Mobile device tethering for remote parking assistance systems for vehicles

Abstract

The present disclosure provides "Mobile device tethering for remote parking assistance systems of vehicles." Methods and apparatuses for mobile device tethering for remote parking assistance systems of vehicles are disclosed. An example vehicle includes a projection light and a body control module. The body control module determines a distance of a mobile device from the vehicle. The body control module also uses the projection light to project a representation of a boundary around the vehicle, and modifies the representation of the boundary based on the distance of the mobile device from the vehicle and an operating state of the vehicle.

Description

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application relates to U.S. Serial No. 15 / 860,242 (Attorney File No. 83811624 (026780.8726)), U.S. Serial No. 15 / 860,394 (Attorney File No. 83886136 (026780.8935)), U.S. Serial No. 15 / 860,414 (Attorney File No. 83890525 (026780.8950)), U.S. Serial No. 15 / 860,269 (Attorney File No. 83890519 (026780.8952)), U.S. Serial No. 15 / 860,420 (Attorney File No. 83890868 (026780.8955)), and U.S. Serial No. 15 / 860,299 (Attorney File No. 83878231). (026780.8956)), all of these applications were filed on the same day as this application, and all of these applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates generally to autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles, and more specifically to mobile device linkages for remote parking assistance systems for vehicles. Background Technology

[0004] Remote Parking Assist (RePA) systems are designed for autonomous vehicle parking. RePA can be used when the vehicle operator is seated but not holding the steering wheel. Typically, RePA is also used when the operator is outside the vehicle. The operator uses a mobile device that wirelessly communicates with the vehicle to trigger RePA, thereby parking or removing the vehicle from a parking area. Regulations are being developed requiring that RePA be controlled by a mobile device only when the remote control is within a certain distance of the vehicle. For example, proposed European regulations require the mobile device to be within 6 meters of the nearest point on the motor vehicle. See Economic Commission for Europe, Regulation No. 79 This allows vehicles to park autonomously. However, it is difficult to accurately measure the distance of 6 meters to the nearest point on a vehicle using the wireless technologies commonly available on commercial mobile devices. For example, the civilian frequency of a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver has a horizontal accuracy of 4 meters (RMS). Therefore, comparing the GPS coordinates of the mobile device and the GPS coordinates of the vehicle is not accurate enough to meet the requirements. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application is defined by the appended claims. This disclosure summarizes various aspects of the embodiments and should not be construed as limiting the claims. Other implementations are conceived based on the technology described herein, as will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon studying the following drawings and detailed description, and these implementations are intended to fall within the scope of this application.

[0006] Exemplary embodiments of a mobile device connection for a remote parking assistance system for a vehicle are disclosed. The example vehicle includes a projection light and a body control module. The body control module determines the distance of the mobile device from the vehicle. The body control module also uses the projection light to project a representation of the boundary around the vehicle, and modifies the representation of the boundary based on the distance of the mobile device from the vehicle and the operating state of the vehicle. Attached Figure Description

[0007] To better understand the present invention, reference can be made to the embodiments shown in the following figures. Components in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale and related elements may be omitted, or in some cases may be enlarged to emphasize and clearly illustrate the novel features described herein. Additionally, as is known in the art, system components may be arranged differently. Furthermore, in the figures, the same reference numerals denote corresponding components in several views.

[0008] Figure 1 A vehicle operating in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure is shown.

[0009] Figure 2 This illustrates a configuration for determining the initial position of a mobile device when it leaves the vehicle. Figure 1 The vehicles.

[0010] Figure 3 This illustrates a device configured to use a proximity-based sensor to determine the initial position of a mobile device. Figure 1 The vehicles.

[0011] Figure 4A and 4B A proximity-based sensor is shown. Figure 1 The vehicles.

[0012] Figure 5 This illustrates a device configured to use image recognition to determine the initial position of a mobile device. Figure 1 The vehicles.

[0013] Figure 6 The mobile device is shown.

[0014] Figure 7 This demonstrates a configuration that uses trajectory data to determine when a mobile device is within the vehicle's range. Figure 1 The vehicles.

[0015] Figure 8A , 8B 8C illustrates a configuration that uses probability regions to determine when a mobile device is within range of a vehicle. Figure 1 The vehicles.

[0016] Figure 9 This is shown as a device configured to visually indicate when a mobile device is within range of the vehicle. Figure 1 The vehicles.

[0017] Figure 10A , 10B The 10C shows a configuration designed to visually indicate when a mobile device is within the vehicle's range. Figure 1 An example of the front of a vehicle.

[0018] Figure 11A , 11B And 11C shows a configuration to visually indicate when a mobile device is within the range of a vehicle. Figure 1 An example of the rear of a vehicle.

[0019] Figure 12A , 12B And 12C shows a configuration to visually indicate when a mobile device is within the range of the vehicle. Figure 1 Another example of the rear of a vehicle.

[0020] Figure 13 yes Figure 1 A block diagram of the electronic components of a vehicle.

[0021] Figure 14 This is a flowchart of a method for performing remote-controlled assisted parking, which can be... Figure 13 The electronic components are implemented.

[0022] Figure 15 This is a flowchart of a method for determining the initial position of a mobile device when it leaves the vehicle, which can be derived from... Figure 13 The electronic components are implemented.

[0023] Figure 16 This is a flowchart of a method for determining the initial position of a mobile device using positioning technology, which can be derived from... Figure 13 The electronic components are implemented.

[0024] Figure 17 This is a flowchart of a method for determining the initial position of a moving device using inertial sensors, which can be derived from... Figure 13 The electronic components are implemented.

[0025] Figure 18 This is a flowchart of a method for determining the initial position of a mobile device using a proximity sensor, which can be derived from... Figure 13 The electronic components are implemented.

[0026] Figure 19 This is a flowchart of a method for determining the initial position of a mobile device using image analysis techniques, which can be derived from... Figure 13 The electronic components are implemented.

[0027] Figure 20 This is a flowchart of a method for determining whether a mobile device is within the distance of a vehicle by comparing the trajectories of the mobile device and the vehicle. It can be derived from... Figure 13 The electronic components are implemented.

[0028] Figure 21 This is a flowchart of a method for determining whether a mobile device is within the distance of a vehicle based on a probability region. It can be derived from... Figure 13 The electronic components are implemented.

[0029] Figure 22 This is a flowchart of a method for visually indicating when a mobile device is within the distance of a vehicle, which can be derived from... Figure 13 The electronic components are implemented. Detailed Implementation

[0030] While the invention may be embodied in various forms, some exemplary and non-limiting embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings and will be described below. It should be understood that this disclosure is intended to be illustrative of the invention and not to limit the invention to the specific embodiments shown.

[0031] Remote Parking Assist (RePA) systems are designed to autonomously park and unpark a vehicle while the operator is outside the vehicle. For example, a RePA system can be used when parking a vehicle in a space that is too narrow for the operator or passengers to open the doors. The RePA system uses range detection sensors (e.g., ultrasonic sensors, radar, LiDAR, cameras, etc.) to sense the environment around the parking space and plans and executes routes in and out of the parking space. In some examples, the RePA system is activated by the operator and scans for available parking spaces. When a parking space is detected, the RePA system signals via an interface (e.g., a center console display) so that the operator can park the vehicle near the detected parking space. The operator then leaves the vehicle. The RePA system can be further activated via a mobile device (e.g., a smartphone, smartwatch, key card, etc.) to complete the autonomous parking. In jurisdictions requiring the mobile device to remain within a threshold distance of the vehicle, the RePA system tracks the position of the mobile device relative to the vehicle's location and determines whether the mobile device is within the threshold distance. The RePA system will not move the vehicle autonomously when the mobile device is outside the vehicle's threshold distance.

[0032] RePA systems can use various techniques, such as dead reckoning and signal triangulation, to determine the position of a mobile device relative to a vehicle. Mobile device dead reckoning uses inertial sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc.) within the mobile device to determine its current position based on a previous location (sometimes called a "fixed point"). As the mobile device moves, the RePA system tracks the movement by tracking the distance and direction the device has traveled relative to its initial position. To perform mobile device dead reckoning, the RePA system determines its initial position by establishing the mobile device's position relative to the vehicle. However, establishing this relationship can be difficult. Furthermore, dead reckoning accumulates errors. Over time and distance, these errors can become large enough that the position calculation becomes inaccurate for the RePA system. Therefore, sometimes (e.g., after a threshold time, after a threshold distance, etc.), the RePA system needs to re-establish the mobile device's initial position. For example, when an operator leaves the vehicle to go shopping, the RePA system needs to re-establish the mobile device's position relative to the vehicle due to accumulated errors in order to perform mobile device dead reckoning. One positioning technique uses the signal strength of one or more antennas between a mobile device's antenna and one or more antennas of a vehicle. By using measurements of signal strength (e.g., Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI), Transmitted Strength (RX), Received Channel Power Indication (RCPI), etc.), the RePA system can estimate the location of the mobile device. The accuracy of the estimation depends on several factors, such as the number of signal strength measurements from different vehicle antennas being used, the frequency of the signal, the distance between the mobile device's antenna and one or more antennas of the vehicle, and environmental interference around the vehicle. In addition to mobile device dead reckoning, the RePA system also performs vehicle dead reckoning. Because the vehicle moves during a RePA event, the system must estimate the vehicle's real-time position to correctly compare that position with the estimated position of the mobile device. For example, even if the mobile device is stationary during a RePA event, the distance between the mobile device and the vehicle will change due to the vehicle's movement. Vehicle dead reckoning can be performed using transducers typically already present on vehicles (e.g., steering wheel angle sensors and rotary encoders for ranging). Vehicles can also perform dead reckoning using methods similar to those used for mobile devices (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc.), but vehicle-specific hardware may produce more accurate results. As described below, the RePA system of this disclosure uses dead reckoning and positioning, alone and in combination with various technologies, to overcome errors in position determination methods and determine whether a mobile device is within a threshold distance of the vehicle.

[0033] As described below, the RePA system determines the initial position of a mobile device when it leaves the vehicle. The RePA system assigns the initial position to the mobile device based on which door it exits the vehicle from. For example, when the mobile device exits the vehicle through the driver's side front door, the RePA system can designate a location on the door (e.g., the position of the door handle, etc.) as the initial position of the mobile device. The RePA system then uses dead reckoning to track the position of the mobile device based on that initial position. To determine which door the mobile device exits from, the RePA system uses (a) one or both of the following: (i) a comparison of the signal strength between at least one internal wireless antenna (e.g., the antenna of a Bluetooth® module located inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle) (sometimes referred to as "internal signal strength") and at least one external antenna (e.g., the antenna of a Bluetooth® module located near a vehicle door, etc.) (sometimes referred to as "external signal strength") and the antenna of the wireless device; (ii) the direction of movement of the mobile device as indicated by the mobile device's inertial sensors; and (b) environmental cues from sensors in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Environmental cues are provided by sensors that indicate the movement or presence of occupants (such as weight sensors, seat belt sensors, and / or door angle sensors).

