Method and system for supporting a driver of a vehicle in manoeuvring the vehicle on a driving route and portable communication device

• US 8,810,434 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2011
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Groult, Xavier, Kuoch, Siav-Kuong
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US13/813,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20130127641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 340/937, 340/933, 340/943, 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 701/1, 701/70, 180/167, 180/168
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/007 providing information about the distance to an obstacle, e.g. varying sound
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 6/426 Parking guides
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for supporting a driver of a vehicle (2) in maneuvering the vehicle (2) on a driving route (4), in particular when parking a vehicle (2) into or out of a parking space (3), with the aid of a portable communication device (13). At least one vehicle external sensor device (11, 17) is provided which is arranged stationarily relative to the driving route (4). The sensor device (11, 17) captures data relating to the vehicle (2) located on the driving route (4) and wirelessly emits signals (15, 15′) comprising the captured data in such a way that same signals (15, 15′) reach the interior of the vehicle (2). The signals (15, 15′) are received through the portable communication device (13), and the data are output through the portable communication device (13). The invention also relates to a system (10) as well as a portable communication device (13).

Claims

1. A method for supporting a driver of a vehicle in manoeuvring the vehicle on a driving route when parking the vehicle into or out of a parking space, with aid of a portable communication device, the method comprising:

providing at least one vehicle external sensor device which is arranged stationarily relative to the driving route;

capturing data relating to the vehicle present on the driving route by the sensor device;

wirelessly emitting signals containing the captured data to reach an interior of the vehicle;

receiving the signals and outputting the captured data by the portable communication device; and

automatically identifying at least one vehicle external sensor device by the portable communication device, and as a result of the identification, activating the at least one sensor device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signals are transmitted via a router from the sensor device to the portable communication device in accordance with a communication standard of the IEEE-802.11 family.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein an ultrasonic sensor is provided as the vehicle external sensor device, wherein a distance between the ultrasonic sensor and the vehicle is captured by the ultrasonic sensor and data relating to the distance are transmitted to the portable communication device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a camera is provided as the vehicle external sensor device by which image data are captured and transmitted to the portable communication device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one said sensor device is arranged stationarily within the parking space in such a way that the said sensor device captures the vehicle which is at least partly in the parking space.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one said sensor device is arranged stationarily in a garage into which the vehicle is being parked.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one said sensor device is activated by means of the portable communication device by an input made by the driver to the portable communication device.

8. A system for supporting a driver of a vehicle in manoeuvring the vehicle on a driving route when parking the vehicle into or out of a parking space, comprising:

a vehicle external sensor device, which is arranged stationarily relative to the driving route and which is configured to capture data relating to the vehicle on the driving route and to wirelessly emit signals with the captured data that are suitable to reach an interior of the vehicle;

a portable communication device which is configured to receive the signals in the interior of the vehicle and to output the captured data, wherein the portable communication device automatically identifies at least one vehicle external sensor device and as a result of the identification, the at least one sensor device is activated.