Device and method for providing state information of an automatic valet parking system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11056006-B2
Application number	US-201816632078-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2018
Priority date	Jul 21, 2017
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

A device is described for providing state information of an automatic valet parking system. The device includes at least one off-board infrastructure component, which is located, in particular fixedly disposed within a parking area assigned to the automatic valet parking system. The infrastructure component is adapted for outputting state information of the automatic valet parking system. Thus, pieces of state information of the automatic valet parking system can be efficiently communicated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for providing state information of an automatic valet parking system, comprising:
at least one off-board infrastructure component which is located fixedly disposed within a parking area assigned to the automatic valet parking system and is configured to visually output state information of the automatic valet parking system,
wherein the state information visually output by the at least one off-board infrastructure component includes information about a current position of a vehicle that is moving within the parking area in an automated manner, and/or a current direction of movement of the vehicle that is moving within the parking area in the automated manner, and/or a future position of the vehicle that is moving within the parking area in the automated manner.

2. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least one infrastructure component is configured to acoustically output the state information.

3. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the infrastructure component including a video screen, and/or a signal light, and/or an illumination device, and/or a flag indicator.

4. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least one infrastructure component is configured to haptically output the state information.

5. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least one infrastructure component includes a housing that is provided exclusively therefor.

6. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least one infrastructure component is integrated in another component of the parking area.

7. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the infrastructure component is configured to output at least second information.

8. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the state information includes information about a current operating state of the automatic valet parking system.

9. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the state information includes information about an action currently being performed by the vehicle that is moving within the parking area in an automated manner and/or a future action of the vehicle that is moving within the parking area in the automated manner.

10. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the state information includes system information about a system error and/or debug information.

11. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the state information includes information about an action currently being performed by a parking area component and/or a future action of the parking area component, the parking area component being a barrier and/or a gate and/or a door and/or an obstacle.

12. A method for providing state information of an automatic valet parking system, comprising the following steps:
acquiring state information of the automatic valet parking system; and
visually outputting the state information using a device including at least one off-board infrastructure component which is located fixedly disposed within a parking area assigned to the automatic valet parking system and is configured to output the acquired state information of the automatic valet parking system,
wherein the state information visually output by the at least one off-board infrastructure component includes information about a current position of a vehicle that is moving within the parking area in an automated manner, and/or a current direction of movement of the vehicle that is moving within the parking area in the automated manner, and/or a future position of the vehicle that is moving within the parking area in the automated manner.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the at least one infrastructure component includes a plurality of infrastructure components, state information being output to selected infrastructure components of the plurality of infrastructure components as a function of a current situation of the automatic valet parking system and/or a current situation in the parking space and a respective position of the infrastructure components.

14. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the state information is additionally output by an output system of a vehicle that is moving within the parking area in an automated manner.

15. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the state information is additionally transmitted to a communication device of a vehicle.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which is stored a computer program including program code for providing state information of an automatic valet parking system, the computer program, when executed by a computer, causing the computer to perform:
acquiring state information of the automatic valet parking system; and
visually outputting the state information using a device including at least one off-board infrastructure component which is located fixedly disposed within a parking area assigned to the automatic valet parking system and is configured to output the acquired state information of the automatic valet parking system,
wherein the state information visually output by the at least one off-board infrastructure component includes information about a current position of a vehicle that is moving within the parking area in an automated manner, and/or a current direction of movement of the vehicle that is moving within the parking area in the automated manner, and/or a future position of the vehicle that is moving within the parking area in the automated manner.

17. An automatic valet parking system, comprising:
a device for providing state information of the automatic valet parking system, the device including at least one off-board infrastructure component which is located fixedly disposed within a parking area assigned to the automatic valet parking system and is configured to visually output the state information of the automatic valet parking system; and
a central parking management device which is configured to acquire the state information of the automatic valet parking system and to control the infrastructure component to visually output the state information,
wherein the state information visually output by the at least one off-board infrastructure component includes information about a current position of a vehicle that is moving within the parking area in an automated manner, and/or a current direction of movement of the vehicle that is moving within the parking area in the automated manner, and/or a future position of the vehicle that is moving within the parking area in the automated manner.

18. An infrastructure component which is located fixedly disposed within a parking area assigned to an automatic valet parking system and is configured to visually output state information of the automatic valet parking system,
wherein the state information visually output by the at least one off-board infrastructure component includes information about a current position of a vehicle that is moving within the parking area in an automated manner, and/or a current direction of movement of the vehicle that is moving within the parking area in the automated manner, and/or a future position of the vehicle that is moving within the parking area in the automated manner.

19. The infrastructure component as recited in claim 18 , wherein the infrastructure component includes a support portion and at least one illumination device, the illumination device being configured to assume different states, each respective one of the states being associated with respective specific state information of the automatic valet parking system.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Mergenthaler Alexander
• Lehn Andreas
• PATEL Karan
• Kroeger Martin
• Wack Roman
• Bosatelli Simone
• Nordbruch Stefan
• Schaupp Stefan

Classifications

• G08G1/143

  inside the vehicles · CPC title

• G08G1/168 Primary

  Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space · CPC title

• G08G1/0116

  from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons · CPC title

• G08G1/144

  on portable or mobile units, e.g. personal digital assistant [PDA] · CPC title

• B62D15/0285

  Parking performed automatically · CPC title