Parking assistance device and parking assistance method

Abstract

The parking assistance device is provided with: a parking-enabled area calculation unit that calculates a parking-enabled area in which a vehicle can be parked on the basis of an area in which the vehicle can travel and a three-dimensional shape of an object detected by a detection unit from information about the surroundings of the vehicle; a ride ease calculation unit that calculates the ride ease of the ride object from the vehicle or from the vehicle, at least on the basis of the three-dimensional shape of the object; and an assistance content generation unit that calculates a parking position at which the vehicle is parked on the basis of the ease of boarding and alighting and the parking-enabled area, and generates assistance content that assists the parking of the vehicle on the basis of the parking position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to parking support devices and parking support methods. Background Technology

[0002] Previously, a parking support device was provided that uses autonomous driving technology to park the vehicle in parking areas such as parking lots and to support passengers getting in and out of the vehicle. Thus, as a technology to support getting in and out of the vehicle, Patent Document 1 describes a "parking support device that can predict whether the door can be opened or closed before automatic parking".

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-117815 Summary of the Invention

[0006] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, when parking a vehicle, a camera detects obstacles around the parking position and predicts whether the vehicle doors can be opened and closed after parking. The prediction result is reported before parking the vehicle. However, Patent Document 1 does not address the issue of passenger / landing height. Therefore, when people or other objects (delivery vehicles, wheelchairs, or strollers, etc.) are getting on or off the vehicle, there is a possibility that the objects may be difficult to get on or off if there is a large height difference between the vehicle and the ground. In addition, the technology described in Patent Document 1 is based on the parking position and does not disclose the idea of ​​automatically selecting an easy-to-get-on position when parking for pick-up, delivery, etc.

[0007] The present invention was made in view of the following situation, and its purpose is to determine the spatial position of the object to be loaded or unloaded.

[0008] The present invention provides a parking support device comprising: an information acquisition unit for acquiring information about the surroundings of a vehicle; a detection unit for detecting, based on the information about the surroundings of the vehicle, a drivable area of ​​the vehicle and the three-dimensional shape of objects surrounding the vehicle; a parking area calculation unit for calculating a parking area where the vehicle can park based on the drivable area of ​​the vehicle and the three-dimensional shape of the objects; a passenger / alighting ease calculation unit for calculating, at least based on the three-dimensional shape of the objects, the passenger / alighting ease of getting off or onto the vehicle; and a support content generation unit for calculating a parking position of the vehicle based on the passenger / alighting ease and the parking area, and generating support content for parking the vehicle based on the parking position.

[0009] According to the present invention, a parking position that is easy for passengers to board or alight can be automatically calculated based on the height of the object, which is represented by the three-dimensional shape of the object, and parking of the vehicle can be supported according to the parking position. Therefore, the convenience and safety of boarding and alighting are improved.

[0010] The issues, structures, and effects other than those mentioned above will become clearer through the following description of the implementation methods. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the parking support device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating an example of a parking area and a passenger / drop-off area according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates an example of how the support content generation unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention uses height information associated with boarding and alighting to calculate a location where a boarding or alighting object is easily accessible.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the height difference between a vehicle and a structure when a passenger or a passenger is alighting, according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating an example of how the ease of boarding and alighting calculation unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention calculates the ease of boarding and alighting of each parking waiting position based on the parking area.

[0016] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating a structural example of vehicle information according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating a structural example of passenger / landing object information according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating a structural example of the passenger / alight setting information according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of parking support processing according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 10 This is a structural diagram of the parking support device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 11 This is a diagram illustrating a structural example of the parking location evaluation log according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the process by which the information acquisition unit, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, records an evaluation log of the vehicle's parking location to the storage unit.

[0023] Figure 13 This is a diagram showing an example of a passenger / ride setting screen that visualizes the passenger / ride settings set using the passenger / ride condition setting unit, according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 14 This is a diagram illustrating an example of a device for assisting in the boarding and alighting of an object according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 15 This is a structural diagram of the parking support device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 16 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a parking adjustment process according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 17 This is a diagram illustrating the transition of switching between various modes according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 18 This is a diagram illustrating an example of whether the doors of a vehicle at a parking position can be opened and closed according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 19 This is a block diagram illustrating examples of the hardware structure of a computer according to the first to fourth embodiments of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0030] Hereinafter, specific embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and the drawings, constituent elements having substantially the same function or structure are given the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are omitted. This invention can be applied, for example, to a computing device for vehicle control that can communicate with an onboard ECU (Electronic Control Unit) for autonomous driving (AD) systems.

[0031] [First Implementation]

[0032] The following is for reference Figures 1-9 The first embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the first embodiment, a parking support device and parking support method will be described, which calculates the area and location where the object is easy to board or alight from a candidate area that serves as the location calculation, based on information about the boarding / alighting location, the structure of the boarding / alighting source, the object, and information about the object to be boarded or alighted.

[0033] One of the envisioned applications of the parking support device according to the first embodiment is the automatic extraction of parking positions for vehicles. By applying this technology to the parking support device, in cases such as when a passenger or vehicle is being boarded or alighted, the ease of boarding or alighting can be calculated based on the height of the structure at the candidate boarding or alighting position and the shape of the passenger or vehicle, and an easy boarding or alighting position can be automatically extracted.

[0034] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the parking support device 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0035] Parking support device 1 is an example of a device capable of controlling a vehicle, primarily using an AD / ADAS ECU. Alternatively, a control system or control server that controls multiple vehicles can also be used as parking support device 1. In this case, the control system or control server monitors the driving status and parking position of each vehicle under control and outputs instructions to the vehicle's ECU to support methods for parking the vehicle in an appropriate parking position.

[0036] Figure 1 The parking support device 1 shown includes an area and location calculation unit 10, an information acquisition unit 100, a detection unit 101, a boarding and alighting condition setting unit 102, a boarding and alighting condition management unit 103, a communication unit 104, a parking area calculation unit 105, a boarding and alighting ease calculation unit 106, a support content generation unit 107, a display unit 108, and a control unit 109.

[0037] Figure 1 The information flow of each part in the recorded structure diagram is summarized below.

[0038] The parking support device 1 according to the first embodiment will be described later. Figure 4 The object Oe shown is rideable / descendable, as described later. Figure 2 The height of objects (also referred to as structures) surrounding the vehicle Ve is used to calculate the parking position of the vehicle Ve, which allows the passenger-landing object Oe to safely board and alight. Therefore, the area and position calculation unit 10 initially obtains information needed for calculating the parking area and ease of boarding and alighting from external sensors 1000, etc., and detects structures, etc. At this time, the information acquisition unit 100 acquires the position of the vehicle Ve, which is the target of support, and environmental information around the vehicle.

[0039] The detection unit 101 detects the position, speed, surrounding environment, and the shape, type, and position of surrounding objects of the vehicle Ve based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 100. Furthermore, the detection unit 101 obtains the speed of the vehicle Ve from environmental information or from a speedometer mounted on the vehicle Ve. The environmental information acquired by the detection unit 101, as well as the detected information, are stored in the storage unit 110 if necessary.

[0040] As will be discussed later Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle that is to be supported in parking by the parking support device 1 is designated as vehicle Ve, as described later. Figure 4 As shown, the object that will alight from vehicle Ve is designated as landing object Oe. For example, a person, a trolley, a wheelchair, or a delivery robot could be considered as landing object Oe. Information such as the shape, type, and landing opening of vehicle Ve, as well as the landing object Oe and vehicle Ve, is designated as vehicle information D00 and landing object information E00, and stored in storage unit 110. Furthermore, vehicle information D00, landing object information E00, and the parking position of vehicle Ve are detected by information acquisition unit 100 or detection unit 101, received by communication unit 104, or set and recorded in storage unit 110 by landing condition setting unit 102. The various information recorded in storage unit 110 can be updated at any time by communicating with an external system (not shown) via communication unit 104.

[0041] Next, the parking area calculation unit 105 calculates the parking area as the area where the vehicle Ve can park, based on information about the surroundings of the vehicle Ve, including structures detected by the detection unit 101.

[0042] The ease of boarding and alighting calculation unit (ease of boarding and alighting calculation unit 106) is for the purposes described later. Figure 5 The ease of getting on and off is calculated for the parking candidate positions Pc extracted from the available parking area Rs. For example, the ease of getting on and off calculation unit 106 calculates the ease of getting on and off in the available parking area based on the height of the object at the landing / getting-off location, and the physical information of the vehicle Ve and the landing / getting-off object Oe. The higher the ease of getting on and off, the easier it is to get on and off the landing / getting-off object Oe.

[0043] The content generation unit 107 determines the parking position of vehicle Ve based on the parking area and ease of boarding and alighting. The parking position is sent to the display unit 108 and the control unit 109, and the parking position is displayed on the display unit 108 and the vehicle is controlled by the control unit 109.

[0044] The following is a detailed explanation. Figure 1 The structural diagram recorded contains the constituent elements.

[0045] The information acquisition unit (information acquisition unit 100) acquires information about the surroundings of the vehicle Ve. For example, the information acquisition unit 100 acquires the position and movement information of the vehicle Ve, as well as 3D environmental information about the surroundings of the vehicle Ve. This information is acquired using an external sensor 1000. The external sensor 1000 may be, for example, a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) or a camera. The external sensor 1000 acquires point clusters and temporal data of images around the sensor. A LiDAR is a sensor that illuminates a laser and measures the distance to an object based on its reflected light; it can acquire point cluster information representing the position of objects around the sensor, and is therefore used to detect the position and shape of objects. The data acquired by the information acquisition unit 100 is sent to the storage unit 110 and the detection unit 101. In addition to LiDAR and cameras, the external sensor 1000 may also use proximity sensors such as radar and infrared sensors, GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), and IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) accelerometers. Furthermore, the external sensors 1000 can be multiple individually, or configured as a combination of multiple LiDAR sensors, LiDAR, cameras, and radar, or multiple cameras. Additionally, LiDAR, ToF, cameras, signs, etc., can be installed on the environmental side. The information acquisition unit 100 acquires environmental information surrounding the vehicle Ve, including its position, speed, angle, and the shape of objects it can board or alight, via the communication unit 104. Furthermore, the information acquisition unit 100 can also acquire environmental information obtained from external sensors installed on other vehicles (different from the vehicle Ve) via the communication unit 104.

