DE102004001428A1 - Method for driver assistance systems for improving the parking starting position - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for assisting the driver during parking processes for a motor vehicle with the following steps: DOLLAR A a) Sensory measurement (110) of a parking space found; DOLLAR A b) decision (120) based on determined in step a) survey data, whether a parking space for the motor vehicle is suitable for parking; DOLLAR A and, in order to more easily park in particular in small parking spaces, with the further steps: DOLLAR A c) calculating (130) a starting position with a predetermined range for an optimal starting position of the vehicle for parking in a parking space; DOLLAR A d) outputting (190) the calculated starting position of the motor vehicle with a suitable output unit.

Description

The The invention is based on a method and system for a motor vehicle in support of the Driver during parking operations and in particular sensor-based Systems or methods with which electronically measure a parking space by means of sensors becomes.

Known are automatic parking space measurement systems, the the length or width of the parking space between obstacles, such as two parked vehicles, electronically measured. At the same time, sensors detect when driving by the first stationary vehicle, the length or width of the parking space and the second parking vehicle. The driver provided Information is the length or width of the parking space and / or an indication of whether his vehicle in the parking space fits or not.

The in International Publication WO 01/25054 A1 System misses the parking space and supported additionally the driver when parking. It contains a combination of reversing camera and ultrasonic sensors, wherein the ultrasonic sensors used in parking maneuvers at any time to measure the distance to the front parked vehicle. A maneuver calculation unit uses data from the reversing camera, the ultrasonic sensors and other, externally supplied parameters, as the steering wheel angle, to calculate a driving maneuver and passes this data to a display unit for display. For example calculates the maneuver calculation unit the driving course, which is in a parking space parallel to the roadway leads. However, this system has the disadvantage that there is no function regarding the starting position of the vehicle for the beginning of the parking maneuver has. The driver must first find a suitable starting position, supported by the System, in the parking space to be able to park. For a success a parking maneuver However, in particular the correct starting position is important.

The in the German Offenlegungsschrift DE 38 13 083 A1 disclosed, automatic parking device provides information about the starting position for the parking of the motor vehicle. The system measures the respective parking space by means of ultrasonic sensors. When parking backwards into a parallel parking space, it determines a distance that indicates the distance from the rear axle to the front edge of the parking space for a suitable starting position. In the case of right-angled, reverse parking, on the other hand, the system sets a minimum distance to the road-side edge of the front obstacle for the starting position. However, these two variants are only auxiliary information for suitable starting positions or minimum distances to be observed. In each case, there is only information about a single coordinate, so either a y-coordinate towards the roadside or an x-coordinate in the direction of the road course. The start position is thus not completely determined. Furthermore, information is only available about "suitable" starting positions and no choice is made regarding the quality, and alternative starting positions, from which it would be easier to park in particularly narrow parking spaces, are not taken into consideration.

Also There are difficulties with the information given by the system for a starting position and Start alignment of the motor vehicle at all, because needed for that Driver a high vehicle control and a good sense of proportion.

Advantages of invention

With the measures the independent one claims a method or system is provided that the driver according to the invention a calculated Starting grid that outputs a predetermined area for optimal Starting position for parking the motor vehicle in a parking space contains. Advantageous the driver gets a complete information about one Area for the position of the vehicle for the beginning of the parking maneuver. Him is inventively an area for one optimal starting position, for example visually and / or acoustically indicated, from which the parking maneuver in the parking lot very easy to perform is. The area contains for the Parking procedure tolerable error limits. Also be beneficial parking spaces with a for the parking of the motor vehicle minimally possible size exploited by the driver the cheapest Area for a start position is given, in an advantageous manner between relative to the vehicle geometry data and possibly the maximum potential steering angles very narrow and larger parking spaces, so very small or larger maneuvering space a distinction is made.

This best or optimal area for the Starting grid will be based on the example of ultrasound measurements obtained geometry data of the parking space, the own Fahrzeuggeometriedaten, and possibly further distance data to obstacles on the opposite Lane obtained in the event of wide Ausholmanövern. details will be shown below.

