Parking assist method and a parking assist apparatus

• US 20070088474A1
• Filed: 10/18/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Mori, Toshihiro, Sugiura, Hiroaki, Miyazaki, Hideto
• Granted Patent: US 7,930,078 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• 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 15/0275 by overlaying a vehicle path based on present steering angle over an image without processing that image

Abstract

A parking assist apparatus includes a CPU for obtaining image data from a camera mounted on a vehicle, an image memory for storing the obtained image data as recorded image data, and an image processor for recognizing an object based on the image data. The image processor determines when to display a parking assist image to reveal an area hidden as a blind spot of the camera when the recognized object is in the blind spot of the camera and displays the parking assist image combining both current image data and the recorded image data for the area currently hidden as the blind spot of the camera, together with an indicator indicating the current position of the vehicle superimposed on the display.

Claims

1. A parking assist method for a vehicle comprising:

accumulating image data, obtained from an imaging device mounted on the vehicle, as recorded image data in image data storage means,

recognizing an object based on the image data;

determining when to display a parking assist image, wherein an area hidden as a current blind spot of the imaging device is shown, on the basis of a position of the object in relation to the blind spot of the imaging device; and

displaying the parking assist image, based on the recorded image data, in accordance with the determination.

2. A parking assist apparatus, comprising:

image data obtaining means for obtaining image data from an imaging device mounted on a vehicle;

image data storage means for storing the obtained image data as recorded image data;

recognizing means for recognizing an object;

determining means for determining when to display a parking assist image, wherein an area hidden as a current blind spot of the imaging device is shown, based on a position of the recognized object in relation to the blind spot of the imaging device; and

display control means for displaying the parking assist image using both current image data taken at a current position of the vehicle and stored recorded image data including the area hidden as the current blind spot of the imaging device, and for displaying an indicator indicating the current position of the vehicle with the parking assist image.

3. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the determining means determines that when a part of or whole of the recognized object has entered the blind spot of the imaging device, the parking assist image using the recorded image data is displayed.

4. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein:

the imaging device is mounted on the upper side of a bumper of the vehicle; and

the determining means determines that when the part of or whole of the recognized object is under the bumper of the vehicle, the parking assist image is displayed.

5. The parking assist apparatus according to of claim 2, wherein:

the display control means outputs the recorded image data including the blind spot of the imaging device within a display area of the display means in the direction of relative movement of the recognized object.

6. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the recognized object is a wheel stop or a white line bordering a parking space; and

the recognizing means recognizes the wheel stop or the white line by processing the image data.

7. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the recognized object is an obstacle located within or around the parking space; and

the recognizing means recognizes the obstacle by processing the image data.

8. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the recognizing means recognizes an object selected by manual operation of input operation means.

9. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the parking assist apparatus, responsive to a determination by the determining means not to display the parking assist image, displays only a real-time image utilizing the image data currently obtained at the current position of the vehicle.

10. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the parking assist apparatus displays, responsive to a determination by the determining means to display the parking assist image, concurrently displays, in different portions of a single display screen, a real-time image, utilizing the image currently taken at the current position of the vehicle, and the parking assist image.