Parking assist apparatus

• US 8,085,167 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Yu, Kadowaki, Jun, Watanabe, Kazuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Trieu, Van T.
• Application Number:
  US12/442,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20100089677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,520 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 340/436, 340/435, 340/937, 701/1, 701/28, 701/36, 701/41, 701/43, 180/199, 180/204, 180/168, 348/333.02, 348/148
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically

Abstract

A view in front of a vehicle (1) is captured, and the captured imaged is displayed on a display section. At a predetermined stop position (S1), a target parking position (S4) of the vehicle (1) is set based on the captured image. Then, a reverse guidance route (C2) is calculated. The reverse guidance route (C2) is a route located forward of the vehicle (1), in front of the stop position (S1), and lies from a reverse start position (S2), at which the vehicle (1) starts to reverse for parking, up to the target parking position (S4). Based on the captured image, the reverse start position (S2) is set within a predetermined setting area by an instruction of an occupant of the vehicle (1). A forward travel guidance route (C1) from the stop position (S1) to the reverse start position (S2) is calculated, and conditions of movement of the vehicle (1) are detected. The vehicle (1) is guided from the stop position (S1) up to the reverse start position (S2) based on the forward travel guidance route (C1) and on the movement conditions.

Claims

1. A parking assistance apparatus assisting a driving operation for parking comprising:

an image capturing portion capturing an image of a forward direction of a vehicle;

a display portion displaying a captured image;

a parking target position setting portion setting a parking target position of the vehicle based on the captured image when the vehicle is in a predetermined stop position;

a rearward movement path calculating portion calculating a rearward movement guide path from a rearward movement start position, which is located anterior to the predetermined stop position by the vehicle and is a position where the vehicle starts rearward movement for a parking, to the parking target position;

a rearward movement start position setting portion setting the rearward movement start position within a predetermined set range based on the captured image by following an instruction from an occupant of the vehicle when the vehicle is in the predetermined stop position;

a forward movement path calculating portion calculating a forward movement guide path from the predetermined stop position to the rearward movement start position;

a moving state detecting portion detecting a moving state of the vehicle; and

a guide portion guiding the vehicle from the predetermined stop position to the rearward movement start position based on the forward movement guide path and based on the moving state, and

a superimposing portion superimposing a marker showing the rearward movement start position on the captured image, wherein the rearward movement start position setting portion sets the rearward movement start position by the instruction of the occupant of the vehicle based on the marker.

2. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rearward movement start position is set at a position instructed by a steering operation of the occupant.

3. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an initial rudder angle of the forward movement guide path is a steering angle operated in order for instructing the rearward movement start position.

4. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined set range of the rearward movement start position is a range where the rearward movement guide path is formed.

5. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide portion guides the vehicle from the rearward movement start position to the parking target position based on the rearward movement guide path and the moving state.

6. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising;

a superimposing portion superimposing a marker showing the rearward movement start position on the captured image, wherein the rearward movement start position setting portion moves a position of the marker on the captured image in conjunction with the instruction of the occupant within a predetermined area of the captured image.

7. The parking assist apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined set range is a range that the forward movement guide path is formed from the predetermined stop position and the rearward movement guide path is formed from the set rearward movement start position to the parking target position.