Method for identifying a suitable parking space, motor vehicle, and server

• US 11,287,279 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2016
• Issued: 03/29/2022
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Roth, Erwin, Schuller, Florian, Lenz, David, Minnerup, Pascal, Chen, Chao
• Primary Examiner(s): Jen, Ian
• Application Number:
  US15/562,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20180058878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,216 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3685 the POI's being parking facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/143 inside the vehicles
• 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 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08

Abstract

A method is disclosed for identifying an appropriate parking space for a motor and a route leading thereto for a motor vehicle having a navigation system, wherein at least one collision-free route is calculated on the basis of at least one piece of information that is related to a search for a parking space and that is requested from at least one external server, which manages at least one parking lot having at least one parking space, before the motor vehicle reaches the parking lot. A motor vehicle with a navigation system and an external server, for execution of the method, are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for identifying an appropriate parking space for a motor vehicle and a route leading thereto, comprising:

requesting, by a navigation system in the motor vehicle, a piece of information regarding a parking place search from an external server that manages a parking lot having at least one parking space, before the parking lot is reached, wherein the parking lot is selected based on geographic proximity of the motor vehicle to the parking lot;

sending the piece of information to the navigation system in the motor vehicle;

executing, by the navigation system, a route search from a start node to a destination node, in which an initial basic reachability verification for the destination node from the start node is determined;

identifying a route section that is required in order to reach the destination node from the start node;

executing a second reachability verification, and a specific suitability test of the at least one parking space in the parking lot based on at least one parameter of the motor vehicle, wherein the second reachability verification is different from the initial basic reachability verification, and wherein the second reachability verification comprises assessing dimensions of the motor vehicle;

loading a detailed route section identified from the external server to the navigation system in the motor vehicle; and

calculating a collision-free route from the start node to the destination node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a current location of the motor vehicle or a point of arrival to the parking lot determined by the navigation system is used as the start node.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one parking space or a desired target position for the motor vehicle within the at least one parking space is used as the destination node.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the target position within the at least one parking space is determined based on the detailed route section, a geometric factor, a position of a loading ramp, a position of a charging device, or a user preference.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the detailed route section includes a geometry of the road, a reference path, a localization of the route section in the parking lot, a sensor modality, the at least one parking space, an item of fleet data, an impediment, or an available room to maneuver.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a navigation of the collision-free route can occur semi-autonomously, autonomously, or manually.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the request from the navigation system includes at least one filter criterion that is specific to the motor vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the piece of information is pre-filtered by the external server in accordance with at least one specific property of the motor vehicle.

9. A method for navigating a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

requesting a piece of information regarding a parking place search from an external server that manages a parking lot having at least one parking space, before the parking lot is reached, wherein the request may include at least one filter criterion specific to the motor vehicle, and wherein the parking lot is selected based on geographic proximity of a navigation destination to the parking lot;

receiving the piece of information from the external server;

determining, and using as a start node, a current location of the motor vehicle or a point of arrival to the parking lot;

determining, and using as a destination node, the at least one parking space or a desired target position for the motor vehicle within the at least one parking space;

executing a route search from the start node to the destination node, in which an initial basic reachability verification for the destination node from the start node is determined by the external server;

identifying a route section that is required in order to reach the destination node from the start node;

requesting the external server to execute a second reachability verification, and a specific suitability test of the at least one parking space in the parking lot based on at least one parameter of the motor vehicle, wherein the second reachability verification is different from the initial basic reachability verification, and wherein the second reachability verification comprises assessing dimensions of the motor vehicle;

loading a detailed route section identified from the external server to the navigation system in the motor vehicle; and

calculating a collision-free route from the start node to the destination node.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a navigation of the collision-free route can occur semi-autonomously, autonomously, or manually.

11. A method for communicating between an external server and a navigation system in a motor vehicle, wherein the external server manages a parking lot having at least one parking space, the method comprising:

receiving, from the navigation system of the motor vehicle, a request for a piece of information regarding a parking place search before the parking lot is reached by the motor vehicle, wherein the parking lot is selected based on an input to the navigation system;

sending the piece of information to the navigation system in the motor vehicle;

using, as a start node, a current location of the motor vehicle or a point of arrival to the parking lot;

using, as a destination node, the at least one parking space or a desired target position for the motor vehicle within the at least one parking space;

executing an initial basic reachability verification for the destination node from the start node;

identifying a route section that is required in order to reach the destination node from the start node;

executing a second reachability verification, and a specific suitability test of the at least one parking space in the parking lot based on at least one parameter of the motor vehicle, wherein the second reachability verification is different from the initial basic reachability verification, and wherein the second reachability verification comprises assessing dimensions of the motor vehicle; and

providing, to the navigation system in the motor vehicle, a detailed route section identified by the external server.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the request from the navigation system of the motor vehicle for the piece of information includes at least one filter criterion specific to the motor vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the piece of information is pre-filtered by the external server in accordance with at least one specific property of the motor vehicle.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the external server sends information identifying available parking spaces to the navigation system in the motor vehicle.