[0046] The detection unit (detection unit 101) detects the drivable area of ​​vehicle Ve and the three-dimensional shape of objects surrounding vehicle Ve based on information about the surrounding environment. For example, the detection unit 101 detects the position and speed of vehicle Ve, as well as the shape, type, and speed of objects surrounding vehicle Ve, including the height and width, based on point clusters and image information obtained from external sensors 1000. The detection unit 101 sends the detected object shapes, types, speeds, etc., to the parking area calculation unit 105 and the passenger boarding / alighting ease calculation unit 106. Alternatively, the detection unit 101 can detect the driving environment by pre-recording a 3D map environment such as a high-precision map and reading the environmental information surrounding the position of vehicle Ve determined based on its position information.

[0047] The passenger boarding / alighting condition setting unit 102 sets the parking location for vehicle Ve. For example, it specifies the location of a movable sidewalk for a person, delivery vehicle, or similar vehicle. Regarding the parking location, the passenger boarding / alighting condition setting unit 102 receives vehicle dispatching information from a vehicle dispatching server (not shown) via the vehicle dispatching condition setting unit 102 or the communication unit 104, and sets specific locations, coordinates, parking spots, etc. In addition to the parking location, the time information indicating when vehicle Ve will stop can also be recorded in the storage unit 110. In addition to the parking location of vehicle Ve, the passenger boarding / alighting condition setting unit 102 can also set environmental information such as the physical information of vehicle Ve and objects, and high-precision maps, and record the set information in the storage unit 110.

[0048] The parking area calculation unit (parking area calculation unit 105) calculates the parking area where vehicle Ve can park based on the area where vehicle Ve can drive and the three-dimensional shape of objects. The parking area is the area after removing the non-parking areas from the area where vehicle Ve can drive. The parking area calculation unit 105 determines the road and driving route based on the type, shape, and speed of objects around vehicle Ve, and calculates the driving area of ​​vehicle Ve. In addition, for each category of area, whether each object can drive is pre-recorded in the storage unit 110, and the driving area is calculated by detecting the category of the area based on location information and maps, or images, or point groups. For example, information such as that vehicles can drive in areas with lanes and that wheelchairs can drive in areas with sidewalks is pre-recorded in the storage unit 110. The information is recorded in the storage unit 110 in the form of associating specific driving areas with vehicle Ve, or in the form of associating driving areas with vehicle categories.

[0049] The parking area is the area after removing the non-parking areas from the area where vehicle Ve can drive. The parking area calculation unit 105 calculates areas within a certain range, such as intersections or marked areas, as non-parking areas. It calculates the parking area based on road shape and vehicle shape, considering whether the passage width can ensure the passage of other vehicles after vehicle Ve stops. The parking area calculation unit 105 also calculates roads with no passage width for other vehicles as non-parking areas. However, if the parking area calculation unit 105 is used for narrow roads such as alleys and roads with low traffic volume, it may temporarily calculate them as parking areas.

[0050] The parking area calculation unit 105 determines the area where vehicle Ve cannot drive based on information detected by the detection unit 101, map information stored in the storage unit 110, or information from the communication unit 104. After calculating the parking area, the parking area calculation unit 105 determines whether there is an object with a surface that the vehicle Ve can ride on or alight from, based on the shape, type, and speed of objects surrounding the parking area, including their height and width. This surface is then designated as the parking area for the vehicle Ve.

[0051] The ease of boarding / alighting calculation unit (ease of boarding / alighting calculation unit 106) calculates the ease of boarding / alighting of the object Oe from or from the vehicle Ve, based at least on the three-dimensional shape of the object. For example, the ease of boarding / alighting calculation unit 106 calculates the ease of boarding / alighting of the object Oe from or from the vehicle Ve based on each parking waiting position Pc in the parking area Rs. The ease of boarding / alighting is, for example, an index that indicates that the smaller the height difference between the height of the boarding / alighting opening of the vehicle Ve and the height of the structure, the easier it is to board / alight. If the ease of boarding / alighting is high, it is a parking position where the object Oe is easy to board / alight. The ease of boarding / alighting calculation unit (ease of boarding / alighting calculation unit 106) calculates the ease of boarding / alighting based on information about the vehicle Ve, including the height of the boarding / alighting position, and information about the object Oe. The ease of boarding and alighting calculation unit 106 considers not only the height difference between the vehicle Ve and the structure, but also the positional relationship between the vehicle Ve and the structure, such as distance and width, the type of the structure, and the physical constraints of the boarding / alighting object Oe to calculate the ease of boarding and alighting. Details of the ease of boarding and alighting will be described later.

[0052] The support content generation unit (support content generation unit 107) calculates the parking position of vehicle Ve based on the ease of boarding and alighting calculated by the ease of boarding and alighting calculation unit 106 and the available parking area, and generates support content for parking vehicle Ve based on the parking position. The support content generation unit 107 determines the position where the ease of boarding and alighting is greatest within the available parking area of ​​vehicle Ve as the parking position of vehicle Ve, and sends its support content to the display unit 108 and the control unit 109. The support content includes, for example, the display of the parking position and the parking control of vehicle Ve.

[0053] The passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit (passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit 103) determines whether parking support processing can be performed for vehicle Ve. To this end, the passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit 103 manages and updates passenger boarding / alighting conditions based on information received from each module, and updates the storage unit 110. For example, the passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit 103 receives detection results from the detection unit 101, or communication data from the communication unit 104, or support content from the support content generation unit 107. Furthermore, the passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit 103 sends necessary information to each module, not limited to passenger boarding / alighting conditions. For example, the passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit 103 sends and receives information between the display unit 108 and the control unit 109. Additionally, the passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit 103 writes information to the storage unit 110 or reads information from the storage unit 110. Passenger boarding / alighting conditions include, for example, the predetermined parking location of vehicle Ve and which passenger boarding / alighting object Oe will board or alight. The predetermined parking location of vehicle Ve can be set using the passenger boarding / alighting condition setting unit 102, and can be set and updated via the communication unit 104.

[0054] The communication unit 104 communicates with the outside world of the vehicle via vehicle-to-vehicle communication, vehicle (Ve) and passenger / landing object (Oe) communication, and portable terminals. It also sends and receives necessary information from information processing systems such as databases built in the cloud (not shown), delivery systems, vehicle control centers, and road infrastructure sensors. The delivery system becomes a system structure capable of managing vehicles and the location of delivery destinations. The delivery system has information on which vehicle should be driven to which location at what time, and has the function of dispatching vehicles to deliver passenger / landing objects at a specified time. Therefore, the driving status of vehicles and the delivery status are the management objects of the delivery system. Furthermore, the management objects of the delivery system include vehicles (Ve, such as trucks and taxis) or passenger / landing objects (Oe, such as transport robots). It sends and receives information such as the location of pick-up and drop-off, passenger / landing object (Oe), road information such as whether there is construction in the lanes or specific areas of the driving route, and the position, speed, and shape of surrounding objects, including parking availability and blind spots of the vehicle.

[0055] The display unit 108 displays the detection results of the detection unit 101 and the support content generated by the support content generation unit 107 in the following description. Figure 19 The display device 505 shown is an example.

[0056] The control unit (control unit 109) controls the vehicle Ve based on the support content. The control unit 109 receives information about the controlled object (e.g., motor, steering wheel, brake, etc.) and the control quantity from the support content generation unit 107 as support content, and implements control over the controlled object.

[0057] The storage unit 110 includes map information C00, vehicle information D00, passenger / landing object information E00, and passenger / landing setting information F00. Map information C00 includes information about locations where stopping is not permitted, such as signs. Map information C00 can also be a 3D map created and stored in real-time using point groups and images obtained from external sensors 1000 via SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping). Vehicle information D00 includes shape data of the vehicle, including its width, length, and height, as well as information about the location and height of the passenger / landing entrance. Passenger / landing object information E00 includes information about the width, length, and height of the passenger / landing object Oe. Passenger / landing setting information F00 sets traffic constraints such as elevation differences and width during passenger / landing, calculated based on the shape of the passenger / landing object Oe and the size of its wheels.

[0058] The following is for reference Figures 2 to 5 Explain the method for calculating the location where the object Oe is easy to land on or off.

[0059] Figure 2This is a diagram showing an example of a parking area and a passenger / drop-off area according to the first embodiment. The parking area Rs is calculated by the parking area calculation unit 105.

[0060] Figure 2 The driving path Rm is the area where vehicle Ve can travel. Here, the driving path Rm is defined as a driving surface continuous with the position of vehicle Ve. The detection unit 101 detects the driving path Rm based on the point group or image acquired by the information acquisition unit 100. Alternatively, it can be implemented by reading the driving path Rm from the map information C00 stored in the storage unit 110 based on the vehicle's position information. Furthermore, it can be implemented by setting the operating design area of ​​vehicle Ve on the map information C00.

[0061] The permitted parking area Rs is the area after removing the areas where vehicle Ve cannot park from the driving road Rm. Areas where vehicle Ve cannot park include, for example, locations with "No Parking" signs, intersections, within 5 meters of pedestrian crossings, within 10 meters of railway crossings, within 3 meters of garages, and within 5 meters of fire hydrants and fire exits. Parking is prohibited in such areas. Furthermore, parking is determined based on the driving road width and vehicle width, and whether the remaining passage width after parking is sufficient. When there are designated times indicated on the signs or construction information, the permitted parking area calculation unit 105 determines whether parking is permitted based on the restricted time and the current time. The permitted parking area calculation unit 105 determines stops or bus stops where only specific vehicle types can park based on the vehicle type of vehicle Ve. The permitted parking area calculation unit 105 may also determine whether parking is permitted based on the approach or frequency of vehicles arriving from behind, in addition to the passage width. In addition, the parking area calculation unit 105 determines the parking area Rs based on vehicle performance, proximity sensor performance, user settings, etc., according to how many centimeters the vehicle Ve is allowed to park when parking.

