Drive control apparatus and drive control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10290212-B2
Application number	US-201515532323-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2015
Priority date	Mar 19, 2015
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a drive control apparatus and a drive control method for reducing time and effort of parking. A drive control apparatus according to the present invention includes a processor to execute a program and a memory to store the program which, when executed by the processor, performs processes of: acquiring a traveling information; detecting a stop position of a vehicle, which is manually driven, based on the traveling information and determining whether or not the stop position is included in a no-parking area with reference to a map data in which information of the no-parking area is described; searching for a parking area including an empty space when it is determined that the stop position is included in the no-parking area; and instructing the vehicle to perform an automatic driving from the stop position to the parking area including the empty space.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A drive control apparatus, comprising:
a processor to execute a program; and
a memory to store the program which, when executed by the processor, performs processes of,
acquiring a traveling information indicating a position, a speed, and a traveling state, corresponding to an automatic driving or a manual driving, of a vehicle having an automatic driving function;
detecting a stop position of said vehicle, which is manually driven, based on said traveling information and determining whether or not said stop position is included in a no-parking area with reference to a map data in which information of said no-parking area is described;
searching for a parking area including an empty space when it is determined that said stop position is included in said no-parking area;
instructing said vehicle to perform an automatic driving from said stop position to said parking area including said empty space;
receiving a getting-in information including a position information of a next getting-in point from a mobile terminal of a user; and
instructing said vehicle to perform said automatic driving from said parking area including said empty space to said next getting-in point, when receiving said getting-in information.

2. The drive control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said program which, when executed by said processor, further performs the process of providing a notice, when no parking area including said empty space is found around said stop position by searching for said parking area, of a search result thereof to a user.

3. The drive control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said program which, when executed by said processor, further performs the process of transmitting a notice information regarding a parking to said mobile terminal after said vehicle completes said automatic driving to said parking area including said empty space.

4. The drive control apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said notice information includes at least one of a position information and a payment information of said parking area including said empty space.

5. The drive control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said next getting-in point is a position of said mobile terminal.

6. The drive control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
said getting-in information includes information of a getting-in time, and
instructing said vehicle to perform said automatic driving from said parking area including said empty space to said next getting-in point is performed in accordance with said getting-in time.

7. A drive control method comprising:
(a) acquiring a traveling information indicating a position, a speed, and a traveling state, corresponding to an automatic driving or a manual driving, of a vehicle having an automatic driving function;
(b) detecting a stop position of said vehicle, which is manually driven, based on said traveling information;
(c) determining whether or not said stop position is included in a no-parking area with reference to a map data in which information of said no-parking area is described;
(d) searching for a parking area including an empty space when it is determined that said stop position is included in said no-parking area;
(e) instructing said vehicle to perform an automatic driving from said stop position to said parking area including said empty space; and
(f) when receiving a getting-in information including a position information of a next getting-in point from a mobile terminal of a user, instructing said vehicle to perform said automatic driving from said parking area including said empty space to said next getting-in point.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Kawagishi Toshio

Classifications

• B60W50/14

  Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention · CPC title

• B60W2554/00

  Input parameters relating to objects · CPC title

• G08G1/143

  inside the vehicles · CPC title

• G01C21/3667

  Display of a road map (G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635) · CPC title

• G07B15/00

  Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points (handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00) · CPC title