaying an image captured by image capturing means (5) and a target parking frame (11) on a screen of displaying means (4) provided inside a vehicle characterized in that

a target parking position (P2) which is a relative position with respect to a parking preparation position (P1) is estimated based on the running state of the vehicle until the vehicle reaches the parking preparation position (P1), and the initial setting position of the target parking frame (11) is calculated based on the estimated target parking position (P2).