[0034] In some examples, the vehicle includes at least one internal antenna and multiple external antennas. In such examples, the RePA system determines which side of the vehicle the mobile device exits from by using signals from each antenna. In such examples, the RePA system determines which door the mobile device exits from based on two factors: (a) which side of the vehicle the mobile device exits from; and (b) environmental cues indicating that an occupant is no longer occupying a specific seat in the vehicle. For example, if the mobile device exits through the passenger side of the vehicle, and substantially at the same time (e.g., plus or minus one second, two seconds, etc.), a weight sensor indicates that the occupant has left the front passenger side seat, and the RePA system determines that the mobile device exited through the front passenger side door. Alternatively, in some examples, the vehicle does not include one or more internal antennas or multiple external antennas to distinguish which side of the vehicle the mobile device exits from. In such examples, the RePA system determines which side of the vehicle the mobile device exits from based on measurements from inertial sensors of the mobile device.

[0035] As described below, the vehicle includes proximity sensors. When a mobile device is near the vehicle (e.g., determined by GPS coordinates and / or positioning) and a new initial position of the mobile device is required, the RePA system instructs an operator via a corresponding application executed on the mobile device to place the mobile device near one of the proximity sensors. The proximity sensor represents a fixed reference point on the vehicle. In some examples, the proximity sensor is a near field communication (NFC) device that is communicatively coupled to the mobile device when it is within range (e.g., 10 cm, etc.). Alternatively, the proximity sensor is a wireless charging module (e.g., a Qi® module, etc.) that detects the mobile device when it is within a threshold range (e.g., 5-7 mm, etc.) of the wireless charging module. Alternatively, in some examples, the proximity sensor is a pressure sensor or switch that detects when the mobile device comes into contact with the proximity sensor. Alternatively, in some examples, the proximity sensor is a wireless module (e.g., a Bluetooth® module, etc.) that determines that the mobile device is close to the wireless module when the signal strength indicates that the mobile device is within a threshold distance (e.g., 10 mm, etc.) from the wireless module.

[0036] When a vehicle is parked in a tight parking space, the proximity sensor is located within the operator's reach. In some examples, the proximity sensor is located near the rear license plate and vehicle emblem. Additionally, in some examples, the proximity sensor is located on the housing of the side mirrors and / or on one or more door handles of the vehicle. In some examples, the RePA system can be activated via the proximity sensor. In such examples, bringing a mobile device into the range of the proximity sensor will: (a) automatically launch the corresponding RePA application on the mobile device; (b) unlock the corresponding RePA application on the mobile device; (c) automatically present the user's default RePA state to the operator; (d) cause the corresponding RePA application on the mobile device to present the operator with available parking maneuvering options; and / or (e) automatically start the vehicle's engine.

[0037] As described below, the RePA system instructs an operator to perform a specific action via a corresponding application executed on the mobile device, and determines the position of the mobile device based on that action. In some examples, the RePA system instructs the operator to keep the mobile device perpendicular to the vehicle's longitudinal axis in the view of one of the cameras (e.g., front-facing camera, rear-view camera, 360-degree camera, etc.). The RePA system captures an image of the mobile device. Using a database of mobile device specifications and / or specifications provided when the corresponding RePA application is installed on the mobile device, the RePA system determines the relative position of the mobile device based on the scale difference between the dimensional measurements of the mobile device in the image and reference dimensional measurements in the mobile device specification database. In some examples, the RePA system instructs the user to capture an image of a feature of the vehicle (e.g., license plate frame, label affixed to the vehicle, etc.). In such examples, the RePA system determines the relative position of the mobile device based on the difference between the dimensional measurements of the feature in the image and reference dimensional measurements of the feature. In some examples, the RePA system instructs the operator to point the mobile device's flash at the vehicle's camera. In some such examples, the RePA system communicates with the mobile device using visible light communication methods such as Li-Fi. In some such examples, the RePA system determines the distance to the moving device based on a measured light intensity of the flash compared to a desired light intensity. In other examples, the moving device repeats different predetermined light intensity patterns of the flash for the RePA system to use in determining the distance. For example, the moving device may gradually increase the brightness of its flash from 0% to 100% within a time range established between the moving device and the RePA system.

[0038] As described below, in some examples, the RePA system uses a mobile device and a key card to determine the location of the mobile device relative to the vehicle. Typically, the key card communicates with the vehicle at a frequency lower than that of the mobile device (e.g., 315 MHz to 902 MHz). Additionally, low-frequency signals (e.g., 125 kHz, etc.) are used to perform key card polling. Therefore, positioning techniques using key card polling signals are generally more accurate than those using mobile device signals. Since the key card battery has limited power, the RePA system saves power by varying the interval between key card polling signals based on the relationship between the mobile device and the vehicle. As used herein, “reducing the polling interval” means reducing the number of polling signals broadcast within a unit time period (e.g., one second, thirty seconds, etc.), and “increasing the polling interval” means increasing the number of polling signals broadcast within a unit time period. The RePA system determines the vehicle's trajectory (e.g., speed and direction) and the mobile device's trajectory to determine whether the vehicle and mobile device are converging (e.g., getting closer) or diverging (e.g., getting farther apart). By using positioning technology, the RePA system determines a probabilistic region for the key card. The probabilistic region represents the area containing the key card's location (taking estimation errors into account). That is, the probabilistic region, based on the positioning technology's error, represents a set of possible locations for the key card, rather than a single location. When the probabilistic region is within the RePA boundary and the distance between the vehicle and the mobile device decreases, the RePA system reduces or pauses the key card's polling interval. In this case, when the mobile device and vehicle are approaching each other within the RePA boundary, the mobile device will not leave the boundary, so tracking the operator's position is less important. When the probabilistic region is within the RePA boundary and the distance between the vehicle and the mobile device increases, the RePA system resumes key card polling if it has been paused, and reduces the polling interval as the vehicle moves further away from the mobile device to detect whether the operator has moved out of range more quickly. In some examples, the RePA system can change the polling interval based on the vehicle's speed relative to the mobile device. For example, the faster the relative speed of the vehicle, the greater the increase in the polling interval. In this case, the operator may leave the RePA boundary, so increasing the tracking of the operator's position helps to determine when the operator has crossed the boundary more quickly.

[0039] As described below, the RePA system uses positioning technology targeting the mobile device and its associated keycard to track the location (or a ring of possible locations) of the mobile device. Initially, keycard polling for the RePA system is off (that is, the RePA system does not initiate keycard polling; however, another system such as keyless entry can initiate keycard polling independently). By using positioning technology targeting signals from the mobile device, the RePA system determines a probabilistic region representing the possible location of the mobile device based on the location determined by positioning and its associated errors. The RePA system compares the probabilistic region to a boundary. When the probabilistic region is completely outside the boundary, the RePA system determines that the mobile device is outside the boundary. When the probabilistic region is completely inside the boundary, the RePA system determines that the mobile device is inside the boundary. When the boundary is partially within the probabilistic region, the RePA system activates polling of the keycard and uses positioning to determine the keycard's location. When the keycard is inside the boundary, the RePA system determines that the mobile device is inside the boundary.

[0040] As described below, the RePA system provides a visual indication of the position of a moving device relative to a boundary location. In some examples, the visual indication is the manipulation of the brightness, color, and / or activation of the vehicle's lights (e.g., headlights, taillights, LED strips, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the vehicle includes projection lights that project onto the boundary. In some such examples, the projection changes based on the position of the moving device relative to the boundary location. The visual indication has different outputs in the following situations: (a) when the RePA system is activated but the moving device is not detected by the RePA system; (b) when the RePA system is activated and the moving device is outside the boundary; (c) when the RePA system is activated, the moving device is inside the boundary, and the vehicle is in motion; (d) when the RePA system is activated, the moving device is inside the boundary, and the vehicle is stationary; and (e) when the RePA system is activated and the moving device is inside the boundary, near the boundary (e.g., within 0.5 meters of the boundary, etc.).

[0041] Figure 1 and 2A vehicle 100 operating according to the teachings of this disclosure is shown. Vehicle 100 may be a standard gasoline-powered vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, and / or any other type of vehicle with mobility implementation. Vehicle 100 includes mobility-related components, such as a powertrain having an engine, transmission, suspension, drive axle, and / or wheels. Vehicle 100 is semi-autonomous (e.g., some conventional motion functions are controlled by vehicle 100) or autonomous (e.g., motion functions are controlled by vehicle 100 without direct driver input). Exemplary vehicle 100 includes wireless nodes 102 and 104, occupant detection sensors 106, 108, and 110, proximity sensor 112, one or more cameras 114, trajectory sensors 116, 118, and 122, lights 124 and 126, a spotlight 128, an on-board communication module (OBCM) 130, a powertrain control module (PTCU) 132, a body control module (BCM) 134, and / or an active safety module (ASM) 136.

[0042] Wireless nodes 102 and 104 include hardware (e.g., processor, storage device, memory, antenna, etc.) and software for controlling one or more wireless network interfaces. Wireless nodes 102 and 104 include a communication controller (e.g., Bluetooth®, Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE), Zigbee®, Z-Wave®, Wi-Fi®, etc.) for a personal or local wireless network. In some examples, when wireless nodes 102 and 104 are configured to implement BLE, they may be referred to as “BLE Antenna Module (BLEAM)”. Wireless nodes 102 and 104 are communicatively coupled to mobile device 138 and measure and / or receive measurements of the signal strength of signals broadcast by mobile device 138. In some examples, vehicle 100 includes one or more internal wireless nodes 102 located within the passenger compartment of vehicle 100. Alternatively or additionally, in some examples, vehicle 100 includes one or more external wireless nodes 104 located outside vehicle 100. In some such examples, the external wireless node 104 is located on the roof of vehicle 100, on the hood of vehicle 100, at the rear of vehicle 100, and / or near one or more doors 140 of vehicle 100.

[0043] Occupant detection sensors 106, 108, and 110 are associated with specific seats in vehicle 100 and provide indications of (a) whether the associated seat is occupied and (b) whether the occupancy of the associated seat has changed. Occupant detection sensors 106, 108, and 110 include a weight sensor 106, a seatbelt sensor 108, and / or a door angle sensor 110. Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, occupant detection sensors 106, 108, and 110 include a door latch sensor and / or a window position sensor and / or an infrared detection sensor. Weight sensor 106 detects whether the associated seat is occupied. A change in the state of weight sensor 106 from occupied to unoccupied indicates that the occupant of the associated seat has left vehicle 100. Seatbelt sensor 108 detects whether the seatbelt associated with the specific seat is fastened. A change in the state of seatbelt sensor 108 from fastened to unfastened indicates that the occupant of the associated seat has left vehicle 100. Door angle sensor 110 detects the angle at which the associated door 140 is open. The door angle sensor 110, which indicates that the door has changed from the closed position to an open position sufficient for exiting, can indicate that the occupant of the relevant seat has exited the vehicle 100.

