Target parking position setting apparatus and vehicle provided with the same

• US 20070100543A1
• Filed: 10/25/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Yu, Kato, Masaya
• Granted Patent: US 7,606,644 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically

Abstract

A target parking position setting apparatus includes: image capturing means adapted for a vehicle and capturing an image of an outside of the vehicle; displaying means provided inside the vehicle and displaying an image captured by the image capturing means on a display screen; parking position display controlling means for displaying on the displaying means a mark representing a provisional target parking position by superimposing the mark on the image captured by the image capturing means, the parking position display controlling means moving a display position of the mark in response to an instruction of an operator and displaying on the display screen a moving direction indicator indicating a moving direction of the mark; and setting means for setting the display position of the mark on the image captured by the image capturing means as a target parking position in response to an instruction of the operator.

Claims

1. A target parking position setting apparatus, comprising:

image capturing means adapted for a vehicle and capturing an image of an outside of the vehicle;

displaying means provided inside the vehicle and displaying an image captured by the image capturing means on a display screen;

parking position display controlling means for displaying on the display screen of the displaying means a mark representing a provisional target parking position by superimposing the mark on the image captured by the image capturing means, the parking position display controlling means moving a display position of the mark in response to an instruction of an operator and displaying on the display screen a moving direction indicator indicating a moving direction of the mark; and

setting means for setting the display position of the mark on the image captured by the image capturing means as a target parking position in response to an instruction of the operator.

2. A target parking position setting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mark representing the provisional target parking position and the target parking position is a target parking frame, the parking position display controlling means displays the target parking frame on the display screen and moves the display position of the target parking frame in response to an instruction of the operator, and the parking position display controlling means displays at least an edge of the target parking frame, which corresponds to a moving direction of the target parking frame, distinguishably from among plural edges of the target parking frame when moving the target parking frame displayed on the display screen.

3. A target parking position setting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the parking position display controlling means displays the edge corresponding to the moving direction of the target parking frame with a color different from a color of the other edges of the target parking frame.

4. A target parking position setting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the parking position display controlling means includes:

an up-pointing indicator for moving the target parking frame in an upward direction on the display screen;

a down-pointing indicator for moving the target parking frame in a downward direction on the display screen;

a left-pointing indicator for moving the target parking frame in a left direction on the display screen; and

a right-pointing indicator for moving the target parking frame in a right direction on the display screen, and

wherein the parking position display controlling means moves the target parking frame in the upward direction on the display screen and displays distinguishably an upper edge among from a plurality of edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the up-pointing indicator,

the parking position display controlling means moves the target parking frame in the downward direction on the display screen and displays distinguishably a lower edge among from the edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the down-pointing indicator,

the parking position display controlling means moves the target parking frame in the left direction on the display screen and displays distinguishably-a left edge among from the edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the left-pointing indicator, and the parking position display controlling means moves the target parking frame in a right direction on the display screen and displays distinguishably a right edge among from the edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the right-pointing indicator.

5. A target parking position setting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the parking position display controlling means includes:

an up-pointing indicator operated for moving the target parking frame in an upward direction on the display screen;

a down-pointing indicator for moving the target parking frame in a downward direction on the display screen;

a left-pointing indicator for moving the target parking frame in a left direction on the display screen;

a right-pointing indicator for moving the target parking frame in a right direction on the display screen;

a counterclockwise-rotation indicator for moving the target parking frame counterclockwise about a predetermined rotation point; and

a clockwise-rotation indicator for moving the target parking frame clockwise about the predetermined rotation point, and

wherein the parking position display controlling means moves the target parking frame in the upward direction on the display screen and displays distinguishably an upper edge among from a plurality of edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the up-pointing indicator,

the parking position display controlling means moves the target parking frame in the downward direction on the display screen and displays distinguishably a lower edge among from the edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the down-pointing indicator,

the parking position display controlling means moves the target parking frame in the left direction on the display screen and displays distinguishably a left edge among from the edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the left-pointing indicator, the parking position display controlling means moves the target parking frame in a right direction on the display screen and displays distinguishably a right edge among from the edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the right-pointing indicator,

the parking position display controlling means rotates the target parking frame counterclockwise on the display screen about the predetermined rotation point and displays distinguishably an edge of the target parking frame, which is located at the side of the counterclockwise direction, from among the edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the counterclockwise-rotation indicator; and

the parking position display controlling means rotates the target parking frame clockwise on the display screen about the predetermined rotation point and displays distinguishably an edge of the target parking frame, which is located at the side of the clockwise direction, from among the edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the clockwise-rotation indicator.

