Park-steering assistance system having an improved switch-on and switch-off logic

• US 8,326,492 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2007
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Schoening, Volkmar, Wuttke, Ulrich, Schwitters, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Luke
• Application Number:
  US12/517,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20100070138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,835 Days
• Field of Search: 701/37, 701 41- 42, 701/96, 701/117, 701/301, 701/48, 340/932.2, 340/435
• US Class Current: 701/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/004 using wave sensors radar designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicles and fixed obstacles G01S13/931
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

A park-steering assistance system and method for operating a park-steering assistance system includes a switch-on and switch-off logic, which is provided to activate the park-steering assistance system as a function of a signal of a control element and to deactivate the park-steering assistance system as a function of a velocity value of the motor vehicle and as a function of a specified first velocity threshold value, a specified second velocity threshold value existing, which is lower than the first velocity threshold value, and the switch-on and switch-off logic being arranged to switch the park-steering assistance system from the activated state to a temporarily deactivated state or from the temporarily deactivated state to the activated state as a function of a comparison of the variables of the velocity value and the second velocity threshold value.

Claims

1. A park-steering assistance system adapted to providing a driver with at least one of (a) assistance functions and/or (b) services in connection with driving a motor vehicle at least one of (a) into and/or (b) out of a parking space, comprising:

a switch-on and switch-off logic adapted to switch the park-steering assistance system to an activated state as a function of a signal of a control device and to switch the park-steering assistance system to a deactivated state as a function of a velocity value of the motor vehicle and as a function of a specified first velocity threshold value;

wherein the switch-on and switch-off logic is adapted to switch the park-steering assistance system at least one of (a) from the activated state to a temporarily deactivated state and/or (b) from the temporarily deactivated state to the activated state as a function of a comparison of the velocity value and a second velocity threshold value, the second velocity threshold value smaller than the first velocity threshold value.

2. A park-steering assistance system, park-steering assistance system adapted to providing a driver with at least one of (a) assistance functions and/or (b) services in connection with driving a motor vehicle at least one of (a) into and/or (b) out of a parking space, comprising:

a switch-on and switch-off logic adapted to switch the park-steering assistance system to an activated state as a function of a signal of a control device and to switch the park-steering assistance system to a deactivated state as a function of a velocity value of the motor vehicle and as a function of a specified first velocity threshold value;

wherein the switch-on and switch-off logic is adapted to switch the park-steering assistance system at least one of (a) from the activated state to a temporarily deactivated state and/or (b) from the temporarily deactivated state to the activated state as a function of a comparison of the velocity value and a second velocity threshold value, the second velocity threshold value smaller than the first velocity threshold value; and

wherein the switch-on and switch-off logic is adapted to switch the park-steering assistance system from the temporarily deactivated state to the activated state only if the velocity value is also smaller than a third velocity threshold value, the third velocity threshold value smaller than the second velocity threshold value.

3. A park-steering assistance system, park-steering assistance system adapted to providing a driver with at least one of (a) assistance functions and/or (b) services in connection with driving a motor vehicle at least one of (a) into and/or (b) out of a parking space, comprising:

a switch-on and switch-off logic adapted to switch the park-steering assistance system to an activated state as a function of a signal of a control device and to switch the park-steering assistance system to a deactivated state as a function of a velocity value of the motor vehicle and as a function of a specified first velocity threshold value;

wherein the switch-on and switch-off logic is adapted to switch the park-steering assistance system at least one of (a) from the activated state to a temporarily deactivated state and/or (b) from the temporarily deactivated state to the activated state as a function of a comparison of the velocity value and a second velocity threshold value, the second velocity threshold value smaller than the first velocity threshold value; and

wherein the switch-on and switch-off logic is adapted to switch the park-steering assistance system from the activated state to a state activated in a limited manner if the velocity value at least one of (a) reaches and/or (b) exceeds a fourth velocity threshold value, the fourth velocity threshold value smaller than the second velocity threshold value.

4. The park-steering assistance system according to claim 3, wherein the switch-on and switch-off logic is adapted so that the switch from the temporarily deactivated state to at least one of (a) the activated state and/or (b) the state activated in a limited manner occurs only if the velocity value falls below at least one of (a) the second velocity threshold value and/or (b) a third velocity threshold value, smaller than the second velocity threshold value, for a time span that is longer than a second time interval.

5. A park-steering assistance system, park-steering assistance system adapted to providing a driver with at least one of (a) assistance functions and/or (b) services in connection with driving a motor vehicle at least one of (a) into and/or (b) out of a parking space, comprising:

a switch-on and switch-off logic adapted to switch the park-steering assistance system to an activated state as a function of a signal of a control device and to switch the park-steering assistance system to a deactivated state as a function of a velocity value of the motor vehicle and as a function of a specified first velocity threshold value;

wherein the switch-on and switch-off logic is adapted to switch the park-steering assistance system at least one of (a) from the activated state to a temporarily deactivated state and/or (b) from the temporarily deactivated state to the activated state as a function of a comparison of the velocity value and a second velocity threshold value, the second velocity threshold value smaller than the first velocity threshold value; and

wherein the switch-on and switch-off logic is adapted so that the switch to the deactivated state occurs only if the velocity value exceeds the first velocity threshold value during a time span that is longer than a first time interval.

