Parking conduct device and parking conduct method

• US 6,344,805 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2000
• Issued: 02/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Iisaka, Atsushi, Yasui, Nobuhiko, Ueyama, Yoshiki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US09/560,560
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 340/438, 340/903, 180/204, 180/446, 180/167, 180/168, 180/169, 180/6.2, 180/6.24, 701/23, 701/25, 701/41, 318/580
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/10 Automatic or semi-automatic parking aid systems
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0275 by overlaying a vehicle path based on present steering angle over an image without processing that image
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

A vehicle position calculation unit (1) calculates a position of a vehicle on a plan view, and an estimate locus calculation unit (2) calculates an estimate movement locus of a vehicle body when the vehicle is moved at a maximum steering angle with respect to the vehicle position, and a display unit (3) displays the vehicle position calculated by the vehicle position calculation unit (1) together with the estimate locus of the vehicle body calculated by the estimate locus calculation unit (2). Thus, even a beginner driver of the vehicle can easily and quickly park the vehicle with accuracy and safety while monitoring the estimate movement locus of the vehicle on the display screen.

Claims

1. A parking conduct device for use with a vehicle having a vehicle body, said device comprising:

a vehicle position calculation unit operable to calculate a position of the vehicle on a plan view;

an estimated locus calculation unit operable to calculate an estimated movement locus of the vehicle body when the vehicle is moved at a predetermined steering angle with respect to the vehicle position calculated by said vehicle position calculation unit; and

a display unit operable to display the vehicle position calculated by said vehicle position calculation unit together with the estimated locus of the vehicle body calculated by said estimated locus calculation unit.

2. The parking conduct device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined steering angle is the maximum steering angle of the vehicle.

3. The parking conduct device according to claim 1, wherein said display unit is operable to display the vehicle position calculated by said vehicle position calculation unit, by superimposing a contour of the vehicle body onto the estimated movement locus of the vehicle body calculated by said estimated locus calculation unit.

4. The parking conduct device according to claim 1, wherein said display unit is operable to display four corner parts of the vehicle including four wheels when displaying the estimated locus of the vehicle body calculated by said estimated locus calculation unit.

5. The parking conduct device according to claim 1, wherein said display unit is operable to display a line passing through the centers of rear wheels of the vehicle when displaying the estimated locus of the vehicle body calculated by said estimated locus calculation unit.

6. The parking conduct device according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle position calculation unit includes:

an image input portion operable to pick up a picture of surroundings of the vehicle to generate image data thereof, a bird'"'"'s-eye view forming portion operable to form a bird'"'"'s-eye view of the surrounding picture based on the image data generated by said image input portion; and

an image composing portion operable to depict a composite image of the vehicle body composed on the bird'"'"'s-eye view of the surrounding picture.

7. The parking conduct device according to claim 6, wherein said estimated locus calculation unit includes:

a steering angle detection portion operable to detect a handle steering angle of the vehicle;

a steering wheel locus calculation portion operable to calculate an estimated locus of the vehicle position to be moved based on the handle steering angle; and

an image superimposing portion operable to superimpose the estimated locus of the vehicle movement calculated by said steering wheel locus calculation portion with the composite image of the vehicle body depicted by said image composing portion.

8. The parking conduct device according to claim 7, wherein said estimated locus calculation unit further includes a maximum steering angle wheel locus calculation portion operable to calculate a vehicle wheel locus when the vehicle is moved at the maximum handle steering angle.

9. A parking conduct method for use with a vehicle having a vehicle body, said method comprising:

calculating a position of the vehicle on a plan view;

calculating an estimated movement locus of the vehicle body when the vehicle is moved at a predetermined steering angle with respect to the vehicle position calculated in said calculating of the vehicle position; and

displaying the vehicle position calculated in said calculating of the vehicle position together with the estimated locus of the vehicle body calculated in said calculation of the estimated locus.

10. The parking conduct method according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined steering angle is the maximum steering angle of the vehicle.

11. The parking conduct method according to claim 9, wherein said displaying of the vehicle position includes superimposing a contour of the vehicle body onto the estimated movement locus of the vehicle body.

12. The parking conduct method according to claim 9, wherein said calculating of the vehicle position includes:

picking up a picture of surroundings of the vehicle to generate image data thereof;

forming a bird'"'"'s-eye view of the surrounding picture based on the generated image data of the picture of surroundings; and

depicting a composite image of the vehicle body composed on the bird'"'"'s-eye view of the surrounding picture.

13. The parking conduct method according to claim 12, wherein said calculating of the estimated locus includes:

detecting a handle steering angle of the vehicle;

calculating an estimated locus of the vehicle position to be moved based on the handle steering angle; and

superimposing the estimated locus of the vehicle movement with the composite image of the vehicle body.

14. The parking conduct method according to claim 13, wherein said calculation of the estimated locus further includes calculating a vehicle wheel locus when the vehicle is moved at the maximum handle steering angle.

15. The parking conduct method according to claim 13, wherein said displaying of the vehicle position includes displaying boundary lines of a parking partition, and a backward movement of the vehicle is started when the displayed estimated locus of the vehicle body is in parallel to the boundary lines of a target parking partition.

16. A parking conduct device for use with a vehicle having a vehicle body, said device comprising:

means for calculating a position of the vehicle on a plan view;

means for calculating an estimated movement locus of the vehicle body when the vehicle is moved at a predetermined steering angle with respect to the vehicle position calculated by said means for calculating the position of the vehicle; and

means for displaying the vehicle position, calculated by said means for calculating the position of the vehicle, together with the estimated locus of the vehicle body calculated by said means for calculating the estimated movement locus.

17. The parking conduct device according to claim 16, wherein the predetermined steering angle is the maximum steering angle of the vehicle.

18. The parking conduct device according to claim 16, wherein said means for displaying displays the vehicle position, calculated by said means for calculating the position of the vehicle, by superimposing a contour of the vehicle body onto the estimated movement locus of the vehicle body calculated by said means for calculating the estimated movement locus.

19. The parking conduct device according to claim 16, wherein said means for displaying displays four corner parts of the vehicle, including four wheels, when displaying the estimated locus of the vehicle body calculated by said means for calculating the estimated movement locus.

20. The parking conduct device according to claim 16, wherein said means for displaying displays a line passing through the centers of rear wheels of the vehicle when displaying the estimated locus of the vehicle body calculated by said means for calculating the estimated movement locus.

21. The parking conduct device according to claim 16, wherein said means for calculating the position of the vehicle includes:

means for picking up a picture of surroundings of the vehicle to generate image data thereof;

means for forming a bird'"'"'s-eye view of the surrounding picture based on the image data generated by said means for picking up the picture; and

means for depicting a composite image of the vehicle body composed on the bird'"'"'s-eye view of the surrounding picture.

22. The parking conduct device according to claim 21, wherein said means for calculating the estimated movement locus includes:

means for detecting a handle steering angle of the vehicle;

means for calculating an estimated locus of the vehicle position to be moved based on the handle steering angle; and

means for superimposing the estimated locus of the vehicle movement with the composite image of the vehicle body.

23. The parking conduct device according to claim 22, wherein said means for calculating the estimated movement locus further includes:

means for calculating a vehicle wheel locus when the vehicle is moved at the maximum handle steering angle.