Method for pulling a vehicle into or out of a parking space and corresponding assistance system and vehicle

• US 9,505,435 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2011
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Wuttke, Ulrich, Hger, Philipp, Terkes, Mehmet
• Primary Examiner(s): Jabr, Fadey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mahne, Kevin P.
• Application Number:
  US13/697,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20130110342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,069 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/00 Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/028 Guided parking by providing commands to the driver, e.g. acoustically or optically
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

A method wherein, when a vehicle is pulled into or out of a parking space, the dimensions of the parking space in which the vehicle is located or in which the vehicle is being pulled into are determined by an assistance system. Furthermore, the assistance system detects a distance between the vehicle and an obstacle. If the distance is below a threshold value, the assistance system produces a notice. The assistance system sets the threshold value according to the dimensions of the vehicle and the dimensions of the parking space.

Claims

1. A method for assisting driving of a vehicle into or out of a parking space using an assistance system, the method comprising:

the assistance system determining dimensions of a parking space in which the vehicle is located or in which the vehicle will be parked;

sensing when an obstacle is present by the assistance system;

sensing a distance between the vehicle and the sensed obstacle;

setting a threshold value after the distance has been sensed, and

generating an indication while entering or exiting the parking space only when a current sensed distance between the vehicle and the sensed obstacle is below the threshold value,

wherein the threshold value is set as a function of dimensions of the vehicle and dimensions of the parking space following beginning of a first maneuver of a process for entering the parking space or for exiting the parking space;

wherein the threshold value is set as a function of the dimensions of the vehicle and of the dimensions of the parking space when driving into a parking space when the following conditions are met;

the parking space which is sufficiently large for the vehicle to be semi-automatically driven into has been measured;

the assistance system is activated;

a reverse gear speed of the vehicle is engaged; and

a steering intervention of the assistance system into a steering system of the vehicle is active.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold value is set lower than the smaller of the difference between the dimensions of the parking space and the dimensions of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold value is set as a function of a difference between a length of the parking space and a length of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold value is set as a function of the dimensions of the vehicle and of the dimensions of the parking space when driving out of a parking space when the following conditions are met:

the parking space in which the vehicle is located has been measured;

the assistance system is activated;

a gear speed of the vehicle is engaged;

a direction-of-travel indicator of the vehicle is activated; and

a steering intervention of the assistance system into a steering system of the vehicle is active.

5. The assistance system of claim 1, wherein the threshold value is less than the sensed distance and is a smaller threshold value for relatively smaller sensed distances and a larger threshold value for relatively larger sensed distances.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold value is set as a function of dimensions of the vehicle.

7. An assistance system for a vehicle, the assistance system comprising:

a device for generating an indication;

a controller; and

at least one distance measuring sensor, wherein the at least one distance measuring sensor determines dimensions of a parking space in which the vehicle is located or in which the vehicle will be parked and the at least one distance measuring sensor determines a distance between the vehicle and an obstacle,

wherein the assistance system generates the indication by the device, only when the assistance system senses, by the at least one distance measuring sensor, that a current distance between the vehicle and the obstacle is below a threshold value during entering or exiting the parking space, and

wherein, the controller sets the threshold value as a function of dimensions of the vehicle and dimensions of the parking space following the determination of a distance between the vehicle and the obstacle and following beginning of a first maneuver of a process for entering the parking space or for exiting the parking space.

8. The assistance system of claim 7, wherein the assistance system is configured to:

determine dimensions of a parking space in which the vehicle is located or in which the vehicle will be parked;

sense an obstacle is present by the assistance system;

sensing a distance between the vehicle and the sensed obstacle; and

generate an indication if the distance is below a threshold value,

wherein the threshold value is set during the parking space entering process or parking space exiting process as a function of dimensions of the vehicle and dimensions of the parking space.

9. The assistance system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to set a threshold value a function of the dimensions of the vehicle and of the dimensions of the parking space when driving into a parking space when the following conditions are met:

the parking space which is sufficiently large for the vehicle has been measured;

the assistance system is activated;

a reverse gear speed of the vehicle is engaged; and

a steering intervention of the assistance system into a steering system of the vehicle is active.

10. The assistance system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to set a threshold value as a function of the dimensions of the vehicle and of the dimensions of the parking space when driving out of a parking space when the following conditions are met:

the parking space in which the vehicle is located has been measured;

the assistance system is activated;

a gear speed of the vehicle is engaged;

a direction-of-travel indicator of the vehicle is activated; and

a steering intervention of the assistance system into a steering system of the vehicle is active.

11. A vehicle comprising:

an assistance system; and

a steering system, wherein the assistance system comprises;

a device for generating an indication;

a controller; and

at least one distance measuring sensor, wherein the at least one distance measuring sensor determines dimensions of a parking space in which the vehicle is located or in which the vehicle will be parked and the at least one distance measuring sensor determines a distance between the vehicle and an obstacle distance between the vehicle and an obstacle,

wherein the assistance system generates the indication by the device, only when the assistance system senses, by the at least one distance measuring sensor, that a current distance between the vehicle and the obstacle is below a threshold value while entering or exiting the parking space, and

wherein the controller sets the threshold value as a function of dimensions of the vehicle and dimensions of the parking space following the determination of a distance between the vehicle and the obstacle and following beginning of a first maneuver of a process for entering the parking space or for exiting the parking space.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the threshold value is set as a function of a difference between a length of the parking space and a length of the vehicle.

13. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to set a threshold value as a function of the dimensions of the vehicle and of the dimensions of the parking space when driving into a parking space when the following conditions are met:

the parking space which is sufficiently large for the vehicle has been measured;

the assistance system is activated;

a reverse gear speed of the vehicle is engaged; and

a steering intervention of the assistance system into the steering system of the vehicle is active.

14. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to set a threshold value as a function of the dimensions of the vehicle and of the dimensions of the parking space when driving out of a parking space when the following conditions are met:

the parking space in which the vehicle is located has been measured;

the assistance system is activated;

a gear speed of the vehicle is engaged;

a direction-of-travel indicator of the vehicle is activated; and

a steering intervention of the assistance system into the steering system of the vehicle is active.