[0062] Next, the accessible area Ra will be explained. The accessible area Ra (the area where the accessible object Oe can move) is defined as the region at the end of the driving road Rm that has the physical information of the accessible object Oe in terms of width and length. The parking area calculation unit 105 determines whether the accessible object Oe can be boarded or alighted based on the shape and type of the structure. Structures where the accessible object Oe can be boarded or alighted are designated as structure A, and structures where it cannot be boarded or alighted are designated as structure B. For example, structure A is a sidewalk, and structure B is a planter B1 or a guardrail B2. If structure A has a curbstone, the curbstone is designated as structure B, and the area where the accessible object Oe can travel (excluding the curbstone) is designated as structure A.

[0063] For example, the upper surface of structure A is designated as a ride-on / drop-off area Ra. In the case of a roof, the parking area calculation unit 105 determines whether a ride-on / drop-off is permissible based on whether there is space accessible to a person of height Oe from the plane where structure A can be installed to the roof. If a ride-on / drop-off is permissible, the parking area calculation unit 105 designates that area as the ride-on / drop-off area Ra. Furthermore, depending on the situation, the parking area calculation unit 105 may also designate the ends of driveways, the ends of traffic lanes Rm, etc., as ride-on / drop-off areas Ra. Additionally, considering people pushing wheelchairs or strollers, the parking area calculation unit 105 may also consider the presence of spaces accessible to people of height other than the vehicle being ridden or dropped off as a condition for determining whether a ride-on / drop-off is permissible.

[0064] Parking position Ps is the parking position of vehicle Ve generated by the support content generation unit 107. Parking position Ps is extracted from the parking area Rs based on the ease of getting on and off. The case of extracting parking position Ps based on the ease of getting on and off will be explained below.

[0065] Figure 3 and Figure 4 This is an example of a diagram used to illustrate the ease of boarding and alighting involved in the first embodiment. Regarding the ease of boarding and alighting, it is calculated by the ease of boarding and alighting calculation unit 106, and for the parking area Rs, it is calculated based on map information C00, vehicle information D00, and boarding / alighting object information E00.

[0066] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates an example of how the support content generation unit 107 uses height information associated with boarding / alighting to calculate a location where the boarding / alighting object Oe is easily accessible. Examples of height information associated with boarding / alighting include the height of the boarding / alighting opening for vehicle Ve, the height of accessible structures such as sidewalks, and the height of non-accessible structures such as curbs. This height information can be obtained from surrounding road and vehicle information.

[0067] Figure 3 The explanatory diagram (a) shown on the upper side illustrates an example of a parking position Ps when there is a structure B, such as a curb or guardrail, between the sidewalk and the driveway. The support content generation unit 107 calculates a position where the passenger / landing object Oe can easily board or alight in the boarding / landing area Ra based on the detected height of the structure. In this example, the vehicle Ve is parked at a position where the height of the structure B between the passenger / landing area Ra is low or nonexistent. Furthermore, even when the structure B has height, the support content generation unit 107 determines the location of opening or closing, such as a platform screen door at a railway station, using detection information from sensors, map information, or information obtained through communication, and the control unit 109 directs the vehicle Ve to park at the location of the opening or closing door.

[0068] Figure 3The explanatory diagram (b) shown on the lower side illustrates an example of a parking position Ps where the height of the ride-on area Ra varies depending on the location, for example, the height of the sidewalk of structure A. In such a case, the support content generation unit 107 extracts the position in the ride-on area Rs where the height of the ride-on area Ra is closest to the ride-on height of the vehicle Ve, i.e., the position with the smallest height difference.

[0069] Furthermore, when there is a mixture of structures A and B that can and cannot be occupied by the vehicle Oe, the support content generation unit 107, for example, extracts a position where the height difference between the vehicle Oe and structure A is minimized based on the height of structure B being within the range of the vehicle Ve's descent position. Here, the height difference when the vehicle Oe descents onto structure A is calculated. Whether the height of the descentable structure A or the height of the non-descentable structure B is prioritized when determining the parking position can be adjusted according to settings.

[0070] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the height difference H when a vehicle Ve is alighting from a structure and an object Oe is alighting from it.

[0071] The ease of boarding / alighting calculation unit (ease of boarding / alighting calculation unit 106) calculates a higher ease of boarding / alighting based on the physical information of the boarding / alighting object Oe and / or vehicle performance, the three-dimensional shape of the object and / or object category, provided that the physical constraints or vehicle constraints of the boarding / alighting object Oe are met. The physical constraints or driving constraints of the boarding / alighting object Oe are calculated based on at least one of the following values: the difference in elevation between the vehicle Ve and the object, distance, the passage width that other vehicles Ve can pass through, and inclination. The physical information of the boarding / alighting object Oe will be described later. Figure 7 The information about the passenger / alighting object is represented as E00. Vehicle performance is represented as described later. Figure 6 The vehicle performance D60. The three-dimensional shape and / or object category of the object are represented by values ​​measured by external sensor 1000. The physical constraints of the passenger / landing object Oe are described later. Figure 8 The passenger boarding and alighting setting information F00. For example, in addition to the physical information of the passenger boarding and alighting object Oe, physical constraints are also set according to the specifications of passenger boarding and alighting aids such as ramps. The vehicle constraints of the passenger boarding and alighting object Oe are expressed as described later. Figure 7 The specifications of the passenger / landing vehicle include the tolerable height difference E80, the tolerable distance E90, the maximum climbing angle E100, and the maximum stable tilt angle E110.

[0072] In addition to the elevation difference H during boarding and alighting, the ease of boarding and alighting calculation unit 106 also uses distance D, physical information of the boarding / alighting object Oe, etc., to calculate the ease of boarding and alighting. For example, the ease of boarding and alighting calculation unit 106 calculates the ease of boarding / alighting of the object Oe from the vehicle Ve for a parking waiting position within the parking area Rs. Figure 4 In the diagram, a reference height is set, showing the height of structure A, which serves as the boarding / alighting area Ra, relative to the reference height, and the boarding / alighting height of vehicle Ve.

[0073] For example, based on the elevation difference H, distance D, and passenger / alighting width between the vehicle Ve and the structure (refer to...) Figure 5 The ease of crossing is calculated by multiplying each of the following by a weighting constant. The crossing width is the width that can be used for crossing from the object Oe to the structure, and is the width in the direction perpendicular to the crossing direction of the object Oe. For example, the following formula (1) is used as the formula for calculating the ease of crossing.

[0074] Easyness of boarding and alighting = α × distance D + β × elevation difference H + γ × boarding and alighting width … (1)

[0075] The conditions are as follows: the height difference H must be within the allowable height difference, the distance D must be within the allowable distance, and the landing width must be above the allowable width in the width direction of the object being landed on. If the height difference H, distance D, and landing width do not meet the allowable height difference, allowable distance, and allowable width settings for landing, it is considered that landing is not allowed.

[0076] The ease of boarding and alighting is not limited to this example; at least one parameter representing the relationship between vehicle Ve and the structure, such as elevation difference H, distance D, width, and inclination, can be set. The ease of boarding and alighting calculation unit 106 can, for example, switch the weighted parameter based on whether the sign of the elevation difference H between vehicle Ve and the structure is positive or negative. For example, a positive elevation difference H means that the height of the accessible area Ra of the structure is higher than the height of the boarding / alighting opening of vehicle Ve. Conversely, a negative elevation difference H means that the height of the accessible area Ra of the structure is lower than the height of the boarding / alighting opening of vehicle Ve. When boarding / alighting object Oe boards or alights, when the elevation difference H is negative, it is easier for object Oe to disembark; when the elevation difference H is positive, it is easier for object Oe to board. Therefore, by changing the weighted parameter according to the sign, for example, when there is an upward elevation difference and a downward elevation difference, it is possible to exhibit situations where the ease of boarding and alighting differs even when the magnitude of the elevation difference H is the same. The allowable height difference, allowable distance, and allowable width can be determined either based on the physical information of the object Oe being transported or dropped, or set by the user.

[0077] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing an example of how the ease of getting on and off a vehicle is calculated by the ease-of-getting-on unit 106 based on the parking area Rs for each parking candidate location Pc.

[0078] The parking waiting position Pc is a location within the available parking area Rs. The ease of getting on and off is calculated by the ease of getting on and off for each parking waiting position Pc. The ease of getting on and off is calculated as the ease of getting on and off from the parking waiting position Pc to the waiting position for getting on and off in the available parking area Ra.

[0079] Regarding the location of the waiting area for boarding and alighting, any location within the boarding and alighting area Ra can be selected. For example, it can be set as the location of the boarding and alighting gate in the boarding and alighting area Ra that is closest to the waiting parking location Pc.

[0080] The ease of boarding / alighting calculation unit (boarding / alighting calculation unit 106) adjusts the interval of parking candidate positions based on vehicle Ve information, boarding / alighting object Oe information, and required accuracy. This interval is calculated by extracting parking positions Ps from the parking candidate area Rc that are easy for boarding / alighting object Oe to board / alight. After reducing the parking candidate area Rc from the parking area Rs, the ease of boarding / alighting calculation unit 106 slides candidate positions represented by the shape of vehicle Ve at a specified granularity, designating them as candidates for parking candidate positions Pc. The sliding range of the candidate positions corresponds to the aforementioned interval of parking candidate positions and is set finer when high accuracy is required for allowable height differences and allowable distances. Then, the ease of boarding / alighting calculation unit 106 sets the parking candidate position Pc with the highest ease of boarding / alighting and an ease of boarding / alighting value above a specified value as the parking position Ps (see reference). Figure 2 ).exist Figure 5 In the image, the 3D shape of vehicle Ve in the parking position Ps shows the passenger drop-off point Oe and two arrows indicating the direction of passenger drop-off.

[0081] The calculation of the parking candidate position Pc by the ease of boarding and alighting calculation unit 106 can be limited to situations requiring parking support. For example, the parking candidate position Pc is calculated when vehicle Ve is close to a specific position coordinate or when the speed of vehicle Ve is below a certain value. Furthermore, the candidate area for the parking candidate position Pc by the ease of boarding and alighting calculation unit 106 is not necessarily all parking areas Rs, but is narrowed down according to predetermined conditions. Candidate areas for the parking candidate position Pc include, for example, areas without unaccessible structures, areas with small height differences from accessible structures, and areas not too far from accessible structures. Additionally, the ease of boarding and alighting calculation unit 106 can also pre-set parking position-related settings according to boarding and alighting settings, narrowing down the parking candidate area Rc based on settings such as whether to park close to an accessible structure or at a certain distance.