In the dependent claims Advantageous embodiments are developments and improvements of the respective subject of the invention.

According to one advantageous development of the present invention contains the calculated Starting grid also a predetermined area for a Parking optimal alignment of the motor vehicle. By the additional Indication of the optimal alignment of the vehicle on the grid receives the driver an improved parking aid. This angle-related information can for example consist of difference values of the transverse distance between the front, side and rear side clearance data be won.

A further advantageous embodiment of the present invention signals when the calculated grid is reached. The driver thus knows that he the specified starting grid of the motor vehicle for the parking has reached.

A further advantageous embodiment of the present invention includes the determination of the current position and orientation of the motor vehicle in relation to the calculated starting grid based on sensory captured data, and the output, for example, optically and / or acoustically, this current position and orientation of the vehicle with the output unit. Thus, the driver can the actual and target state compare and thus easier to identify with regard to the installation of the vehicle which maneuvers to achieve the calculated starting grid.

A further improvement in terms of the maneuvers to be performed to the calculated grid to arrive, provides the calculation and output of the on the motor vehicle tailored track of its determined, current position and registration to the calculated grid. The driver thus only needs to adhere to the given route. In order to get to hard-to-reach starting positions, relates an advantageous development of a Rangierfahrt including a next previous Direction change in the calculation of the route with a.

A additional help for the achievement of the calculated starting grid is the output of visual and / or acoustic outputs during maneuvering there.

the For example, the driver is informed of the extent to which he has given his instructions Driveway deviates and which corrections of the current driving situation, such as Steering gear, speed and direction are to be performed.

Regarding the Form of the output is a preferred embodiment of the present invention Invention An output containing the reproduction of speech. she is for the driver easy to understand and easy to implement. Also advantageous is an output form that the Playback of graphic information on a designated Screen contains because the driver can thus visually easily him the driver assistance system according to the invention Record the output information.

One inventive driver assistance system, the one reversing camera contains is advantageous. The driver gets a view of the environment behind the Vehicle also shown in deep areas, what the backward maneuvering facilitated.

For example The calculated starting grid can be displayed in the picture.

drawings

Based The drawings are exemplary embodiments of the invention explained.

It demonstrate:

1 a schematic representation of an embodiment of a driver assistance system according to the invention with its essential components in a motor vehicle;

2 a flowchart for the control flow in an embodiment of the method according to the invention;

3 a sketch of an inventively calculated and displayed starting grid for parking in a parallel parking space according to an embodiment of the invention;

4 a sketch of a calculated according to the invention and displayed track to a inventively calculated starting grid according to an embodiment of the invention;

5a a sketch of an embodiment of an inventive display of a calculated and actually traveled to a first position track to a calculated starting grid and a superimposed graphical driving instruction;

5b a sketch of an embodiment of an inventive display of a calculated and actually traveled to a second position track to a calculated starting grid and a superimposed graphical driving instruction;

5c a sketch of a Ausführungsbei play a display according to the invention of a calculated and an actually traveled to the grid layout route and a superimposed graphic arrival signal.

description of exemplary embodiments

In the same reference numerals designate the same or functionally identical Components. The position information is based on a defined coordinate system with the coordinate in y-direction the distance to the right Road edge and the coordinate in x-direction the track in the direction of the road specify. additional For the sake of clarity, the y-coordinate is exaggerated.

In 1 schematically is an example of a driver assistance system according to the invention in a motor vehicle 1 shown. In the front and in the rear of the vehicle 1 are several sensors 3 for sensing and measuring the environment of the motor vehicle 1 built-in. In this case, for example, both front and rear are each six ultrasonic sensors 3 , Number and type of sensors are, as far as a measurement of a parking space is possible, not fixed. Radar or lidar sensors are also suitable, for example.

