Methods, driver assistance devices, and motor vehicles for assisting parking in road sections

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for assisting a parking process in a road section (3), characterized in that a central computer (5) outside the vehicle receives the respective speeds (16) of reference vehicles (4) in the road section (3), the central computer (5) outside the vehicle creates a statistic (8) for the road section (3) from the respective speeds (16), a driver assistance device (9) of the motor vehicle (1) detects the speed (15) of the motor vehicle (1) while traveling on the road section, compares the detected speed (15) with the statistic (8) for the road section (3) according to a predetermined comparison method, and when the detected speed (15) of the motor vehicle (1) while traveling on the road section (3) meets the predetermined criteria (10) regarding the statistic (8), the driver assistance device (9) outputs an inquiry signal (12) for assisting the parking process to the driver (2) of the motor vehicle (1) through an output device (11).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and a driver assistance device for assisting in the parking process in a road section, and further to a motor vehicle including the driver assistance device for assisting in the parking process in a road section. Background Technology

[0002] To assist drivers in the parking process, it is common practice to provide driver assistance devices in vehicles. These devices can assist the driver during parking by indicating or displaying distances to adjacent objects or intervening in vehicle operation. To initiate the parking process with minimal driver involvement, some driver assistance devices pre-determine the driver's parking intention based on predetermined indicators. One possible indicator could be, for example, engaging reverse gear in a parked vehicle. The driver only needs to confirm the parking intention in a separate step.

[0003] To identify parking intent while the vehicle is in motion, vehicle speed is typically used as an indicator. This is because drivers intending to initiate a parking process reduce speed based on experience, to allow time, for example, to search for available parking opportunities in the lane or to shorten the necessary braking process before initiating parking. In these methods, the vehicle's current speed is compared to a preset threshold. If it falls below that threshold, the driver assistance system infers that the driver intends to stop and provides assistance for the parking process.

[0004] The drawback of using a preset speed threshold as an indicator of parking intention is that a decrease in driving speed does not necessarily reflect a driver's intention to park. A decrease in speed could be due to increased traffic volume, poor road and / or weather conditions, or unclear traffic guidance. Comparing the current speed to a threshold that depends on the maximum speed limit for a particular road segment is often not a satisfactory solution, as that segment may have adverse conditions that cause the average vehicle speed to be significantly lower than permitted, even though higher speeds are allowed. In such cases, setting a global threshold for a road without adjusting it individually for each road segment can lead to incorrect identification of parking intention when the vehicle is traveling on that segment. Frequent misidentifications can reduce driver acceptance of the function, potentially leading to the driver disabling the corresponding automated functions. Therefore, driver assistance systems need to reliably identify the driver's parking intention.

[0005] Patent document DE 10 2009 046 674 A1 discloses a method for parking a motor vehicle in a parking position with the assistance of a parking device. This method specifies that the parking device identifies the driver's intention to park in the parking position. The driver's actions may include, for example, steering, braking, setting the driving direction indicator, engaging reverse gear, and / or operating a display device.

[0006] US Patent Document US2017 / 0355307 A1 discloses a parking assistance device configured to detect available parking spaces and display information about available parking spaces on a screen. The parking assistance device includes a monitoring unit for monitoring the driver, configured to detect bodily movements of the driver indicating an intention to park the vehicle. It is specified that when bodily movements indicating a parking intention are detected and the vehicle has been traveling at a predetermined speed for at least a predetermined time, the parking assistance device suggests implementing a parking assistance mode on the screen. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method that can reliably identify the parking intention of a driver of a motor vehicle.

[0008] This invention provides a method for assisting in the parking process in a road segment. In this method, a central computer external to the vehicle receives the respective speeds of reference vehicles in the road segment. In other words, the central computer external to the vehicle receives the speeds of vehicles traveling on the road segment. These vehicles are thus used as reference vehicles because their speeds are used as a reference for further methods. These speeds may be sent to the central computer external to the vehicle, for example, by the respective reference vehicles, or detected and sent to the central computer external to the vehicle by infrastructure devices. The central computer external to the vehicle creates statistics for the road segment from the respective speeds. In other words, the speeds traveling in the road segment are analyzed by the central computer external to the vehicle, and statistics are determined based on these speeds. These statistics may be, for example, a speed distribution or an average value.

