Park out assist

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10179590-B2
Application number	US-201514849625-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2015
Priority date	Sep 10, 2015
Publication date	Jan 15, 2019
Grant date	Jan 15, 2019

Abstract

A method, including: detecting a distance between a vehicle and an object. The method also includes determining, based on the distance between the vehicle and the object, that a path of travel of the vehicle presents a risk of collision between the vehicle and the object. The method also includes causing at least one of a wheel angle, a vehicle drivetrain, and vehicle braking to be changed to reduce the risk of collision.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
detecting a distance between a vehicle and an object, and a location of a curb;
determining, based on the distance between the vehicle and the object and based on the location of the curb, that a path of travel of the vehicle presents a risk of collision between the vehicle and the object; and
causing by a processor, without considering operator input, a wheel angle to be changed to reduce the risk of collision.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distance between the vehicle and the object is determined using at least one or more of a plenoptic lens camera technique, a calibrated camera technique, a laser distance finder, a stereo camera distance measuring technique, and a depth of field-focal length technique.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distance between the vehicle and the object is determined using at least one or more of an ultrasound distance measuring device, a LIDAR distance measuring device, a laser distance measuring device or a radar sensor array distance measuring device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, displaying the path of travel on a human machine interface (HMI).

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, changing a path color based at least in part upon the path of travel and the distance between the vehicle and the object.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, providing a warning of the risk of collision based at least in part upon the path of travel and the distance between the vehicle and the object.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, limiting a power sent to a vehicle drivetrain based on the distance between the vehicle and the object.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the limiting includes limiting the power sent to a vehicle drivetrain irrespective of an accelerator pedal position.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein increasing power sent to a vehicle drivetrain is further based on a time elapsing subsequent to the distance exceeding a threshold.

10. A system, comprising an electronic control unit (ECU) that includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing programming executable by the processor to:
detect a distance between a vehicle and an object, and a location of a curb;
determine, based on the distance between the vehicle and the object and based on the location of the curb, that a path of travel presents a risk of collision between the vehicle and the object; and
cause, without considering operator input, a wheel angle to be changed to avoid a collision.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the ECU is further programmed to communicate with a chassis control system computer (CCSC) to cause the wheel angle to be changed to avoid collision.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the distance between the vehicle and the object is determined using at least one or more of a plenoptic lens camera technique, a calibrated camera technique, a laser distance finder, a stereo camera distance measuring technique, and a depth of field-focal length technique.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the distance between the vehicle and the object is determined using at least one or more of an ultrasound distance measuring device, a LIDAR distance measuring device, a laser distance measuring device or a radar sensor array distance measuring device.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the ECU is further programmed to provide a warning of the risk of collision based at least in part upon the path of travel and the distance between the vehicle and the object.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein a power sent to a vehicle drivetrain of the vehicle is limited based on the distance between the vehicle and the object.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the power sent to a vehicle drivetrain is irrespective of an accelerator pedal position.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the ECU is further programmed to display the path of travel on a human machine interface (HMI).

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the ECU changes a predicted path color is based at least in part upon the path of travel and the distance between the vehicle and the object.

19. A vehicle comprising:
a plurality of object detecting sensors configured to detect a location of an external object and a location of a curb; and
an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) programmed to, in response to the location of the external object and the location of the curb, and without considering operator input, limit power sent to a vehicle drivetrain based on a distance between the vehicle and the external object and based on the location of the curb.

20. The vehicle of claim 19 , further comprising an accelerator pedal that, when depressed, indicates an amount of demanded acceleration, wherein the ECU is further programmed to limit power sent to the vehicle drivetrain to an amount less than a demanded acceleration based on the distance between the vehicle and the external object.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Lavoie Erick Michael

Classifications

• B60W30/06 Primary

  Automatic manoeuvring for parking · CPC title

• B60W30/18009 Primary

  related to particular drive situations · CPC title

• B62D15/0285

  Parking performed automatically · CPC title

• B60W2554/00

  Input parameters relating to objects · CPC title

• B60W30/18027

  Drive off, accelerating from standstill · CPC title