VEHICLE PARKING ASSIST SYSTEM

• US 20170101089A1
• Filed: 10/13/2015
• Published: 04/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Smith, Kevin, Bales, John, Hafner, Michael, Lavoie, Erick Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,981,656 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/22 Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/10 Automatic or semi-automatic parking aid systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/08 Driving in reverse
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/20 specially for trailers, e.g. in case of uncoupling of or overrunning by trailer inertia-actuated overrun brakes B60T13/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18036 Reversing
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18136 Engine braking

Abstract

A parking assist system for a vehicle is provided that includes a proximity sensor configured to sense a distance to an obstacle, a parking controller configured to output a distance to target signal and a scheduler configured to process the distance to target signal and output a distance error signal to a control module configured to longitudinally control the vehicle. The scheduler is configured to process both a static and a dynamic distance to target signal.

Claims

1. A parking assist system for a vehicle, comprising:

a proximity sensor configured to sense a distance to an obstacle;

a parking controller configured to output a distance to target signal; and

a scheduler configured to process the distance to target signal and output a distance error signal to a control module configured to longitudinally control the vehicle,

wherein the scheduler is configured to process both a static and a dynamic distance to target signal.

2. The parking assist system of claim 1, wherein the scheduler is configured to determine a location of the obstacle differently when receiving the static distance to target signal than when receiving the dynamic distance to target signal.

3. The parking assist system of claim 2, wherein the scheduler is configured to calculate the location of the obstacle based at least in part on a distance traveled by the vehicle and data from the proximity sensor.

4. The parking assist system of claim 1, wherein the scheduler is configured to calculate the distance error signal as equal to the dynamic distance to target signal when receiving the dynamic distance to target signal.

5. The parking assist system of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to control the longitudinal motion of the vehicle based on the distance error signal, wherein the control module is configured to operate in a first mode, a second mode and a third mode.

6. The parking assist system of claim 5, wherein the first mode of the control module is operated in a proportional-integral control and is configured to determine a brake torque based on a difference between a vehicle velocity and a reference velocity.

7. The parking assist system of claim 5, wherein the second mode of the control module is operated in a proportional-derivative control based on the distance error signal.

8. A method for assisting in parking a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

initiating a parking sequence to a target location along a target path;

transmitting a distance to target signal from a parking controller to a scheduler;

generating a distance error signal using the scheduler; and

transmitting the distance error signal to a control module,

wherein the scheduler is configured to accept both a static and a dynamic distance to target signal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the scheduler is configured to convert a wheel count signal into a linear distance traveled by the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the distance error signal is a feedback signal.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

generating a velocity error signal using the scheduler, wherein the distance error signal and the velocity error signal are both transmitted to the control module.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

sensing a distance to an object with an ultrasonic sensor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the control module is configured to control the longitudinal motion of the vehicle based on the distance error signal and the velocity error signal.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the scheduler calculates the velocity error signal based at least in part on a reference velocity signal.

15. A method for assisting in parking a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

initiating a parking sequence to a target location;

receiving a dynamic distance to target signal at a scheduler;

sensing the presence of an obstacle with a proximity sensor and a distance between the vehicle and the obstacle;

determining a distance traveled by the vehicle since sensing of the obstacle; and

generating a distance error signal based on the closer of the target location and obstacle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the scheduler is configured to convert a wheel count signal into the distance traveled by the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the distance error signal is a feedback signal.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

generating a velocity error signal using the scheduler, wherein the distance error signal and the velocity error signal are both transmitted to a control module.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the control module is configured to control the longitudinal motion of the vehicle based on the distance error signal and the velocity error signal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the scheduler calculates the velocity error signal based at least in part on a reference velocity signal.