Active park assist object detection

• US 9,696,420 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2013
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Shaffer, Aric David, Stempnik, Vern, Choi, Brian, Crawford, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B
• Application Number:
  US13/859,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20140300504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• Field of Search: 342 70- 72, 342 27, 342 52, 342118, 701301, 340435-436, 340903
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/862 Combination of radar systems with sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9314 Parking operations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/933 for measuring the dimensions of the parking space when driving past

Abstract

A method of assessing an area for parking a vehicle includes ultrasonically scanning the area to obtain ultrasonic data, radar scanning the area to obtain radar data, and determining whether to park the vehicle in the area based on both the ultrasonic data and the radar data.

Claims

1. A method of assessing a parking spot for parking a vehicle comprising:

scanning the parking spot with ultrasonic sensors to obtain ultrasonic data;

scanning the parking spot with radar sensors to obtain radar data;

utilizing a computer to identify a first object as a likely curb if identified only in the ultrasonic data and to determine to accept or reject the parking spot based on both the ultrasonic data and the radar data; and

parking the vehicle in response to accepting the parking spot.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing the computer to determine whether another object is detected in the radar data and at the same location as the likely curb and, if so, the method further comprises utilizing the computer to determine the first object as a wall.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing the computer to:

assess if a curb has been identified, and if so, then the method further comprises utilizing the computer to determine whether a second object identification can be made using both the ultrasonic data and the radar data; and

utilizing the computer to assess whether no second object identification has been made using both the ultrasonic data and the radar data, and if not, then the method further comprises utilizing the computer to accept the parking spot for the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing the computer to assess whether a second object identification has been made using both the ultrasonic data and the radar data, and if so, then the method further comprises utilizing the computer to assess whether the second object is nearer to the vehicle than the curb, or farther from the vehicle than the curb.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising utilizing the computer to:

assess if the second object is nearer to the vehicle than the curb;

determine whether the second object defines a portion of a parking spot;

assess if the second object is farther from the vehicle than the curb; and

reject the second object as an obstruction in the parking spot in response to the second object being farther away from the vehicle than the curb.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of utilizing the computer to determine to accept or reject the parking spot further comprises utilizing the computer to assess whether any obstructions are found in the parking spot using both the ultrasonic data and the radar data.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium tangibly embodying computer-executable instructions comprising steps to:

assess a possible parking spot for a vehicle;

acquire ultrasonic scanning data of the spot;

acquire radar scanning data of the spot;

identify a first object as a likely curb if identified only in the ultrasonic data;

determine to accept or reject a parking spot based on both the ultrasonic and radar data; and

parking the vehicle in response to accepting the parking spot.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, the instructions further comprising steps to determine whether another object is detected in the radar scanning data and at the same location as the likely curb and, if so, further determine the first object as a wall.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, the instructions further comprising steps to:

assess if a curb has been identified, and if so, then determine whether a second object identification can be made using both the ultrasonic scanning data and the radar scanning data; and

assess whether no second object identification has been made using both the ultrasonic scanning data and the radar scanning data, and if not, then the method further comprises accepting the possible parking spot as a parking spot for the vehicle.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, the instructions further comprising steps to assess whether a second object identification has been made using both the ultrasonic scanning data and the radar scanning data, and if so, then further assess whether the second object is nearer to the vehicle than the curb, or farther from the vehicle than the curb.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, the instructions further comprising steps to:

assess if the second object is nearer to the vehicle than the curb, then determine whether the second object defines a portion of the possible parking spot; and

assess if the second object is farther from the vehicle than the curb, then reject the second object as an obstruction in the area.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, the instructions further comprising steps to determine whether to park in the possible parking spot by further assessing whether any obstructions are found in the possible parking spot using both the ultrasonic data and the radar data.

13. A host vehicle comprising:

an ultrasonic scanner;

a radar scanner; and

a computer programmed to;

acquire ultrasonic data of an area,

acquire radar data of the area,

identify a first object as a likely curb if identified only in the ultrasonic data,

determine to accept or reject a possible parking spot based on the ultrasonic data and on the radar data, and

park the host vehicle in response to accepting the possible parking spot.

14. The host vehicle of claim 13, wherein the computer is further programmed to determine whether another object is detected in the radar data and at the same location as the likely curb and, if so, further determine the first object as a wall.

15. The host vehicle of claim 13, wherein the computer is further programmed to:

assess if a curb has been identified, and if so, then determine whether a second object identification can be made using both the ultrasonic data and the radar data; and

assess whether no second object identification has been made using both the ultrasonic data and the radar data, and if not, then accept the possible parking spot as a parking spot for the vehicle.

16. The host vehicle of claim 13, wherein the computer is further programmed to:

assess whether a second object identification has been made using both the ultrasonic data and the radar data, and if so, then further assess whether the second object is nearer to the vehicle than the curb, or farther from the vehicle than the curb;

or

assess if the second object is nearer to the vehicle than the curb, then determine whether the second object defines a portion of the possible parking spot, and assess if the second object is farther from the vehicle than the curb, then reject the second object as an obstruction in the area.

17. The host vehicle of claim 13, wherein the computer is further programmed to determine whether to park in the possible parking spot by being further programmed to assess whether any obstructions are found in the area using both the ultrasonic data and the radar data.