[0044] Proximity sensor 112 detects when mobile device 138 approaches. In some examples, proximity sensor 112 is a module wirelessly coupled to mobile device 138 over a relatively short range (e.g., an NFC module with a range of 10 cm, a Qi module with a range of 5-7 mm, etc.). Alternatively or additionally, in some examples, proximity sensor 112 is a wireless module (e.g., a Bluetooth® module, etc.) that detects when mobile device 138 is relatively close to proximity sensor 112 by comparing the wireless signal strength of the signal from mobile device 138 with a calibrated threshold, thereby determining when mobile device 138 is relatively close (e.g., 10 mm, etc.) to proximity sensor 112. In some such examples, external wireless module 104 is also configured as proximity sensor 112. For example, when one of external wireless nodes 104 is installed in the handle of one of the vehicle doors 140, external wireless node 104 is configured to determine when mobile device 138 is within 10 mm of the door handle. Alternatively, in some examples, proximity sensor 112 is a pressure sensor and / or switch that is activated when the moving device 138 is physically pressed against proximity sensor 112. In some such examples, proximity sensor 112 is a pedestrian collision detection sensor. The pedestrian collision detection sensor includes low-force and high-force switches, which are “on / off” box switches with different pressure activation thresholds and linear potentiometers. The pedestrian collision detection sensor detects the collision width, collision location, collision duration, and magnitude of collision pressure.

[0045] Camera 114 captures images and videos of the area near vehicle 100. Camera 114 includes a front-facing camera (e.g., located behind a rearview mirror housing), a rearview camera, and / or a 360° camera system. The 360° camera system includes multiple cameras that stitch together their respective captured images to provide a view around vehicle 100. For example, one camera is located in the center of the front grille, two cameras are ultra-wide-angle cameras on the side mirrors, and one camera is located above the license plate of vehicle 100.

[0046] Trajectory sensors 116, 118, and 122 measure the travel speed and / or direction of travel of vehicle 100. These measurements are used to determine the trajectory of vehicle 100. Trajectory sensors 116, 118, and 122 include wheel speed sensor 116, steering angle sensor 118, and rate sensor 122. Wheel speed sensor 116 is mounted on the wheel assembly of each wheel to measure the wheel rotation speed. Steering angle sensor 118 is located in the steering column of vehicle 100 and measures the steering wheel position angle and turning rate. Rate sensor 122 includes a yaw sensor, roll sensor, pitch sensor, and / or accelerometer. Rate sensor 122 measures the change of angles over time, such as the yaw rate, roll rate, or pitch rate of vehicle 100. Rate sensor 122 also measures the acceleration of vehicle 100. In some examples, rate sensor 122 is integrated into a constraint control module and / or a traction control module.

[0047] Lamps 124 and 126 include headlights and taillights. Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, lamps 124 and 126 include LED light strips embedded in one or more sides of the vehicle body 100 so that they can be seen by a person standing at least within the boundaries of the RePA system. Lamps 124 and 126 include various configurations that facilitate the transmission of different states of the RePA system. In some examples, lamps 124 and 126 are dimmable to facilitate the transmission of different states via the brightness of lamps 124 and 126. Alternatively or additionally, in some examples, lamps 124 and 126 include multiple independently controllable segments to facilitate the transmission of different states via illuminated segments. For example, vehicle 100 may include lamps 124 and 126 as LED strips, wherein each LED in the strip is independently controllable. In such an example, the state of the RePA system can be transmitted by the number of LEDs illuminated.

[0048] Projector 128 is a light that projects an image onto the ground near vehicle 100. Projector 128 is positioned on vehicle 100 such that it projects a visible boundary line at a threshold distance (e.g., 6 meters) of the RePA system. For example, projector 128 may be located near the vehicle logo at the front of vehicle 100, at the bottom of a side mirror, and below the license plate at the rear of vehicle 100. Projector 128 includes multi-color lights (e.g., multi-color LEDs) to facilitate the projection of boundaries in different colors. Additionally, in some examples, projector 128 has different luminous intensity settings (e.g., higher lumen output during the day, lower lumen output at night, etc.).

[0049] The vehicle communication module 130 (sometimes referred to as a "telematics processing unit") manages communication with wireless nodes 102 and 104 and / or proximity sensor 112. Additionally, in some examples, the vehicle communication module 130 includes a wired or wireless network interface to enable communication with external networks. In some such examples, the vehicle communication module 130 includes hardware (e.g., processor, storage device, memory, antenna, etc.) for communication via cellular networks (Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), etc.), wireless local area networks (WLANs) (including IEEE 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac or others, Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC), Li-Fi), etc.) and / or wide area networks (wireless gigabit networks (IEEE 802.11ad), etc.)). In some examples, the vehicle communication module 130 includes a wired or wireless interface (e.g., an auxiliary port, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, a Bluetooth® wireless node, etc.) for communicatively coupling with a mobile device (e.g., a smartphone, smartwatch, tablet, etc.). In such examples, the vehicle 100 can communicate with an external network via the coupled mobile device. The external network can be a public network, such as the Internet; a private network, such as an intranet; or a combination thereof, and can utilize various networking protocols now available or developed in the future, including but not limited to TCP / IP-based networking protocols.

[0050] The powertrain control module 132 includes hardware and firmware for controlling the ignition, fuel injection, emission system, transmission, and / or braking system of the vehicle 100. The powertrain control module 132 monitors sensors (such as fuel injection sensors, wheel speed sensors, exhaust sensors, etc.) and uses control algorithms to control, for example, the fuel mixture, ignition timing, variable camshaft timing, emission control, fuel pump, engine cooling fan, and / or charging system. Additionally, the powertrain control module 132 monitors and transmits measurement results from trajectory sensors 116, 118, and 122. The powertrain control module 132 is connected via a vehicle data bus (e.g., via...). Figure 13 The vehicle data bus 1302 sends messages about the engine status (e.g., driving, idling, stopped, etc.).

[0051] The body control module 134 controls various subsystems of the vehicle 100. For example, the body control module 134 can control power windows, power locks, an anti-theft system, and / or power mirrors. The body control module 134 includes circuitry for, for example, driving relays (e.g., controlling windshield washer fluid), driving brushed DC motors (e.g., controlling power seats, power locks, power windows, windshield wipers, etc.), driving stepper motors, and / or driving LEDs. In some examples, the body control module 134 is communicatively coupled to a remote keyless entry system 142, which receives signals from a key card 144 to control the functions of the vehicle 100. The remote keyless entry system 142 sends a polling signal requesting the key card 144 to measure the polling signal strength between the vehicle 100 and the key card 144, and reports the polling signal strength to the remote keyless entry system 142. In the example shown, the vehicle control module 134 includes a boundary monitor 146 that (a) tracks the distance (D) between the mobile device 138 and / or key card 144 and the vehicle 100; (b) determines that the mobile device 138 and / or key card 144 is within a threshold distance to the vehicle 100; and (c) controls various subsystems of the vehicle 100 (e.g., lights 124 and 126) based on the determination.

[0052] Boundary monitor 146 tracks the time when vehicle 100 last determined the fixed point of mobile device 138. When the time since the last fixed point and / or the distance traveled since the last fixed point meet corresponding thresholds, as shown below... Figure 2 , 3As discussed in 4A, 4B, 5, 6, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19, the boundary monitor 146 obtains a new fixed point from the mobile device 138. The boundary monitor 146 uses dead reckoning (e.g., receiving data from the inertial sensors of the mobile device 138, etc.) and / or positioning techniques (e.g., via wireless nodes 102 and 104, via the remote keyless entry system 142, etc.) to track the location of the mobile device 138 and / or the key card 144. As discussed below... Figure 7 , 8A As discussed in 8B, 8C, 20, and 21, the boundary monitor 146 tracks whether the mobile device 138 and / or key card 144 are within a threshold distance of the defined boundary (e.g., 6 meters, etc.). This is further elaborated below. Figure 9 , 10A As discussed in 10B, 10C, 11A, 11B, 11C, 12A, 12B, 12C and 22, the boundary monitor 146 notifies the user of the position of the mobile device 138 and / or the key card 144 relative to the boundary location.

[0053] Active safety module 136 controls the autonomous functions of vehicle 100. More specifically, the active safety module 136 of the illustrated example includes a system for autonomously parking and unparking vehicle 100 when an operator is outside the vehicle (sometimes referred to as "remote parking," "vehicle remote parking assist," "remote parking assist," and "RePA"). For example, the RePA system of active safety module 136 controls the vehicle's motion functions when activated from mobile device 138 to remotely park the vehicle in a parking space. The RePA system of active safety module 136 uses range detection sensors (e.g., ultrasonic sensors, radar, LiDAR, cameras, etc.) to sense the environment around the vehicle, thereby detecting parking spaces. When activated via mobile device 138 located within the boundary, the RePA system of active safety module 136 plans and executes a path to enter or leave the parking space. In some examples, the RePA system is activated by the operator and scans for available parking spaces. When a parking space is detected, the RePA system signals via an interface (e.g., a center console display, etc.) so that the operator can park near the detected parking space. The operator then leaves vehicle 100. The RePA system of active safety module 136 is activated via mobile device 138 to autonomously maneuver vehicle 100 into the parking space according to a planned path. The RePA system will not autonomously move vehicle 100 when mobile device 138 is outside the boundary. As described below, because vehicle 100 is in motion during remote parking maneuvers, the boundary moves with vehicle 100. Thus, even if mobile device 138 is stationary, it can, for example, move outside the boundary.

[0054] Figure 2This illustrates a configuration for determining the initial position of the mobile device 138 when it leaves the vehicle 100. Figure 1 Vehicle 100. Boundary monitor 146 detects: (a) when the moving device 138 leaves vehicle 100; and (b) from which door 140 the moving device 138 leaves vehicle 100. Based on which door 140 the moving device 138 leaves vehicle 100, the moving device 138 designates a position 202 on vehicle 100 associated with that door 140 as the initial position of the moving device. Position 202 may be, for example, the center of a panel of one of the associated doors 140.

[0055] When vehicle 100 includes multiple internal wireless nodes 102 and external wireless nodes 104 (e.g., vehicle 100 includes a phone-as-a-key system or Bluetooth® key card, etc.), boundary monitor 146 uses the signal strength between mobile device 138 and wireless nodes 102 and 104 to determine: (i) when mobile device 138 leaves vehicle 100 (e.g., mobile device 138 transitions from inside vehicle 100 to outside vehicle 100); and (ii) from which side of vehicle 100 mobile device 138 leaves (e.g., driver's side, passenger side, rear, etc.). To determine which door 140 mobile device 138 leaves from, boundary monitor 146 uses measurements from occupant detection sensors 106, 108, and 110 associated with seats on the sides of vehicle 100, which are determined via signal strength analysis. For example, when the moving device 138 leaves the vehicle 100 and the door angle sensor 110 detects that the front driver's side door is opened to an angle sufficient for exiting, the boundary monitor 146 can determine that the moving device 138 leaves via the front driver's side door.

[0056] In some cases, multiple doors 140 may open nearly simultaneously. In such an example, the boundary monitor 146 uses measurements from multiple occupant detection sensors 106, 108, and 110 to determine which door is associated with the mobility device 138. For example, if a door 140 is open but measurements from the corresponding weight sensor 106 indicate that the corresponding seat is empty, the boundary monitor 146 may identify that door 140 as the door from which the mobility device 138 has exited. Alternatively or additionally, when the boundary monitor 146 detects the presence of multiple mobility devices paired with the vehicle 100, the boundary monitor 146 uses the timing of events associated with the occupant detection sensors 106, 108, and 110 to assign a door to each mobility device.

