VEHICLE PARKING ASSIST SYSTEM

• US 20160231133A1
• Filed: 04/15/2016
• Published: 08/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Johnson, Nathaniel S., VanOphem, Paul A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,222,224 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19647 Systems specially adapted for intrusion detection in or around a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/143 inside the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/147 where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

A parking assist system of a vehicle includes a sensor, a control and a display. The sensor is disposed at a vehicle and is operable to, at least in part, determine the current geographical location of the vehicle. The control is responsive to an output of the sensor and at least one of (i) a database and (ii) a communication from a remote server. Responsive at least in part to historic parking location data representative of geographical locations of parking spaces where the equipped vehicle has previously been parked, the control is operable to display at the display parking information pertaining to parking spaces at or near the current geographical location of the equipped vehicle.

Claims

1. A parking assist system of a vehicle, said parking assist system comprising:

a location sensor disposed at a vehicle equipped with said parking assist system, wherein said location sensor is operable to, at least in part, determine a geographical location of the equipped vehicle;

a control responsive to an output of said location sensor and at least one of (i) a communication from a remote server and (ii) a database;

a display disposed at the equipped vehicle and viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle; and

wherein, responsive at least in part to historic parking location data representative of geographical locations of parking spaces where the equipped vehicle has previously been parked, said control is operable to display at said display parking information pertaining to parking spaces at or near the current geographical location of the equipped vehicle.

2. The parking assist system of claim 1, wherein said parking assist system is operable to determine a density of parked cars in an area and to determine a likelihood of finding an empty parking space in that area.

3. The parking assist system of claim 2, wherein said parking assist system is operable to provide a hierarchy of potential parking spaces in an order of likely availability.

4. The parking assist system of claim 1, wherein said location sensor comprises at least one of (i) a camera of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a component of a global positioning system of the equipped vehicle.

5. The parking assist system of claim 1, wherein said control is operable to store in a database parking space locations where the equipped vehicle has previously been parked, and wherein said control is operable to display at said display parking information derived from the stored parking space locations.

6. The parking assist system of claim 1, wherein said control is operable to display at said display parking behavior of other vehicles similarly equipped with a parking assist system.

7. The parking assist system of claim 1, wherein said control is operable to display at said display prices for parking at parking spaces at or near the current geographical location of the equipped vehicle.

8. The parking assist system of claim 1, comprising a user input that is actuatable by an occupant of the equipped vehicle, and wherein, responsive to actuation of said user input, said control displays at said display available parking spaces within a threshold distance from the equipped vehicle.

9. The parking assist system of claim 1, wherein said control is operable to display at said display a map of the area surrounding the equipped vehicle with highlighting of parking space locations where the equipped vehicle has previously been parked.

10. The parking assist system of claim 9, wherein said control receives information pertaining to locations of parking spaces where other vehicles similarly equipped with a parking assist system have previously parked, and wherein said control displays at said display highlighting of the locations of parking spaces where the other vehicles similarly equipped with a parking assist system have previously been parked.

11. The parking assist system of claim 10, wherein said control highlights the locations where the equipped vehicle has previously been parked differently than the highlighting of the locations where other vehicles similarly equipped with a parking assist system have previously been parked.

12. The parking assist system of claim 10, wherein said control displays at said display parking fees associated with the highlighted locations.

13. The parking assist system of claim 1, wherein said control transmits recorded information pertaining to where the equipped vehicle has previously been parked to a remote server for use by other vehicles similarly equipped with a parking assist system.

14. A parking assist system of a vehicle, said parking assist system comprising:

a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said parking assist system, wherein said camera has a field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle and is operable to capture image data;

a global positioning system of the equipped vehicle, wherein said global positioning system is operable to, at least in part, determine a geographical location of the equipped vehicle;

wherein image data captured by said camera is processed to determine the presence of parked vehicles and available parking spaces in the field of view of said camera;

a control responsive to (a) processing of captured image data, (b) an output of said global positioning system of the equipped vehicle and (c) at least one of (i) a communication from a remote server and (ii) a database;

a display disposed at the equipped vehicle and viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle; and

wherein, responsive at least in part to historic parking location data representative of geographical locations of parking spaces where the equipped vehicle has previously been parked, and responsive to processing of captured image data, said control is operable to display at said display parking information pertaining to parking spaces at or near the current geographical location of the equipped vehicle.

15. The parking assist system of claim 14, wherein said control is operable to store in a database parking space locations where the equipped vehicle has previously been parked, and wherein said control is operable to display at said display parking information derived from the stored parking space locations.

16. The parking assist system of claim 14, wherein, responsive to a communication from a remote server, said control is operable to display at said display prices for parking at parking spaces at or near the current geographical location of the equipped vehicle.

17. The parking assist system of claim 14, wherein said control is operable to display at said display a map of the area surrounding the equipped vehicle with highlighting of parking space locations where the equipped vehicle has previously been parked.

18. A parking assist system of a vehicle, said parking assist system comprising:

a global positioning system of the equipped vehicle, wherein said global positioning system is operable to, at least in part, determine a geographical location of the equipped vehicle;

a control responsive to (a) an output of said global positioning system of the equipped vehicle and (b) a database comprising stored historic parking location data representative of geographical locations of parking spaces where the equipped vehicle has previously been parked;

a user input that is actuatable by an occupant of the equipped vehicle;

a display disposed at the equipped vehicle and viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle; and

wherein, responsive at least in part to the stored historic parking location data, and responsive to actuation of said user input, said control displays at said display a map of the area surrounding the equipped vehicle with highlighting of parking space locations where the equipped vehicle has previously been parked.

19. The parking assist system of claim 18, wherein, responsive to a communication from a remote server, said control is operable to display at said display prices for parking at parking spaces at or near the current geographical location of the equipped vehicle.

20. The parking assist system of claim 18, wherein said control receives information from a remote server pertaining to locations of parking spaces where other vehicles similarly equipped with a parking assist system have previously parked, and wherein said control displays at said display highlighting of the locations of parking spaces where the other vehicles similarly equipped with a parking assist system have previously been parked, and wherein said control highlights the locations where the equipped vehicle has previously been parked differently than the highlighting of the locations where other vehicles similarly equipped with a parking assist system have previously been parked.