METHOD FOR OPERATING A PARKING ASSISTANCE APPARATUS OF A MOTOR VEHICLE WITH A COMBINED VIEW COMPRISING A TRANSPARENT TRAILER AND SURROUNDINGS

• US 20180362026A1
• Filed: 06/19/2018
• Published: 12/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Heimberger, Markus, Beck, Manuel
• Granted Patent: US 10,464,555 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/303 using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/14 Tractor-trailers, i.e. combinations of a towing vehicle and one or more towed vehicles, e.g. caravans; Road trains
• 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 30/0953 the prediction being responsive to vehicle dynamic parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18036 Reversing
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• 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 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/586 of parking space

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a parking assistance apparatus (1) of a motor vehicle (2) having an attached trailer (3), involving: a) a first image of surroundings (6) of the motor vehicle (2) on which the trailer (3) is portrayed being produced by a first camera unit (4), arranged on the motor vehicle (2), of the parking assistance apparatus (1); b) a second image of surroundings (6) of the trailer (3) being produced by a second camera unit (5), arranged on the trailer (3), of the parking assistance apparatus (1); c) a combined view (16) of the surroundings (6) being produced from the first and second images, wherein an image area (17) of the first image that is occupied by the trailer (3) has at least areas overlaid with a piece of image information from the second image, so that the trailer (3) in the combined view (16) has at least areas depicted transparently in front of the surroundings (6) portrayed in the second image, by a computation unit (7) of the parking assistance apparatus (1); d) the combined view (16) being displayed by a display unit (8) of the parking assistance apparatus (1) with a desired travel trajectory (9) for the trailer (3) overlaid on the view (16); e) a profile for the desired travel trajectory (9) being selected by means of operation of an operator control device of the motor vehicle (2); and f) an at least semi-automated parking process being started in which the trailer (3) is automatically kept on the desired travel trajectory (9) having the selected profile, in order to simplify operator control of the parking assistance apparatus (1) and hence parking assisted by the parking assistance apparatus (2).

Claims

1. A method for operating a parking assistance apparatus of a motor vehicle having an attached trailer, the method comprising:

a) producing, by a first camera unit, a first image of surroundings of the motor vehicle on which the trailer is portrayed, the first camera unit arranged on the motor vehicle of the parking assistance apparatus;

b) producing, by a second camera unit, a second image of surroundings of the trailer, the second camera unit being arranged on the trailer of the parking assistance apparatus;

c) producing a combined view of the surroundings from the first and second images, wherein an image area of the first image that is occupied by the trailer has at least areas overlaid with a piece of image information from the second image, so that the trailer in the combined view has at least areas depicted transparently in front of the surroundings portrayed in the second image, the combined view being produced by a computation unit of the parking assistance apparatus;

d) displaying the combined view by a display unit of the parking assistance apparatus with a desired travel trajectory for the trailer overlaid on the view;

e) selecting a profile for the desired travel trajectory by operation of an operator control device of the motor vehicle;

f) starting an at least semi-automated parking process in which the trailer is automatically kept on the desired travel trajectory having the selected profile.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selecting according to method step e), the displaying according to method step d) and the producing according to method steps a), b) and c), are performed only when the motor vehicle is stationary.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selected profile for the desired travel trajectory is taken as a basis for marking in the combined view the ground over which the motor vehicle travels when following the desired travel trajectory of the trailer.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the parking assistance apparatus performs obstacle detection for the surroundings of the motor vehicle, and, when an obstacle is detected for a particular profile of the desired travel trajectory in the area of the ground over which the motor vehicle travels when following this desired travel trajectory, the particular profile cannot be selected for the at least semi-automated parking process.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least semi-automated parking process is interrupted when the operator control device is gripped and/or moved by an operator during the parking process.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least semi-automated parking process results in automatic longitudinal control of the motor vehicle taking place.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein interruption of the at least semi-automated parking process by an operator with a subsequent change to the selected profile of the desired travel trajectory results in the changed profile of the desired travel trajectory and the previously selected profile of the desired travel trajectory being displayed in the combined view.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the ground over which the motor vehicle travels when following the desired travel trajectory of the trailer is marked in the combined view for the changed profile of the desired travel trajectory and for the previously selected profile of the desired travel trajectory.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selecting takes place by means of a steering wheel being rotated as operation of the operator control device.

10. A parking assistance apparatus for a motor vehicle having an attached trailer, comprising:

a first camera unit arranged on the motor vehicle, for producing a first image of surroundings of the motor vehicle on which the trailer is portrayed;

a second camera unit arranged on the trailer, for producing a second image of surroundings of the trailer; and

a computation unit for producing a combined view of the surroundings from the first and second images,

wherein an image area of the first image that is occupied by the trailer has at least areas overlaid with a piece of image information from the second image, so that the trailer in the combined view has at least areas depicted transparently in front of the surroundings portrayed in the second image;

a display unit for displaying the combined view with a desired travel trajectory for the trailer that is overlaid on the view; and

an operator control device for selecting a profile for the desired travel trajectory by means of operation of the operator control device;

wherein the parking assistance apparatus is configured to perform an at least semi-automated parking process in which the trailer is automatically kept on the desired travel trajectory having the selected profile.

11. A motor vehicle having a parking assistance apparatus according to claim 10.