System for assisting the parking of motor vehicles in parking spaces

• US 6,819,284 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2002
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Gensler, Frank, Maier, Dietmar
• Primary Examiner(s): Lobo, Ian J.
• Application Number:
  US10/229,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20030058132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 342/70, 340/436, 340/437, 340/903, 340/932.2, 367/87, 367/99, 367/909
• US Class Current: 342/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/006 using a distance sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9314 Parking operations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/934 for measuring the depth, i.e. width, not length, of the parking space
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/935 for measuring the contour, e.g. a trajectory of measurement points, representing the boundary of the parking space
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3233 particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3283 side-mounted antennas, e.g. bumper-mounted, door-mounted mounted on windscreens H01Q1/1271

Abstract

A system is provided for assisting with parking of motor vehicles in parking spaces, having at least one transmitter, arranged on the exterior side of the vehicle for transmitting a signal emitted at least approximately perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and limited to a small emission angle range, and an assigned receiver for the reflected signal. The transmitted signal is formed of two partial beams having approximately flat surface area emission characteristics, the two areas being situated at least approximately perpendicular with respect to one another.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body having an exterior side;

a parking assistance system for the vehicle, the parking assistance system including at least one transmitter arrangeable on an exterior side of a vehicle, the transmitter transmitting a signal at least approximately perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, this signal having a small beam angle range;

a receiver associated with the transmitter to receive reflected signals;

wherein the transmitted signal is formed of two partial beams having approximately flat surface area emission characteristics, the two surface areas being situated at least approximately perpendicular with respect to one another.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein each partial beam has an area normal, one of the area normals being oriented horizontally and another being oriented vertically.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the two partial beams are generated by separate transmitters, the transmitters being arranged in a common housing.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the two partial beams are generated by separate transmitters, the transmitters being arranged in a common housing.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter is arranged at a forward corner point of the vehicle body.

6. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the transmitter is arranged at a forward corner point of the vehicle body.

7. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the common housing is arranged at a forward corner point of the vehicle body.

8. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the common housing is arranged at a forward corner point of the vehicle body.