Parking assist method and parking assist apparatus

• US 7,969,326 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2007
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Sakakibara, Seiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US11/806,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20070273554A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• Field of Search: 340/148, 3409322-943, 701/207, 701/211, 701/302
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• 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: B62D 15/028 Guided parking by providing commands to the driver, e.g. acoustically or optically
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

A parking assist apparatus outputs display of a synthesized image of the periphery of a vehicle as a bird'"'"'s-eye view image, and superimposes, on the synthesized image, turning guide lines based on the current steering angle of the vehicle and straight driving guide lines, along which the vehicle drives in a straight line after turning in accordance with the turning guide lines.

Claims

1. A parking assist method comprising:

displaying a peripheral image of an area around a periphery of a vehicle based on image data obtained from an imaging device mounted in the vehicle;

detecting, from the image data, spaced and parallel straight defining lines defining a target parking space;

predicting spaced turning course lines based on steering angle of the vehicle;

calculating spaced contact points where the parallel straight defining lines respectively contact the spaced, predicted turning course lines; and

superimposing on the displayed peripheral image a display of a straight line connecting the contact points as a straight driving guide index indicating a position for starting straight driving into the target parking space.

2. The parking assist method according to claim 1 further comprising:

cutting off portions of the predicted turning course lines extending away from the vehicle beyond the straight driving guide index to form turning guide lines corresponding to the distance between the rear end of the vehicle and the straight driving guide index;

determining straight driving course guide lines extending from the contact points, into the target parking space in parallel with the straight defining lines; and

displaying the turning guide lines and straight driving course guide lines superimposed on the peripheral image.

3. The parking assist method according to claim 2 wherein the straight driving course guide lines have a length substantially identical to the vehicle length as displayed.

4. The parking assist method according to claim 1 further comprising recalculating the straight driving guide index responsive to a change in the steering angle.

12. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

an image data storage unit for storing the image data, obtained from the imaging device as recorded image data; and

image synthesizing means for synthesizing the recorded image data and current image data to provide synthesized data for display of both a current dead area of the imaging device and a current imaging area of the imaging device.

5. A parking assist apparatus for installation in a vehicle, comprising:

an image data input unit for obtaining image data from an imaging device mounted on the vehicle;

defining line detecting means for detecting, from the image data, spaced and parallel straight defining lines defining a target parking space;

output control means for outputting a peripheral image for an area around the periphery of the vehicle, based on the image data, to a display unit; and

first index generating means for predicting spaced turning course lines based on steering angle of the vehicle, for calculating spaced contact points where the straight defining lines or straight lines parallel to the straight defining lines respectively contact spaced, predicted turning course lines based on a steering angle of the vehicle, for generating, based on the calculated contact points, a straight driving guide index indicating a position for starting straight driving into a target parking space, and for superimposing a display of the straight driving guide index on the peripheral image.

6. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a second index generating means for generating a predicted turning route index as portions of the predicted turning course lines and for displaying the predicted turning route index superimposed on the peripheral image.

7. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the first index generating means calculates a vehicle position at which the vehicle will become parallel with the straight defining lines on the basis of the contact points, and generates and displays a predicted position index in the shape of the vehicle exterior.

8. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising vehicle image generating means for displaying a current position index indicating the current position of the vehicle, superimposed on the peripheral image.

9. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

an image data storage unit for storing the image data obtained from the imaging device as recorded image data; and

image synthesizing means for synthesizing the recorded image data and current image data to provide synthesized data for display of both a current dead area of the imaging device and a current imaging area of the imaging device.

10. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

image processing means for converting the image data into bird'"'"'s-eye view data for simulating a bird'"'"'s-eye view of the vehicle periphery; and

wherein the output control means displays a bird'"'"'s-eye view image, based on the bird'"'"'s-eye view data, on the display unit; and

wherein the first index generating means superimposes a display of the straight driving guide index on the displayed bird'"'"'s-eye view image.

11. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising vehicle image generating means for displaying a current position index indicating the current position of the vehicle, superimposed on the peripheral image.

13. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first index generating means displays the straight lines parallel to the straight defining lines and extending, in the display, from the contact points into the target parking space.

14. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the first index generating means calculates a vehicle position at which the vehicle will become parallel with the straight defining lines on the basis of the contact points, and generates and displays a predicted position index in the shape of the vehicle exterior.

15. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising vehicle image generating means for displaying a current position index indicating the current position of the vehicle, superimposed on the peripheral image.

16. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

an image data storage unit for storing the image data, obtained from the imaging device as recorded image data,

image synthesizing means for synthesizing the recorded image data and current image data to provide synthesized data for display of both a current dead area of the imaging device and a current imaging area of the imaging device.

17. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

an image data storage unit for storing the image data, obtained from the imaging device as recorded image data; and

image synthesizing means for synthesizing the recorded image data and current image data to provide synthesized data for display of both a current dead area of the imaging device and a current imaging area of the imaging device.

18. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

image processing means for converting the image data into bird'"'"'s-eye view data for simulating a bird'"'"'s eye view of the vehicle periphery; and

wherein the output control means displays a bird'"'"'s-eye view image, based on the bird'"'"'s-eye view data, on the display unit; and

wherein the first index generating means superimposes the straight driving guide index on the displayed bird'"'"'s-eye view image.

19. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the first index generating means recalculates the driving guide index responsive to a change in the steering angle.