Enhanced park assist system

• US 9,773,417 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2016
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Funke, James Michael, Ochmanski, Andrew E., Shaffer, Aric David, Singh, Vinit
• Primary Examiner(s): Tissot, Adam
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERNS, MICHAEL ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US14/991,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20170200373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/1005 Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/028 Guided parking by providing commands to the driver, e.g. acoustically or optically
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• 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

A vehicle park assist system may include a sensor, a signal device, and a controller configured to locate via the sensors an available parking place and activate the signal device in response to locating the available parking place and recognizing a park trigger indicative of a desire to park in the available parking place upon passing the available parking place.

Claims

1. A vehicle park assist system, comprising

a sensor,

a blinker, and

a controller configured to locate via the sensor an available parking place and activate the blinker in response to locating the available parking place and recognizing a park trigger indicative of a desire to park in the available parking place upon passing the available parking place.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the park trigger includes a deceleration of the vehicle upon passing the available parking place.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the park trigger includes a depression of a vehicle brake upon passing the available parking place.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the park trigger is included in vehicle component data received from at least one vehicle control unit.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the vehicle component data includes at least one of a vehicle speed and vehicle gear.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to enter into an active park assist mode.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the blinker includes a plurality of blinkers, at least one on each side of a vehicle.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to activate at least one of the plurality of blinkers arranged on the side of the vehicle adjacent to the available parking place.

9. A vehicle park assist system, comprising

a sensor,

a blinker, and

a controller configured to activate the blinker during park assist and deactivate the blinker in response to receiving vehicle component data including a cease signal trigger indicative of the park assist being substantially complete and including at least one of a vehicle wheel alignment and vehicle gear.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the cease signal trigger includes a straight wheel alignment.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the cease signal trigger includes the vehicle gear being in park.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the cease signal trigger includes the vehicle gear transitioning from reverse to drive.

13. A vehicle park assist system, comprising

at least one sensor,

at least one signal device on each side of a vehicle, and

a controller configured to

locate, via the sensor, an available parking place,

activate, in response to locating the available parking place and recognizing a park trigger indicative of a desire to park in the available parking place upon passing the available parking place, the signal device, and

deactivate the signal device in response to receiving vehicle component data indicative of a least one cease signal trigger.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the vehicle component data includes at least one of a vehicle wheel alignment and vehicle gear.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the cease signal trigger includes a straight wheel alignment.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the cease signal trigger includes the vehicle gear being in park.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the vehicle component data includes at least one of a vehicle speed and vehicle gear.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the park trigger includes a deceleration of the vehicle upon passing the available parking place.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the park trigger includes a depression of a vehicle brake upon passing the available parking place.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to activate the signal device on the side of the vehicle adjacent to the available parking place.