Methods and vehicles for driverless self-park

• US 10,829,111 B2
• Filed: 01/01/2018
• Issued: 11/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emerging Automotive, LLC
• Original Assignee: Emerging Automotive, LLC
• Inventors: Penilla, Angel A., Penilla, Albert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y
• Application Number:
  US15/859,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20180122245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/22 Standstill, e.g. zero speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0015 Prevention of collisions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/50 characterised by the display information being shared, e.g. external display, data transfer to other traffic participants or centralised traffic controller
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 : Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 : Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4041 : Position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 : Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/806 : Relative heading
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/00 : Input parameters relating to data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 : of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 : Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/10 : Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 : Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 : Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 : Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 : Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 : Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 : Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0265 : Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 : Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 : specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 : Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 : Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 : of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 : of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 : combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 : using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 : Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 : Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 : associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 : characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• 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 1/021 : specially adapted to land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 : using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 : Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 : Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 : involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/308 : using the Internet of Things
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 : Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 : Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 : Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 : Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 : communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 : Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/005 : dispensed for the electrical charging of vehicles electrical charging as such, B60L50/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 : Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 : event-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 : involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 : for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 : for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 : Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 : Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for vehicles configured for performing a self-parking operation without a human operator. The vehicle includes an on-board computer for receiving a wireless signal from a portable device. The wireless signal is configured to instruct the on-board computer to perform the self-parking operation. The on-board computer of the vehicle is configured for processing instructions to communicate with sensors of the vehicle, and the sensors are located along a front and a rear of the vehicle, and the sensors along the front and the rear include a combination of one or more cameras and ultrasonic sensors. The on-board computer is configured for receiving data from the combination of said one or more cameras and said ultrasonic sensors. The on-board computer is configured for determining that a space in front of said vehicle is clear to enable movement of the vehicle using said data from the combination of said camera and said ultrasonic sensors from said front of the vehicle. The on-board computer enabling the vehicle for movement forward toward a parking space, and while said vehicle is moving, continuing to determine that the space in front of said vehicle remains clear as the vehicle continues to move toward the parking space and stopping said movement while the space is determined to not be clear by way of a detected obstacle along a path of said movement. The on-board computer stops said vehicle upon detecting that the vehicle has arrived at a destination location for parking of said vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for communicating instructions to a vehicle to perform a self-parking operation without a human operator, comprising,

receiving, by an on-board computer, a wireless signal from a portable device, the wireless signal is configured to instruct the on-board computer to perform the self-parking operation, the vehicle having a physical dimension and a virtual buffer dimension around the physical dimension of the vehicle;

executing, by the on-board computer of the vehicle, instructions to communicate with sensors of the vehicle, the sensors are located along a front and a rear of the vehicle, and the sensors along the front and the rear include a combination of one or more cameras and ultrasonic sensors;

receiving, by the on-board computer, data from the combination of said one or more cameras and said ultrasonic sensors;

determining, by the on-board computer, that a space in front of said vehicle, including the virtual buffer dimension, is clear to enable movement of the vehicle using said data from the combination of said camera and said ultrasonic sensors from said front of the vehicle;

engaging, by the on-board computer, the vehicle in movement forward toward a parking space, and while said vehicle is engaged in movement,

continuing to determine that the space in front of said vehicle, including said virtual buffer dimension around the physical dimension of the vehicle, remains clear as the vehicle continues to move toward the parking space, and

stopping said movement when the space in front of said vehicle, including said virtual buffer dimension around the physical dimension of the vehicle, is determined to not be clear by way of a detected obstacle along a path of said movement; and