[0057] Alternatively, in some examples, vehicle 100 does not include one or more internal antennas 102 and / or multiple external antennas 104 to distinguish which side of vehicle 100 the mobile device 138 exits from. In such an example, boundary monitor 146 receives initial data from the inertial sensor 204 (e.g., gyroscope, accelerometer, etc.) of mobile device 138 via one of wireless nodes 102 and 104. Boundary monitor 146 determines which side of vehicle 100 the mobile device 138 exits from based on the inertial data. For example, the inertial data may indicate that the mobile device 138 moved toward the driver's side of vehicle 100 just before the rear driver's side door opened. In such an example, boundary monitor 146 may determine that the mobile device 138 exits vehicle 100 from the rear driver's side door.

[0058] In some examples, when multiple mobile devices are present in vehicle 100, while vehicle 100 is in motion, boundary monitor 146 assigns a seat in vehicle 100 to each mobile device based on the difference in angular acceleration when vehicle 100 is turning. An example of assigning a seat to a mobile device is described in U.S. Patent No. 9,467,817, entitled “Determining Vehicle Occupant Location,” issued October 11, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Therefore, when mobile device 138 is assigned a seat, boundary monitor 146 assigns a corresponding position 202 on the body of vehicle 100 when mobile device 138 leaves vehicle 100.

[0059] Figure 3 This illustrates a device configured to use proximity sensor 112 to determine the initial position of the moving device 138. Figure 1 When mobile device 138 is near vehicle 100 (e.g., determined by GPS coordinates and / or positioning, etc.) and a new initial position of mobile device is needed (e.g., due to the time elapsed since the last determination and / or the distance traveled exceeding a threshold, etc.), boundary monitor 146 sends a message to the corresponding application running on mobile device 138, causing mobile device 138 to instruct the operator to place mobile device 138 within range of one of proximity sensors 112. Proximity sensor 112 represents a fixed reference point on vehicle 100. When the vehicle is parked in a narrow parking space, the proximity sensor is located within the reach of the operator. Figure 4A In the example shown, one of the proximity sensors 112 is located behind or integrated with the vehicle sign 402. Additionally, in some examples, some proximity sensors 112 are located on the housing of the side mirror 404 and / or on one or more door handles of the vehicle 100. Figure 4BIn the example shown, one of the proximity sensors 112 is located below the license plate area 406 of the vehicle 100. Alternatively or additionally, in some examples, the proximity sensor 112 is integrated into the keyless entry keypad (e.g., located near the B-pillar on the driver's side front door of the vehicle 100, etc.).

[0060] In some examples, the RePA application on mobile device 138 displays the location of the proximity sensors on the interface. In some examples, the active safety module 136 activates the RePA system when an authorized mobile device 138 is detected near one of the proximity sensors 112. In such examples, in response to bringing the mobile device into the range of the proximity sensors, the active safety module 136: (a) sends a message to automatically launch the corresponding RePA application on mobile device 138; (b) unlocks the corresponding RePA application on mobile device 138 (e.g., in systems requiring confirmation from the active safety module 136 of vehicle 100 to enable the RePA function in the application running on mobile device 138); (c) automatically presents the user's default RePA state to the operator; (d) causes the corresponding RePA application on mobile device 138 to present the operator with available parking maneuvering options; and / or (e) automatically starts the engine of vehicle 100 (e.g., via powertrain control module 132, etc.).

[0061] In some examples, infrastructure items (e.g., parking meters, fire hydrants, light poles, etc.) may include infrastructure proximity sensors. Boundary monitor 146 determines the relative position of the infrastructure item with respect to vehicle 100 (e.g., via the following combination). Figure 5 (Discussing image analysis, etc.). In some such examples, the boundary monitor 146 establishes communication with the infrastructure project (e.g., via the vehicle communication module 130). In such examples, the infrastructure project sends a message when a user brings the mobile device 138 near the proximity sensor of the infrastructure project. For example, a parking meter may include an NFC contactless payment system that, when a payment is processed via the mobile device 138, sends a message to the vehicle 100 via DSRC or WLAN using information from a user profile associated with a payment account and / or sent by the mobile device 138 (e.g., vehicle identifier, temporary password for WLAN access, etc.). In such examples, the boundary monitor 146 determines the relative position of the mobile device 138 by determining the relative position of the parking meter via image analysis or by determining which parking lot the vehicle 100 is parked in and receiving the distance between the parking lot and the parking meter.

[0062] Figure 5 This illustrates a configuration that uses image recognition to determine the initial position of the mobile device 138. Figure 1 100 vehicles. Figure 6 A mobile device is shown executing a RePA application 602 communicating with a boundary monitor 146. The boundary monitor 146 is communicatively coupled to the mobile device 138 and instructs an operator to perform specific actions via a corresponding RePA application 602 executed on the mobile device 138. In some examples, the boundary monitor 146 instructs the operator to keep the mobile device 138 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle 100 in the view of one of the cameras 114. The boundary monitor 146 captures an image of the mobile device 138. In some such examples, the body control module 134 includes a memory (e.g., below). Figure 13 A mobile device specification database 502 is stored in memory 1306, containing specifications (e.g., height, width, position, front and / or rear camera dimensions, etc.) of mobile devices associated with (e.g., paired with) vehicle 100. For example, database 502 may include a record of mobile device 138 indicating that mobile device 138 is 17.75 cm × 7.62 cm (6.2 inches × 3 inches). In such an example, boundary monitor 146 manages the mobile device specification database 502 from time to time (e.g., receiving updates from an external network, removing old or outdated records, etc.). By using the mobile device specification database 502 and / or the specifications provided when the appropriate RePA application is installed on mobile device 138, boundary monitor 146 determines the relative position of mobile device 138 based on the scale difference between dimensional measurements of mobile device 138 in a captured image and reference dimensional measurements in mobile device specification database 502. In some examples, boundary monitor 146 uses dimensions of specific feature 604 (such as screen size, mobile device camera size, etc.). In some examples, the RePA application running on mobile device 138 displays an image 606 with known dimensions (such as a logo or a Quick Response (QR) code). In such examples, boundary monitor 146 compares the dimensions of image 606 in the captured image with the expected dimensions of image 606 based on the screen size and / or resolution of mobile device 138.

[0063] In some examples, boundary monitor 146 instructs a user to capture an image of a feature of the vehicle (e.g., a license plate frame, a label affixed to the vehicle, etc.) using mobile device 138. In such examples, boundary monitor 146 determines the relative position of mobile device 138 based on the difference between a dimensional measurement of the feature in the captured image and a reference dimensional measurement of the feature. For example, vehicle 100 may have graphic features 504 (e.g., as a label, as part of a painted pattern, etc.) on the front and / or rear of vehicle 100. In some examples, graphic features 504 are codes (e.g., QR codes, barcodes, etc.) formed on ultraviolet (UV) material visible only under ultraviolet (UV) light. In such examples, vehicle 100 includes a UV lamp that, when illuminated, makes the UV graphic features 504 visible.

[0064] In some examples, boundary monitor 146 instructs an operator to point the flash 608 of mobile device 138 at camera 114 of vehicle 100. In some such examples, boundary monitor 146 communicates with mobile device 138 using a form of visible light communication such as Li-Fi. In some such examples, boundary monitor 146 determines the distance to mobile device 138 based on a measured light intensity of flash 608 compared to a desired light intensity. In some such examples, RePA application 602 transmits the desired light intensity of flash 608 to boundary monitor 146. In some examples, mobile device 138 repeats a pattern of different predetermined light intensities of flash 608. The predetermined light intensity is the light intensity desired by both boundary monitor 146 and RePA application 602 when configured. In such examples, boundary monitor 146 determines the distance between vehicle 100 and mobile device 138 by analyzing the difference between the captured light intensity and the predetermined light intensity. For example, the mobile device can gradually increase the brightness of its flash 608 from 0% to 100% within a time range established between the mobile device 138 and the boundary monitor 146.

[0065] In some examples, the boundary monitor 146 uses the above combination Figure 5 and Figure 6Various techniques are discussed to determine the relative position of mobile device 138 with respect to vehicle 100. In some such examples, distance estimates are combined (e.g., averaging, weighted averaging, etc.). For example, boundary monitor 146 can capture images of mobile device 138 and receive images captured by mobile device 138. In such an example, boundary monitor 146 can calculate a first estimate based on images captured by camera 114 of vehicle 100 and a second estimate based on images received from mobile device 138. In such an example, boundary monitor 146 can average the first and second estimates to determine the distance between mobile device 138 and vehicle 100.

[0066] Figure 7 This illustrates a configuration that uses trajectory data to determine when the mobile device 138 is within the range of the vehicle 100 (e.g., within boundary 702). Figure 1 The boundary monitor 146 uses the mobile device 138 and the key card 144 to determine the position of the mobile device 138 relative to the vehicle 100. Typically, the key card 144 communicates with the vehicle 100 at a lower frequency (e.g., 315 MHz to 902 MHz) than the mobile device 138 (e.g., 2.4 GHz). Additionally, the key card polling signal is a low-frequency signal (e.g., 125 kHz, etc.). Thus, positioning techniques using the signal strength of the key card 144 are generally more accurate than positioning using the signal strength of the mobile device 138. Because the key card 144 has a limited battery power, the boundary monitor 146 conserves power by disabling and / or changing the interval between polling signals, and alternatively, uses polling from the mobile device 138 when improving the accuracy of the polling signal from the key card 144 is not necessary. Boundary monitor 146 uses the trajectory of mobile device 138 and vehicle 100 to determine when to use polling signals from key card 144 and which polling interval to use.

[0067] Boundary monitor 146 determines the trajectory (e.g., speed and direction) of vehicle 100 based on measurements from one or more of trajectory sensors 116, 118, and 122. RePA application 602 on mobile device 138 sends measurements from inertial sensor 204 to boundary monitor 146. Boundary monitor 146 determines the trajectory of mobile device 138 based on measurements received from mobile device 138. Boundary monitor 146 determines whether the positions of vehicle 100 and mobile device 138 are converging (e.g., getting closer) or diverging (e.g., getting farther away). Using positioning technology, boundary monitor 146 determines a probabilistic region 706 for the operator. Probabilistic region 706 represents the area containing the operator's position, taking into account positioning errors from triangulation or trilateration of signal strength via mobile device 138 and / or key card 144. For example, probabilistic region 706 could be defined by a point 7 meters (estimated using positioning technology) from the vehicle, with an error radius of 0.25 meters. Using signal strength measurements from key card 144 results in a smaller probability region 706 compared to using signal strength measurements from mobile device 138.

[0068] Boundary 702 is defined by a threshold distance between vehicle 100 and mobile device 138, at which the RePA system operates. For example, boundary 702 could be 6 meters from each point on the outer surface of vehicle 100. When probability region 706 is entirely within boundary 702 and the distance between vehicle 100 and mobile device 138 is decreasing, boundary monitor 146 reduces or pauses the polling interval of key card 144. In this case, because the positions of mobile device 138 and vehicle 100 are converging within boundary 702, mobile device 138 will not leave boundary 702, so accurately tracking the position of mobile device 138 is less important. When probability region 706 is within boundary 702 and the distance between vehicle 100 and mobile device 138 increases, boundary monitor 146 resumes key card polling if it has been paused, and increases the polling interval when vehicle 100 moves away from mobile device 138. In this way, boundary monitor 146 can detect whether mobile device 138 has moved out of range more quickly.

