Park-assist based on vehicle door open positions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10717432-B2
Application number	US-201816130542-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2018
Priority date	Sep 13, 2018
Publication date	Jul 21, 2020
Grant date	Jul 21, 2020

Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for park-assist based on vehicle door open positions. An example vehicle includes a door, a door sensor, a range-detection sensor, and a controller. The controller is to determine, via the door sensor, a preferred angle of an occupant for opening the door and detect, via the range-detection sensor, a spot that is unoccupied. The controller also is to predict a maximum angle for opening the door within the spot. The example vehicle also includes an autonomy unit to perform park-assist into the spot responsive to the maximum angle equaling or exceeding the preferred angle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a door;
a door sensor;
a range-detection sensor;
a controller configured to:
determine, via the door sensor, a preferred angle of an occupant for opening the door;
detect, via the range-detection sensor, a spot that is unoccupied; and
predict a maximum angle for opening the door within the spot;
determine that the maximum angle is between the preferred angle and a permissible angle;
provide, based on the determination that the maximum angle is between the preferred angle and the permissible angle, an option for the occupant to select whether to park into the spot; and
receive, in response to the option for the occupant to select whether to park in the spot, an indication to park in the spot; and

an autonomy unit to perform park-assist into the spot based on the received indication to park in the spot.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the door includes a side mirror and the door sensor includes a camera coupled to the side mirror to monitor an angle of the door.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the door sensor includes a potentiometer to monitor an angle of the door.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the range-detection sensor includes at least one of a camera and a proximity sensor to monitor a surrounding area.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the door sensor is further configured to collect a door-angle measurement each time the occupant opens the door.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the controller determines the preferred angle based on a plurality of door-angle measurements collected during a plurality of occurrences of the occupant opening the door.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , further including a human-machine interface (HMI) unit.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the HMI unit is further configured to collect an identity of the occupant for the controller.

9. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the HMI unit is further configured to collect the preferred angle as a user input from the occupant.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 , further including a communication module for wireless communication, wherein the controller is to identify the occupant upon wirelessly communicating with a mobile device associated with the occupant.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the autonomy unit does not perform the park-assist into the spot when the maximum angle is less than the preferred angle.

12. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the permissible angle is less than the preferred angle.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the autonomy unit does not perform the park-assist into the spot when the maximum angle is less than the permissible angle.

14. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the autonomy unit is further configured to perform the park-assist into the spot based on a selection by the occupant.

15. A method comprising:
determining, via a door sensor, a preferred angle of an occupant for opening a door of a vehicle;
detecting, via a range-detection sensor, a parking spot that is unoccupied;
predicting, via a processor, a maximum angle for opening the door within the parking spot;
determining that the maximum angle is between the preferred angle and a permissible angle;
providing, based on the determination that the maximum angle is between the preferred angle and the permissible angle, an option for the occupant to select whether to park into the spot;
receiving, in response to the option for the occupant to select whether to park in the spot, an indication to park in the spot; and
performing, via an autonomy unit, park-assist into the parking spot based on the received indication to park in the spot.

16. The method of claim 15 , further including not performing the park-assist into the parking spot when the maximum angle is less than the preferred angle.

17. The method of claim 15 , further including determining a permissible angle of an occupant for opening the door, the permissible angle is less than the preferred angle.

18. The method of claim 17 , further including not performing the park-assist into the parking spot when the maximum angle is less than the permissible angle.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Krekel Markus
• Benmimoun Ahmed

Classifications

• G06V20/586

  of parking space · CPC title

• G06V20/593

  Recognising seat occupancy · CPC title

• E05Y2400/456

  for programming, e.g. learning or AI [artificial intelligence] · CPC title

• E05Y2400/00

  Electronic control; Electrical power; Power supply; Power or signal transmission; User interfaces · CPC title

• E05F2015/483

  for detection during opening · CPC title