stopping movement and operation, by the on-board computer, of said vehicle upon detecting that the vehicle has arrived at a destination location for said parking space of said vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic sensors are configured to generate data that is processed by the on-board computer to determine a distance to one or more obstacles, when present, in front of the vehicle during said moving of the vehicle along the path to the destination location for parking.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein image data captured by the camera is processed by the on-board computer to detect moving objects as detected obstacles in the space before or during said movement of the vehicle along the path to the destination location for parking.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the distance to said one or more obstacles is processed to determine when a threshold is reached to trigger stopping of said vehicle from continuing to move, wherein said distance is beyond said virtual buffer dimension.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said data from the combination of said camera and said ultrasonic sensors is used to process to predict a probability of a collision with said detected obstacle, said probability is used as an input to determine if the vehicle is to be stopped during the movement to the destination for parking said vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said portable device is one of a key fob or a smart device that is configured to communicate with the on-board computer via wireless communication.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the smart device is configured to process an application that enables communication with the on-board computer, a graphical user interface of the application provides selectable inputs which include an input for instructing said self-park operation, wherein selection of said input causes the application to instruct sending of said wireless signal to instruct the on-board computer to perform the self-park operation.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

receiving, by the on-board computer, data from a radar unit disposed in said front and said rear of the vehicle, the data from said radar units being usable in combination with data from said cameras and ultrasonic sensors.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

receiving, by the on-board computer, data from a global positioning system (GPS), the data from the GPS being usable during said moving of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

receiving, by the on-board computer, data from one or more of heat sensors, infrared (IR) sensors, sound sensors, microphones, and said data is usable during said moving of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination location is a parking spot, a garage, a parking lot space, a driveway, or an ad hoc parking space.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein destination location is a location identified when receiving the instruction to perform the self-parking operation.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination location is defined by a virtual parking location defined for temporary use.

14. A vehicle, configured for performing a self-parking operation without a human operator, comprising,

an on-board computer for receiving a wireless signal from a portable device, the wireless signal is configured to instruct the on-board computer to perform the self-parking operation, the vehicle having a physical dimension and a virtual buffer dimension around the physical dimension of the vehicle;

the on-board computer of the vehicle for processing instructions to communicate with sensors of the vehicle, the sensors are located along a front and a rear of the vehicle, and the sensors along the front and the rear include a combination of one or more cameras and ultrasonic sensors;

the on-board computer receiving data from the combination of said one or more cameras and said ultrasonic sensors;

the on-board computer determining that a space in front of said vehicle, including the virtual buffer dimension, is clear to enable movement of the vehicle using said data from the combination of said camera and said ultrasonic sensors from said front of the vehicle;

the on-board computer enabling the vehicle for movement forward toward a parking space, and while said vehicle is moving,

continuing to determine that the space in front of said vehicle, including said virtual buffer dimension around the physical dimension of the vehicle, remains clear as the vehicle continues to move toward the parking space, and

stopping said movement when the space in front of said vehicle, including said virtual buffer dimension around the physical dimension of the vehicle, is determined to not be clear by way of a detected obstacle along a path of said movement; and

the on-board computer stops said vehicle upon detecting that the vehicle has arrived at a destination location for parking space of said vehicle.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the ultrasonic sensors are configured to generate data that is processed by the on-board computer to determine a distance to one or more obstacles, when present, in front of the vehicle during said moving of the vehicle along the path to the destination location for parking.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the image data captured by the camera is processed by the on-board computer to detect moving objects as detected obstacles in the space before or during said movement of the vehicle along the path to the destination location for parking.

17. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the distance to said one or more obstacles is processed to determine when a threshold is reached to trigger stopping of said vehicle from continuing to move, wherein said distance is beyond said virtual buffer dimension.

18. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein said data from the combination of said camera and said ultrasonic sensors is used to process to predict a probability of a collision with said detected obstacle, said predicting used as an input to determine if the vehicle is to be stopped during the movement to the destination for parking said vehicle.

19. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein said portable device is one of a key fob or a smart device that is configured to communicate with the on-board computer via wireless communication.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the smart device is configured to process an application that enables communication with the on-board computer, a graphical user interface of the application provides selectable inputs which include an input for instructing said self-park operation, wherein selection of said input causes the application to instruct sending of said wireless signal to instruct the on-board computer to perform the self-park operation.