[0069] In some examples, the boundary monitor 146 adjusts the polling interval of the key card 144 based on the relative speed of the vehicle 100 relative to the mobile device 138. For example, the faster the relative speed of the vehicle 100 relative to the mobile device 138, the larger the polling interval can be. In such examples, the polling interval is increased because the faster the relative speed of the vehicle 100 relative to the mobile device 138, the faster the mobile device 138 can leave the boundary 702, thus increasing the frequency of estimating the position of the mobile device 138 facilitates determining more quickly when the mobile device 138 crosses the boundary 702.

[0070] Figure 8A , 8B Figure 8C illustrates a configuration that uses probability region 706 to determine when the mobile device 138 is within the range of vehicle 100 (e.g., within boundary 702). Figure 1 Vehicle 100. Boundary monitor 146 uses positioning technology targeting mobile device 138 and key card 144 to track the probabilistic region 706 of the location of mobile device 138. Figure 8A , 8B In the example shown in 8C, vehicle 100 may include only one external wireless node 104, so boundary monitor 146 tracks the distance of mobile device 138 and / or key card 144 from vehicle 100. In such an example, probability region 706 surrounds a ring around vehicle 100. Initially, polling of key card 144 is deactivated to conserve key card 144's battery life.

[0071] Boundary monitor 146 compares probability region 706 with boundary 702. Boundary monitor 146 uses signals from mobile device 138 to calculate probability region 706. Typically, the farther mobile device 138 is from vehicle 100, the larger the area included in probability region 706. Boundary monitor 146 reacts based on the relationship between probability region 706 and boundary 702. Figure 8A A probability region 706 is shown that is entirely within boundary 702. When probability region 706 is entirely within boundary 702, boundary monitor 146 determines that mobile device 138 is within boundary 702 without instructing key card 144 to begin sending its polling signal based on signal strength measurements. Figure 8B A probability region 706 is shown that is completely outside the boundary 702. When the probability region 706 is completely outside the boundary 702, the boundary monitor 146 determines that the mobile device 138 is outside the boundary 702 without initiating polling of the key card 144 or instructing the key card 144 to start evaluating the polling signal.

[0072] Figure 8CA boundary 702 within probability region 706 is shown. When boundary 702 is within probability region 706, boundary monitor 146 instructs key card 144 to send its polling signal based on signal strength measurements. Boundary monitor 146 determines the position 802 (or radius of the position) of key card 144. When position 802 is within boundary 702, boundary monitor 146 determines that mobile device 138 is inside boundary 702. When position 802 is not within boundary 702, boundary monitor 146 determines that mobile device 138 is outside boundary 702. Boundary monitor 146 continues to monitor probability region 706. When probability region 706 is completely outside boundary 702, boundary monitor 146 stops polling key card 144 and / or instructs key card 144 to stop evaluating polling signals. Additionally, when probability region 706 is completely inside boundary 702, boundary monitor 146 stops polling key card 144 or instructs key card 144 to stop evaluating polling signals.

[0073] Figure 9 This is shown as a device configured to visually indicate when the mobile device 138 is within range of the vehicle 100. Figure 1 The boundary monitor 146 determines the relative position of the moving device 138 with respect to the vehicle 100 and signals using the vehicle 100's lights 124 and 126 and / or spotlight 128. The boundary monitor 146 provides different visual indications based on (a) the relative position of the moving device 138 with respect to the vehicle 100; (b) the movement of the vehicle 100; and / or (c) the status of the RePA system, etc. The boundary monitor 146 provides different visual indications in the following situations: (i) when the RePA system is activated but the moving device 138 is not detected by the boundary monitor 146; (ii) when the RePA system is activated and the moving device 138 is outside the boundary 702; (iii) when the RePA system is activated, the moving device 138 is inside the boundary 702, and the vehicle 100 is in motion; (iv) when the RePA system is activated, the moving device 138 is inside the boundary 702, and the vehicle 100 is stationary; and (v) when the RePA system is activated and the moving device 138 is inside the boundary 702, but near the edge of the boundary 702 (e.g., within 0.5 meters of the boundary 702, etc.).

[0074] exist Figure 9In the example shown, boundary monitor 146 controls spotlight 128 to project representation 902 of boundary 702. Spotlight 128 is configured to project representation 902 onto a position substantially close to boundary 702. Boundary monitor 146 alters different aspects of lights 124 and 126 and / or spotlight 128 to change the visual indication presented by vehicle 100. In some examples, boundary monitor 146 alters interior and / or exterior lights. In some examples, boundary monitor 146 alters the color of lights 124 and 126 and / or the representation 902 of boundary 702 projected by spotlight 128. For example, boundary monitor 146 may cause lights 124 and 126 and / or spotlight 128 to have a green hue that gradually changes to a yellow hue and eventually to a red hue as the relative distance between vehicle 100 and moving device 138 increases into the interior of boundary 702, near the interior of boundary 702, and outside of boundary 702, respectively. In some examples, boundary monitor 146 causes variations in the brightness of lights 124 and 126 and / or spotlight 128. For example, boundary monitor 146 causes lights 124 and 126 and / or spotlight 128 to be at 100% intensity when the moving device 138 is adjacent to vehicle 100, and gradually decreases to 0% as the moving device 138 crosses boundary 702 and moves outside of boundary 702. In some examples, boundary monitor 146 causes representation 902 to be animated based on the position of the moving device 138 relative to vehicle 100. For example, representation 902 may flash and / or rotate at a speed proportional to the distance between the moving device 138 and vehicle 100.

[0075] As an example, when the RePA system is activated but the boundary monitor 146 does not detect the moving device 138, the boundary monitor 146 may cause the lights 124 and 126 and / or the spotlight 128 to have a flashing red hue. As another example, when the RePA system is activated and the moving device 138 is outside the boundary 702, the boundary monitor 146 may cause the lights 124 and 126 and / or the spotlight 128 to have a solid red hue. As another example, when the RePA system is activated, the moving device 138 is inside the boundary 702, and the vehicle 100 is in motion, the boundary monitor 146 may cause the lights 124 and 126 and / or the spotlight 128 to have a flashing green hue. As another example, when the RePA system is activated, the moving device 138 is inside the boundary 702, and the vehicle 100 is stationary, the boundary monitor 146 may cause the lights 124 and 126 and / or the spotlight 128 to have a solid green hue. As another example, when the RePA system is activated and the mobile device 138 is inside the boundary 702 but near the edge of the boundary 702, the boundary monitor 146 can make the lights 124 and 126 and / or the spotlight 128 have a yellow hue.

[0076] In some examples, when the moving device 138 is within boundary 702, the interior passenger cabin lighting and lamps 124 and 126 are at full light output, and the spotlight 128 projects the representation 902 of boundary 702 as a solid green line. In some such examples, when the moving device 138 is within boundary 702 and the vehicle 100 is in motion, the representation 902 of boundary 702 is animated to indicate the direction of travel. For example, the representation 902 of boundary 702 can be animated as a dashed representation 902 of boundary 702, where the dashed line moves in the direction in which the vehicle 100 is turning and / or moving. In some such examples, when the moving device 138 is within boundary 702 and near the edge of boundary 702, lamps 124 and 126 flash in a certain pattern, and the representation 902 of boundary 702 is animated as a dashed line that appears and disappears gradually.

[0077] Figure 10A , 10B Figures 10C and 10C illustrate a method for changing the position of a vehicle 100's lights 124 based on the position of a mobile device 138 relative to the vehicle 100. Example lights 124 include a backlit sign 1002 and headlights 1004. The backlit sign 1002 illuminates when a light or LED behind it is lit. The headlights 1004 include an LED strip 1006 and a main light 1008. In the example shown, the LED strip 1006 extends along both sides of the main light 1008. Alternatively, in some examples, the LED strip 1006 extends along three or four sides of the main light 1008. For example, when the main light 1008 is a circular assembly, the LED strip 1006 may wrap around the main light 1008. The backlit sign 1002, LED strip 1006, and main light 1008 are individually controllable. In some examples, the LEDs of the LED strip 1006 are individually controllable so that the LED strip 1006 can be configured to display different LED patterns. Boundary monitor 146 controls backlit sign 1002, LED strip 1006 and main light 1008 to provide visual indication to the operator.

[0078] exist Figure 10A In this configuration, the backlit sign 1002 is illuminated while the LED strip 1006 and main light 1008 are off. For example, when the RePA system is activated and the mobile device 138 is outside the boundary 702, the boundary monitor 146 can provide... Figure 10A Visual cues. In Figure 10B In this configuration, the backlit sign 1002 and LED strip 1006 are illuminated, while the main light 1008 is off. For example, when the RePA system is activated, and the mobile device 138 is inside and near the edge of boundary 702, the boundary monitor 146 can provide... Figure 10B Visual cues. In Figure 10CIn this configuration, the backlit sign 1002, LED strip 1006, and main light 1008 are illuminated. For example, when the RePA system is activated and the mobile device 138 is inside the boundary 702, the boundary monitor 146 can provide [further information / information]. Figure 10C Visual cues.

[0079] Figure 11A , 11B Figure 11C illustrates a method for changing the lights 126 of vehicle 100 based on the position of the mobile device 138 relative to vehicle 100. In the example shown, the lights 126 include a light strip 1102 extending longitudinally across the rear of vehicle 100, side lights 1104, and main taillights 1106. The light strip 1102, side lights 1104, and main taillights 1106 are individually controllable. In some examples, the light strip 1102 includes individually controllable segments that can be configured to illuminate the light strip 1102 in different modes.

[0080] exist Figure 11A In the middle, the light strip 1102 is illuminated while the side lights 1104 and main taillights 1106 are not illuminated. For example, when the RePA system is activated and the moving device 138 is outside the boundary 702, the boundary monitor 146 can provide... Figure 11A Visual cues. In Figure 11B In the middle, the light strip 1102 and side lights 1104 are illuminated, while the main taillight 1106 is not illuminated. For example, when the RePA system is activated, and the moving device 138 is inside the boundary 702 and near the edge of the boundary 702, the boundary monitor 146 can provide... Figure 11B Visual cues. In Figure 11C In the middle, the light strip 1102, side lights 1104, and main taillights 1106 are illuminated. For example, when the RePA system is activated and the moving device 138 is inside the boundary 702, the boundary monitor 146 can provide... Figure 11C Visual cues.

[0081] Figure 12A , 12B Figures 12C and 12C show lamp 126. In the illustrated example, lamp 126 includes an LED array 1202. The LED array 1202 may be embedded in the tailgate, liftgate, or trunk of vehicle 100. Each element of the LED array 1202 includes one or more LEDs. In some examples, the elements of the LED array 1202 include multi-color LEDs. Furthermore, each element of the LED array 1202 is individually controllable to facilitate displaying different patterns based on the position of the moving device 138 relative to vehicle 100.