[0082] Furthermore, the ease of boarding / alighting calculation unit 106 can set the ease of boarding / alighting based on factors other than elevation difference and distance, such as the location at a certain distance from surrounding objects, the location of the roof depending on the weather, the location without puddles, the location where the vehicle Ve will slowly stop according to the vehicle speed, the distance from when the boarding / alighting object Oe reaches the sidewalk, and the boarding / alighting time. Additionally, even when the elevation difference is the same (i.e., the elevation difference H is zero), the force and posture applied to the boarding / alighting object Oe differ depending on whether the road surface Rm is parallel or inclined, resulting in different levels of safety during boarding / alighting.

[0083] Therefore, the ease of boarding and alighting calculation unit 106 can also be added to conditions such as not boarding or alighting in places where the road surface inclination is more than a certain level.

[0084] Figures 6 to 8 An example is shown of vehicle information D00, passenger / landing object information E00, and passenger / landing setting information F00 stored in storage unit 110.

[0085] Figure 6 This diagram illustrates a structural example of vehicle information D00. Vehicle information D00 consists of number D10, vehicle category D20, vehicle shape D30, boarding / alighting information D40, boarding / alighting assistance D50, vehicle performance D60, and remarks D70. Number D10 represents the vehicle information number for each item in vehicle information D00. Vehicle category D20 represents the vehicle category of vehicle Ve. Vehicle shape D30 represents the shape of vehicle Ve, including its width D31, length D32, and height D33.

[0086] Information D40 regarding passenger boarding / alighting points includes, for example, passenger boarding / alighting point number D41 representing vehicle Ve, indicating the location of the passenger boarding / alighting point on the front, rear, left, and right sides of vehicle Ve using relative position D42 and angle D43 from the vehicle reference point. If vehicle Ve has four doors, the passenger boarding / alighting point corresponds to each of the four doors. If vehicle Ve is a hatchback, the passenger boarding / alighting point also corresponds to the rear door. Although primarily conceived of vehicles with doors, the passenger boarding / alighting point represents the location from which passengers can board or alight from the vehicle, and is not necessarily limited to the presence or absence of doors depending on the vehicle type. Passenger boarding / alighting point information D40 also includes shape information such as the width D44 and height D45 of the passenger boarding / alighting point. The vehicle reference point is the reference point used to calculate the position coordinates of the passenger boarding / alighting point based on which coordinates of the vehicle, and can be arbitrarily set. For example, the vehicle center, the front end of the vehicle, or the rear end of the vehicle can be set as the vehicle reference point.

[0087] Passenger boarding / alighting assistance D50 indicates whether or not passenger boarding / alighting assistance devices are present. Vehicle performance D60 and vehicle shape D30 combine the passenger boarding / alighting information D40 and passenger boarding / alighting assistance D50 for generating support content such as calculating the parking area, calculating the position and angle of parking markings, and determining whether to provide display support or control support for parking markings. Vehicle performance D60 includes the level of autonomous driving D61, maximum acceleration D62, maximum deceleration D63, approach distance D64, and tolerable height difference D65.

[0088] Note D70 also contains supplementary information related to vehicle category D20, vehicle shape D30, boarding / alighting information D40, boarding / alighting assistance D50, and vehicle performance D60. For example, notes D70 may include the installation location of ramps and boarding / alighting assistance devices such as robotic arms installed on vehicle Ve, the assisted distance and elevation difference, and the width of the boarding / alighting assistance devices. In addition, notes D70 may also include the shape of the doors, information on the movable area of ​​the doors or boarding / alighting positions, and the type and version information of the software built into the parking support device 1. Furthermore, notes D70 may sometimes store CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data (referred to as CAD1) representing the shape of the vehicle. However, vehicle information D00 does not need to include this information. Figure 6 All recorded information should include at least the information that allows for the calculation of the location and altitude of the boarding and alighting points.

[0089] Figure 7 This diagram illustrates the structure of the passenger / landing object information E00. The passenger / landing object information E00 consists of an object number E10, a passenger / landing object category E20, a passenger / landing area E30, and the specifications of the passenger / landing object Oe. The object number E10 represents the unique identifier for each passenger / landing object in the passenger / landing object information E00. The passenger / landing object category E20 represents the category of the passenger / landing object Oe (e.g., delivery vehicle A, wheelchair A, etc.). The passenger / landing area E30 represents... Figure 5 The designated boarding / drop-off area Ra represents the pedestrian walkway and driveway.

[0090] In addition, as a category of the landing object Oe, the category representing people (adults or children) can also be stored in the landing object category E20.

[0091] The specifications of the object Oe include its physical and performance information during loading and unloading, as well as its shape (E40), wheel length (wheel diameter) (E50), wheel width (E60), wheel spacing (E70), tolerable height difference (E80), tolerable distance (E90), maximum climbing angle (E100), and maximum stable tilt angle (E110). The following parameters are recorded in the passenger / landing object information E00: width E41, length E42, height E43, wheel length E50 (front wheel E51, rear wheel E52), wheel width E60 (front wheel E61, rear wheel E62), wheel spacing E70 (longitudinal spacing E71, lateral spacing E72), the tolerable height difference that passenger / landing object Oe can cross E80, the tolerable distance that passenger / landing object Oe can cross E90, the maximum climbing angle that passenger / landing object Oe can climb in the direction of travel E100, and the maximum stable tilt angle that passenger / landing object Oe will not fall.

[0092] Furthermore, in the absence of specifications for the landing object Oe, the tolerable height difference E80 and tolerable distance E90 are set based on wheel length E50, etc. Additionally, if the front and rear wheels of the landing object Oe are of different sizes, for example, considering the size of the constraint, the tolerable height difference E80 and tolerable distance E90 are set based on the size of the smaller wheel. Moreover, as the landing object information E00, the specifications for the landing object Oe can be created using the installation positions of each wheel or CAD data. In addition to the landing condition setting unit 102, the landing object information E00 is also set by the landing condition management unit 103 based on information obtained from the detection unit 101 and the communication unit 104.

[0093] Figure 8 This diagram illustrates a structural example of the passenger / landing setting information F00. The passenger / landing setting information F00 sets appropriate values ​​for passenger / landing objects Oe, including allowable height difference, distance, and weighted priority of height difference and distance. The passenger / landing setting information F00 consists of number F10, allowable height difference F20, allowable distance F30, allowable width F40, and passenger / landing object category F50. Number F10 represents the passenger / landing setting information number for each item in the passenger / landing setting information F00. Allowable height difference F20, allowable distance F30, and allowable width F40 represent the allowable values ​​when passenger / landing objects Oe are on or off. Passenger / landing object category F50 represents the category of passenger / landing object Oe.

[0094] In the passenger boarding / alighting setting information F00, default values ​​are prepared in advance based on the values ​​of passenger boarding / alighting object information E00, etc., and can be recorded by each user after adjusting the appropriate values. Alternatively, multiple passenger boarding / alighting settings can be recorded for the same passenger boarding / alighting object category and used separately. Furthermore, the shape of the passenger boarding / alighting object Oe and the wheel information are detected by the detection unit 101 through information captured by the in-vehicle camera and information obtained by the external sensor 1000 during passenger boarding / alighting. Additionally, information registered by the user to the external system when reserving passenger boarding / alighting is obtained via the communication unit 204, or information can be obtained by the user during passenger boarding / alighting from sources described later. Figure 19 The display device 505, etc., shown, updates the passenger / alight setting information F00 by displaying input. This information is then registered in the storage unit 110 via the communication unit 104 or the passenger / alight condition setting unit 102.

[0095] In addition, the information in vehicle information D00, passenger / landing object information E00, and passenger / landing setting information F00 is not limited to... Figures 6-8 The recorded items can be implemented even if not all are recorded. Information that can at least determine the length and width of the vehicle Ve, and the location and height of the boarding / alighting point, can be included in the vehicle information D00, the boarding / alighting object information E00, and the boarding / alighting setting information F00.

[0096] The following uses Figure 9 The flowchart illustrates the overall processing procedure of the parking support device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0097] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of parking support processing.

[0098] First, in step S101, the information acquisition unit 100 obtains necessary information from the communication unit 104 and the storage unit 110. The information acquisition unit 100 obtains, for example, environmental information and object information surrounding the vehicle from LiDAR point arrays, images, and maps.

[0099] Next, in step S102, the detection unit 101 detects the shapes of objects around vehicle Ve based on the point clusters or images around vehicle Ve. Here, the detection unit 101 determines the driving road Rm, identifies other objects on the driving road Rm, and detects objects on the sidewalk located next to the driving road Rm. Information about the driving road Rm, the sidewalk, and other objects can also be obtained by the detection unit 101 reading a point cluster map or a high-precision map from the storage unit 110, or by the detection unit 101 through communication with infrastructure sensors, a control center, etc. Regarding the infrastructure sensor, a camera or LiDAR is envisioned to be installed on the driving road Rm. The location for installing the infrastructure sensor can be, for example, the driving road Rm of vehicle Ve, whether indoors or outdoors, such as on a road, within a factory site, or inside a building.

[0100] In step S103, the passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit 103 determines the conditions for parking support. For example, if the vehicle Ve's speed is below a predetermined value, the passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit 103 determines whether the condition is met. If the parking support conditions are met, parking support is implemented using the support content generation unit 107. Furthermore, the passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit 103 determines whether parking support conditions are met, such as the vehicle approaching a pre-registered arrival location or the vicinity of a specific facility, or a location where a request has been received from a passenger boarding / alighting object Oe or a delivery system.

[0101] If the parking support conditions are met (S103 "Yes"), proceed to step S104, where the parking area calculation unit 105 calculates the parking area (parking area Rs) for vehicle Ve. As described above, the parking area Rs is the area after removing areas where parking is not allowed, such as signs and the vicinity of intersections, from the driving road Rm.