[0009] The speed of the motor vehicle while traveling on the road segment is detected by the driver assistance equipment of the motor vehicle. In other words, the driver assistance equipment determines the current speed of the motor vehicle traveling along the road segment at that speed. The detected speed is compared with a statistic used for the road segment according to a predetermined comparison method. In other words, the speed of the motor vehicle on the road segment is compared with the speed of a reference vehicle previously traveling and / or currently traveling on the road segment, described by the statistic. This comparison is performed according to a predetermined comparison method.

[0010] When the detected speed of a vehicle traveling on a road segment meets a predetermined standard regarding a statistical quantity, the driver assistance device outputs an inquiry signal to the driver of the vehicle via an output device to assist in the parking process. In other words, when the predetermined standard is met by the detected speed of the vehicle, the driver assistance device outputs an inquiry signal to the driver. This output device may include, for example, a screen, a speaker, or a tactile element. The inquiry signal may be, for example, an optical signal, an acoustic signal, or a tactile signal that can be emitted to the driver. The inquiry signal allows the driver to request confirmation or refusal to initiate parking assistance. The predetermined standard regarding the statistical quantity may include, for example, a specific range of values ​​for a statistical distribution, or a relationship related to an average or threshold. An advantage of this invention is that potential parking intentions can be identified by considering the speed typically traveled on the road segment.

[0011] The invention also includes optional extension designs that provide additional advantages.

[0012] An extended design of the present invention specifies that the statistic is an average speed. In other words, this design specifies that, in a predetermined comparison method, the detected speed of a motor vehicle traveling on a road segment is compared with the average speed of a reference vehicle already traveling on that road segment. The advantage of this extended design is that it provides a simple statistic for the comparison method using an average value.

[0013] An extended design of the present invention specifies that the statistic is a speed distribution. In other words, it is specified here that the speed of a reference vehicle along the road segment is described by a distribution or distribution function as a statistic. An advantage of using a speed distribution is that it enables more differentiated comparison methods for identifying parking intentions. For example, it can be specified that characteristic patterns appear in the speed distribution, which allow for the selection of one or more ranges of speed values ​​as criteria for parking intentions.

[0014] The extended design of this invention specifies that the statistic is related to the season and / or the day of the week (i.e., a particular day of the week) and / or the time of day. In other words, the statistic is related to the time of day, day of the week, and / or season in which the reference vehicle speed was detected. An advantage of this extended design is that the statistic can take into account that the speed of travel on a road segment may vary with the time of day, day of the week, and / or season. Thus, for example, it can be considered that, during commuting hours, the average speed on that road segment is lower than at other times of the day due to heavy traffic. The correlation with the day of the week particularly allows for consideration of speed differences between weekdays and holidays. The correlation with the season, for example, allows for consideration that, in autumn or winter, the speed on that road segment is lower than in summer due to worse lane conditions. An advantage of this extended design is that the statistic can be tiered over time.

[0015] An extended design provision of the present invention specifies that the statistic is related to vehicle type. In other words, it is specified here that the statistic has a correlation with vehicle type. Vehicle type may include, for example, cars, vans, emergency vehicles, or motorcycles. Therefore, the speed of travel on a road segment can be assigned to the corresponding vehicle type. In other words, the statistic indicates which vehicle type traveled on that road segment at which speed. The resulting advantage is that speed differences between individual vehicle types can be taken into account. For example, since laws may stipulate different driving speeds for different vehicle types on a road segment, different average speeds may occur on that road segment. Another reason for different driving speeds may be due to uphill or downhill sections on the road segment, which causes, for example, vans to travel at lower speeds than cars on the road segment. In this case, considering the speed of vans on that road segment when identifying the parking intention of a car driver may reduce the reliability of the identification.

[0016] An extended design of the present invention specifies that the predetermined standard is related to the distance of the motor vehicle relative to a geographic destination. In other words, it can be specified that the driver of the motor vehicle is guided by a navigation system to reach a preset geographic destination. Since it is assumed that the driver intends to park the motor vehicle near the geographic destination, the predetermined standard can be adjusted such that the threshold used to identify parking intention is lowered, for example, in the vicinity of the geographic destination with a predetermined radius, in order to reduce obstacles to initiating the parking process. The resulting advantage is that it can be assumed that the motor vehicle should be parked near the destination.