[0082] exist Figure 12AIn this configuration, a portion of the LED 1202 array is illuminated. For example, when the RePA system is activated and the mobile device 138 is outside the boundary 702, the boundary monitor 146 can provide [further information / information]. Figure 12A Visual cues. In Figure 12B In this configuration, a significant portion of the LED 1202 array is illuminated. For example, when the RePA system is activated and the moving device 138 is inside and near the edge of boundary 702, the boundary monitor 146 can provide [further information / information]. Figure 12B Visual cues. In Figure 12C In this configuration, all LEDs in the LED 1202 array are illuminated. For example, when the RePA system is activated and the mobile device 138 is inside the boundary 702, the boundary monitor 146 can provide [information / features]. Figure 12C Visual cues.

[0083] Figure 13 yes Figure 1 A block diagram of the electronic components 1300 of vehicle 100. In the example shown, the electronic components 1300 include wireless nodes 102 and 104, occupant detection sensors 106, 108 and 110, proximity sensor 112, one or more cameras 114, trajectory sensors 116, 118 and 122, lights 124 and 126, a spotlight 128, an onboard communication module 130, a powertrain control module 132, a body control module 134, an active safety module 136, and a vehicle data bus 1302.

[0084] In the illustrated example, the body control module 134 includes a processor or controller 1304 and a memory 1306. In some examples, the active safety module 136 also includes a processor or controller and a memory. In the illustrated example, the body control module 134 is configured to include a boundary monitor 146. Alternatively, in some examples, the active safety module 136 is configured to include a boundary monitor 146. The processor or controller 1304 can be any suitable processing device or collection of processing devices, such as, but not limited to, a microprocessor, a microcontroller-based platform, a suitable integrated circuit, one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and / or one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The memory 1306 can be volatile memory (e.g., RAM, which may include non-volatile RAM, magnetic RAM, ferroelectric RAM, and any other suitable form), non-volatile memory (e.g., disk storage, flash memory, electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), non-volatile solid-state memory, etc.), immutable memory (e.g., EPROM), read-only memory, and / or mass storage devices (e.g., hard disk drives, solid-state drives, etc.). In some examples, memory 1306 includes various types of memory, particularly volatile and non-volatile memory. In the illustrated example, memory 1306 stores a mobile device specification database 502.

[0085] Memory 1306 is a computer-readable medium on which one or more sets of instructions, such as software for operating the methods of this disclosure, may be embedded. The instructions may embody one or more of the methods or logic described herein. In certain embodiments, the instructions may reside wholly or at least partially within any one or more of memory 1306, the computer-readable medium, and / or processor 1304 during execution of the instructions.

[0086] The terms "non-transitory computer-readable medium" and "tangible computer-readable medium" should be understood to include single or multiple media, such as centralized or distributed databases, and / or associated caches and servers storing one or more sets of instructions. The terms "non-transitory computer-readable medium" and "tangible computer-readable medium" also include any tangible medium capable of storing, encoding, or carrying a set of instructions for processor execution, or any tangible medium that causes a system to perform any one or more methods or operations disclosed herein. As used herein, the term "tangible computer-readable medium" is explicitly defined to include any type of computer-readable storage device and / or storage disk, excluding propagating signals.

[0087] The vehicle data bus 1302 can communicatively couple to the onboard communication module 130, the powertrain control module 132, the body control module 134, and / or the active safety module 136, etc. In some examples, the vehicle data bus 1302 includes one or more data buses. The vehicle data bus 1302 can be implemented according to the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus protocol, the Media-Oriented System Transport (MOST) bus protocol, the Controller Area Network Flexible Data (CAN-FD) bus protocol (ISO 11898-7), and / or the K-line bus protocol (ISO 9141 and ISO 14230-1), and / or the Ethernet™ bus protocol IEEE 802.3 (since 2002), etc., as defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 11898-1.

[0088] Figure 14 This is a flowchart of a method for performing remote-controlled assisted parking, which can be... Figure 13 The electronic component 1300 is implemented. Initially, at block 1402, the boundary monitor 146 waits until the RePA system of the Active Safety Module 136 is activated. In some examples, the RePA system is remotely activated via a RePA application running on the mobile device 138. Alternatively or additionally, in some examples, the RePA system is activated via an interface of an infotainment system (e.g., a touchscreen interface). Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the RePA system is activated when the mobile device 138 is communicatively coupled to one of the proximity sensors 112. At block 1404, the boundary monitor 146 determines whether a significant amount of time has elapsed since the last fixed location or whether the mobile device 138 has traveled a significant distance. In some examples, the boundary monitor 146 determines that a significant amount of time has elapsed when more than 15 minutes have passed since the last fixed location. In some examples, the boundary monitor 146 determines that a significant distance has been traveled when the mobile device has traveled more than 18 meters. When a significant amount of time has elapsed or a substantial distance has been traveled, the method continues to box 1406. Otherwise, if a significant amount of time has not elapsed and a substantial distance has not been traveled, the method continues at box 1408. At box 1406, boundary monitor 146 determines the current position of the moving device 138. The following is in conjunction with... Figure 15 , 18 19 discloses an example method for obtaining the current location of mobile device 138. At box 1408, boundary monitor 146 uses dead reckoning and / or positioning techniques to track the location of mobile device 138.

[0089] At box 1410, boundary monitor 146 determines whether mobile device 138 has sent a parking or unparking request. If mobile device 138 has sent a parking or unparking request, the method continues at box 1412. Otherwise, if mobile device 138 has not sent a parking or unparking request, the method continues at box 1426. At box 1412, boundary monitor 146 uses dead reckoning and / or positioning techniques to track the position of mobile device 138. At box 1414, boundary monitor 146 determines whether mobile device 138 is within a threshold distance of vehicle 100 (e.g., inside boundary 702). The following is in conjunction with... Figure 20 and 21 An example method for determining whether mobile device 138 is within a threshold distance of vehicle 100 is disclosed. At box 1416, boundary monitor 146 informs the user of the distance between mobile device 138 and vehicle 100 and / or the relationship between mobile device 138 and boundary 702. The following is in conjunction with… Figure 22 An example method for notifying the user is disclosed. At box 1418, boundary monitor 146 determines whether the mobile device 138 is within boundary 702. If the mobile device 138 is within boundary 702, the method continues at box 1420. Otherwise, if the mobile device 138 is not within boundary 702, the method returns to box 1412.

[0090] At box 1420, boundary monitor 146 enables the RePA system to move vehicle 100 along the path used to park or unpark vehicle 100. At box 1422, boundary monitor 146 determines whether vehicle 100 is in its final position. For example, boundary monitor 146 may determine whether vehicle 100 is parked in the target parking area. As another example, boundary monitor 146 may determine that the vehicle has returned to its pre-parked position. When vehicle 100 is in its final position, the method continues at box 1424. Otherwise, when vehicle 100 is not in its final position, the method returns to box 1412.

[0091] At box 1424, boundary monitor 146 uses dead reckoning and / or positioning techniques to track the position of mobile device 138. At box 1426, boundary monitor 146 determines whether mobile device 138 is near vehicle 100. For example, when the mobile device is within 18 meters of vehicle 100, boundary monitor 146 can determine that mobile device 138 is near vehicle 100. When mobile device 138 is near vehicle 100, the method returns to box 1404. Otherwise, when mobile device 138 is not within the vicinity of vehicle 100, the method returns to box 1424.

[0092] Figure 15 This is a flowchart of a method for determining the initial position of the mobile device 138 when it leaves the vehicle 100, which can be derived from... Figure 13 The electronic component 1300 is implemented. At frame 1502, the boundary monitor 146 detects when the moving device 138 leaves the vehicle 100 and determines the position of the moving device 138 relative to the vehicle 100 when it leaves. (The following is in conjunction with...) Figure 16 and 17 An example method is disclosed for detecting when a mobile device 138 leaves a vehicle 100 and determining the position of the mobile device 138 relative to the vehicle 100 when it leaves the vehicle 100. At block 1504, a boundary monitor 146 sets the initial position of the mobile device 138 to the position determined at block 1502. At block 1506, the boundary monitor 146 uses dead reckoning and / or positioning techniques to track the position of the mobile device 138.

[0093] Figure 16 This is a flowchart of a method for determining the initial position of a mobile device 138 using positioning technology, which can be derived from... Figure 13 The electronic component 1300 is implemented. Initially, at block 1602, boundary monitor 146 uses positioning technology via internal wireless node 102 and external wireless node 104 to determine the position of mobile device 138 relative to the passenger compartment of vehicle 100 (e.g., inside or outside the passenger compartment). At block 1604, boundary monitor 146 determines whether mobile device 138 has left vehicle 100. When mobile device 138 has left vehicle 100, the method continues at block 1606. Otherwise, when mobile device 138 remains in vehicle 100, the method returns to block 1602.

[0094] At box 1606, boundary monitor 146 uses positioning technology via internal wireless node 102 and external wireless node 104 to determine which side of vehicle 100 the mobile device 138 will exit from. At box 1608, boundary monitor 146 determines the probability that the mobile device 138 will exit from each door 140 on the side of vehicle 100 based on the signal strength between the mobile device 138 and each external wireless node 104. At box 1610, boundary monitor 146 modifies the probability based on measurements from one or more of occupant detection sensors 106, 108, and 110. At box 1612, boundary monitor 146 selects one of the doors 140 based on the modified probability. For example, when the mobile device 138 exits the passenger side of vehicle 100 within a timeframe that coincides with the opening and closing of the rear passenger side door, boundary monitor 146 may select the rear passenger side door as the most likely door from which the mobile device 138 will exit. At frame 1614, the boundary monitor 146 sets the position 202 associated with the selected door 140 as the current position of the moving device 138.

[0095] Figure 17This is a flowchart of a method for determining the initial position of the mobile device 138 using the inertial sensor 204 of the mobile device 138, which can be derived from... Figure 13 The electronic component 1300 is implemented. Initially, at block 1702, the boundary monitor 146 determines the relative position of the mobile device 138 within the vehicle 100 based on measurements from the inertial sensor 204 of the mobile device 138 (e.g., received via the internal wireless node 102). At block 1704, the boundary monitor 146 tracks the movement of the mobile device 138 within the vehicle 100 based on the measurements from the inertial sensor 204 of the mobile device 138. At block 1706, the boundary monitor 146 determines whether the data from the inertial sensor 204 of the mobile device 138 indicates that the mobile device 138 is leaving the vehicle 100. For example, the data from the inertial sensor 204 of the mobile device 138 may indicate movement in a direction greater than the width of the interior of the vehicle 100, or may indicate a pattern of movement by the vertical movement of the mobile device 138 to prompt the user to leave the vehicle 100. When data from the inertial sensor 204 of the mobile device 138 indicates that the mobile device 138 has left the vehicle 100, the method continues at block 1708. Otherwise, when data from the inertial sensor 204 of the mobile device 138 does not indicate that the mobile device 138 has left the vehicle 100, the method returns to block 1702.

