Automated parking system

• US 9,884,620 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2016
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Hess, Felix
• Primary Examiner(s): Kiswanto, Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEBER, TAMARA L
• Application Number:
  US15/136,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20160318510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/24 Direction of travel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/02 using treadles built into the road pads or other sensitive devices responsive to passage of vehicles E01F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/042 using inductive or magnetic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/148 Management of a network of parking areas
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

A method for determining the position of a motor vehicle on a traffic area of a parking facility includes the steps of scanning a camera image of the traffic area including the motor vehicle, determining a position of the motor vehicle based on the camera image, scanning the motor vehicle with the aid of a stationary sensor on the traffic area, and validating or correcting the determined position based on the scanning with the aid of the stationary sensor. The stationary sensor is configured like a parking facility sensor, which is configured to determine the presence of a motor vehicle parked in a parking space of the parking facility, the parking space being reachable with the aid of the motor vehicle via the traffic area.

Claims

1. A method for determining the position of a motor vehicle on a traffic area of a parking facility, the method comprising:

scanning a camera image of the traffic area including the motor vehicle;

determining a position of the motor vehicle based on the camera image;

scanning the motor vehicle with a stationary sensor on the traffic area; and

validating or correcting the determined position based on the scanning with the stationary sensor;

wherein the stationary sensor is configured to determine a presence of a motor vehicle parked in a parking space of the parking facility,

wherein the parking space is reachable with the motor vehicle via the traffic area, and

wherein the motor vehicle is automatically steered based on a validated or a corrected position on a route between a service area and the parking space, and

wherein a further stationary sensor is attached in the area of a traffic junction of the traffic area, and the motor vehicle is steered as a function of a signal of the further stationary sensor which indicates a further motor vehicle.

2. The method claim 1, wherein if the position of a motor vehicle, which was scanned with the stationary sensor, is not determinable based on the camera image, the motor vehicle is stopped.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a parking facility sensor, which is configured to determine the presence of a motor vehicle parked in a parking space of the parking facility, is used as a position sensor to validate or correct a position of a motor vehicle on a traffic area which was determined based on a camera image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the stationary sensor includes at least one of a passive sensor or an active sensor, and wherein the further stationary sensor includes at least one of a passive sensor or an active sensor.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the passive sensor includes at least one of a magnetometer or a photosensor, and wherein the active sensor includes at least one of a radar sensor, a LIDAR sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program, which is executable by a processor, comprising:

a program code arrangement having program code for determining the position of a motor vehicle on a traffic area of a parking facility, by performing the following;

scanning a camera image of the traffic area including the motor vehicle;

determining a position of the motor vehicle based on the camera image;

scanning the motor vehicle with a stationary sensor on the traffic area; and

validating or correcting the determined position based on the scanning with the stationary sensor;

wherein the stationary sensor is configured to determine a presence of a motor vehicle parked in a parking space of the parking facility,

wherein the parking space is reachable with the motor vehicle via the traffic area,

wherein the validated or corrected position on a route between a service area and the parking space is provided to the motor vehicle which uses the validated or corrected position to automatically steer the motor vehicle, and

wherein a further stationary sensor is attached in the area of a traffic junction of the traffic area, and the motor vehicle is steered as a function of a signal of the further stationary sensor which indicates a further motor vehicle.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the stationary sensor includes at least one of a passive sensor or an active sensor, and wherein the further stationary sensor includes at least one of a passive sensor or an active sensor.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the passive sensor includes at least one of a magnetometer or a photosensor, and wherein the active sensor includes at least one of a radar sensor, a LIDAR sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor.

9. A control system for a parking facility, comprising:

a parking facility sensor on a parking space of the parking facility, the parking facility sensor being configured to determine a parked position of a motor vehicle;

a camera for providing a camera image of a traffic area including the motor vehicle;

a processing device for determining a position of the motor vehicle based on the camera image; and

a stationary sensor in the area of a traffic area via which the parking space is reachable with the motor vehicle;

wherein the processing device is configured to validate or correct the determined position based on a scanning with the stationary sensor,

wherein the stationary sensor is configured the same as the parking facility sensor, which is configured to determine a presence of a motor vehicle parked in a parking space of the parking facility, the parking space being reachable by the motor vehicle via a traffic area, and

wherein a further stationary sensor is attached in the area of a traffic junction of the traffic area, and the motor vehicle is steered as a function of a signal of the further stationary sensor which indicates a further motor vehicle.

10. The control system of claim 9, wherein the parking facility sensor is configured to be coupled to a ground of the parking facility.

11. The control system of claim 9, wherein the further stationary sensor is configured to access the traffic junction.

12. The control system of claim 9, wherein the stationary sensor includes at least one of a passive sensor or an active sensor, and wherein the further stationary sensor includes at least one of a passive sensor or an active sensor.

13. The control system of claim 12, wherein the passive sensor includes at least one of a magnetometer or a photosensor, and wherein the active sensor includes at least one of a radar sensor, a LIDAR sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor.

14. A control system for a parking facility, comprising:

a parking facility sensor on a parking space of the parking facility, the parking facility sensor being configured to determine a parked position of a motor vehicle;

a camera for providing a camera image of a traffic area including the motor vehicle;

a processing device for determining a position of the motor vehicle based on the camera image; and

a stationary sensor in the area of a traffic area via which the parking space is reachable with the motor vehicle;

wherein the processing device is configured to validate or correct the determined position based on a scanning with the stationary sensor,

wherein the stationary sensor is configured the same as the parking facility sensor, which is configured to determine a presence of a motor vehicle parked in a parking space of the parking facility, the parking space being reachable by the motor vehicle via a traffic area, and

wherein the stationary sensor includes at least one of a passive sensor or an active sensor, and wherein a further stationary sensor includes at least one of a passive sensor or an active sensor, and wherein the passive sensor includes at least one of a magnetometer or a photosensor, and wherein the active sensor includes at least one of a radar sensor, a LIDAR sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor, and

wherein the motor vehicle is steered as a function of a signal of a further stationary sensor which indicates a further motor vehicle.