Vehicle remote parking assist systems and methods

• US 10,821,972 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2018
• Issued: 11/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Krekel, Markus, Benmimoun, Ahmed
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiltey, Nicholas K
• Application Number:
  US16/130,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20200086852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/10 Automatic or semi-automatic parking aid systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0809 Driver authorisation; Driver identity check
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/586 of parking space
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/593 Recognising seat occupancy

Abstract

Vehicles and methods are disclosed for enabling vehicle occupants to maximize their time inside a vehicle during a remote parking operation, so as to limit exposure to adverse weather. An example vehicle includes a door, a sensor, and a processor. The processor is configured to determine a minimum open door angle for an occupant to exit, determine a vehicle path for execution of a remote parking operation, and, responsive to determining via the sensor during execution of the remote parking operation that the door is prevented from opening to the minimum door angle, pause execution of the remote parking operation.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a door;

a sensor; and

a processor configured to;

determine, based on a user input received by a vehicle user interface, a minimum open door angle for an occupant to exit;

determine a vehicle path for execution of a remote parking operation; and

responsive to determining via the sensor during execution of the remote parking operation, and before the vehicle has reached a final parking position, that the door is prevented from opening to the minimum door angle, pause execution of the remote parking operation.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide an alert indicating the occupant should exit the vehicle before the vehicle will proceed to the final parking position.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine that the door has opened and closed; and

responsively resume execution of the remote parking operation.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a first door and a second door corresponding to a first occupant and a second occupant;

determine a first minimum open door angle for the first door, and a second minimum open door angle for the second door;

responsive to determining via the sensor during execution of the remote parking operation that the first door is prevented from opening to the first minimum door angle, pause execution of the remote parking operation;

resume execution of the remote parking operation responsive to determining that the first door has opened and closed;

responsive to determining via the sensor during execution of the remote parking operation that the second door is prevented from opening to the second minimum door angle, pause execution of the remote parking operation; and

resume execution of the remote parking operation responsive to determining that the second door has opened and closed.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to continue execution of the remote parking operation responsive to receiving input from the occupant via a remote computing device.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive input indicating which door corresponds to the occupant.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the minimum door angle based on a detected occupant identity.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the detected occupant identity is determined based on an occupant profile stored on a key FOB detected by the vehicle.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect a current open door angle of the door; and

store the current open door angle in a vehicle memory as the minimum door angle.

10. A method comprising:

determining, based on a user input received by a vehicle user interface, a minimum open door angle of a door for an occupant to exit a vehicle;

determining a vehicle path for execution of a remote parking operation; and

responsive to determining via a sensor during execution of the remote parking operation, and before the vehicle has reached a final parking position, that the door is prevented from opening to the minimum open door angle, pausing execution of the remote parking operation.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing an alert indicating the occupant should exit the vehicle before the vehicle will proceed to the final parking position.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the door has opened and closed; and

responsively resuming execution of the remote parking operation.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a first door and a second door corresponding to a first occupant and a second occupant;

determining a first minimum open door angle for the first door, and a second minimum open door angle for the second door;

responsive to determining via the sensor during execution of the remote parking operation that the first door is prevented from opening to the first minimum door angle, pausing execution of the remote parking operation;

resuming execution of the remote parking operation responsive to determining that the first door has opened and closed;

responsive to determining via the sensor during execution of the remote parking operation that the second door is prevented from opening to the second minimum door angle, pausing execution of the remote parking operation; and

resuming execution of the remote parking operation responsive to determining that the second door has opened and closed.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising resuming execution of the remote parking operation responsive to receiving input from the occupant via a remote computing device.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving input indicating which door corresponds to the occupant.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the detected occupant identity is determined based on an occupant profile stored on a key FOB detected by the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

detecting a current open door angle of the door; and

storing the current open door angle in a vehicle memory as the minimum door angle.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining the minimum door angle based on a detected occupant identity.