[0017] An extended design of the present invention specifies that the speed at which a vehicle is traveling on a road segment meets a predetermined standard for a statistical quantity is identified by a central computer, and the driver assistance device is guided to output an inquiry signal via a notification signal.

[0018] An extended design of the present invention specifies that when a predetermined user input is detected by the input device of a driver assistance device after an inquiry signal is output, the driver assistance device initiates a partially or fully autonomous parking process. In other words, this specification stipulates that when the driver makes a predetermined user input in response to the output inquiry signal, the driver assistance device parks the vehicle partially or fully autonomously. The user input may include, for example, manipulation of buttons, joysticks, touchscreens, or voice input. The input device may include, for example, a screen, buttons, joysticks, or a microphone. The resulting advantage is that it provides the driver with the possibility of initiating a partially or fully autonomous parking process when parking intent is recognized.

[0019] The present invention also includes a driver assistance device for a motor vehicle. This driver assistance device may, in particular, include a microcomputer and / or a microcontroller. The driver assistance device is configured to detect the speed of the motor vehicle while traveling on a road segment. The driver assistance device is configured to compare the detected speed with statistics for the road segment according to a predetermined comparison method. The driver assistance device is configured to output an interrogation signal for assisting the parking process to the driver of the vehicle via an output device when the detected speed of the motor vehicle while traveling on the road segment meets a predetermined criterion regarding the statistics.

[0020] The present invention also includes a motor vehicle equipped with driver assistance devices. The motor vehicle may be, for example, a car or a truck. The driver assistance devices are configured to detect the speed of the motor vehicle while traveling on a road segment. The driver assistance devices are configured to compare the detected speed with statistics for the road segment according to a predetermined comparison method. The driver assistance devices are configured to output an interrogation signal for assisting parking procedures to the driver of the vehicle via an output device when the detected speed of the motor vehicle while traveling on the road segment meets a predetermined criterion regarding the statistics.

[0021] This invention also includes extended designs of driver assistance devices according to the invention and motor vehicles according to the invention, which have the features already described with respect to extended designs of the method according to the invention. Therefore, the corresponding extended designs of driver assistance devices according to the invention and motor vehicles according to the invention will not be described here.

[0022] The present invention also includes combinations of features of the described embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Embodiments of the present invention are described below. For this purpose, the only accompanying drawing illustrates a possible flow of a method for assisting the parking process in a road section. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The embodiments described below are preferred embodiments of the present invention. In these embodiments, the described components are individual features of the present invention that can be viewed independently of each other. These features also independently form extensions of the present invention and can therefore be considered as components of the present invention individually or in combinations different from those shown. Furthermore, the described embodiments can also be supplemented by other features of the present invention already described.

[0025] In the accompanying drawings, elements with the same function are respectively labeled with the same reference numerals. The single drawing illustrates a possible flow of a method for assisting the parking process in road segment 3. Motor vehicle 1 can be, for example, a truck or a car. Motor vehicle 1 can be driven, for example, manually, partially autonomously, or fully autonomously. The method can be set up to assist driver 2 of motor vehicle 1 in the parking process. For this purpose, it may be necessary to identify driver 2's intention to park motor vehicle 1. Driver 2 can drive motor vehicle 1 along road segment 3. The indicator used to identify parking intention is the speed 15 of motor vehicle 1 traveling along road segment 3. Driver 2 intending to park motor vehicle 1 generally tends to drive slower than other road users on road segment 3 so that the driver can find a possible empty parking space along road segment 3. The difficulty in identifying parking intention based on the current speed 15 of motor vehicle 1 is that the speed 15 while traveling on road segment 3 is influenced by multiple factors. Slow driving is not necessarily due to parking intention. Speed ​​15 may be due to, for example, unclear road guidance, adverse weather conditions, or heavy traffic. Therefore, the legally permitted speed 15 for road segment 3 is not a suitable reference. To determine a suitable reference value for speed 15, the method specifies that the respective speeds 16 of the reference vehicles 4 traveling on road segment 3 are detected and transmitted to a central computer 5 external to the vehicles. The detection of speed 16 and transmission to the central computer 5 can be performed by a detection device 6 of the reference vehicles 4 or by infrastructure devices 7, which may be cameras or radar systems for monitoring traffic. The detection of speed 16 on road segment 3 can be performed over a relatively long period to provide a sufficient scale of the detected speeds 16 to the external central computer 5. In addition to transmitting the respective travel speeds 15, the respective vehicle types of the reference vehicles 4 can also be transmitted to the central computer 5, for example. Vehicle types can be, for example, cars, trucks, emergency vehicles, or construction vehicles. This allows for more precise differentiation of the travel speeds 16 based on vehicle type. The speeds 16 can also include the time periods during which each vehicle traveled at speed 15. It may be feasible to list the travel speeds 16 in relation to the time of day, day of the week, or season. The central computer 5 can create a statistic 8 for road segment 3 from the received speed 16. This statistic can be, for example, the mean, median, distribution function, or distribution. Therefore, the speed 15 along road segment 3 can be described by the statistic 8. The statistic 8 can be used as a reference to identify parking intentions based on the current speed 15 of vehicle 1. Vehicle 1, whose parking intentions need to be checked, can also have its speed 15 detected while traveling on road segment 3.