6. A vehicle comprising:

image capturing means adapted for a vehicle and capturing an image of an outside of the vehicle;

displaying means provided inside the vehicle and displaying an image captured by the image capturing means on a display screen;

parking position display controlling means for displaying on the display screen of the displaying means a mark representing a provisional target parking position by superimposing the mark on the image captured by the image capturing means, the parking position display controlling means moving a display position of the mark in response to an instruction of an operator and displaying on the display screen a moving direction indicator indicating a moving direction of the mark;

setting means for setting the display position of the mark on the image captured by the image capturing means as a target parking position in response to an instruction of the operator; and

guiding means for guiding the vehicle to the target parking position set by the setting means.

7. A vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the mark representing the provisional target parking position and the target parking position is a target parking frame, the parking position display controlling means displays the target parking frame on the display screen and moves the display position of the target parking frame in response to an instruction of the operator, and the parking position display controlling means displays at least an edge of the target parking frame, which corresponds to a moving direction of the target parking frame, distinguishably from among plural edges of the target parking frame when moving the target parking frame displayed on the display screen.

8. A vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the parking position display controlling means displays the edge corresponding to the moving direction of the target parking frame with a color different from a color of the other edges of the target parking frame.

9. A vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the parking position display controlling means includes:

an up-pointing indicator for moving the target parking frame in an upward direction on the display screen;

a down-pointing indicator for moving the target parking frame in a downward direction on the display screen;

a left-pointing indicator for moving the target parking frame in a left direction on the display screen; and

a right-pointing indicator for moving the target parking frame in a right direction on the display screen, and

wherein the parking position display controlling means moves the target parking frame in the upward direction on the display screen and displays distinguishably an upper edge among from a plurality of edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the up-pointing indicator,

the parking position display controlling means moves the target parking frame in the downward direction on the display screen and displays distinguishably a lower edge among from the edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the down-pointing indicator,

the parking position display controlling means moves the target parking frame in the left direction on the display screen and displays distinguishably a left edge among from the edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the left-pointing indicator, and the parking position display controlling means moves the target parking frame in a right direction on the display screen and displays distinguishably a right edge among from the edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the right-pointing indicator.

10. A vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the parking position display controlling means includes:

an up-pointing indicator operated for moving the target parking frame in an upward direction on the display screen;

a down-pointing indicator for moving the target parking frame in a downward direction on the display screen;

a left-pointing indicator for moving the target parking frame in a left direction on the display screen;

a right-pointing indicator for moving the target parking frame in a right direction on the display screen;

a counterclockwise-rotation indicator for moving the target parking frame counterclockwise about a predetermined rotation point; and

a clockwise-rotation indicator for moving the target parking frame clockwise about the predetermined rotation point, and

wherein the parking position display controlling means moves the target parking frame in the upward direction on the display screen and displays distinguishably an upper edge among from a plurality of edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the up-pointing indicator,

the parking position display controlling means moves the target parking frame in the downward direction on the display screen and displays distinguishably a lower edge among from the edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the down-pointing indicator,

the parking position display controlling means moves the target parking frame in the left direction on the display screen and displays distinguishably a left edge among from the edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the left-pointing indicator, the parking position display controlling means moves the target parking frame in a right direction on the display screen and displays distinguishably a right edge among from the edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the right-pointing indicator,

the parking position display controlling means rotates the target parking frame counterclockwise on the display screen about the predetermined rotation point and displays distinguishably an edge of the target parking frame, which is located at the side of the counterclockwise direction, from among the edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the counterclockwise-rotation indicator; and

the parking position display controlling means rotates the target parking frame clockwise on the display screen about the predetermined rotation point and displays distinguishably an edge of the target parking frame, which is located at the side of the clockwise direction, from among the edges defining the target parking frame in response to an operation of the clockwise-rotation indicator.

11. A computer program implementing the processes for:

capturing an image of the outside of a vehicle by an image capturing device;

displaying the image captured by the image capturing device on a display device;

superimposing a mark representing a provisional target parking position of the vehicle on the captured image and displaying the mark on the displaying device;

moving a display position of the mark on a display screen of the display device in response to an operation by an operator; and

displaying a moving direction indicator representing a moving direction of the mark on the display screen of the display device in response to an operation by the operator.