In particular, the front and rear laterally aligned sensors 3 acquire the measured values for the parking space measurement data to be calculated therefrom, such as, for example, the coordinates of the corner points of the parking space between two parking vehicles.

A rear-view camera positioned in the rear of the vehicle serves for optical monitoring of the rear area 5 , When resetting the vehicle 1 For example, for the driver, the "optimal" starting position calculated according to the invention is displayed in the camera image.

In addition to the monitoring of the vehicle environment, driving data, such as, for example, travel signals and the steering angle determined from the steering wheel angle are determined and via a data bus connection 7 to a central control unit 9 transmitted by the system. To this central control unit 9 All sensor and camera signals are also routed. This control unit 9 calculates the coordinates of the area from the data according to the invention 28 for an optimal starting position for parking in the sensory measured parking space. For example, a point for the optimum position of the center of the rear axle is determined.

Furthermore, the control unit calculates 9 According to the invention an area 28 for the optimal alignment of the vehicle 1 for the beginning of the parking process.

In addition, the control unit calculates 9 from the data of the current position and orientation of the vehicle 1 and the calculated grid, the recommended route to the grid. The control unit 9 according to the invention compares the actually taken path with the calculated and determined in particular on the basis of the CAN connection 7 specified steering angle an output to the driver for a steering correction.

The actual sensory and with the rear view camera 5 The captured image of the vehicle environment as well as the calculated starting position and the recommended route as well as the data for correction instructions are provided by the central control unit 9 to the output unit 11 transmitted. The output unit 11 contains, for example, a screen or display, on the graph, the vehicle environment with parking space and calculated starting grid and the recommended and the previously actually covered track to the grid are shown. Alternatively or additionally, acoustic outputs, such as, for example, voice data, can be advantageously implemented, in particular for maneuver corrections.

2 shows a flowchart of an example of the method according to the invention. The driver who sees far ahead a gap that appears suitable for parking his vehicle, switches to step 100 the system for the inventive method. The discovered parking space will be in step 110 sensory measured. For example, on the side of the vehicle built-in ultrasonic sensors detect when driving past the parking space, the distance of the obstacles, such as two vehicles, between which the parking space is located. The respective corner points of the obstacles, the depth and the environment of the parking space are measured in such a way.

Based on the measured data and the system known dimensions of the motor vehicle is in step 120 decided whether the parking space for the vehicle for parking large enough. In this case, a Rangierabstand added to the vehicle dimensions is taken into account. This maneuvering distance is the necessary clearance that the vehicle additionally requires in order to be able to park in the parking space. If it turns out that the parking space is too small, the system indicates this to the driver and aborts the operation according to the invention for assistance in parking in this parking space.

On the other hand, if the parking space is classified as suitable, the system calculates in step 130 According to the invention an area 28 for an optimal starting position and optimal alignment of the vehicle for the start of the parking process. The Be rich 28 includes predetermined error limits within which a parking can be started without difficulty. The error limits are, for example, permitted deviations of +/- twenty centimeters with respect to the position in the x-direction (along the road), or in the y-direction across the road and +/- five degrees with respect to the orientation of the vehicle, ie difference in angular deviation between vehicle longitudinal axis and x-direction.

This calculated range 28 is called the optimal range. Of course, it contains a large number of positions, which differ only slightly overall and are all in principle suitable for being used as a starting position for parking. According to the invention, the starting grid is optimized in accordance with the data obtained on the parking space and its surroundings with regard to a simple parking process that is correct for the size of the parking space, based on empirical empirical principles.

This best or optimal area for the Starting grid will be based on the example of ultrasound measurements obtained geometry data of the parking space, the own Fahrzeuggeometriedaten, and possibly further distance data to obstacles on the opposite Lane obtained in the event of wide Ausholmanövern, with at especially tight parking spaces parallel to x-direction - so little available Rangierraum - the lateral Distance in y-direction between the two vehicle longitudinal sides preferably should be low, but for safety reasons, a lateral minimum transverse distance between the vehicles in y-direction of about 40 cm (sheet metal sheet), corresponding to about 10 cm (right outside mirror left outside mirror) effective transverse distance should not be fallen below.

