Method and device for operating a parking lot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10446029-B2
Application number	US-201515517583-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2015
Priority date	Oct 27, 2014
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

A method and device of a parking system includes, for example, a computer program configured for operating a parking lot, including the steps of ascertaining a route to a target position in the parking lot for autonomous travel of a vehicle in the parking lot to the target position, and blocking at least one section of the route to other vehicles before the vehicle travels through the section, so that the vehicle is able to drive autonomously through the blocked-off section of the route.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for operating an autonomous valet parking lot, the method comprising:
ascertaining, by a processor of processing circuitry of a device for operating the autonomous valet parking lot, a route to a target position within the autonomous valet parking lot for autonomous travel of a vehicle in the autonomous valet parking lot to the target position; and
controlling at least one signal light generator and a barrier, which is openable and closable, by a control unit of the processing circuitry, to block other vehicles from at least one section of the route before the vehicle passes through the section so that the vehicle is drivable autonomously through the blocked-off section of the route;
wherein there are a plurality of signal light generators and barriers in the autonomous valet parking lot, and
wherein the plurality of signal light generators and barriers in the autonomous valet parking lot are controlled so that other vehicles from at least one section of the route are blocked before the vehicle passes through the section so that the vehicle is drivable autonomously through the blocked-off section of the route, which is blocked off to the other vehicles.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
checking whether the section is free, and activating a start signal for travel of the section conditional upon that the check has revealed that the section is free.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the section is blocked to persons.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
a monitoring system monitoring the autonomous travel of the vehicle in the autonomous valet parking lot.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
stopping at least one of the autonomously driving vehicle and another autonomously driving vehicle in response to a detection, by the monitoring, of a problem that is relevant for the autonomous travel.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
optically recording the autonomous travel of the vehicle in the autonomous valet parking lot.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting, via a communications network and to the vehicle, the route for autonomous travel in the autonomous valet parking lot to the target position.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the route is ascertained on-board the vehicle and is transmitted, from the vehicle and via a communications network, to a user of the communications network.

9. A device for operating an autonomous valet parking lot, comprising:
processing circuitry; and
a communications interface;
wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control, via the communications interface, at least one signal light generator and a barrier, which is openable and closable, to block at least one section of a route of an autonomously driving vehicle to a target position within the autonomous valet parking lot before the vehicle travels through the section, so that the vehicle is drivable autonomously through the blocked-off section of the route,
wherein there are a plurality of signal light generators and barriers in the autonomous valet parking lot, and
wherein the plurality of signal light generators and barriers in the autonomous valet parking lot are controlled so that other vehicles from at least one section of the route are blocked before the vehicle passes through the section so that the vehicle is drivable autonomously through the blocked-off section of the route, which is blocked off to the other vehicles.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to ascertain the route transmit the ascertained route via the communications interface and a communications network to the vehicle for autonomous travel in the autonomous valet parking lot to the target position.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to receive the ascertained route from a communications network via the communications interface.

12. An autonomous valet parking system, comprising:
an autonomous valet parking lot; and
a device for operating the autonomous valet parking lot;
wherein the device includes processing circuitry having a processor, a control unit and a communications interface, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control, via the communications interface, at least one signal light generator and a barrier, which is openable and closable, to block at least one section of a route of an autonomously driving vehicle to a target position within the autonomous valet parking lot before the vehicle travels through the section, so that the vehicle is drivable autonomously through the blocked-off section of the route,
wherein there are a plurality of signal light generators and barriers in the autonomous valet parking lot, and
wherein the plurality of signal light generators and barriers in the autonomous valet parking lot are controlled so that other vehicles from at least one section of the route are blocked before the vehicle passes through the section so that the vehicle is drivable autonomously through the blocked-off section of the route, which is blocked off to the other vehicles.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program, which is executable by a processor, comprising:
a program code arrangement having program code for operating an autonomous valet parking lot, by performing the following:
ascertaining, by a processor of processing circuitry of a device for operating the autonomous valet parking lot, a route to a target position within the autonomous valet parking lot for autonomous travel of a vehicle in the autonomous valet parking lot to the target position; and
controlling at least one signal light generator and a barrier, which is openable and closable, by a control unit of the processing circuitry, to block other vehicles from at least one section of the route before the vehicle passes through the section so that the vehicle is drivable autonomously through the blocked-off section of the route;
wherein there are a plurality of signal light generators and barriers in the autonomous valet parking lot, and
wherein the plurality of signal light generators and barriers in the autonomous valet parking lot are controlled so that other vehicles from at least one section of the route are blocked before the vehicle passes through the section so that the vehicle is drivable autonomously through the blocked-off section of the route, which is blocked off to the other vehicles.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Hoffmann Stefan
• Nicodemus Rolf
• Nordbruch Stefan

Classifications

• G08G1/148 Primary

  Management of a network of parking areas · CPC title

• G08G1/146

  where the parking area is a limited parking space, e.g. parking garage, restricted space · CPC title

• G08G1/164

  Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles · CPC title

• G08G1/149

  coupled to means for restricting the access to the parking space, e.g. authorization, access barriers, indicative lights · CPC title

• G08G1/096811

  where the route is computed offboard · CPC title