[0102] Next, in step S105, the ease of boarding / alighting calculation unit 106 calculates the ease of boarding / alighting object Oe from vehicle Ve. The ease of boarding / alighting calculation unit 106 essentially calculates the ease of boarding / alighting from a parking candidate position within the parking area Rs to the nearest position within the boarding / alighting area Ra. Regarding the boarding / alighting area Ra, while lanes and sidewalks are determined in step S102, the ease of boarding / alighting calculation unit 106 also pre-determines boarding / alighting areas and non-boarding / alighting areas based on information about the boarding / alighting object Oe, and the shape and type of the sidewalk, structures, and object. Furthermore, if the boarding / alighting area Ra is not nearby, the ease of boarding / alighting calculation unit 106 determines that boarding / alighting is not possible.

[0103] In step S106, the content generation unit 107 supports the content generation unit from... Figure 5 The parking position Ps is extracted from the parking candidate position Pc shown. For example, the support content generation unit 107 extracts the position with the highest ease of getting on and off as the parking position Ps in the parking area Rs. If there are multiple positions with the highest ease of getting on and off, the support content generation unit 107 determines the parking position Ps based on safety factors, considering positions that are a certain distance away from surrounding objects or structures, positions that stop slowly according to vehicle speed, etc.

[0104] Finally, in step S107, the display unit 108 and the control unit 109 provide parking support to the vehicle Ve. Therefore, the support content generation unit 107 determines the support method based on information obtained by the information acquisition unit 100 indicating whether the vehicle Ve is in manual or automatic driving mode. For example, the support content generation unit 107 causes the display unit 108 to display the parking position of the vehicle Ve. Furthermore, if the control unit 109 can control the vehicle Ve, the support content generation unit 107 causes the control unit 109 to control the vehicle Ve to the parking position. Support using the display unit 108 and the control unit 109 can be performed in parallel or by using only one of them.

[0105] The above is a description of the first embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a method is described that, based on the shape and type of objects surrounding the vehicle Ve, a parking area Rs where the vehicle Ve can park and a landing object Oe can be boarded or alighted from the vehicle Ve can be identified. Then, the ease of boarding or alighting of the landing object Oe is calculated based on the height information of the structures in the landing area Ra, and the parking position Ps of the vehicle Ve is extracted from the parking area Rs based on the ease of boarding or alighting. Thus, in this embodiment, the spatial position of the landing object that is easy to board or alight can be determined using the three-dimensional shape of the structures. According to this embodiment, a parking position that is easy for a person or vehicle to board or alight, i.e., a parking position with minimal height difference during boarding or alighting, can be automatically extracted based on the height of the object represented by its three-dimensional shape. Therefore, the convenience and safety of the landing object Oe can be improved.

[0106] Furthermore, the parking support device 1 according to the first embodiment takes into account not only the height of the structure but also the depth of the trench when withdrawing the parking position Ps. For example, the depth of the trench is represented by a negative value in the height information of the structure. Therefore, at a position where the depth of the trench is deeper than a predetermined value, the ease of getting in and out decreases, and it is determined that this is an inappropriate parking position Ps. As a result, the vehicle Ve will not be parked at a position where the depth of the trench is deeper than the predetermined value.

[0107] In the following description, the same reference numerals will be used for the same components as in the first embodiment, and only the differences will be explained. Points not specifically described are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0108] [Second Implementation]

[0109] Next, an example of the structure and operation of the parking support device according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the parking support device 1 according to the first embodiment, the ease of getting on and off the vehicle Oe is set based on the physical information of the vehicle Oe. However, the ease of getting on and off also varies depending on the parking position of the vehicle Ve. Therefore, the form in which the parking support device according to the second embodiment records the evaluation value of the ease of getting on and off regarding the parking position in order to determine the parking position where the vehicle Oe is easy to get on and off based on actual performance data will be described. In addition, the form in which the ease of getting on and off for each user is set will also be described.

[0110] Figure 10 This is a structural diagram showing an example of the parking support device 1A according to the second embodiment. The parking support device 1A includes an information acquisition unit 200, a detection unit 201, a passenger boarding and alighting condition setting unit 202, a passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit 203, a communication unit 204, a display unit 208, a control unit 209, and a storage unit 210.

[0111] The parking support device 1A has the same functions as the parking support device 1 according to the first embodiment. In addition, the parking support device 1A has a region and location calculation unit 10A instead of a region and location calculation unit 10. The region and location calculation unit 10A has a parking area calculation unit 205, a passenger / landing ease calculation unit 206, a support content generation unit 207, and a learner 211. The functions of the parking area calculation unit 205, the passenger / landing ease calculation unit 206, and the support content generation unit 207 in the region and location calculation unit 10A are the same as those of the parking support device 1 according to the first embodiment. Furthermore, the information recorded in the storage unit 210 is the same as the information recorded in the storage unit 110 according to the first embodiment, but differs in that it also includes a parking location evaluation log G00 (referred to as "parking evaluation log" in the figure).

[0112] The information acquisition unit 200 includes an external sensor 2000, a vehicle speed sensor 2001, a weight sensor 2002, and a door opening / closing sensor 2003. The external sensor 2000 can be the same sensor as the external sensor 1000 according to the first embodiment. The vehicle speed sensor 2001 measures the speed of the vehicle Ve. The weight sensor 2002 measures the weight change of the object Oe before and after boarding / alighting onto the vehicle Ve. The door opening / closing sensor 2003 measures the timing of the vehicle door opening and the timing of the vehicle door closing.

[0113] Later Figure 11The parking status G50, including elevation difference and distance, and the parking evaluation value G40, including boarding and alighting time, are recorded in the storage unit 210. The parking evaluation value G40 represents the parking status of vehicle Ve and the actual performance of boarding and alighting ease under the parking status. The support content generation unit (support content generation unit 207) improves the parking position Ps to a position where the boarding and alighting object Oe can easily board and alight based on the parking status G50 and the parking evaluation value G40.

[0114] The learner 211 learns weight parameters W20 for inferring the ease of getting on and off the bus under parking state G50 based on the information from the storage unit 210. The weight parameters W20 include α, β, and γ from the above equation (1). However, it is not limited to α, β, and γ; weight parameters optimized using machine learning such as decision trees or deep learning can also be used as weight parameters W20. The ease of getting on and off calculation unit 206 uses the weight parameters W20 learned by the learner 211 to calculate the ease of getting on and off the bus at each parking position. However, the ease of getting on and off calculation unit 206 may also calculate the ease of getting on and off the bus without using the weight parameters W20.

[0115] Figure 11 This is a diagram illustrating a structural example of a parking location evaluation log G00. The parking support device 1A determines the ease of parking for vehicle Ve relative to the passenger / landing object Oe. For this purpose, the information acquisition unit 200 records the parking status G50 and parking evaluation value G40 in the storage unit 210. The parking location evaluation log G00 includes a number G10, vehicle category G20, passenger / landing object category G30, parking evaluation value G40, and parking status G50.

[0116] As the parking evaluation value G40, information can be automatically collected by sensors. The parking evaluation value G40 includes at least one value that can estimate the boarding and alighting time of the passenger / landing object Oe. Examples of parking evaluation values ​​G40 include, for example, the estimated boarding and alighting time of the vehicle Ve (parking time G41), the door opening time G42, and the time from the start to the end of the weight change G43. The information of parking time G41, time G42, and time G43 is detected by the detection unit 201. The boarding and alighting condition management unit 203 determines whether the parking is easy to board or alight based on the parking evaluation value G40 including these times. In addition, if possible, the boarding and alighting condition management unit 203 communicates with a communication device mounted on the passenger / landing object Oe or a portable terminal on the passenger / landing object Oe, and calculates an index representing the stability of the vehicle parking based on information such as the position, speed, and angle of the passenger / landing object Oe at the time of boarding and alighting, and records it in the storage unit 210. Using the information recorded in the storage unit 210, it is determined whether the passenger or alighting object Oe has fallen or experienced sudden vibration, which is used to evaluate the parking status G50.

[0117] Parking state G50 is information representing the positional relationship between a vehicle and a structure, indicating the parking status of the vehicle. Parking state G50 includes at least one of the following: elevation difference, distance, passage width for other vehicles Ve, tilt, and angle, indicating the positional relationship between the parked vehicle Ve and the structure. Parking state G50 records how vehicle Ve parks at the boarding / drop-off location. Parking state G50 may include, for example, elevation difference G51, distance G52, width G53, tilt G54, and angle G55 relative to the structure. Tilt G54 includes tilt θ1 (see below). Figure 14 ) and tilt θ2 (described later) Figure 14 (Inclination angle in the mid-depth direction). Angle G55 indicates the degree of inclination of vehicle Ve relative to the structure at its parking position. The values ​​of inclination G54 (inclination θ1 and inclination θ2) and angle G55 are combined to represent the yaw, roll, and pitch of vehicle Ve's three-dimensional vector rotation. In addition, as detailed information about vehicle Ve's parking status, records are also considered for the location of vehicle Ve's parking spot, date and time, weather, number and amount of weight changes, the landing gate used by the passenger / landing object Oe, whether auxiliary equipment such as robotic arms are used, or environmental information surrounding vehicle Ve. By correlating the parking evaluation value G40 and the parking state G50, it can be seen how the evaluation value changes when vehicle Ve is parked.

[0118] Furthermore, settings such as whether to record the parking location evaluation log G00 and the level of detail in the evaluation log G00 can be arbitrarily set. Considering security and other factors, some items may be omitted or the log may be encrypted before being recorded in the storage unit 210. When there are multiple passenger / landing objects Oe, the passenger / landing object category can be set to "passengers" and recorded in the storage unit 210. As long as at least one item of the parking evaluation value G40 and one item of the parking status G50 are included, parking can be evaluated and learned, reflecting the ease of boarding / landing. Additionally, the weather when the vehicle Ve was parked can be stored in the parking location evaluation log G00. For example, if it is raining or snowing, time is spent boarding / landing passenger / landing objects Oe, so the values ​​of the parking evaluation values ​​G40 are likely to be longer.