[0026] To determine parking intent, it can be stipulated that parking intent exists when a predetermined criterion 10 regarding statistic 8 is met by the speed 15 of vehicle 1. The predetermined criterion 10 can be preset at the factory or selected by the driver 2 of vehicle 1. To determine whether the predetermined criterion 10 is met, a predetermined comparison method can be provided, in which the speed 15 of vehicle 1 is compared with and / or evaluated by statistic 8. It can be stipulated that this comparison method is implemented by a central computer 5. In this case, the speed 15 of vehicle 1 can be transmitted to the central computer 5 by the driver assistance device 9 of vehicle 1. The central computer can compare the speed 15 with statistic 8 according to the predetermined comparison method to check whether the predetermined criterion 10 regarding statistic 8 is met. The predetermined criterion 10 can, for example, include being below the average speed 15 in absolute or relative value. It may also be feasible that the predetermined criterion 10 includes a specific range of values ​​in the speed distribution. Statistic 8 and / or the predetermined criterion 10 can also be related to the time of day, day of the week, season, or type of vehicle 1. Other factors may include, for example, weather conditions, to account for the fact that reference vehicle 4 generally drives slower in rain than in good visibility conditions. Criterion 10 can also be adapted to driver 2. Therefore, it can be considered that driver 2, with a defensive driving style, generally drives slower than average driver 2 and reduces their speed 15 more drastically than average driver 2 in poor visibility conditions. Thus, driver 2's driving style can be considered separately. If criterion 10 regarding statistic 8 is met, it can be stipulated that the central computer 5 sends a notification signal to the driver assistance device 9 of vehicle 1 so that the driver assistance device 9 is informed that the predetermined criterion 10 has been met. It can also be stipulated that the driver assistance device 9 checks whether criterion 10 has been met. In this case, it can be stipulated that statistic 8 is provided in the driver assistance device 9. For example, it can be stipulated that when vehicle 1 is identified as being on or near road segment 3 based on its current geographical location, the central computer 5 transmits statistic 8 to the driver assistance device 9; this geographical location can be transmitted from vehicle 1 to the central computer 5. It can be stipulated that when a predetermined criterion 10 is met, the driver assistance device 9 outputs an inquiry signal 12 to the driver 2 via the output device 11. Here, the inquiry signal can be, for example, an acoustic signal emitted by a speaker, a display on a display element, or vibration of the steering wheel. The inquiry signal 12 informs the driver 2 of a presumed intention to park. Therefore, the driver 2 is given the possibility of confirming or denying the parking intention. It can be stipulated that the driver 2 can confirm or deny the parking intention via a predetermined user input 13 in the input device 14 of the driver assistance device 9.This can be achieved, for example, through acoustic signals reaching the microphone of the input device 14, or by manipulating the buttons or touchscreen of the input device 14. The driver assistance device 9 can be configured to initiate a fully or partially autonomous parking process for the vehicle 1, or to navigate the driver 2 to a nearby parking space via driving instructions, upon detection of a predetermined user input 13 by the input device 14. When parking intention is identified in a predetermined comparison method, the current location of the vehicle 1 relative to the geographic destination 17 input in the navigation system can also be considered. It can be assumed that parking intention is more likely when the vehicle 1 is near the geographic destination 17. It can be specified that the threshold used to identify parking intention decreases as the distance relative to the geographic destination 17 decreases. An advantage of this invention is that parking intention can be reliably identified by applying statistical methods related to the speed 16 on the road segment 3. If the reference vehicle 4 is traveling slower than the average group speed 15 (e.g., slower by a freely applicable threshold), it can be assumed that the driver 2 is looking for a parking space. In this case, the identified parking intention can be displayed to the user in a pop-up display. When driver 2 confirms the initiation of the parking process, the parking process begins. This invention can compare the current speed 15 of vehicle 1 with the average speed 15 of a group of reference vehicles 3. For example, if there are no cars ahead but driver 2 is still moving significantly slower than the average group, it can be assumed that the user intends to park. In the case of activated route guidance, the threshold for determining whether parking is necessary can be adjusted near the destination 17.