If more maneuvering space is available However, a starting position is recommended, the greater a transverse distance having.

Viewed in the x-direction results in the limitation of the optimal range 28 in about the fact that the two bumpers are at the same height. Again, there may be deviations that depend on the vehicle type and the respective contour and the center distances between each other and to the front and rear edges of the vehicle.

A distinction is made as to whether it is a parallel or a right-angled parking space. Thereupon the system puts in step 140 the current position and orientation of the motor vehicle relative to the calculated starting position, as well as the steering angle and the vehicle speed. For this purpose, sensory data on the vehicle environment and the steering wheel angle are used.

If this current vehicle data then in step 150 shows that the position and orientation of the vehicle coincides with the calculated starting position, the system according to the invention gives the driver in the step 155 a corresponding message, such as by a voice message or an "OK ^" character on a display, and terminates the invention help to find the optimal starting grid.

If the determined starting position has not yet been reached, the system calculates in step 160 a tailored to the vehicle track to this. This is done with the same techniques and input data as the well-known in the art leadership of the driver into the actual parking space, as it was previously cited.

If necessary, a shunting ride including a forward / reverse direction change is included, such as when the vehicle is in the x direction at the same altitude as the calculated starting grid. With this calculated travel, the actual distance traveled or the current vehicle position and orientation including steering angle in step 170 compared. From this comparison, the system determines whether to stay or return to the proposed route in step 180 according to the invention corresponding correction instructions. For example, a certain change in the instantaneous steering angle or the direction of travel is determined as a correction.

The system will then step in 190 the calculated starting position, the current position and orientation of the vehicle, the recommended and the actually traveled distance to the grid and the correction instructions to the driver on an output unit. The output unit is preferably a screen. The scene and the route information are shown graphically, or the image taken with the reversing camera supplemented with auxiliary points and lines. The calculated starting grid is marked, for example, with a cross for the center of the rear axle and an arrow in the direction of the vehicle orientation. For the correction instructions, for example with regard to the steering angle, a phasor diagram with the actual and desired steering angle is shown.

alternative or in addition In addition to the visual information, there are also acoustic, in particular possible. This leaves the view free for the driver.

After a certain time or traveled distance, the process steps repeat from step 140 until the calculated starting position is reached within the tolerance range. This is followed by the further parking process, which can be supported with known parking aids of the driver assistance system.

In 3 is an example of an inventively calculated and displayed starting grid 32 for parking a vehicle 1 in a parallel parking space 20 outlined. The parking space 20 is located between the two at the roadside 26 parked vehicles 22 . 24 , The optimal range, for example, for the center of the rear axle 28 a starting position for parking is located approximately at the level of the rear edge of the parking space 20 forward limiting vehicle 24 or slightly earlier in the sense of increasing x-coordinates (cf. 3 ). The optimal vehicle orientation 30 the grid 32 shows parallel to the roadside 26 in the direction of travel.

4 shows a sketch of an example of an inventively calculated and displayed track 40 to a starting position calculated according to the invention 32 , From the current position and orientation 36 of the vehicle leads the guideway displayed as the driving route 40 for intermediate installation 38 (dashed), at which a forward Rangierfahrt is to be performed to the optimal starting grid 32 (Dashed) for the parking in the parking space behind the parked vehicle 24 to get.

In the 5a to 5c is an embodiment of an inventive display of a calculated -40 and an actual -42- over the positions 36a . 36b and 36c traveled track to a calculated grid 32 as well as the appropriate graphic driving instruction 46 outlined. The driver drove past the parking space and tried backwards to the calculated starting grid 32 for the parking procedure to arrive.

