Parking assisting apparatus

• US 6,654,670 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2000
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Kawata, Shoji, Kakinami, Toshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THU V
• Application Number:
  US09/540,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20020128750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/41, 701/36, 701/45, 701/117, 701/224, 701/300-302, 180/204, 180/271, 180/280, 180/282, 345/113, 345/967, 345/972, 348/113, 348/116, 348/119, 348/143, 348/148
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/005 using a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• 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: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8086 for vehicle path indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/10 Automatic or semi-automatic parking aid systems
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0275 by overlaying a vehicle path based on present steering angle over an image without processing that image
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7864 T.V. type tracking systems

Abstract

A parking assisting apparatus is provided in which even a beginner can relaxedly park a vehicle and parking operation is pertinently assisted. The apparatus provides a cameras 1 for taking an image rearwardly of a vehicle during parking the vehicle. The image from the camera is displayed on a display 13 provided inside the vehicle as a rear image and a running prediction locus 20 is displayed which varies in accordance with the state of a steering wheel angle to overlap the rear image. A longitudinal line parking switch 4b instructs the vehicle to park along a longitudinal line and when the longitudinal line parking is instructed there is displayed a running prediction locus 20a having a point of inflection in accordance with the steering wheel angle.

Claims

1. A vehicle parking assistance apparatus comprising:

a camera for taking an image of a rear area of a vehicle in a parking operation,

a calculating means for calculating a first running prediction locus having an S-shape from a current position to a target parking position on the basis of a steering angle of the vehicle at the current position, the first running position locus indicates a rear end position or a side end position of the vehicle at the target parking position, and

a display displaying the rear image and the first running prediction locus superimposed on the rear image.

2. The vehicle parking assisting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

regress state detecting means for detecting a regressing state of the vehicle; and

inflection point determining means for determining a point of inflection in parking along a longitudinal line which is horizontal with a road side by a turning characteristics of the vehicle, and

wherein the calculating means calculate a second running prediction locus before the point of the inflection and a third running prediction locus at and after the point of the inflection on the basis of the steering angle when the vehicle starts regressing before the vehicle reaches the point of inflection and the display displays the second and third running prediction locus instead of the first running prediction locus.

3. The parking assisting apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the third prediction locus indicates the rear end position or the side end position of the vehicle.

4. The parking assisting apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein when the side end position of the third prediction locus becomes parallel with the road side or a curb stone or when the rear end position of the third prediction locus becomes parallel with a vertical line which is vertical with the road side, the position of the vehicle constitutes the point of inflection and the third prediction locus is displayed on the display instead of the second and the third prediction locus.

5. A vehicle parking apparatus comprising,

a detecting means for detecting a steering angle of the vehicle at a current position, a calculating means for calculating a first running prediction locus from the current position to a target parking position based on the steering angle, the first running prediction locus including a rear end position of the vehicle at the target parking position, and

a display displaying the first running prediction locus superimposed on a rear view of the vehicle.

6. The parking assisting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first running prediction locus includes a side end position of the vehicle at the target parking position.

7. The parking assisting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first running prediction locus includes a point of inflection.

8. The parking assistance apparatus to claim 7, wherein the calculating means calculates a second running prediction locus corresponding to the steering angle of the vehicle at the current position and the third running prediction locus that is symmetrical to the second running prediction locus and that includes the rear end position and the side end position of the vehicle, and

the display displays the second and the third running prediction locus instead of the first running prediction locus superimposed on the rear view of the vehicle when the vehicle starts rearward movement.

9. The parking assistance apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the calculating means calculates a marker corresponding to the rear end and the side end of the vehicle at the target parking position, and the marker is superimposed on the display with the second running prediction locus and the rear view of the vehicle.

10. The parking assistance apparatus to claim 6, wherein the calculating means calculates a second running prediction locus corresponding to the steering angle of the vehicle at the current position and the third running prediction locus that is symmetrical to the second running prediction locus and that includes the rear end position and the side end position of the vehicle, and

the display displays the second and the third running prediction locus instead of the first running prediction locus superimposed on the rear view of the vehicle when the vehicle starts rearward movement.

11. The parking assistance apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the calculating means calculates a marker corresponding to the rear end and the side end of the vehicle at the target parking position, and the marker is superimposed on the display with the second running prediction locus and the rear view of the vehicle.

12. The parking assisting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first running prediction locus includes a point of inflection.

13. The parking assistance apparatus to claim 12, wherein the calculating means calculates a second running prediction locus corresponding to the steering angle of the vehicle at the current position and the third running prediction locus that is symmetrical to the second running prediction locus and that includes the rear end Position and the side end position of the vehicle, and

the display displays the second and the third running prediction locus instead of the first running prediction locus superimposed on the rear view of the vehicle when the vehicle starts rearward movement.

14. The parking assistance apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the calculating means calculates a second running prediction locus corresponding to the steering angle of the vehicle at the current position and the third running prediction locus that is symmetrical to the second running prediction locus and that includes the rear end position and the side end position of the vehicle, and

the display displays the second and the third running prediction locus instead of the first running prediction locus superimposed on the rear view of the vehicle when the vehicle starts rearward movement.