[0027] List of reference numerals

[0028] 1 motor vehicle

[0029] 2 drivers

[0030] 3 road sections

[0031] 4 Reference Vehicles

[0032] 5 Central Computers

[0033] 6 detection devices

[0034] 7 infrastructure devices

[0035] 8 statistics

[0036] 9 Driver assistance equipment

[0037] 10 standards

[0038] 11 Output Devices

[0039] 12 Inquiry Signals

[0040] 13 User Input

[0041] 14 Input Devices

[0042] 15 speed

[0043] 16 speed

[0044] 17 destinations

[0045] 18 Notification Signals

Claims

1. A method for assisting in the parking process in a road section (3), characterized in that, - The speeds of the various reference vehicles (4) in the road section (3) are received by a central computer (5) located outside the vehicle. -Statistics (8) for the road section (3) are created by a central computer (5) outside the vehicle from the respective speeds. -The speed (15) of the motor vehicle (1) during its travel on the road section is detected by the driver assistance equipment (9) of the motor vehicle (1). - The detected speed (15) is compared with the statistics (8) used for the road section (3) according to a predetermined comparison method. - When the speed (15) of the motor vehicle (1) detected while traveling on the road section (3) meets the predetermined standard (10) regarding the statistic (8), the driver assistance device (9) outputs an inquiry signal (12) to the driver (2) of the motor vehicle (1) through the output device (11) to assist in the parking process. The statistic (8) is the distribution of speed (15), in which characteristic patterns appear in the speed distribution, which enable the selection of one or more ranges of speed values ​​as a standard for parking intention.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The statistic (8) is related to the season and / or the day of the week and / or the time of day.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The statistic (8) is related to vehicle type.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The predetermined standard (10) is related to the distance of the motor vehicle (1) relative to the geographical destination (17).

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central computer (5) identifies the condition that the speed (15) of the motor vehicle (1) traveling on the road section (3) meets the predetermined standard (10) of the statistic (8), and guides the driver assistance device (9) to output an inquiry signal (12) through a notification signal (18).

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, When a predetermined user input (13) is detected by the input device (14) of the driver assistance device (9) after an output inquiry signal (12), the driver assistance device (9) initiates a partially or fully autonomous parking process.

7. A driver assistance device (9) for a motor vehicle (1), characterized in that, - The driver assistance device (9) is set up to detect the speed (15) of the motor vehicle (1) while it is traveling on the road section (3); - The detected speed (15) is compared with the statistics (8) used for road section (3) according to a predetermined comparison method; and - When the speed (15) of the motor vehicle (1) detected while traveling on the road section (3) meets the predetermined standard (10) regarding the statistic (8), an inquiry signal (12) for assisting the parking process is output to the driver (2) of the motor vehicle (1) through the output device (11). The statistic (8) is the distribution of speed (15), in which characteristic patterns appear in the speed distribution, which enable the selection of one or more ranges of speed values ​​as a standard for parking intention.

8. A motor vehicle (1) comprising the driver assistance device (9) according to claim 7.

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