Device and method for parking motor vehicle

• US 6,061,002 A
• Filed: 12/05/1997
• Issued: 05/09/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Tschiskale, Ega, Fehrenbach, Andreas, Weber, Jens, Hoetzel, Juergen
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US08/985,594
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 340/901, 340/902, 340/903, 340/904, 340/933, 340/943, 340/435, 340/436, 340/437, 340/909, 364/443, 364/423.098, 364/578, 180/272, 180/169, 180/446, 348/118, 348/116
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/007 providing information about the distance to an obstacle, e.g. varying sound
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/10 Automatic or semi-automatic parking aid systems
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/028 Guided parking by providing commands to the driver, e.g. acoustically or optically

Abstract

A parking device for a motor vehicle has a movement sensor, at least one distance sensor, a control unit, a unit for outputting driving directions, the control unit calculating circular segments for a possible drive path of the motor vehicle in parking space, so that the a unit for outputting driving directions output driving and steering directions optically or acoustically to a driver of the motor vehicle, the control unit being formed so that for a rearward parking the driving and steering directions are provided only for a partial path of a total parking path.

Claims

1. A parking device for a motor vehicle, comprising a movement sensor;

at least one distance sensor;

a control unit;

means for outputting driving directions, said control unit calculating circular segments for a possible drive path of the motor vehicle in a parking space, so that said means for outputting driving directions output driving and steering directions optically or acoustically to a driver of the motor vehicle, said control unit being formed so that for a rearward parking the driving and steering directions are provided only for a partial path of a total parking path.

2. A parking device as defined in claim 1, wherein said control unit is formed so that said partial path corresponds to a drive path after a first steering stroke.

3. A parking device as defined in claim 1, wherein said control unit is formed so that during a complete steering stroke a length of said partial path is a function of a distance from a parked vehicle and a vehicle inner radius of the vehicle which is being parked and is selectable so that the vehicle to be parked drives around a rear outer corner of a parked vehicle.

4. A parking device as defined in claim 1, wherein said control unit is formed so that when an end point of the partial path is reached, a steering directive for an opposite steering in an opposite direction is produced.

5. A parking device as defined in claim 1, wherein said control unit is formed so that during parking an actual distance to an obstacle located in a surrounding area of the vehicle is outputted, whose distance is a smallest one.

6. A parking device as defined in claim 1, wherein said control unit is formed so that said means for outputting drive directions produce a warning signal selected from the group consisting of an optical warning signal, an acoustic warning signal, and both, upon reaching a predetermined average distance to an obstacle.

7. A parking device as defined in claim 1;

and further comprising a parking assisting system provided in the vehicle, said control unit being a part of said parking assisting system which is expandable by a program for outputting driving and steering directions.

8. A parking device as defined in claim 7;

and further comprising a modular component in which the program is stored.

9. A parking device as defined in claim 8, wherein said modular component stores data for different parking types.

10. A method of parking of a motor vehicle with assistance of a parking device having a movement sensor, at least one distance sensor, at least one control unit, and means for outputting driving directions, the method comprising the steps of computing by the control unit circular segments for a possible drive path of the vehicle in a parking space;

outputting driving and steering directions optically or acoustically to a driver of the vehicle; and

giving the driving and steering directions by the control unit for a rearward parking only over a partial path of a total parking path.

11. A parking device for a motor vehicle, comprising a movement sensor;

at least one distance sensor;

a control unit;

means for outputting driving directions, said control unit calculating circular segments for a possible drive path of the motor vehicle in parking space, so that said means for outputting driving directions output driving and steering directions optically or acoustically to a driver of the motor vehicle, said control unit being formed so that for a rearward parking the driving and steering directions are provided only for a partial path of a total parking path, said control unit being formed so that the driving and steering directions for the partial path are outputted until the driver of a motor vehicle steers in an opposite direction.

12. A method of parking of a motor vehicle with assistance of a parking device having a movement sensor, at least one distance sensor, at least one control unit, and means for outputting driving directions, the method comprising the steps of computing by the control unit circular segments for a possible drive path of the vehicle in a parking space;

outputting driving and steering directions optically or acoustically to a driver of the vehicle;

giving the driving and steering directions by the control unit for a rearward parking only over a partial path of the total parking path; and

performing said outputting so that the driving and steering directions for the partial path are outputted until a driver of a motor vehicle steers in an opposite direction.