[0119] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the process by which the information acquisition unit 200 records the evaluation log G00 of the parking position of vehicle Ve into the storage unit 210.

[0120] In step S201, the detection unit 201 determines whether vehicle Ve has begun to stop based on information obtained from sensors by the information acquisition unit 200. For example, vehicle Ve stopping is determined based on the vehicle speed obtained by the vehicle speed sensor 2001, and door opening / closing is determined based on door opening / closing information obtained by the door opening / closing sensor 2003. The information acquisition unit 200 records the information obtained from each sensor into the storage unit 210. When the detection unit 201 detects that vehicle Ve has begun to stop, a timer (not shown) is used to start measuring the vehicle's stopping time, and the process proceeds to step S202.

[0121] In step S202, the support content generation unit 207 calculates the parking state G50 of vehicle Ve based on at least one of the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 200 and the information detected by the detection unit 201. The parking state G50 of vehicle Ve indicates the positional relationship between vehicle Ve and the structure at parking. Parking state G50 is calculated as described above based on the elevation difference, distance, etc., between vehicle Ve and the boarding / dropping location. Parking state G50 is detected using information from sensors such as LiDAR, cameras, radar, and sonar installed on vehicle Ve, or from sensors such as cameras and LiDAR on the infrastructure side. However, the support content generation unit 207 may also calculate parking state G50 based on the parking position of vehicle Ve extracted during parking support. The boarding / dropping condition management unit 203 records the parking state G50 of vehicle Ve calculated by the support content generation unit 207 into the storage unit 210.

[0122] In step S203, the passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit 203 determines whether the passenger boarding / alighting object Oe has boarded / alighted from the vehicle Ve based on changes in weight information obtained by the information acquisition unit 200 from the weight sensor 2002. For example... Figure 10 As shown, the passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit 203 can read the information obtained by the information acquisition unit 200 via the storage unit 210. For example, the passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit 203 determines whether the passenger boarding / alighting object Oe has boarded or alighted based on changes in the vehicle's total weight or center of gravity, whether the doors are open or closed, or by obtaining the passenger boarding / alighting position through communication with the delivery system, etc., or by using in-vehicle cameras or infrastructure cameras for detection. For example, the detection unit 201 uses vehicle weight sensors, door opening / closing sensors, etc., to detect changes in the vehicle's total weight and center of gravity.

[0123] In step S204, the detection unit 201 calculates the parking evaluation value G40. The parking evaluation value G40 is a value used to determine whether parking is easy for passengers to board or alight, and is used to estimate boarding / alighting time, parking time, door opening and closing time, the start and end time of weight change, etc. Additionally, it can communicate with a communication device mounted on the passenger / alighting object Oe, a portable telephone attached to the passenger / alighting object Oe, etc., to record the vibration of the passenger / alighting object Oe during boarding / alighting, and the values ​​of the sensors mounted on the passenger / alighting object.

[0124] In step S205, the passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit 203 determines whether vehicle Ve has ended its parking phase based on the vehicle speed obtained by the information acquisition unit 200 from the vehicle speed sensor 2001 and the door opening / closing information obtained by the door opening / closing sensor 2003. Whether vehicle Ve has ended its parking phase can be determined, for example, by changes in vehicle speed. For example, when the vehicle starts, the passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit 203 determines that vehicle Ve has ended its parking phase. If the parking phase has ended, the process proceeds to S206; if the parking phase has not ended, the process proceeds to S203.

[0125] In step S206, the passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit 203 determines whether the passenger boarding / alighting object Oe has boarded / alighted while the vehicle Ve is parked, based on the change in weight information obtained by the information acquisition unit 200 from the weight sensor 2002. If even one boarding / alighting is determined in step S203, the process proceeds to step S207.

[0126] In step S207, the boarding and alighting condition management unit 203 records the parking state G50 calculated in step S202 and the parking evaluation value G40 calculated in step S204 into the storage unit 210.

[0127] This explains a method for recording actual performance data with the aim of facilitating the parking of the vehicle Oe. However, the parking position of the vehicle Ve can also be specified by the user.

[0128] Figure 13 This figure shows an example of a passenger / alight setting screen 250 that visualizes the passenger / alight settings set using the passenger / alight condition setting unit 202. The parking support device 1A is envisioned as an AD / ADAS ECU, therefore the passenger / alight setting screen 250 is displayed on the screen set to the vehicle, as will be described later. Figure 19 The display device 505 is shown. However, the passenger boarding / alighting setting screen 250 can also be displayed on a display device such as a PC (not shown) for managing the vehicle group. On the left side of the passenger boarding / alighting setting screen 250, a top view of vehicle Ve is displayed as "view1", and on the right side of the passenger boarding / alighting setting screen 250, a rear view of vehicle Ve is displayed as "view2". In each view, in addition to vehicle Ve, the passenger boarding / alighting area Ra, the parking area Rs, the passenger boarding / alighting position, and the structure are also shown. The user can freely move the icon images of vehicle Ve and passenger boarding / alighting position.

[0129] The user, via the boarding / alighting setting screen 250, sets the desired parking position and angle for the vehicle Ve, considering the boarding / alighting area Ra and structures. The learner 211 calculates the boarding / alighting ease of entry / exit based on the set vehicle Ve configuration, weighted by distance. The user moves the vehicle Ve icon or the boarding / alighting position icon to set boarding / alighting conditions. The user can also move the boarding / alighting position icon.

[0130] Users can also arbitrarily set the configuration and shape of objects surrounding vehicle Ve. Users can also specify a parking location, and the passenger / landing condition management unit 203 can read a 3D map of the area surrounding vehicle Ve from storage unit 210, or read the shape and passenger / landing location of vehicle Ve from vehicle information D00. If there are multiple passenger / landing points, users can also set which location the passenger / landing object Oe will use. Furthermore, if vehicle Ve is a forklift, a height-adjustable trolley, a drone, or other object whose passenger / landing height and vehicle position can be set in the height direction, users can also set passenger / landing parameters in the height direction.

[0131] The support content generation unit (support content generation unit 107) obtains the weighted average of various factors set by the user, such as the parking position Ps of the vehicle Ve relative to the object at the boarding / alighting location, and the ease of boarding / alighting.

[0132] The ease of getting on and off calculation unit (ease of getting on and off calculation unit 106) calculates the ease of getting on and off by weighting the various elements obtained by the support content generation unit (support content generation unit 107).

[0133] The boarding / dropping condition setting unit 202 can also be linked with a navigation device (not shown) equipped on vehicle Ve to display a map as a background on the boarding / dropping setting screen 250. In this case, the boarding / dropping setting screen 250 can also display a menu that allows the user to choose whether to use the entrance of a building or a location with a high boarding / dropping point as the parking location. In addition, during rain or snow, it is anticipated that even the boarding / dropping area Ra may become difficult to board / drop due to wetness. Therefore, the boarding / dropping condition setting unit 202 can also display a boarding / dropping setting screen 250 that allows the user to indicate the location with a roof as the parking location based on the weather. In addition, the boarding / dropping condition setting unit 202 can also display a boarding / dropping setting screen 250 that includes an input field where the user can arbitrarily change the values ​​of α, β, and γ in the above formula (1). Alternatively, even if the user does not directly input the values ​​of α, β, and γ in the input field, the boarding / dropping condition setting unit 202 can display the values ​​of α, β, and γ calculated based on the position of the icon of vehicle Ve within the screen. In this case, the user is able to determine the appropriate values ​​of α, β, and γ.

[0134] In addition to inputting the values ​​from the passenger boarding / alighting setting screen 250, users can also input the values ​​of α, β, and γ by connecting their smartphones or other devices to the parking support device 1A. Alternatively, the values ​​of α, β, and γ can be input by inserting a storage medium containing these values ​​into the parking support device 1A.

[0135] Figure 14This diagram illustrates an example of a device that assists in the loading and unloading of an object Oe. By using loading and unloading assistance devices such as ramps or robotic lifts, the risk of the object Oe falling during loading and unloading can be reduced. Therefore, even if the object Oe is a vehicle with small wheels, it can accommodate differences in elevation and distance that can be assisted in loading and unloading. Figure 14 The example shown is an example where a ramp 260 is provided between the boarding / alighting position of vehicle Ve and the upper surface of the boarding / alighting area Ra.

[0136] As a condition for the parking position of the vehicle Ve using the passenger boarding and alighting assistance device, for example, when the length of the ramp 260 is set to L, the square root of ((the square of the elevation difference H) + (the square of the distance D)) between the vehicle and the passenger boarding and alighting area Ra, regarding the positional relationship of the ramp from the vehicle Ve to the passenger boarding and alighting area Ra, becomes a range of L or less. Furthermore, the length L of the ramp 260 is set as the length of the portion available for passenger boarding and alighting, taking into account the length required to fix the ramp 260.

[0137] Additionally, when considering the maximum ramp angle E100 of the landing object Oe, the angle θ1 of the ramp 260° needs to be within the maximum ramp angle E100. The angle θ1 of the ramp 260° at the time of landing after parking is calculated using arctan(elevation difference H / length L). Furthermore, the lateral tilt θ2 of the vehicle Ve when landing on the landing object Oe from the vehicle Ve to the landing area Ra is calculated (in... Figure 14 Parking is performed within a range that satisfies the maximum stable tilt angle E110 of the passenger / landing object Oe (in the mid-depth direction of tilt) to prevent the passenger / landing object Oe from falling over. For example, the left-right tilt θ2 of the passenger / landing object Oe during boarding / dumping can be obtained as the road gradient of the vehicle Ve's travel direction. The support content generation unit 207 implements parking support such that the passenger / landing object Oe can reliably board / dump, taking into account the conditions of these passenger / landing aids, the maximum climbing angle E100, and the maximum stable tilt angle E110. In addition, the passenger / landing condition setting unit 202 implements the user setting of the parking position when passenger / landing aids are present.