[0096] At box 1708, boundary monitor 146 uses data from inertial sensor 204 of moving device 138 to determine which side of vehicle 100 moving device 138 will exit from. At box 1710, boundary monitor 146 determines the probability that moving device 138 will exit from each door 140 on the side of vehicle 100 based on measurements from one or more of occupant detection sensors 106, 108, and 110. At box 1712, boundary monitor 146 selects one of the doors 140 based on the probability. At box 1714, boundary monitor 146 sets the position 202 associated with the selected door 140 as the current position of moving device 138.

[0097] Figure 18 This is a flowchart of a method for determining the initial position of a moving device 138 using a proximity sensor 112, which can be derived from... Figure 13The electronic component 1300 is implemented. Initially, at block 1802, the boundary monitor 146 establishes communication with the mobile device 138. At block 1804, the boundary monitor 146 instructs the user to make contact with one of the proximity sensors 112 via a corresponding application executed on the mobile device 138. At block 1806, the boundary monitor 146 waits until the mobile device 138 makes contact with one of the proximity sensors 112. At block 1808, the boundary monitor 146 sets the current position of the mobile device 138 to the position of the contacted proximity sensor 112.

[0098] Figure 19 This is a flowchart of a method for determining the initial position of a mobile device 138 using image analysis, which can be derived from... Figure 13 The electronic component 1300 is implemented. Initially, at block 1902, the boundary monitor 146 establishes communication with the mobile device 138. At block 1904, the boundary monitor 146 instructs the user to perform an action via a corresponding application executed on the mobile device 138. In some examples, the boundary monitor 146 instructs the operator to keep the mobile device 138 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle in the view of one of the cameras 114. In some examples, the boundary monitor 146 instructs the user to use the mobile device 138 to capture an image of a feature of the vehicle (e.g., license plate frame, label affixed to the vehicle, etc.). In some examples, the boundary monitor 146 instructs the operator to point the flash 608 of the mobile device 138 at the camera 114 of the vehicle 100. At block 1906, the boundary monitor 146 waits until the mobile device 138 performs an action. At box 1908, boundary monitor 146: (a) captures an image of mobile device 138 using camera 114; (b) captures the intensity of flash 608 of mobile device 138; and / or (c) receives an image from mobile device 138. At box 1910, boundary monitor 146 determines the initial position of mobile device based on analysis of the captured images.

[0099] Figure 20 This is a flowchart of a method for determining whether mobile device 138 is within the distance of vehicle 100 by comparing the trajectories of mobile device 138 and vehicle 100. It can be derived from... Figure 13 The electronic component 1300 is implemented. Initially, at box 2002, boundary monitor 146 estimates the distance from vehicle 100 to mobile device 138 within probability region 706. At box 2004, the boundary monitor determines whether probability region 706 is within a threshold distance of vehicle 100 (e.g., within boundary 702). When probability region 706 is within boundary 702, the method continues at box 2006. Otherwise, when probability region 706 is not within boundary 702, the method returns to box 2002.

[0100] At box 2006, boundary monitor 146 activates key card polling at an initial polling interval. At box 2008, boundary monitor 146 estimates the distance from vehicle 100 to key card 144. At box 2010, boundary monitor 146 determines whether key card 144 is within boundary 702. If key card 144 is within boundary 702, the method continues at box 2012. Otherwise, the method continues at box 2020. At box 2012, boundary monitor 146 calculates the trajectory of vehicle 100 based on measurements from one or more of trajectory sensors 116, 118, and 122. Boundary monitor 146 also calculates the trajectory of mobile device 138 based on measurements received from the inertial sensor 204 of mobile device 138. At box 2014, boundary monitor 146 determines whether the position of mobile device 138 and the position of vehicle 100 are diverging. The method continues at box 2016 when the positions of the mobile device 138 and the vehicle 100 are diverging. Otherwise, the method continues at box 2018 when the positions of the mobile device 138 and the vehicle 100 are not diverging.

[0101] At box 2016, boundary monitor 146 increases the polling interval of key card 144 based on the rate at which the positions of mobile device 138 and vehicle 100 are diverging. At box 2018, boundary monitor 146 decreases the polling interval of key card 144 based on the rate at which the positions of mobile device 138 and vehicle 100 are converging.

[0102] At box 2020, boundary monitor 146 disables key card polling.

[0103] Figure 21 This is a flowchart of a method for determining whether the mobile device 138 is within the distance of the vehicle 100 based on probability region 706. It can be derived from... Figure 13 The electronic component 1300 is implemented. Initially, at box 2102, boundary monitor 146 determines a probability region 706 of the position of the moving device 138. At box 2104, boundary monitor 146 determines whether the probability region 706 is completely outside the boundary 702. When the probability region 706 is completely outside the boundary 702, the method continues at box 2106. When the probability region 706 is not completely outside the boundary 702, the method continues at box 2108.

[0104] At box 2106, boundary monitor 146 disables key card polling (if it is enabled).

[0105] At box 2108, boundary monitor 146 determines whether probability region 706 is completely within boundary 702. If probability region 706 is completely within boundary 702, the method continues at box 2106. Otherwise, if probability region is not completely within boundary 702, the method continues at box 2110.

[0106] At box 2110, boundary monitor 146 enables key card polling. At box 2112, boundary monitor 146 estimates the position of mobile device 138 based on key card polling.

[0107] Figure 22 This is a flowchart of a method for visually indicating when a mobile device 138 is within a distance of a vehicle 100, which can be derived from... Figure 13 The electronic component 1300 is implemented. At block 2202, boundary monitor 146 determines whether a moving device 138 is detected. When no moving device 138 is detected, the method continues at block 2204. Otherwise, when moving device 138 is detected, the method continues at block 2206. At block 2204, boundary monitor 146 stops projecting the boundary 702 indication 902 and / or turns off the vehicle 100 lights 124 and 126.

[0108] At box 2206, boundary monitor 146 determines whether a moving device 138 is detected outside boundary 702. If a moving device 138 is detected outside boundary 702, the method continues at box 2208. Otherwise, if a moving device 138 is detected inside boundary 702, the method continues at box 2210. At box 2208, boundary monitor 146 projects a representation 902 of boundary 702 via projection light 128.

[0109] At box 2210, boundary monitor 146 determines whether the moving device 138 is detected inside boundary 702 and near the edge of boundary 702. When the moving device 138 is detected inside boundary 702 and near the edge of boundary 702, the method continues at box 2212. Otherwise, when the moving device 138 is detected inside boundary 702 but not near the edge of boundary 702, the method continues at box 2214. At box 2212, boundary monitor 146 changes lights 124 and 126 to a first setting and / or changes the projection of representation 902 of boundary 702. For example, boundary monitor 146 can cause lights 124 and 126 and / or projection light 128 to have a yellow hue. As another example, boundary monitor 146 can cause lights 124 and 126 to blink in a certain pattern, and representation 902 of boundary 702 is animated as a fade-in / fade-out dashed line.

[0110] At box 2214, boundary monitor 146 determines whether the moving device 138 is inside boundary 702 and vehicle 100 is stationary. When the moving device 138 is inside boundary 702 and vehicle 100 is stationary, the method continues at box 2216. Otherwise, when the moving device 138 is inside boundary 702 and vehicle 100 is not stationary, the method continues at box 2218. At box 2216, boundary monitor 146 changes lights 124 and 126 to a second setting and / or changes the projection representation 902 of boundary 702. For example, boundary monitor 146 may cause lights 124 and 126 and / or projection light 128 to have a pure green hue.

[0111] At box 2218, boundary monitor 146 determines whether the moving device 138 is inside boundary 702 and vehicle 100 is in motion. When the moving device 138 is inside boundary 702 and vehicle 100 is in motion, the method continues at box 2220. Otherwise, when the moving device 138 is inside boundary 702 and vehicle 100 is not in motion, the method returns to box 2202. At box 2220, boundary monitor 146 changes lights 124 and 126 to a third setting and / or changes the projection representation 902 of boundary 702. For example, boundary monitor 146 can cause lights 124 and 126 and / or projection light 128 to have a flashing green hue. As another example, boundary monitor 146 can animate the representation 902 of boundary 702 to indicate the direction of travel, such that representation 902 is animated as a dashed representation 902 of boundary 702, where the dashed line moves in the direction in which vehicle 100 is turning and / or moving.

[0112] Figure 14 , 15 The flowcharts 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22 represent data stored in memory (e.g., the above). Figure 13 Machine-readable instructions in memory 1306, the machine-readable instructions comprising one or more programs, the programs being read by a processor (e.g., the aforementioned) Figure 13 When the processor 1304 executes, it enables the vehicle 100 to achieve Figure 1 , 2 Example boundary monitors 146, 3, 5, 7, 8A, 8B, 8C, and / or 9, and / or more generally implement example body control modules 134. Furthermore, although references... Figure 14 , 15 The flowcharts shown in 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22 describe the example program, but many other methods of implementing the example boundary monitor 146 and / or more generally, the example body control module 134 can be used instead. For example, the execution order of the blocks can be changed, and / or some of the described blocks can be changed, canceled, or combined.

[0113] In this application, the use of the conjunction of contrast is intended to include the conjunction. The use of the definite or indefinite article is not intended to indicate cardinality. Specifically, references to “the” object or “an” and “a” object are intended to also indicate one of a possible plurality of such objects. Furthermore, the conjunction “or” can be used to convey concurrent features rather than mutually exclusive alternatives. In other words, the conjunction “or” should be understood to include “and / or”. As used herein, the terms “module” and “unit” refer to hardware having circuitry typically combined with sensors to provide communication, control, and / or monitoring capabilities. “Module” and “unit” may also include firmware executed on the circuitry. The term “comprising” is inclusive and has the same scope as “including” and “containing”.

[0114] The above embodiments, particularly any "preferred" embodiments, are possible examples of implementations and are merely provided for the purpose of clearly understanding the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications can be made to the above embodiments without substantially departing from the spirit and principles of the technology described herein. All modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure and are protected by the appended claims.

[0115] In some examples, vehicle 100 includes a projection lamp 128 and a body control module 134. Body control module 134 determines the distance of mobile device 138 from vehicle 100. Body control module 134 also uses projection lamp 128 to project a representation 902 of boundary 702 around vehicle 100, and modifies the representation 902 of boundary 702 based on the distance of mobile device 138 from vehicle 100 and the operating state of vehicle 100. In some examples, body control module 134 modifies the representation 902 of boundary 702 when: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) in response to an attempt to determine the distance of mobile device 138 from vehicle 100 when mobile device 138 is not detected. In some such examples, body control module projects the representation of boundary as a flashing red line to modify the representation of boundary when: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) in response to an attempt to determine the distance of mobile device 138 from vehicle 100 when mobile device 138 is not detected. In some examples, the body control module 134 modifies the representation 902 of boundary 702 when: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) the distance between the moving device 138 and the vehicle 100 is greater than a threshold distance indicated by the representation 902 of boundary 702. In some such examples, the body control module 134 projects the representation 902 of boundary 702 as a solid red line to modify the representation 902 of boundary 702 when: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) the distance between the moving device 138 and the vehicle 100 is greater than a threshold distance indicated by the representation 902 of boundary 702.

