Method, device and computer-readable storage medium for parking a self-balancing vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017282913-A1
Application number	US-201615341913-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 2, 2016
Priority date	Mar 29, 2016
Publication date	Oct 5, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method, device and computer-readable storage medium are provided for parking a self-balancing vehicle. The method includes: determining whether there is a target parking spot for parking a self-balancing vehicle when the self-balancing vehicle needs to be parked; controlling, when there is a target parking spot for parking the self-balancing vehicle, the self-balancing vehicle to park at the target parking spot.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for parking a self-balancing vehicle, comprising:
determining whether there is a target parking spot for parking the self-balancing vehicle when the self-balancing vehicle needs to be parked; and when there is a target parking spot for parking the self-balancing vehicle, controlling the self-balancing vehicle to park at the target parking spot.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether there is the target parking spot for parking the self-balancing vehicle comprises:
determining, by a distance sensor of the self-balancing vehicle, whether there is a reference parking spot for parking the self-balancing vehicle in an area within a set distance from a current position of the self-balancing vehicle; determining, after it is determined by the distance sensor that there is the reference parking spot for parking self-balancing vehicle, whether a distance between the current position and a position of the reference parking spot is less than a preset distance threshold; and determining the reference parking spot as the target parking spot when it is determined that the distance is less than the preset distance threshold.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein determining whether the distance between the current position and the position of the reference parking spot is less than the preset distance threshold comprises:
determining, when it is determined by the distance sensor that there are two or more reference parking spots, distances between the self-balancing vehicle and the two or more reference parking spots, respectively; and determining whether a minimum distance among the distances for the two or more reference parking spots is less than the preset distance threshold.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the self-balancing vehicle to park at the target parking spot comprises:
determining, by a distance sensor of the self-balancing vehicle, a driving direction of the self-balancing vehicle; and controlling the self-balancing vehicle to be driven in the driving direction to the target parking spot.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether there is the target parking spot for parking the self-balancing vehicle comprises:
controlling a camera device of the self-balancing vehicle to be rotated within a preset angle range to capture images; and determining that there is a target parking spot for parking the self-balancing vehicle if there shows a parking spot for parking the self-balancing vehicle in the images captured by the camera device.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining whether there are two or more parking spots for parking the self-balancing vehicle according to the images captured by the camera device during rotation within the preset angle range; calculating, when there are two or more parking spots, complexities of driving routes along which the self-balancing vehicle would be driven from a current position of the self-balancing vehicle to the two or more parking spots, respectively; and determining, according to the complexities of the driving routes for the two or more parking spots, a parking spot which corresponds to a minimum complexity among the complexities as the target parking spot for parking the self-balancing vehicle.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein controlling the self-balancing vehicle to park at the target parking spot comprises:
controlling the self-balancing vehicle to be driven along a driving route having the minimum complexity to the target parking spot to park.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether there is the target parking spot for parking the self-balancing vehicle comprises:
controlling a body motor of the self-balancing vehicle to drive the self-balancing vehicle to move within a preset area at a preset speed; controlling the self-balancing vehicle in a preset speed increase manner such that the speed of the self-balancing vehicle is increased to a preset speed threshold if the self-balancing vehicle detects an obstacle during movement within the preset area; determining whether the self-balancing vehicle is able to go over the obstacle when it moves at the preset speed threshold; and determining the obstacle as the target parking spot for parking the self-balancing vehicle when it is determined that the self-balancing vehicle is not able to go over the obstacle.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining whether the self-balancing vehicle reaches the target parking spot; determining, by a balance device of the self-balancing vehicle, whether gravity center of the self-balancing vehicle has leaned against the target parking spot upon determination that the self-balancing vehicle reaches the target parking spot; and controlling the self-balancing vehicle to perform a posture adjustment if the gravity center of the self-balancing vehicle has not leaned against the target parking spot, and stopping the posture adjustment when the gravity center of the self-balancing vehicle leans against the target parking spot such that the self-balancing vehicle parks at the target parking spot.

10 . A device for parking a self-balancing vehicle, comprising:
a processor; a storage for storing instructions, which are executable by the processor; wherein the processor is configured to: determine whether there is a target parking spot for parking the self-balancing vehicle, when the self-balancing vehicle needs to be parked; control, when there is a target parking spot for parking the self-balancing vehicle, the self-balancing vehicle to park at the target parking spot.

11 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine, by a distance sensor of the self-balancing vehicle, whether there is a reference parking spot for parking the self-balancing vehicle in an area within a set distance from a current position of the self-balancing vehicle; determine, after it is determined that there is a reference parking spot for parking the self-balancing vehicle, whether a distance between the current position and a position of the reference parking spotless is less than a preset distance threshold; and determine the reference parking spot as the target parking spot when it is determined that the distance is less than the preset distance threshold.

12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine, when it is determined by the distance sensor that there are two or more reference parking spots, distances between the self-balancing vehicle and the two or more reference parking spots, respectively; and determine whether a minimum distance among the distances for the two or more reference parking spots is less than the preset distance threshold.

13 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine, by a distance sensor of the self-balancing vehicle, a driving direction of the self-balancing vehicle; and control the self-balancing vehicle to be driven in the driving direction to the target parking spot.

14 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
control a camera device of the self-balancing vehicle to be rotated within a preset angle range to capture images; and determine that there is a target parking spot for parking the self-balancing vehicle if there shows a parking spot for parking the self-balancing vehicle in the captured images.

15 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine whether there are two or more parking spots

Assignees

• Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co Ltd

Inventors

• Qian Zhuang
• Xiang Lifei
• Chen Baoke

Classifications

• B62D15/0285

  Parking performed automatically · CPC title

• B62D15/027

  Parking aids, e.g. instruction means · CPC title

• G08G1/143

  inside the vehicles · CPC title

• B60W30/06 Primary

  Automatic manoeuvring for parking · CPC title

• G08G1/168

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