[0138] Next, we will explain the learner 211 that learns the ease of getting on and off at each location based on the performance data recorded in the storage unit 210 and / or user settings. The learner 211 learns the ease of getting on and off for parking locations within the available parking area Ra based on the parking location settings or the parking location evaluation log G00, and records the weight parameter W20. The learner 211 can be configured as, for example, a gradient boosting tree, deep learning, or other machine learning machine. The ease of getting on and off calculation unit 206 takes the height difference, distance, width, etc., of the vehicle Ve when parking at the parking candidate location Pc within the available parking area Rs as input, and calculates the ease of getting on and off at that time based on the learning results of the learner 211. For example, in Figure 9In step S105 of the flowchart of the parking support process shown, the learner 211 performs the processing. Furthermore, the learner 211 can also be connected to the parking area calculation unit 205 and the support content generation unit 207 to learn about driving areas, parking areas, passenger / passenger areas, support content, etc.

[0139] The above is a description of the second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, a parking state, representing the positional relationship between the parking position of the vehicle Ve and the structure, and a parking evaluation value, representing the ease of boarding and alighting of the landing object Oe after parking, are recorded in the storage unit 210. The learning unit 211 learns parking states where the parking evaluation value becomes good, thereby improving the extraction of parking positions where the landing object Oe is easy to board and alight. In addition, parking positions based on user-set parking positions are extracted by reflecting user-set parking positions.

[0140] [Third Implementation]

[0141] Next, a structural example and an operational example of the parking support device according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the parking support device 1 according to the first embodiment, it is envisioned that the parking position is extracted by parking a single vehicle Ve. However, when multiple vehicles are driving or parked around vehicle Ve, or when an emergency vehicle is parked around vehicle Ve, it is necessary to determine the state of the parked vehicles. Therefore, a third embodiment that can perform the process of adjusting the parking position is described in the case of an emergency vehicle parking or multiple vehicles parking.

[0142] Figure 15 This is a structural diagram showing an example of the parking support device 1B according to the third embodiment. The parking support device 1B includes an information acquisition unit 300, a detection unit 301, a boarding / alighting condition setting unit 302, a boarding / alighting condition management unit 303, a communication unit 304, a display unit 308, a control unit 309, and a storage unit 310. The functions of each unit in the parking support device 1B are the same as those of the units in the parking support device 1 according to the first embodiment. Furthermore, the parking support device 1B includes a region and location calculation unit 10B instead of a region and location calculation unit 10. The region and location calculation unit 10B includes a parking area calculation unit 305, a boarding / alighting ease calculation unit 306, and a support content generation unit 307. The functions of the parking area calculation unit 305, the boarding / alighting ease calculation unit 306, and the support content generation unit 307 in the region and location calculation unit 10B are the same as those of the units in the parking support device 1 according to the first embodiment. Furthermore, the information recorded in storage unit 310 is the same as the information recorded in storage unit 110 according to the first embodiment. The vehicle Ve according to the third embodiment also envisions emergency vehicles such as ambulances or fire trucks.

[0143] The information acquisition unit 300 includes an external sensor 3000 and an occupant status sensor 3001. The external sensor 3000 can be the same sensor as the external sensor 1000 described in the first embodiment. The occupant status sensor 3001 is a sensor that acquires information about the occupants of the vehicle Ve. The information acquisition unit 300 acquires occupant information using the occupant status sensor 3001 and detects occupant status using the detection unit 301. Additionally, the detection unit 301 detects whether there is a fire or accident, or whether fire trucks or ambulances are parked around the vehicle Ve, as obtained by the external sensor 3000.

[0144] If, based on the detection information detected by the detection unit 301, it is determined that there is an emergency stopping position near vehicle Ve, the passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit 303 updates the map information C00 by preventing ordinary vehicles from stopping within a certain range of the emergency stopping position for a certain period of time. Furthermore, the passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit 303 transmits the updated map information C00 to the operation management server 40 via the communication unit 304 regarding the emergency information.

[0145] The passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit (passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit 303) determines whether disaster information has been obtained from the operation management server 40 via external sensors (external sensor 3000) installed on vehicle Ve or from the communication unit (communication unit 304), or whether emergency vehicles have boarded or alighted. It updates the storage unit (storage unit 310) to prevent ordinary vehicles Ve from stopping within a certain range of the vehicle Ve's stopping position for a certain period of time. The passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit (passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit 303) uses at least one of the following: sensor information obtained from external sensors (external sensor 3000) by the information acquisition unit (information acquisition unit 300); information indicating the occupant status obtained from internal sensors (occupant status sensor 3001); the vehicle Ve category read from the storage unit (storage unit 310); and information obtained from the communication unit (communication unit 304). It then determines whether surrounding vehicles, including vehicle Ve, are emergency vehicles and increases the stopping priority of vehicles determined to be emergency vehicles. Therefore, vehicles designated as emergency vehicles are given priority over other vehicles to park at hospitals and other facilities so that their occupants can receive appropriate treatment.

[0146] In the operation management server 40, the operation management unit 402 manages and updates the map information V00, construction information X00, disaster information Y00, and emergency information Z00 in the storage unit 403, and transmits information to each vehicle. For example, the operation management unit 402 extracts the map information of the vicinity of vehicle Ve from the map information V00 and sends it to the parking support device 1B via the communication unit 401. The passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit 303 updates the map information C00 in the storage unit 310 with the map information received via the communication unit 304.

[0147] Similarly, the Operations Management Department 402 extracts construction information surrounding vehicle Ve from construction information X00, sends it to the Passenger Drop-Off Conditions Management Department 303, and then adds it to the Storage Department 310 as construction information. Additionally, the Operations Management Department 402 extracts disaster information surrounding vehicle Ve from disaster information Y00, sends it to the Passenger Drop-Off Conditions Management Department 303, and then adds it to the Storage Department 310 as disaster information. Furthermore, the Operations Management Department 402 extracts emergency medical information surrounding vehicle Ve from emergency medical information Z00, sends it to the Passenger Drop-Off Conditions Management Department 303, and then adds it to the Storage Department 310 as emergency medical information.

[0148] The parking support device 1B communicates with the operation management server 40 at all times, receiving information from the server regarding emergency situations and the presence of multiple parked vehicles. Furthermore, if the detection unit 301 detects an emergency, it does not need to receive the emergency information from the operation management server 40; however, the detection unit 301 may not be able to detect the emergency information. For example, regarding emergency situations that are not visible or are located at a distance beyond the sensor's detection range, the parking support device 1B needs to receive the emergency information from the operation management server 40. Additionally, if the driver, who is also a passenger in vehicle Ve, experiences a deterioration in physical condition, manual driving must be switched to automatic driving.

[0149] The occupant status sensor 3001 is a sensor used to monitor the status of the occupants of the vehicle Ve, which is a target for parking assistance. Examples of such sensors include in-vehicle cameras and occupant smartwatches. The detection unit 301 detects the occupant's physical condition through information from the occupant status sensor 3001, the communication unit 304, or display input. The passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit 303 determines the vehicle Ve as an emergency vehicle based on the occupant's physical condition. Furthermore, the passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit 303 considers nearby available parking locations and emergency facilities such as hospitals as backup parking options based on the occupant's physical condition. Regarding the passenger's physical condition, for example, the information acquisition unit 300 acquires the pulse from the smartwatch, and the detection unit 301 determines changes in the pulse. Additionally, the detection unit 301 also considers information such as the passenger's body temperature and whether the passenger is in a reclining position as part of the passenger's physical condition. Furthermore, the detection unit 301 sometimes detects not only the passenger's physical condition but also the driver's condition, indicating a state that makes it difficult to continue driving (e.g., drowsiness or fatigue). In this case, the support content generation unit 307 instructs the control unit 309 to stop the vehicle Ve, and the control unit 309 stops the vehicle Ve.

[0150] Figure 16This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a parking adjustment process. The parking adjustment process involves adjusting the parking location among multiple vehicles. This parking adjustment process is performed by a single passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit 303, or by passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit 303 and an operations management unit 402. When the parking adjustment process is performed by the passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit 303, the passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit 303 performs all steps S301 to S307. When the parking adjustment process is performed by the passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit 303 and the operations management unit 402, the operations management unit 402 performs all steps S301 to S307, and obtains the processed result via the communication unit 304 using the passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit 303. Based on the obtained result, the passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit 303 instructs the support content generation unit 307 on the passenger boarding and alighting conditions, and the support content generation unit 307 generates support content. The following describes the operation management unit 402 performing steps S301 to S307.

[0151] In step S301, the operation management unit 402 obtains information required for parking and relocation processing, such as the parking locations of other vehicles and parking information of emergency vehicles, from the information acquisition unit 300 or the communication unit 304.

[0152] In step S302, the Operations Management Unit 402 determines whether the parking of vehicle Ve needs to be relocated. For example, if the waiting parking location is an emergency vehicle parking location, or if there are multiple parking requests, relocation is required. The Operations Management Unit 402 determines whether the waiting parking location is an emergency vehicle parking location based on conditions such as whether there is a fire or accident around vehicle Ve, whether there is fire or emergency information, and whether it is a parking area for fire trucks or ambulances. The Operations Management Unit 402 uses communication with external cameras, infrastructure sensors, and the Operations Management Server 40 to perform this determination. Regarding whether it is an emergency vehicle, it can also be determined whether vehicle Ve is a fire truck or ambulance based on the vehicle category information.

[0153] In step S303, the operation management unit 402 determines whether it is a parking location for an emergency vehicle. If so, in step S304, the operation management unit 402 updates the map information C00 recorded in the storage unit 310, showing the parking location of the emergency vehicle in the map information C00. For example, within a certain range of the emergency vehicle's parking location, parking or traffic restrictions may be imposed on general vehicles for a certain period of time. The location of the fire or accident, the parking location of the emergency vehicle, and the detection time and content are recorded together in the storage unit 310 and sent to the operation management server 40 via the communication unit 304, along with available vehicles, to optimize the passage of emergency vehicles.

[0154] In step S305, the operation management unit 402 determines whether there are parking requests from multiple vehicles Ve to the parking area Rs. The parking request is then sent from vehicle Ve to other vehicles Ve or the operation management server 40. Additionally, the drop-off area of ​​a hospital or the circular driveway of a station corresponds to the parking area Rs.

