System and method for autonomous valet parking using plenoptic cameras

• US 9,809,218 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2017
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Elie, Larry Dean, Rhode, Douglas Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US15/418,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20170137024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 284 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/22 for measuring depth
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• 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: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0251 extracting 3D information from a plurality of images taken from different locations, e.g. stereo vision stereoscopic image analysis H04N13/00; depth recovery from images G06T7/593
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5854 using shape and object relationship
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10052 Images from lightfield camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/557 from light fields, e.g. from plenoptic cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/586 of parking space
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/141 with means giving the indication of available parking spaces
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/143 inside the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/144 on portable or mobile units, e.g. personal digital assistant [PDA]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/146 where the parking area is a limited parking space, e.g. parking garage, restricted space
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/147 where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments provide systems and methods for autonomously valet parking a vehicle based on images obtained from a plurality of plenoptic (light field) cameras. An example vehicle includes a plenoptic camera to obtain an image external to the vehicle and a controller. The controller is to autonomously navigate a vehicle toward a parking space identified as unoccupied and generate, based on the image, an occupancy map indicating occupied regions in a plurality of concentric regions. The controller also is to determine whether the parking space is available based on the occupancy map and send, in response to determining the parking space is unavailable, an error message to a driver.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a plenoptic camera to obtain an image external to the vehicle;

a controller to;

autonomously navigate a vehicle toward a parking space identified as unoccupied;

generate, based on the image, an occupancy map indicating occupied regions in a plurality of concentric regions;

determine whether the parking space is available based on the occupancy map; and

send, in response to determining the parking space is unavailable, an error message to a driver.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to autonomously navigate the vehicle into the parking space in response to determining the parking space is available.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plenoptic camera generates a depth map based on the image and the controller generates the occupancy map based on the depth map.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, to autonomously navigate the vehicle toward the parking space, the controller is configured to determine a location of the vehicle and determine a location of the parking space identified as being unoccupied.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the controller receives the location of the vehicle via a global positioning system.

6. The vehicle of claim 4, the location of the parking space determined by the controller is stored in memory.

7. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein, to determine the location of the parking space, the controller is configured to analyze the occupancy map to determine if the occupancy map includes an unoccupied region indicative of an available parking space.

8. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the controller navigates the vehicle toward the parking space based on the occupancy map, the location of the vehicle, and the location of the parking space.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller determines that the parking space is unavailable when at least one of another vehicle and a garbage can is positioned within the parking space.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller sends the error message to the driver via a cell phone.

11. A method for autonomously parking vehicles, the method comprising:

obtaining an image via a plenoptic camera of a vehicle;

autonomously navigating, via a controller, the vehicle toward a parking space identified as unoccupied;

generating, based on the image, an occupancy map indicating occupied regions in a plurality of concentric regions;

determining whether the parking space is available based on the occupancy map; and

sending an error message in response to determining the parking space is unavailable.

12. The method of claim 11, further including autonomously navigating the vehicle into the parking space in response to determining the parking space is available.

13. The method of claim 11, further including generating, via the plenoptic camera, a depth map based on the image and generating, via the controller, the occupancy map based on the depth map.

14. The method of claim 11, further including determining a location of the vehicle and a location of the parking space to autonomously navigate the vehicle toward the parking space.

15. The method of claim 14, further including receiving the location of the vehicle via a global positioning system.

16. The method of claim 14, further including retrieving the location of the parking space from a memory.

17. The method of claim 14, furthering including analyzing the occupancy map to determine if the occupancy map includes an unoccupied region indicative of an available parking space to determine the location of the parking space.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein navigating the vehicle toward the parking space is based on the occupancy map, the location of the vehicle, and the location of the parking space.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether the parking space is unavailable includes identifying when at least one of another vehicle and a garbage can is positioned within the parking space.

20. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein sending the error message includes sending the error message to a driver via a cell phone.