PARKING ASSIST APPARATUS

• US 20140156148A1
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Masahiko
• Application Number:
  US14/123,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20140156148A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/48
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/139 Clusters of instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/173 Reversing assist
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/139 Clusters of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/173 Reversing assist
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/00 Purposes or special features of road vehicle drive control systems for systems using conjoint control of multiple vehicle sub-units B60W30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/028 Guided parking by providing commands to the driver, e.g. acoustically or optically
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A parking assist apparatus includes a mode selector switch, a plurality of direction switches and a parking pattern selecting unit. The mode selector switch selects one of a first mode of assisting parking and a second mode of executing a function other than parking assist. The direction switches includes a pair of right and left direction switches that are disposed on the right and left and a pair of front and rear direction switches that are disposed at the front and rear. In a case in which the first mode is selected, when one of the right and left direction switches is operated, a right or left parking pattern associated with the right or left position is selected, and when one of the front and rear direction switches is operated, an adjacent or parallel parking pattern associated with the front or rear position is selected.

Claims

1. A parking assist apparatus comprising:

a mode selector switch for selecting one of a first mode of executing a parking assist function to a vehicle based on a prescribed parking mode and a second mode of executing a function of the vehicle other than the first mode;

a plurality of direction switches including a pair of right and left direction switches disposed on the right and left and a pair of front and rear direction switches disposed at the front and rear; and

a parking pattern selecting unit that determines a parking direction associated with the right or left position of the right and left direction switches when one of the right and left direction switches is operated and determines an arrangement of parking the vehicle that is adjacent parking or parallel parking associated with the front or rear position of the front and rear direction switches when one of the front and rear direction switches is operated so as to select a parking pattern based on the parking direction and the arrangement of parking the vehicle that have been determined in a case in which the first mode is selected.

2. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the direction switches include a pair of right and left direction switches in which contact points are disposed on the right and left and a pair of front and rear direction switches in which contact points are disposed at the front and rear,

in a case in which the first mode is selected by operating the mode selector switch,

the parking pattern selecting unit determines that the parking direction is right when the right contact point of the right and left direction switches is operated, determines that the arrangement of parking the vehicle is adjacent when the front contact point of the front and rear direction switches is operated, and selects a right adjacent parking pattern based on the right parking direction and the adjacent arrangement,

the parking pattern selecting unit determines that the parking direction is right when the right contact point of the right and left direction switches is operated, determines that the arrangement of parking the vehicle is parallel when the rear contact point of the front and rear direction switches is operated, and selects a right parallel parking pattern based on the right parking direction and the parallel arrangement,

the parking pattern selecting unit determines that the parking direction is left when the left contact point of the right and left direction switches is operated, determines that the arrangement of parking the vehicle is adjacent when the front contact point of the front and rear direction switches is operated, and selects a left adjacent parking pattern based on the left parking direction and the adjacent arrangement, and

the parking pattern selecting unit determines that the parking direction is left when the left contact point of the right and left direction switches is operated, determines that the arrangement of parking the vehicle is parallel when the rear contact point of the front and rear direction switches is operated, and selects a left parallel parking pattern based on the left parking direction and the parallel arrangement.

3. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the direction switches include a right front switch disposed in a right front position with respect to a prescribed reference point, a right rear switch disposed in a right rear position with respect to the prescribed reference point, a left front switch disposed in a left front position with respect to the prescribed reference point, and a left rear switch disposed in a left rear position with respect to the prescribed reference point,

in a case in which the first mode is selected by operating the mode selector switch,

the parking pattern selecting unit determines that the parking direction is right and the arrangement of parking the vehicle is adjacent and selects a right adjacent parking pattern when the right front switch is operated,

the parking pattern selecting unit determines that the parking direction is right and the arrangement of parking the vehicle is parallel and selects a right parallel parking pattern when the right rear switch is operated,

the parking pattern selecting unit determines that the parking direction is left and the arrangement of parking the vehicle is adjacent and selects a left adjacent parking pattern when the left front switch is operated, and

the parking pattern selecting unit determines that the parking direction is left and the arrangement of parking the vehicle is parallel and selects a left parallel parking pattern when the left rear switch is operated.

5. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a door mirror drive unit that determines a right or left operation target door mirror associated with the right or left position of the right and left direction switches when one of the right and left direction switches is operated and determines a driving direction to incline the door mirror forward or rearward associated with the front or rear position of the front and rear direction switches when one of the front and rear direction switches is operated so as to select the driving direction of the operation target door mirror in a case in which the second mode is selected by operating the mode selector switch, and

the second mode executing a function of driving a door mirror of the vehicle.

6. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a door window drive unit that determines a right or left operation target door window associated with the right or left position of the right and left direction switches when one of the right and left direction switches is operated and determines an opening operation or a closing operation of the door window associated with the front or rear position of the front and rear direction switches when one of the front and rear direction switches is operated so as to select the opening operation or the closing operation of the operation target door window in a case in which the second mode is selected by operating the mode selector switch, and

the second mode executing a function of opening or closing a door window of the vehicle.

7. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

a door mirror drive unit that determines a right or left operation target door mirror associated with the right or left position of the right and left direction switches when one of the right and left direction switches is operated and determines a driving direction to incline the door mirror forward or rearward associated with the front or rear position of the front and rear direction switches when one of the front and rear direction switches is operated so as to select the driving direction of the operation target door mirror in a case in which the second mode is selected by operating the mode selector switch, and

the second mode executing a function of driving a door mirror of the vehicle.

8. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

a door window drive unit that determines a right or left operation target door window associated with the right or left position of the right and left direction switches when one of the right and left direction switches is operated and determines an opening operation or a closing operation of the door window associated with the front or rear position of the front and rear direction switches when one of the front and rear direction switches is operated so as to select the opening operation or the closing operation of the operation target door window in a case in which the second mode is selected by operating the mode selector switch, and

the second mode executing a function of opening or closing a door window of the vehicle.

9. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising

a door mirror drive unit that determines a right or left operation target door mirror associated with the right or left position of the right and left direction switches when one of the right and left direction switches is operated and determines a driving direction to incline the door mirror forward or rearward associated with the front or rear position of the front and rear direction switches when one of the front and rear direction switches is operated so as to select the driving direction of the operation target door mirror in a case in which the second mode is selected by operating the mode selector switch, and

the second mode executing a function of driving a door mirror of the vehicle.

10. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising

a door window drive unit that determines a right or left operation target door window associated with the right or left position of the right and left direction switches when one of the right and left direction switches is operated and determines an opening operation or a closing operation of the door window associated with the front or rear position of the front and rear direction switches when one of the front and rear direction switches is operated so as to select the opening operation or the closing operation of the operation target door window in a case in which the second mode is selected by operating the mode selector switch, and

the second mode executing a function of opening or closing a door window of the vehicle.

4. A parking assist apparatus comprising:

a mode selector switch for selecting one of a first mode of executing a parking assist function to a vehicle based on a prescribed parking mode and a second mode of executing a function of the vehicle other than the first mode;

a plurality of direction switches including a right front switch disposed in a right front position with respect to a prescribed reference point, a right rear switch disposed in a right rear position with respect to the prescribed reference point, a left front switch disposed in a left front position with respect to the prescribed reference point, and a left rear switch disposed in a left rear position with respect to the prescribed reference point; and

a parking pattern selecting unit that determines a parking direction based on the right or left position of the direction switches and determines an arrangement of parking the vehicle that is adjacent parking or parallel parking based the front or rear position of the direction switches so as to select a parking pattern based on the parking direction and the arrangement of parking the vehicle that have been determined in a case in which the first mode is selected, wherein

the parking pattern selecting unit selects a right adjacent parking pattern based on a determination that the parking direction is right and the arrangement of parking the vehicle is adjacent when the right front switch is operated,

the parking pattern selecting unit selects a right parallel parking pattern based on a determination that the parking direction is right and the arrangement of parking the vehicle is parallel when the right rear switch is operated,

the parking pattern selecting unit selects a left adjacent parking pattern based on a determination that the parking direction is left and the arrangement of parking the vehicle is adjacent when the left front switch is operated, and

the parking pattern selecting unit selects a left parallel parking pattern based on a determination that the parking direction is left and the arrangement of parking the vehicle is parallel when the left rear switch is operated.

11. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising

a door mirror drive unit that determines a right or left operation target door mirror associated with the right or left position of the right and left direction switches when one of the right and left direction switches is operated and determines a driving direction to incline the door mirror forward or rearward associated with the front or rear position of the front and rear direction switches when one of the front and rear direction switches is operated so as to select the driving direction of the operation target door mirror in a case in which the second mode is selected by operating the mode selector switch, and

the second mode executing a function of driving a door mirror of the vehicle.

12. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising

a door window drive unit that determines a right or left operation target door window associated with the right or left position of the right and left direction switches when one of the right and left direction switches is operated and determines an opening operation or a closing operation of the door window associated with the front or rear position of the front and rear direction switches when one of the front and rear direction switches is operated so as to select the opening operation or the closing operation of the operation target door window in a case in which the second mode is selected by operating the mode selector switch, and

the second mode executing a function of opening or closing a door window of the vehicle.