[0116] In some examples, the body control module 134 modifies the representation 902 of boundary 702 when: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) the distance between the moving device 138 and the vehicle 100 is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation 902 of boundary 702; and (c) the vehicle 100 is stationary. In some such examples, the body control module 134 projects the representation 902 of boundary 702 as a solid green line to modify the representation 902 of boundary 702 when: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) the distance between the moving device 138 and the vehicle 100 is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation 902 of boundary 702; and (c) the vehicle 100 is stationary. In some such examples, the body control module 134 projects the representation 902 of boundary 702 as a dashed line to modify the representation 902 of boundary 702 in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) the distance between the moving device 138 and the vehicle 100 is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation 902 of boundary 702; and (c) the vehicle 100 is stationary. In some examples, the body control module 134 modifies the representation 902 of boundary 702 in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) the distance between the moving device 138 and the vehicle 100 is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation 902 of boundary 702; and (c) the vehicle 100 is in motion. In some such examples, the vehicle control module 134 projects the representation 902 of boundary 702 as a flashing green line to modify the representation 902 of boundary 702 when: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) the distance between the moving device 138 and the vehicle is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation 902 of boundary 702; and (c) the vehicle 100 is in motion. In some such examples, the vehicle control module 134 projects the representation 902 of boundary 702 as an animated dashed line to modify the representation 902 of boundary 702 when: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) the distance between the moving device 138 and the vehicle 100 is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation 902 of boundary 702; and (c) the vehicle 100 is in motion. In some such examples, the animated dashed line is animated to indicate the direction of travel of the vehicle 100.

[0117] In some examples, the body control module 134 modifies the representation 902 of boundary 702 when: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; (b) the distance between the moving device 138 and the vehicle 100 is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation 902 of boundary 702; and (c) the moving device 138 approaches the threshold distance. In some such examples, the body control module 134 projects the representation 902 of boundary 702 as a yellow line to modify the representation 902 of boundary 702 when: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; (b) the distance between the moving device 138 and the vehicle is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation 902 of boundary 702; and (c) the moving device 138 approaches the threshold distance.

[0118] In some examples, when autonomous parking is enabled, the body control module: (a) modifies the representation 902 of boundary 702 to display a first pattern when the moving device 138 is not detected and the distance between it and the vehicle 100 is determined; and (b) modifies the representation 902 of boundary 702 to display a second pattern when the distance between the moving device 138 and the vehicle is greater than a threshold distance indicated by the representation 902 of boundary 702. In some such examples, when autonomous parking is enabled and the distance between the moving device 138 and the vehicle 100 is less than the threshold distance indicated by the representation 902 of boundary 702, the body control module 134: (a) modifies the representation 902 of boundary 702 to display a third pattern when the vehicle 100 is stationary; and (b) modifies the representation 902 of boundary 702 to display a fourth pattern when the vehicle 100 is in motion. In some such examples, when autonomous parking is enabled, the distance between the moving device 138 and the vehicle 100 is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation 902 of the boundary 702 and the moving device 138 approaches the threshold distance, the body control module 134: (a) modifies the representation 902 of the boundary 702 to display a fifth pattern when the vehicle 100 is stationary; and (b) modifies the representation 902 of the boundary 702 to display a sixth pattern when the vehicle 100 is in motion.

[0119] In some examples, vehicle 100 includes lighting fixtures 124 and 126, which include individually controllable lighting elements (e.g., Figure 10A , 10B And 10C lighting elements 1004, 1006 and 1008, Figure 11A , 11B And 11C lighting elements 1102, 1104 and 1106, and / or Figure 12A , 12B(and the lighting element 1202 of 12C). In such an example, the body control module 134 illuminates a specific lighting element based on the distance of the moving device 138 from the vehicle 100 and the operating state of the vehicle 100. In some such examples, the lighting element includes a light-emitting diode. Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, the lighting element includes headlights and illuminated vehicle markings.

[0120] According to the present invention, a vehicle is provided, comprising: a projection lamp; and a body control module, the body control module being configured to: determine the distance of a mobile device from the vehicle; project a boundary around the vehicle via the projection lamp; and modify the representation of the boundary based on the distance of the mobile device from the vehicle and the operating state of the vehicle.

[0121] According to one embodiment, the vehicle control module modifies the representation of the boundary in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) in response to determining the distance of a moving device from the vehicle while the moving device is not detected.

[0122] According to one embodiment, the vehicle control module projects the representation of the boundary as a flashing red line to modify the representation of the boundary in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) in response to determining the distance of a moving device from the vehicle and the moving device is not detected.

[0123] According to one embodiment: the body control module modifies the representation of the boundary in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) the distance between the moving device and the vehicle is greater than a threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary.

[0124] According to one embodiment, the vehicle control module projects the representation of the boundary as a solid red line to modify the representation of the boundary in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) the distance between the moving device and the vehicle is greater than a threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary.

[0125] According to one embodiment, the vehicle control module modifies the representation of the boundary in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; (b) the distance between the moving device and the vehicle is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary; and (c) the vehicle is stationary.

[0126] According to one embodiment, the vehicle control module projects the representation of the boundary as a solid green line to modify the representation of the boundary in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; (b) the distance between the moving device and the vehicle is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary; and (c) the vehicle is stationary.

[0127] According to one embodiment, the vehicle control module projects the representation of the boundary as a dashed line to modify the representation of the boundary in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; (b) the distance between the moving device and the vehicle is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary; and (c) the vehicle is stationary.

[0128] According to one embodiment, the vehicle control module modifies the representation of the boundary in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; (b) the distance between the moving device and the vehicle is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary; and (c) the vehicle is in motion.

[0129] According to one embodiment, the vehicle control module projects the representation of the boundary as a flashing green line to modify the representation of the boundary in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; (b) the distance between the moving device and the vehicle is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary; and (c) the vehicle is in motion.

[0130] According to one embodiment, the vehicle control module projects the representation of the boundary as an animated dashed line to modify the representation of the boundary in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; (b) the distance between the moving device and the vehicle is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary; and (c) the vehicle is in motion.

[0131] According to one embodiment, the animated dashed line is animated to indicate the direction of travel of the vehicle.

[0132] According to one embodiment, the vehicle control module modifies the representation of the boundary in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; (b) the distance between the moving device and the vehicle is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary; and (c) the moving device approaches the threshold distance.

[0133] According to one embodiment, the vehicle control module projects the boundary representation as a yellow line to modify the boundary representation in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; (b) the distance between the moving device and the vehicle is less than a threshold distance indicated by the boundary representation; and (c) the moving device approaches the threshold distance.

[0134] According to one embodiment, when autonomous parking is enabled, the vehicle control module is configured to: modify the representation of the boundary to display a first pattern when the distance between the mobile device and the vehicle is determined and the mobile device is not detected; and modify the representation of the boundary to display a second pattern when the distance between the mobile device and the vehicle is greater than a threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary.

[0135] According to one embodiment, when autonomous parking is enabled and the distance between the moving device and the vehicle is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary, the body control module is configured to: modify the representation of the boundary to display a third pattern when the vehicle is stationary; and modify the representation of the boundary to display a fourth pattern when the vehicle is in motion.

[0136] According to one embodiment, when autonomous parking is enabled, the distance between the moving device and the vehicle is less than a threshold distance indicated by the boundary representation, and the moving device approaches the threshold distance, the body control module is configured to: modify the boundary representation to display a fifth pattern when the vehicle is stationary; and modify the boundary representation to display a sixth pattern when the vehicle is in motion.

[0137] According to one embodiment, the vehicle body control module illuminates specific lighting elements in the lighting elements based on the distance of the mobile device from the vehicle and the operating state of the vehicle.

[0138] According to one embodiment, the lighting element includes a light-emitting diode.

[0139] According to one embodiment, the lighting elements include headlights and illuminated vehicle markings.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising: Spotlight; and The body control module is used for: The distance between the mobile device and the vehicle is determined by using wireless communication between the mobile device and the vehicle body control module; The boundary surrounding the vehicle is projected via the projector light; The representation of the boundary is modified based on the distance between the mobile device and the vehicle and the operating state of the vehicle, so that the mobile device remains within a threshold distance of the vehicle, thereby enabling the vehicle to park autonomously.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the body control module modifies the representation of the boundary in the following situations: (a) enabling autonomous parking; and (b) in response to determining the distance of the mobile device from the vehicle while the mobile device is not detected.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the body control module projects the representation of the boundary as a flashing red line to modify the representation of the boundary in the following situations: (a) enabling autonomous parking; and (b) in response to determining the distance of the mobile device from the vehicle and the mobile device not being detected.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the body control module modifies the representation of the boundary when: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) the distance of the mobile device from the vehicle is greater than a threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the body control module projects the representation of the boundary as a solid red line to modify the representation of the boundary in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) the distance of the mobile device from the vehicle is greater than the threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the body control module modifies the representation of the boundary in the following circumstances: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) the distance of the moving device from the vehicle is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary; and (c) the vehicle is stationary.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the body control module projects the representation of the boundary as a solid green line to modify the representation of the boundary in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) the distance of the mobile device from the vehicle is less than the threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary; and (c) the vehicle is stationary.

8. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the body control module projects the representation of the boundary as a dashed line to modify the representation of the boundary in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) the distance of the mobile device from the vehicle is less than the threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary; and (c) the vehicle is stationary.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the body control module modifies the representation of the boundary in the following circumstances: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; (b) the distance of the moving device from the vehicle is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary; and (c) the vehicle is in motion.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the body control module projects the representation of the boundary as a flashing green line to modify the representation of the boundary in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) the distance between the mobile device and the vehicle is less than the threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary; and (c) the vehicle is in motion.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the body control module projects the representation of the boundary as an animated dashed line to modify the representation of the boundary in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) the distance between the moving device and the vehicle is less than the threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary; and (c) the vehicle is in motion.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the animated dashed line is animated to indicate the direction of travel of the vehicle.

13. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the body control module modifies the representation of the boundary in the following circumstances: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) the distance of the mobile device from the vehicle is less than a threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary; and (c) the mobile device approaches the threshold distance.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the body control module projects the representation of the boundary as a yellow line to modify the representation of the boundary in the following situations: (a) autonomous parking is enabled; and (b) the distance of the mobile device from the vehicle is less than the threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary; and (c) the mobile device approaches the threshold distance.

15. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the body control module is used for: (a) When automatic parking is enabled: In response to determining the distance of the mobile device from the vehicle and the mobile device not being detected, the representation of the boundary is modified to display a first pattern; as well as When the distance between the mobile device and the vehicle is greater than a threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary, the representation of the boundary is modified to display a second pattern; (b) When automatic parking is enabled and the distance between the mobile device and the vehicle is less than the threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary: When the vehicle is stationary, the representation of the boundary is modified to display a third pattern; as well as The representation of the boundary is modified to display a fourth pattern while the vehicle is in motion; as well as (c) When automatic parking is enabled, the distance between the mobile device and the vehicle is less than the threshold distance indicated by the representation of the boundary, and the mobile device is approaching the threshold distance: When the vehicle is stationary, the representation of the boundary is modified to display a fifth pattern; as well as The representation of the boundary is modified to display a sixth pattern while the vehicle is in motion.

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