6. A method for operating a park-steering assistance system having a switch-on and switch-off logic, comprising:

detecting a control signal;

switching the park-steering assistance system to an activated state upon receipt of the control signal;

receiving a velocity signal that represents a velocity value of a motor vehicle;

comparing the velocity value to a specified first velocity threshold value and switching the park-steering assistance system to a deactivated state as a function of a result of the comparison;

comparing, by the switch-on and switch-off logic, the velocity value and a second velocity threshold value; and

switching, by the switch-on and switch-off logic, the park-steering assistance system at least one of (a) from the activated state to a temporarily deactivated state and/or (b) from the temporarily deactivated state to the activated state as a function of the comparison;

wherein the second velocity threshold value is smaller than the first velocity threshold value.

7. A method for operating a park-steering assistance system having a switch-on and switch-off logic, comprising:

detecting a control signal;

switching the park-steering assistance system to an activated state upon receipt of the control signal;

receiving a velocity signal that represents a velocity value of a motor vehicle;

comparing the velocity value to a specified first velocity threshold value and switching the park-steering assistance system to a deactivated state as a function of a result of the comparison;

comparing, by the switch-on and switch-off logic, the velocity value and a second velocity threshold value; and

switching, by the switch-on and switch-off logic, the park-steering assistance system at least one of (a) from the activated state to a temporarily deactivated state and/or (b) from the temporarily deactivated state to the activated state as a function of the comparison;

wherein the second velocity threshold value is smaller than the first velocity threshold value;

the method further comprising;

comparing, by the switch-on and switch-off logic, the velocity value to a third velocity threshold value; and

switching, by the switch-on and switch-off logic, the park-steering assistance system from the temporarily deactivated state to the activated state only if the velocity value is also smaller than a third velocity threshold value;

wherein the third velocity threshold value is smaller than the second velocity threshold value.

8. A method for operating a park-steering assistance system having a switch-on and switch-off logic, comprising:

detecting a control signal;

switching the park-steering assistance system to an activated state upon receipt of the control signal;

receiving a velocity signal that represents a velocity value of a motor vehicle;

comparing the velocity value to a specified first velocity threshold value and switching the park-steering assistance system to a deactivated state as a function of a result of the comparison;

comparing, by the switch-on and switch-off logic, the velocity value and a second velocity threshold value; and

switching, by the switch-on and switch-off logic, the park-steering assistance system at least one of (a) from the activated state to a temporarily deactivated state and/or (b) from the temporarily deactivated state to the activated state as a function of the comparison;

wherein the second velocity threshold value is smaller than the first velocity threshold value;

the method further comprising;

comparing, by the switch-on and switch-off logic, the velocity value to a fourth velocity threshold value; and

switching, by the switch-on and switch-off logic, the park-steering assistance system from the activated state to a state activated in a limited manner if the velocity value at least one of (a) reaches and/or (b) exceeds a fourth velocity threshold value;

wherein the fourth velocity threshold value is smaller than the second velocity threshold value.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

ascertaining, by the switch-on and switch-off logic, a time span during which the velocity value falls below at least one of (a) the second velocity threshold value and/or (b) a third velocity threshold value;

comparing, by the switch-on and switch-off logic, the ascertained time span to a second time interval; and

switching, by the switch-on and switch-off logic, the park-steering assistance system from the temporarily deactivated state to at least one of (a) the activated state and/or (b) the state activated in a limited manner only if the ascertained time span is longer than the second time interval;

wherein the third velocity threshold value is smaller than the second velocity threshold value.

10. A method for operating a park-steering assistance system having a switch-on and switch-off logic, comprising:

detecting a control signal;

switching the park-steering assistance system to an activated state upon receipt of the control signal;

receiving a velocity signal that represents a velocity value of a motor vehicle;

comparing the velocity value to a specified first velocity threshold value and switching the park-steering assistance system to a deactivated state as a function of a result of the comparison;

comparing, by the switch-on and switch-off logic, the velocity value and a second velocity threshold value; and

switching, by the switch-on and switch-off logic, the park-steering assistance system at least one of (a) from the activated state to a temporarily deactivated state and/or (b) from the temporarily deactivated state to the activated state as a function of the comparison;

wherein the second velocity threshold value is smaller than the first velocity threshold value;

the method further comprising;

ascertaining, by the switch-on and switch-off logic, a time span during which the velocity value at least one of (a) reaches and/or (b) exceeds the first velocity threshold value;

comparing, by the switch-on and switch-off logic, the ascertained time span to a first time interval; and

switching, by the switch-on and switch-off logic, the park-steering assistance system to the deactivated state only if the velocity value at least one of (a) reaches and/or (b) exceeds the first velocity threshold value during a time span that is longer than a first time interval.