Method and apparatus for controlling a parking process of a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10077073-B2
Application number	US-201314063200-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2013
Priority date	Oct 26, 2012
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling a parking process of a vehicle. The method including setting an upper speed limit; using a speed-limiting device to limit the speed of the vehicle at a parking speed that is less than or equal to the upper speed limit speed; suppressing an accelerator pedal speed increase request that increases the vehicle speed over the upper speed limit; and performing the assisted parking operation while limiting the vehicle speed and terminating the suppression of the increase in speed when the accelerator pedal is depressed by more than a predetermined value. Wherein the predetermined value is selected as a function of a slope on which the vehicle is located. The invention also relates to a steering system for an assisted parking procedure of a vehicle and a vehicle with such a steering system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling an assisted parking procedure of a vehicle comprising the steps of:
setting an upper speed limit;
limiting the vehicle speed during the assisted parking procedure to less than or equal to the upper speed limit;
decoupling driver accelerator pedal actuation input signal based on pedal movement from the vehicle speed when said signal operates to increase vehicle speed above the upper speed limit; and
terminating driver accelerator pedal actuation input suppression when driver accelerator pedal actuation input exceeds a predetermined value wherein the predetermined value depends on vehicle slope.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 including using a speed limiting device to limit vehicle speed during the assisted parking procedure.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of limiting vehicle speed includes limiting the output of an engine of the vehicle.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of limiting vehicle speed includes using the brakes of the vehicle.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 including the step of selecting a first predetermined value based on a first slope value and a second predetermined value based on a second slope value with the second predetermined value greater than the first predetermined value.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the predetermined value is selected from a predetermined value linear gradient.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1 including the step of at the end of parking process continuously reducing the speed of the vehicle to reach a vehicle hold point, the hold point of the vehicle determined by distance sensors or a route calculation of the parking operation.

8. A steering system for a vehicle having an assisted parking operation comprising:
a speed limiting device, said speed limiting device operative to maintain speed at a speed less than or equal to an upper speed limit; and
a control unit, said control unit operative to suppress a signal from an accelerator pedal that would require an increase in speed in excess of upper speed limit and to cease suppressing said increase when an accelerator pedal actuation input exceeds a predetermined limit.

9. A steering system as set forth in claim 8 including said control unit operative to limit the output of an engine of the vehicle to limit the vehicle speed.

10. A steering system as set forth in claim 8 including said control unit operative to control a vehicle brake to limit the vehicle speed.

11. A steering system as set forth in claim 8 including a plurality of sensors, said sensors cooperating with said control unit to control the vehicle speed.

12. A method of controlling an assisted parking procedure of a vehicle comprising the steps of:
setting an upper speed limit associated with the assisted parking procedure;
limiting the speed of the vehicle speed during the assisted parking procedure to a parking speed less than or equal to the upper speed limit speed;
suppressing accelerator pedal actuation input such that a change in the position of the accelerator pedal does not change engine power and correspondingly vehicle speed when said accelerator pedal actuation input requires an increase in vehicle speed greater than said upper speed limit;
providing an override function operative to exit the assisted parking procedure and end accelerator pedal actuation input suppression; and
engaging said override function when the accelerator pedal actuation input exceeds a predetermined value wherein the predetermined value depends on vehicle slope.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 including the step of incrementally raising vehicle speed at the moment of the override to reduce sudden acceleration.

14. A method as set forth in claim 12 including the step of selecting a first predetermined value based on a first slope value and a second predetermined value based on a second slope value with the second predetermined value greater than the first predetermined value.

15. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the predetermined value is selected from a predetermined value linear gradient.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Allexi Gregor
• Kunze Claudia
• Wey Torsten
• Mould Mike John
• Kappes Stefan
• Ceylan Mithat

Classifications

• B60W10/184

  with wheel brakes · CPC title

• B60W10/20

  including control of steering systems · CPC title

• B60W30/06

  Automatic manoeuvring for parking · CPC title

• B60W50/10

  Interpretation of driver requests or demands · CPC title

• B60W10/06

  including control of combustion engines · CPC title