Parking assist system

• US 7,804,425 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Bennie, Brian Gordon, Kwiecinski, Robert, McQuade, Thomas Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US12/123,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20090289813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 340/933, 340/988, 340/995.1, 340/438, 340/937, 340/903, 340/990, 701/41, 701/70, 701/36, 701/300, 701/121, 701/213, 701/207, 180/168, 180/170
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/006 using a distance sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/007 providing information about the distance to an obstacle, e.g. varying sound
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9314 Parking operations

Abstract

A vehicle parking assist system for assisting a driver of the vehicle in parking such vehicle in a garage located at a preselected global position. The system includes: a global positioning system mounted to the vehicle having stored therein the global position of the garage, for determining actual global position of the vehicle and providing a signal indicating when the vehicle is proximate the location of the garage; a range sensor for detecting a wall of the garage in front of a direction of motion of the vehicle into the garage; and a processor, responsive to the global positioning system provided by the global positioning system indicating when the vehicle is proximate the garage; the range sensor, for indicating when the vehicle has parked in the garage such that front of the vehicle is forward of the wall while enabling a door of the garage to be closed without striking the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle parking assist system for assisting a driver of a vehicle in parking such vehicle in a garage having a location at a preselected global position, comprising:

a positioning system mounted to the vehicle having stored therein the global position of the garage, for determining actual global position of the vehicle and providing a signal indicating when the vehicle is proximate the location of the garage;

a range sensor for detecting a wall of the garage in a front of a forward moving portion of the vehicle into the garage; and

a processor, responsive to a global position provided by the positioning system indicating when the vehicle is proximate the garage, and the range sensor for indicating when the vehicle has properly parked the vehicle into the garage.

2. The system recited in claim 1 wherein the positioning system in a global positioning system.

3. A vehicle parking assist system for assisting a driver of a vehicle in parking such vehicle in a garage having a location at a preselected global position, comprising:

a positioning system mounted to the vehicle having stored therein the global position of the garage, for determining actual global position of the vehicle and providing a signal indicating when the vehicle is proximate the location of the garage;

a range sensor for detecting a wall of the garage in a front of a forward moving portion of the vehicle into the garage; and

a processor, responsive to the positioning system provided by a global positioning system indicating when the vehicle is proximate the garage, and the range sensor for indicating when the vehicle has parked into the garage such that the forward moving portion of the vehicle is spaced a predetermined distance from the wall while enabling a door of the garage to be closed behind the vehicle without striking the vehicle.

4. The system recited in claim 3 wherein the positioning system is a global positioning system.

5. A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle in parking such vehicle in a garage, comprising:

determining position of the vehicle;

providing a signal indicating when the vehicle is proximate the garage;

activating a range detection system disposed on the vehicle in response to the provided indicating signal;

producing a warning to an operator of the vehicle in response to the activated range detection signal when the activated range detection system indicates the vehicle is at a predetermined range from a garage object.

6. The method recited in claim 5 including an initial calibration mode for determining a proper position of the vehicle within the garage, and wherein the warning is produced when the vehicle is at the proper position from the object.

8. The method recited in claim 5 including an initial calibration mode for determining the proper position of the vehicle, and wherein the warning is produced when the vehicle is at the proper position.

7. A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle in properly parking the vehicle in a parking space, comprising:

determining position of the vehicle;

providing a signal indicating when the vehicle is proximate the parking space;

activating a range detection system disposed on the vehicle in response to the provided indicating signal;

producing a warning to an operator of the vehicle in response to the activated range detection signal when the activated range detection system indicates the vehicle is at a proper position in the parking space.