Apparatus for assisting steering of vehicle when backing

• US 7,295,227 B1
• Filed: 01/18/2000
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Yamada, Satoshi, Kimura, Tomio, Shimazaki, Kazunori, Ushino, Masashi, Kuriya, Hisashi, Asahi, Goro, Hattori, Kanji, Teramura, Kousuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Tung
• Assistant Examiner(s): SENFI, BEHROOZ M
• Application Number:
  US09/484,316
• Time in Patent Office: 2,856 Days
• Field of Search: 348/118, 348/113, 348/115, 348/140, 348/333, 348/148, 348/143, 348/119, 348/116, 348/42, 348/47, 348/149, 180/204, 180/167, 180/168, 180/169, 180/234, 701/22, 701/41, 701/58, 701/60, 701/23, 701/116, 701/117, 364/424, 364/460, 340/932, 340/435, 340/903, 340/436, 340/438, 340/549
• US Class Current: 348/118
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• 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: G01S 15/86 Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• 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: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A steering assist apparatus that assists a driver when backing a vehicle in an S-shaped path or parallel parking. The apparatus displays guidance marking on a monitor screen and the driver refers to the guidance marking, which permits the driver to easily back the vehicle to a desired position. The apparatus includes a camera, a monitor, an angle sensor, obstacle sensors, an image processing unit, a controller and a monitor controller. The image processing unit computes the predicted path of the vehicle at the current wheel angle. The monitor shows an image captured by the camera. The image processing unit generates data representing a guidance marking based on the predicted path and superimposes the marking on the monitor screen. The location of the marking on the screen is determined based on the current wheel angle. The marking represents part of the predicted path. Specifically, the marking matches the width of the vehicle. In the monitor screen, a marking is separated from the rear bumper of the vehicle by a distance corresponding to the wheelbase of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An apparatus for aiding steering when a vehicle is being driven in reverse, the moving direction of the vehicle being determined in response to the angle of steered wheels, the apparatus comprising:

a camera for capturing an image of an area behind the vehicle;

a monitor for displaying the image captured by the camera;

a detector for detecting the angle of the steered wheels; and

a display control unit for displaying a guide marking for aiding steering while a driver operates a steering wheel, the marking and the image being simultaneously displayed on the monitor when the vehicle is being driven in reverse, wherein the marking provides the driver with at least first and second indications, wherein the first indication is a fixed reference guide displaying vehicle width projecting behind the vehicle and continuously showing a path of the vehicle corresponding to the angle of zero degrees of the steered wheels regardless of the current angle of the steered wheels, and wherein the second indication is simultaneously displayed with the first indication and shows a prospective path of the vehicle corresponding to the current angle of the steered wheels detected by the detector.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the display control unit calculates the prospective path assuming that the vehicle is moved in reverse, on the basis of information from the detector, and wherein the second indication of the marking represents the width of the vehicle and extends behind the rear end of the vehicle by a predetermined distance along the prospective path.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the second indication of the marking includes a pair of side marks that extends behind the rear end of the vehicle along the prospective path and are spaced apart from each other by the width of the vehicle.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the second indication of the marking includes an indication defined by two points that are spaced apart approximately by the width of the vehicle in appearance.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the second indication of the marking includes an end mark that approximately indicates the width of the vehicle in appearance at an apparent predetermined distance behind the rear end of the vehicle on the prospective path and side marks extending from the end mark toward the rear end of the vehicle, wherein the side marks are spaced apart approximately by the apparent width of the vehicle.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein the second indication of the marking further includes two intermediate marks appearing between the end mark and the rear end of the vehicle, each intermediate mark extending between the side marks, wherein the intermediate marks indicate the apparent width of the vehicle.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the predetermined distance appears to be approximately the same as the wheel base of the vehicle.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein the display control unit calculates the prospective path using polar coordinates and wherein the end mark of the second indication of the marking is determined by a radial line extending from the polar coordinates.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein, when the prospective path is circular, the display control unit displays the path in an elliptical manner by compressing the prospective path in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle at a predetermined rate.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the display control unit displaces the indication of the prospective path in the direction of vehicle movement on the monitor.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the display control unit has an acquisition means for determining the steering speed, and wherein the display control unit calculates the prospective path using the current angle of the steered wheels and a value obtained by multiplying the steering speed by a predetermined coefficient.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the vehicle has vehicle speed sensor for detecting the speed of the vehicle, and the display control unit has an acquisition means for determining the steering speed, and wherein the display control unit calculates the prospective path using the current angle of the steered wheels and a value obtained by multiplying the ratio of the steering speed and the vehicle speed by a predetermined coefficient.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the image is displayed in black and white and the guide marking is displayed in color.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the display control unit includes a correction means for correcting the prospective path, wherein the display control unit generates the second indications based on the corrected prospective path.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the correction means corrects the prospective path according to the current steering speed of the steered wheels.

14. An apparatus for aiding steering when a vehicle is being driven in reverse, the moving direction of the vehicle being determined in response to the angle of steered wheels, the apparatus comprising:

a camera for capturing an image of an area behind the vehicle;

a monitor for displaying the image captured by the camera; and

a display control unit for displaying a marker while a driver operates a steering wheel, the marker being fixed at a predetermined position with respect to the monitor for aiding the driver in parking, the control unit displaying the marker and the image simultaneously on the monitor, wherein the parallel parking is completed by moving the vehicle in reverse so as to cause the marker to coincide with a corner of a parking space displayed on the monitor, followed by backing while keeping the steered wheels turned at their maximum angle.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the display control unit displays a fixed reference guide on the monitor, wherein the fixed reference guide includes a pair of fixed side marks that are spaced apart approximately by the apparent width of the vehicle and extends behind the rear end of the vehicle, and a fixed end mark that extends laterally to connect ends of the side marks on the monitor, and wherein the marker is positioned at the center of the fixed end mark.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the marker includes a first marker used when performing parallel parking to the left and a second marker used when performing parallel parking to the right.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the first marker and the second marker are selectively displayed depending on whether the vehicle is to be parked to the left or to the right.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the vehicle has obstruction detectors for detecting an obstruction existing near the front corners of the vehicle, and wherein the display control unit displays the presence of the obstruction on the monitor screen on the basis of a signal output from the obstruction detectors.

19. A method for aiding steering when a vehicle is driven in reverse, comprising:

displaying an image captured by a camera on a monitor provided at a driver'"'"'s seat, wherein the image is of an area behind the vehicle;

detecting the angle of steered wheels of the vehicle;

superimposing and displaying a guide marking upon the image for aiding steering while a driver operates a steering wheel, wherein the guide marking provides the driver with a first indication, which is a fixed reference guide displaying vehicle width projecting behind the vehicle and continuously showing a path of the vehicle corresponding to the angle of zero degrees of the steered wheels regardless of the current angle of the steered wheels, and a second indication simultaneously displayed with the first indication and showing a prospective path of the vehicle, the prospective path depending on the currently detected angle of the steered wheels; and

causing the vehicle to proceed on a route when the vehicle is driven so that the second indication is positioned at a center of the route, the route being an image of a way behind the vehicle actually displayed on the monitor.