5a shows the display of the display 11 of the driver assistance system at the time when the vehicle leads the way 42a to the position 36a has covered. This indicated as driving lane, driven way 42a Dodge right from the calculated grid 32 -drawn drawn- recommended route 40 from. The steering adjustment 44a the front wheels are parallel to the orientation of the vehicle. In the upper left corner of the display 11 is a graphical driving instruction 46 in the form of a phasor diagram with the actual steering direction 48 to the target steering direction 50 appears. A steering angle correction to the right is displayed.

at 5b the vehicle has the way 42b to the position 36b kilometer. The vehicle is to the left of the proposed route 40 , The steering adjustment 44b the front wheels are parallel to the orientation of the vehicle. In the graphic driving instruction 46 a steering angle correction is displayed to the left.

In the in 5c on the display 11 represented moment is the vehicle position 36c within the calculated grid 32 , The driveway 42c was covered. As graphic driving instruction 46 is an "OK" to the message for reaching the calculated grid 32 appears.

Even though the present invention with reference to preferred embodiments As described above, it is not limited thereto on diverse Modifiable way.

For example can Starting positions with optimal starting position and alignment for others Rangierfahrten, such as when driving through narrow, angled Passages, calculated and displayed.

Finally, the Features of the dependent claims essentially free with each other and not by the present in the claims Sequence can be combined with each other, provided they are independent of each other are.

Claims (12)

Method for assisting the driver during parking processes for a motor vehicle ( 1 ) with the following steps: a) Sensory measurement ( 110 ) a detected parking space ( 20 ); b) decide ( 120 ) on the basis of survey data determined in step a), whether a parking space ( 20 ) for the motor vehicle ( 1 ) is suitable for parking, characterized by the further steps: c) calculating ( 130 ) of a grid ( 32 ) with a predetermined range ( 28 ) for an optimal starting position of the vehicle ( 1 ) for parking in a parking space ( 20 ); d) Output ( 190 ) of the calculated grid ( 32 ) of the motor vehicle ( 1 ) with a suitable output unit ( 11 ). Method according to claim 1, wherein the calculated starting grid ( 32 ) also a predetermined range for optimal alignment ( 30 ) of the motor vehicle ( 1 ) for parking in the parking space ( 20 ) contains. Method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the further step: - signaling ( 155 ), if the calculated grid ( 32 ) is reached. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, comprising the further steps: - determining ( 140 ) of the current position ( 36 ) and alignment of the motor vehicle ( 40 ) in relation to the calculated grid ( 32 ) based on sensory data; - Output ( 190 ) of the current position ( 36 ) and alignment of the motor vehicle ( 1 ) with the output unit ( 11 ). Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, comprising the further steps: - calculating ( 160 ) one on the motor vehicle ( 1 ) tailored track ( 40 ) of its determined, current position ( 36 ) and alignment to the calculated grid ( 32 ); - Output ( 190 ) of the calculated route ( 40 ) with the output unit ( 11 ). Method according to claim 5, wherein the track ( 40 ) including a shunting trip including a forward / backward direction change ( 38 ) is calculated. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6 comprising the further step: - output ( 190 ) of visual and / or acoustic emissions during maneuvering to the calculated starting grid ( 32 ). The method of claims 1 to 7, wherein the step of outputting ( 190 ) contains the playback of voice instructions. The method of claims 1 to 8, wherein the step of outputting ( 190 ) the reproduction of graphical information ( 46 . 48 . 50 ) on a dedicated screen ( 11 ) contains. Method according to claim 1 to 9, wherein in the presence of a smaller maneuvering space a starting area ( 28 ) is selected, which has a smaller transverse distance (y-direction) to the parking space limiting obstacle, than in the presence of more maneuvering space. Driver assistance system for a motor vehicle ( 1 ) containing sensors ( 3 ), particularly suitable for measuring parking spaces ( 20 ), a data bus connection ( 7 ), an output unit ( 11 ), and a control unit ( 9 ) comprising a program adapted to carry out a method according to one of claims 1 to 9. Driver assistance system according to claim 10, comprising a reversing camera ( 5 ).