Automated vehicle parking

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9827983-B2
Application number	US-201615097293-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2016
Priority date	Nov 24, 2015
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods for automatically parking a vehicle are described including receiving a request from a user to park a vehicle. A database including parking availability information is searched based at least in part on the request and location information associated with the user. An available parking space is determined based on the results of the search, and information related to the available parking space is sent to the user. When confirmation is received from the user indicating that that the vehicle is to be parked in the available parking space, a status of the available parking space is changed to unavailable, and guidance information related to the available space to the user. The vehicle then autonomously navigates to the parking space using the guidance information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of automatically parking a vehicle, comprising:
receiving a request from a user to automatically park a vehicle, the request including location information;
searching a database including parking availability information based at least in part on the request and location information;
determining an available parking space based on said searching;
sending information related to the available parking space to the user;
receiving confirmation from the user that the vehicle is to be parked in the available parking space;
changing a status of the available parking space to unavailable;
generating guidance information related to the available space for execution by the vehicle, wherein the guidance information is configured to assist the vehicle to park itself in the available parking space without intervention by the user;
receiving parking line information from the vehicle, the parking line information including information regarding a side line of the available parking space;
determining that the vehicle has reached a predetermined point such that the vehicle may enter the available parking space;
generating instruction for execution by the vehicle instructing the vehicle to enter the available parking space;
receiving updated parking line information from the vehicle; and
determining that the vehicle has parked in the available parking space based on the updated parking line information, wherein determining that the vehicle has parked in the available parking space based on the updated parking line information comprises:
determining a largest angle between the right wheel center line and the side line of the available parking space based on the length between the right wheel center line and the side line of the available parking space; and
determining a last turn point for a right rear wheel of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location information includes GPS coordinates, and the search returns results within a predetermined distance of the GPS coordinates.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the search returns a plurality of available parking spaces, and the confirmation includes selection of one of the available parking spaces.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the search returns available parking spaces in a plurality of parking structures, and the confirmation includes selection of one of the parking structures.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the guidance information includes at least one of coordinates associated with the available parking space, directions associated with the available parking space, communication link information for a local auto-guidance system associated with the available parking space, or sensor and/or beacon identification associated with the available parking space.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the updated parking line information includes information indicating a length between a right wheel center line and the side line of the available parking space.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising charging the user a parking fee based at least in part on determining that the vehicle has arrived at the available parking space, determining that the vehicle has left the available parking space, or the confirmation from the user that the vehicle is to be parked in the available parking space.

8. An automatic parking system, comprising:
a positioning system configured to determine the location of a vehicle;
a communication interface configured to receive available parking space information and guidance information for execution by the vehicle, wherein the guidance information is configured to assist the vehicle to park itself in an available parking space indicated by the available parking space information without user intervention;
a user interface configured to allow a user to select at least one of the available parking space; and
a guidance system configured to:
generate guidance information for automatically driving a vehicle to the parking space selected via the user interface, wherein the guidance information is configured to assist the vehicle to park itself in the selected parking spot without intervention by the user;
receive parking line information from the vehicle, the parking line information including information regarding a side line of the available parking space;
determine that the vehicle has reached a predetermined point such that the vehicle may enter the available parking space;
generate instruction for execution by the vehicle instructing the vehicle to enter the available parking space;
receive updated parking line information from the vehicle; and
determine that the vehicle has parked in the available parking space based on the updated parking line information, wherein determining that the vehicle has parked in the available parking space based on the updated parking line information comprises:
determining a largest angle between the right wheel center line and the side line of the available parking space based on the length between the right wheel center line and the side line of the available parking space; and
determining a last turn point for a right rear wheel of the vehicle drive, based on the received guidance information, the vehicle to the available parking space selected via the user interface.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the communication system is further configured to transmit a parking request including location information of the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the guidance system includes a movement sensor, a plurality of cameras, and a sensor configured to detect at least one of sound waves, radio waves, or non-visible light waves.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the guidance system is configured to operate in at least a first mode for road driving and a second mode for driving in a parking structure.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the second mode includes interpreting a data category that is not used in the first mode.

13. The system of claim 8 , driving the vehicle to the available parking space includes determining that the vehicle is in proximity to the available parking space based on the guidance information and in response to the determination that the vehicle is in proximity to the available parking space, activate a camera of the vehicle such that the vehicle is further driven based on images captured by the camera of the vehicle.

14. An automatic parking system, comprising:
a communication interface configured to receive a parking request from a user, the parking request including location information; and
a parking space availability module including an input for receiving information
associated with parking spot availability, and a processor for identifying an available parking spot based at least in part on the location information and the information associated with parking spot availability;
wherein the system is further configured to:
send information associated with the available parking spot to the user;
receive a parking confirmation for a selected parking spot from the user;
change a status of the selected parking spot to availability;
generate guidance information for automatically driving a vehicle to the selected parking spot, wherein the guidance information is configured to assist the vehicle to park itself in the selected parking spot without intervention by the user;
receive parking line information from the vehicle, the parking line information including information regarding a side line of the available parking space;
determine that the vehicle has reached a predetermined point such that the vehicle may enter the

Assignees

• Thunder Power Hong Kong Ltd

Inventors

• Sham Wellen

Classifications

• G01S19/42

  Determining position · CPC title

• G01C21/3407

  specially adapted for specific applications · CPC title

• G08G1/148

  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

• E04H6/426

  Parking guides · CPC title