Motor vehicle parking support unit and method thereof

• US 6,587,760 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2002
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Okamoto, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US10/235,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20030045973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/23, 701/41, 701/36, 701/42, 701/300, 701/301, 701/97, 701/101, 340/932.2, 340/435, 340/903, 180/204, 180/401, 180/404, 180/405, 180/407
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/005 using a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/10 Automatic or semi-automatic parking aid systems
• 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: B62D 15/028 Guided parking by providing commands to the driver, e.g. acoustically or optically
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

The method includes the steps of picking up a rear area image FI behind a motor vehicle, displaying the rear area image FI, sensing a steering angle of the vehicle, and sensing a position of the vehicle. A vehicle image VI is superposed on a desired parking position P of the vehicle in the rear area image FI, and a predicted vehicle route image TR1 is generated within the predetermined area based on a steering angle and an initial position of the vehicle, while an actual vehicle route image TR2 is generated based on actual steering angles and positions of the vehicle. The vehicle image V1, the predicted vehicle route image TR1, and the actual vehicle route image TR2 are superposed on the rear area image FI. The method further has a step for obtaining a difference between the predicted vehicle route image TR1 and the actual vehicle route image TR2 and another step for noticing a steering angle correction message based on the difference.

Claims

1. A parking support unit comprising:

a means for picking up an image of a rear area behind a motor vehicle, the rear area located at a predetermined position relative to the vehicle,

a means for displaying the rear area image,

a means for sensing a steering angle of the vehicle,

a means for sensing a position of the vehicle,

an image storing means for storing a vehicle image, a predicted vehicle route image, and an actual vehicle route image of the vehicle, and

an image superposing means,

wherein the vehicle image is superposed on a desired parking position of the vehicle in the rear area image indicated by the display means, and the predicted vehicle route image is generated at the predetermined position based on a steering angle and an initial position of the vehicle, while the actual vehicle route image is generated based on actual steering angles and positions of the vehicle, the image superposing means indicating the vehicle image, the predicted vehicle route image, and the actual vehicle route image by the display means to superpose them on the rear area image.

2. The unit set forth in claim 1 further comprising a computing means for obtaining a difference between the predicted vehicle route image and the actual vehicle route image and a message informing means for informing a steering angle correction message to a driver of the vehicle based on the difference.

3. The unit set forth in claim 2, wherein the computing means has a decision device for determining a steering direction and a steering amount based on the difference between the predicted vehicle route image and the actual vehicle route image to correct the difference, and the decision is noticed by the message informing means.

4. The unit set forth in claim 3, wherein the computing means has another decision device for determining whether the vehicle can be moved backward to a desired parking position from a present position of the vehicle with in a maximum steering angle of the vehicle, and the decision is noticed by a voice of the message informing means.

5. The unit set forth in claim 4, wherein the computing means has a calculating device for calculating a preliminary forwarding distance which is necessary for the vehicle to be moved to a desired parking position from the present position of the vehicle within a maximum steering angle of the vehicle, and the result is noticed by a voice of the message informing means.

6. A parking support method comprising the steps of:

picking up an image of a rear area behind a motor vehicle, the rear area located at a predetermined position relative to the vehicle,

displaying the rear area image,

sensing a steering angle of the vehicle,

sensing a position of the vehicle,

storing a vehicle image, a predicted vehicle route image, and an actual vehicle route image of the vehicle, and indicating the vehicle image, the predicted vehicle route image, and the actual vehicle route image,

wherein the vehicle image is superposed on a desired parking position of the vehicle in the rear area image, and the predicted vehicle route image is generated within the predetermined area based on a steering angle and an initial position of the vehicle, while the actual vehicle route image is generated based on actual steering angles and positions of the vehicle, the indicating step indicating the vehicle image, the predicted vehicle route image, and the actual vehicle route image to superpose them on the rear area image.

7. The method set forth in claim 6 further comprising a step for obtaining a difference between the predicted vehicle route image and the actual vehicle route image and another step for informing a steering angle correction message based on the difference.

8. The method set forth in claim 7 further comprising a step for determining a steering direction and a steering amount based on the difference between the predicted vehicle route image and the actual vehicle route image to correct the difference, and the decision is noticed by a message informing means.

9. The method set forth in claim 8 further comprising a step for determining whether the vehicle can be moved backward to a desired parking position from the present position of the vehicle within a maximum steering angle of the vehicle, and the decision is noticed by the message informing means.

10. The method set forth in claim 9 further comprising a step for calculating a preliminary forwarding distance which is necessary for the vehicle to be moved to a desired parking position from the present position of the vehicle within a maximum steering angle of the vehicle, and the result is noticed by the message informing means.