ENHANCED PARK ASSIST WHEEL SPEED COMPENSATION TECHNIQUE

• US 20140316632A1
• Filed: 04/23/2013
• Published: 10/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Shaffer, Aric David, Kane, Michael David, Stempnik, Vern
• Granted Patent: US 9,002,564 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/60 Traversable objects, e.g. speed bumps or curbs
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/045 Improving turning performance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18036 Reversing
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/028 Guided parking by providing commands to the driver, e.g. acoustically or optically
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/933 for measuring the dimensions of the parking space when driving past
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

A method of parking a vehicle includes calibrating a wheel speed count of the vehicle based on a measured length that is external to the vehicle, and parking the vehicle based on the calibrated wheel speed count.

Claims

1. A method of parking a vehicle, comprising:

determining a distance traveled of the vehicle using a measured length that is external to the vehicle;

correlating the distance traveled to a vehicle wheel parameter; and

parking the vehicle based on the correlation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the vehicle wheel parameter as one of a wheel radius, a wheel diameter, a wheel circumference, and a wheel speed count.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising detecting, based on the determined vehicle wheel parameter, whether at least one of the wheels of the vehicle is a mini spare, has low pressure, is a worn tire, or is an aftermarket tire.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising generating an alert to indicate the detection if the determined wheel parameter is out of specification.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising rejecting the correlation of the distance traveled to the vehicle wheel parameter if the determined wheel parameter is out of specification, and parking the vehicle alternatively correlating the vehicle wheel parameter to an assumed default wheel parameter.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring the length that is external to the vehicle using one of a global positioning system (GPS), an ultrasonic sensor (U/S) on the vehicle, a radar on the vehicle, and a camera on the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising conducting a plausibility check to determine whether the determined distance traveled is likely to be accurate, wherein the plausibility check is conducted using one of a global positioning system (GPS), an ultrasonic sensor on the vehicle, an accelerometer, and an adaptive cruise control (ACC) system.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium tangibly embodying computer-executable instructions comprising steps to:

determine a known distance that a vehicle has traveled based on measurements taken of distances that are external to the vehicle;

correlate a wheel parameter of the vehicle to the known distance; and

execute a vehicle parking algorithm based on the width calibrated wheel speed count.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising steps to determine the vehicle wheel parameter as one of a wheel radius, a wheel diameter, a wheel circumference, and a wheel speed count, and to detect, based on the determined vehicle wheel parameter, whether at least one of the wheels of the vehicle is a mini spare, has low pressure, is a worn tire, or is an aftermarket tire.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising a step to generate an alert to indicate the detection if the determined wheel parameter is out of specification.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising steps to reject the correlation of the distance traveled to the vehicle wheel parameter if the determined wheel parameter is out of specification, and park the vehicle alternatively correlating the vehicle wheel parameter to an assumed default wheel parameter.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising a step to measure the length that is external to the vehicle using one of a global positioning system (GPS), an ultrasonic sensor (U/S) on the vehicle, a radar on the vehicle, and a camera on the vehicle.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising conducting a plausibility check to determine whether the determined distance traveled is likely to be accurate, wherein the plausibility check is conducted using one of a global positioning system (GPS), an ultrasonic sensor on the vehicle, an accelerometer, and an adaptive cruise control (ACC) system.

14. A host vehicle, comprising:

a system for measuring a length traveled by the host vehicle using a reference distance that is external to the host vehicle; and

a computer programmed to;

calibrate at least one wheel parameter of the host vehicle based on the measured length; and

park the host vehicle based on the calibration.

15. The host vehicle of claim 14, wherein the computer is further programmed to determine the vehicle wheel parameter as one of a wheel radius, a wheel diameter, a wheel circumference, and a wheel speed count.

16. The host vehicle of claim 15, wherein the computer is further programmed to detect, based on the determined vehicle wheel parameter, whether at least one of the wheels of the vehicle is a mini spare, has low pressure, is a worn tire, or is an aftermarket tire.

17. The host vehicle of claim 16, wherein the computer is further programmed to generate an alert to indicate the detection if the determined wheel parameter is out of specification.

18. The host vehicle of claim 16, wherein the computer is further programmed to reject the correlation of the distance traveled to the vehicle wheel parameter if the determined wheel parameter is out of specification, and park the vehicle using an alternative correlation of the vehicle wheel parameter as an assumed default wheel parameter.

19. The host vehicle of claim 14, wherein the computer is further programmed to measure the length that is external to the vehicle using one of a global positioning system (GPS), an ultrasonic sensor (U/S) on the vehicle, a radar on the vehicle, and a camera on the vehicle.

20. The host vehicle of claim 14, wherein the computer is further programmed to conduct a plausibility check to determine whether the determined distance traveled is likely to be accurate, wherein the plausibility check is conducted using one of a global positioning system (GPS), an ultrasonic sensor on the vehicle, an accelerometer, and an adaptive cruise control (ACC) system.