Vehicle parking assistances system

• US 20050134482A1
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Li, Xugang
• Granted Patent: US 7,049,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/932.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/48 for parking purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/007 providing information about the distance to an obstacle, e.g. varying sound
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas

Abstract

A vehicle parking system assists the operator of a vehicle with parking the vehicle in an enclosure having a side wall and a rear wall. First and second light sources (e.g. lasers) are mounted on a front most region of the vehicle for directing first and second light beams forward of the vehicle and onto the rear wall. The first light beam makes an angle (preferably forty-five degrees) with the second light beam such that the distance between the first and second light beams on the rear wall is substantially equal to the distance between the front most region of the vehicle and the rear wall.

Claims

1. A vehicle parking system for assisting the operator of a vehicle with parking in an enclosure having a rear wall and a side wall, the vehicle having a front most region, the system comprising:

a first light source mounted on the vehicle for directing a first beam of light forward of said vehicle and onto the rear wall creating a first lighted region on the rear wall; and

a second light source mounted on the vehicle for directing a second beam of light forward of said vehicle and onto the rear wall creating a second light region on the rear wall, said second beam of light forming an angle with said first beam of light, and the distance between said first lighted region and said second lighted region being substantially proportional to the distance between the front-most region of the vehicle and the rear wall.

2. A vehicle parking system according to claim 1 wherein said first light source and said second light source are mounted proximate said front most region.

3. A vehicle parking system according to claim 1 wherein said first beam of light and said second beam of light intersect at a point proximate said front most region.

4. A vehicle parking system according to claim 3 wherein said angle is approximately forty-five degrees.

5. A vehicle parking system according to claim 4 wherein said first beam of light is directed forward substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

6. A vehicle parking system according to claim 5 wherein said first beam of light and said second beam of light are directed forward substantially parallel to a floor of the enclosure.

7. A vehicle parking system according to claim 6 wherein said first light source is a first laser.

8. A vehicle parking system according to claim 7 wherein said second light source is a second laser.

9. A vehicle parking system according to claim 8 wherein said first lighted region marks the vehicle'"'"'s center position.

10. A vehicle parking system according to claim 9 further comprising a third light source mounted on the vehicle for directing a third beam of light onto the side wall to create a third lighted region on the side wall for marking the vehicle'"'"'s forward position.

11. A vehicle parking system according to claim 10 wherein said third light beam is directed substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

12. A vehicle parking system according to claim 11 wherein said third light source is a third laser.

13. A vehicle parking system according to claim 10 further comprising a battery on-board the vehicle and electrically coupled to said first, second, and third light sources.

14. A vehicle parking system according to claim 13 further comprising a switch coupled between said battery and said first, second, and third light sources.

15. A vehicle parking system according to claim 14 wherein said switch is operator activated.

16. A vehicle parking system according to claim 15 wherein said switch is a time-delay switch.

17. A vehicle parking system for assisting the operator of a vehicle with parking the vehicle in an enclosure comprising a floor, a rear wall, and a side wall, said vehicle having a front most region,

a first light source mounted on the vehicle for directing a first beam of light onto the side wall to create a first lighted region on the side wall for marking the vehicle'"'"'s forward progress;

and

a second light source mounted on the vehicle for directing a second beam of light onto the rear wall to create a second lighted region for indicating the distance between the rear wall and the front most region of the vehicle.

18. A vehicle parking system according to claim 17 wherein said second light beam is angled with respect to a plan substantially parallel to the floor of the enclosure.

19. A vehicle parking system according to claim 18 further comprising a target mounted on the rear wall.

20. A vehicle parking system according to claim 19 wherein said second light beam is angled upward such that said second lighted region migrates downward toward said target as the vehicle moves toward the rear wall.

21. A vehicle parking system according to claim 19 wherein said second light beam is angled downward such that said second lighted region migrates upward toward said target as the vehicle moves toward the rear wall.

22. A vehicle parking system according to claim 21 wherein said second light beam is angled downward by approximately 2-10 degrees.

23. A vehicle parking system according to claim 21 wherein said second light source is mounted proximate the front most region.

24. A vehicle parking system according to claim 23 wherein the vehicle comprises an external, side rear-view mirror and wherein said first light source is mounted proximate said external, side rear-view mirror.

25. A vehicle parking system according to claim 24 wherein the vehicle comprises an internal, rear-view mirror and wherein said second light source is mounted proximate said internal, rear-view mirror.

26. A vehicle parking system according to claim 21 wherein said first light source and said second light source are lasers.

27. A vehicle parking system for assisting the operator of a vehicle with parking the vehicle in an enclosure having a rear wall and a side wall, the vehicle having a front most region, the system comprising:

a first light source mounted on the vehicle proximate the front most region for directing a first beam of light forward of the vehicle and onto the rear wall; and

a second light source mounted on the vehicle proximate the front most region for directing a second beam of light forward of the vehicle and onto the rear wall, said second beam of light forming an angle with said first beam of light such that the distance between the first beam and the second beam on the rear wall is substantially equal to the distance between the front most region and the rear wall.

28. A vehicle parking system according to claim 27 wherein said angle is substantially forty-five degrees.

29. A vehicle parking system according to claim 28 wherein said first beam of light is directed forward substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

30. A vehicle parking system according to claim 29 wherein said first beam of light and said second beam of light are directed forward substantially parallel to the floor of the enclosure.