Method for performing an at least semi-autonomous parking process of a motor vehicle in a garage, parking assistance system and motor vehicle

• US 9,656,691 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2013
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Heimberger, Markus, Grimm, Oliver, Vovkushevsky, Vsevolod
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLDMAN, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US14/442,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20160288833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 604130, 382104, 382105, 340435, 340903, 701 41, 701 42, 701 28, 701 36, 701408, 701 11, 701 23, 701 25, 701435
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/586 of parking space
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for performing an at least semi-autonomous parking process of a motor vehicle (1) in a garage (16), wherein the garage (16) is detected and a current position of the motor vehicle (1) relative to the garage (16) is determined by means of a parking assistance system (2) of the motor vehicle (1), and wherein following detection of the garage (16) the at least semi-autonomous parking process is carried out depending on the current position of the motor vehicle (1) relative to the garage (16), wherein an image of the garage (16) is recorded by means of a camera (8, 10, 11, 12) of the parking assistance system (2) and the detection of the garage (16) comprises subjecting the image to pattern recognition regarding the garage entrance (17) by means of an image processor (6) of the parking assistance system (2) and identifying the garage (16) by means of the pattern recognition.

Claims

1. A method for performing an at least semi-autonomous parking process of a motor vehicle in a garage, comprising:

detecting the garage and determining a current position of the motor vehicle relative to the garage using a parking assistance system of the motor vehicle;

following detection of the garage, carrying out the at least semi-autonomous parking process depending on the current position of the motor vehicle relative to the garage;

recording an image of the garage by a camera of the parking assistance system,

wherein the detection of the garage comprises the image being subjected to pattern recognition with respect to a garage entrance by an image processor of the parking assistance system, wherein the garage is identified by means of the pattern recognition, and

wherein the determination of the current position of the motor vehicle relative to the garage comprises determining a current orientation of the motor vehicle relative to the garage using the image of the garage entrance, in particular using an orientation of at least one of the edges in the image and/or using the angle of at least one of the corners, wherein the corners are the intersections between vertical edges and the horizontal edge.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least two edges delimiting the garage entrance, the at least two edges comprising at least one vertical edge and a horizontal edge, are detected in the image as the pattern of the garage entrance by the image processor.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein at least one vertical edge and one horizontal edge are detected as the pattern of the garage entrance and the identification of the garage comprises determining a ratio of the respective lengths of the vertical edge and of the horizontal edge in the image.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least two corners of the garage entrance are detected in the image as the pattern of the garage entrance by the image processor.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one horizontal edge is detected as the pattern of the garage entrance and the identification of the garage comprises identifying a horizon above the horizontal edge in the image.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein determination of the current position of the motor vehicle relative to the garage comprises determining a distance of the motor vehicle from the garage and a current position of the motor vehicle relative to the garage using the image of the garage entrance.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the garage entrance is recorded by at least one distance sensor of the parking assistance system that is different from the camera, and the identification of the garage is plausibility checked using sensor data of the at least one distance sensor.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a height of the garage entrance is determined using the length of at least one of the vertical edges in the image, and is compared with a height of the motor vehicle.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein a parking path from a current position of the motor vehicle at least to an intermediate position between the current position and a target position in the garage is determined using the image of the garage entrance, depending on the current orientation of the motor vehicle relative to the garage that is determined using the image or depending on a distance of the motor vehicle from the garage entrance that is determined using the image or depending on the current position of the motor vehicle relative to the garage that is determined using the image, and the motor vehicle is guided along the parking path.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the parking path is determined such that in the intermediate position a central longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle extends through the garage entrance, the central longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle being coincident with the central longitudinal axis of the garage.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein when the motor vehicle approaches the garage after reaching the intermediate position, the garage is recorded by at least one distance sensor of the parking assistance system that is different from the camera, and the parking path is completed as far as the target position or an already complete parking path that is determined using the image is corrected using sensor data of the at least one distance sensor.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein following detection of the garage by the at least one sensor, the parking path is continuously corrected using respective current sensor data of the at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor is an ultrasonic sensor, a radar sensor and/or a laser scanner.

13. A parking assistance system for performing an at least semi-autonomous parking process of a motor vehicle in a garage, comprising:

a detection device for detection of the garage and for determining a current position of the motor vehicle relative to the garage; and

a control device that is configured to carry out the at least semi-autonomous parking process depending on the current position of the motor vehicle relative to the garage following detection of the garage,

wherein the detection device comprises a camera for recording the image of the garage and an image processor that is configured to subject the image to pattern recognition with regard to a garage entrance and to identify the garage by the pattern recognition, and

wherein determining the current position of the motor vehicle relative to the garage comprises determining a current orientation of the motor vehicle relative to the garage using the image of the garage entrance, in particular using an orientation of at least one of the edges in the image and/or using the angle of at least one of the corners, wherein the corners are the intersections between vertical edges and the horizontal edge.

14. A motor vehicle with a parking assistance system according to claim 13.