[0155] In the event of multiple parking requests, the process proceeds to step S306, where the operations management unit 402 determines whether there is parking space available. Regarding the availability of parking space, for example, the detection unit 301 detects the size and number of available parking areas Rs of the parking waiting position Pc, or the operations management unit 402 determines whether there is remaining parking space based on information received from infrastructure cameras or monitoring systems, according to the number of vehicles heading towards the parking area. Even if there is no parking space, if the parking time in the parking space is short, or if the parked vehicles depart frequently, the parking of vehicle Ve continues.

[0156] If there is parking space available when multiple vehicles are parked (S306 "Yes"), the operation management unit 402 continues the journey towards the parking position. Conversely, if there is no parking space available when multiple vehicles are parked (S306 "No"), the operation management unit 402 changes the parking candidate location in step S307. The changed parking candidate location, modified by the passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit 303 and the operation management unit 402, is set to a location corresponding to the passenger boarding / alighting conditions, such as a parking location closest to the predetermined parking location and where parking is possible. The passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit (passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit 303) determines whether to implement parking support processing when vehicle Ve is below a certain speed and vehicle Ve is approaching a pre-set stopping position or a stopping position obtained by the communication unit (communication unit 304). Furthermore, in the absence of an operation management server 40 in this system, the passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit 303 performs the coordination of parking between this vehicle and other vehicles.

[0157] The above is a description of the third embodiment of the present invention. In the third embodiment, a method for coordinating parking when multiple vehicles need to park is described. The parking support device 1B according to the third embodiment can improve the parking priority of emergency vehicles by determining whether each vehicle needing parking is an emergency vehicle based on vehicle type or occupant status during the coordination of parking multiple vehicles. Furthermore, the parking support device 1B identifies the parking location of emergency vehicles, whether there is a fire or accident, and updates the map, thereby setting up parking areas according to the situation.

[0158] [Fourth Implementation]

[0159] Next, a structural example and an operational example of the parking support device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the parking support device 1 according to the first embodiment, in order to calculate the area where the passenger / landing object Oe can be boarded or alighted, in addition to the lane, the width, height, and shape of the sidewalk, structure, etc., are also detected. However, in this detection method, compared with... Figure 2 Since the driving path Rm is wide, the detection of objects may require more computation from the sensor than usual. Therefore, a fourth embodiment of the parking support device is described, which switches from multiple modes to one mode for both normal and high-precision detection. The mode switching involved in the fourth embodiment can be combined with the first to third embodiments described above.

[0160] Hereinafter, we will describe, for example, the mode switching according to the fourth embodiment using the passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit 103 of the parking support device 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0161] Figure 17 This is a diagram illustrating the transition between different modes. In the parking support device according to the fourth embodiment, necessary processing is performed for each condition through a normal mode, a high-precision curb detection mode, and a parking support implementation mode. The passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit (passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit 103) in the parking support device according to the fourth embodiment switches to any one of the following: the normal mode for normal driving, the detection mode for high-precision detection of objects around the vehicle Ve, and the parking support mode for implementing parking support processing. For example, the normal mode is set when the vehicle Ve is normally driving. Under a certain transition condition A, it switches to the parking support mode, and under a transition condition B, it switches to the detection mode.

[0162] The parking support mode provides parking assistance by displaying the location of the passenger / landing object (Oe) that is easy to board or alight, or controlling the vehicle (Ve) to that location. It also implements high-precision curb detection. The high-precision detection in parking support mode is the same as in detection mode. However, the detection precision can be changed by adjusting the mode.

[0163] As a transition condition A for switching from normal mode or detection mode to parking support mode, for example, it is set when the vehicle Ve's speed is below a certain level, or when the vehicle Ve is close to a predetermined parking position. Alternatively, it can switch when the parking support device receives a parking support activation signal from a control system (not shown) that the vehicle Ve can communicate with, or through operation such as pressing a mode switch button by the driver. If transition condition A is not met, such as when the vehicle Ve stops within a certain range of the parking position Ps calculated in parking support, or when the power to the external sensor 1000 is off, the system switches to normal mode.

[0164] In the detection mode, the detection unit according to the fourth embodiment uses an external sensor 1000 to accurately detect the surroundings and acquire LiDAR point clusters and camera images in order to create a high-precision map including the shape of the sidewalk or structure. The high-precision map is created using the LiDAR point clusters or camera images acquired by the information acquisition unit and recorded in the storage unit 110. By recording the high-precision map in the storage unit 110, even when it is remote or outside the detection range of the external sensor 1000, the detection unit can obtain the height of structures such as the landing area Ra, and parking support can be implemented using the support content generation unit. For example, if there is no 3D map of the surrounding area of ​​the current position of vehicle Ve in the storage unit 110, the system switches to detection mode. In detection mode, the timing of turning on or off sensors that operate in normal mode, or the frequency of collecting information from sensors, can also be changed.

[0165] If transition condition B is not met, or if the power supply to external sensor 1000 is off, the system transitions to normal mode. If transition condition A, which occurs during detection mode, is met, the system transitions to parking support mode. Regarding transition condition B, consider the scenario where vehicle Ve does not have a high-precision map of its surroundings.

[0166] Figure 18 This diagram illustrates an example of whether the doors of vehicle Ve at parking position Ps can be opened and closed. The passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit according to the fourth embodiment determines whether each door can be opened and closed based on the shape, including the height of structures, the position and height of each passenger boarding and alighting opening of vehicle Ve, and the shape and movable area of ​​the doors. If there is a structure within the movable area, including the height of each passenger boarding and alighting opening at parking position Ps, the passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit determines that the door cannot be opened or closed. Figure 16 In the middle, door 1 cannot be opened or closed, while doors 3-5 can be opened and closed.

[0167] If the boarding and alighting conditions management department (boarding and alighting conditions management department 103) determines that the door of vehicle Ve cannot be opened or closed based on the shape of the object at the boarding and alighting location, including the height of the door of vehicle Ve, the movable area of ​​the door of vehicle Ve, and the relationship between the parking position Ps of vehicle Ve and the object at the boarding and alighting location, the boarding and alighting conditions management department (boarding and alighting conditions management department 103) shall report to the occupants of vehicle Ve or the manager of vehicle Ve that the door of vehicle Ve cannot be opened or closed.

[0168] The above is a description of the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the fourth embodiment, a method for obtaining the information required for calculating the ease of boarding and alighting is described by switching between parking support mode, normal mode, and detection mode, while suppressing the computational load of sensor processing.

[0169] <Example of Computer Hardware Architecture>

[0170] Next, the hardware structure of the computer 500 constituting the parking support device according to the first to fourth embodiments will be described.

[0171] Figure 19 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the hardware structure of computer 500. Computer 500 is an example of hardware used as a computer capable of operating the parking support device according to this embodiment. The parking support device according to this embodiment executes a program through computer 500 to implement a parking support method in which each block cooperates to perform the processes shown in the flowchart.

[0172] Computer 500 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 501, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 502, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 503, all connected to a bus 504. Furthermore, computer 500 includes a display device 505, an input device 506, a non-volatile storage device 507, and a network interface 508.

[0173] After reading the program code of the software implementing the functions involved in this embodiment from ROM 502, CPU 501 loads it into RAM 503 and executes it. Variables, parameters, etc., that occur during the CPU 501's computational processing are temporarily written into RAM 503, and CPU 501 appropriately reads these variables, parameters, etc. However, an MPU (Microprocessing Unit) or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) can be used instead of CPU 501, or both CPU 501 and GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) can be used together. For example, the functions of the information acquisition units 100, 200, 300, detection units 101, 201, 301, passenger / alighting condition setting units 102, 202, 302, passenger / alighting condition management units 103, 203, 303, and area and location calculation units 10, 10A, 10B in parking support devices 1, 1A, 1B are implemented by CPU 501, ROM 502, and RAM 503.

[0174] The display device 505 is, for example, a liquid crystal display monitor, which displays to the user the results of processing performed by the computer 500. The input device 506 is integrated with the display device 505, allowing the user to perform predetermined operation inputs or instructions on the display. For example, the functions of the display units 108, 208, and 308 provided in the parking support devices 1, 1A, and 1B are realized through the display device 505 and the input device 506.

[0175] As a non-volatile storage device 507, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), floppy disk, optical disk, optical disc, CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, or other non-volatile memory is used. In this non-volatile storage device 507, in addition to the OS (Operating System) and various parameters, programs for enabling the computer 500 to function are also recorded. The ROM 502 and the non-volatile storage device 507 record programs, data, etc., required for the operation of the CPU 501, and are used as an example of a computer-readable, non-temporary storage medium storing programs executed by the computer 500. For example, the functions of the storage units 110, 210, and 310 of parking support devices 1, 1A, and 1B are implemented through the non-volatile storage device 507.

[0176] In network interface 508, for example, using a NIC (Network Interface Card), various data can be sent and received between devices via wireless communication connected to the NIC's terminals. Furthermore, it is configured to send and receive various data with servers or similar devices via networks such as LANs or the Internet, or dedicated lines. For example, the functions of communication units 104, 204, and 304 are implemented through CPU 501 and network interface 508.

[0177] The aforementioned structures, functions, processing units, and processing modules can also be implemented in hardware, for example, by designing some or all of them using integrated circuits. Alternatively, the aforementioned structures and functions can be implemented in software by having a processor interpret and execute programs that implement each function.

[0178] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Of course, various other applications and modifications can be obtained as long as they do not depart from the spirit of the present invention as described in the claims.

[0179] For example, the above embodiments have been described in detail and specifically to illustrate the structure of the apparatus and system for ease of understanding of the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to having all the structures described. Furthermore, a portion of the structure of the embodiments described herein can be replaced with the structure of other embodiments, and it is also possible to add the structure of another embodiment to the structure of a certain embodiment. Additionally, it is possible to add, delete, or replace other structures in a portion of the structure of each embodiment.

[0180] Additionally, regarding control lines and information lines, only those deemed necessary in the description are shown; not all control lines and information lines actually necessary on the product are shown. It can also be assumed that almost all structures are interconnected.

[0181] (Symbol Explanation)

[0182] 1, 1A, 1B: Parking support device; 10, 10A, 10B: Area and location calculation unit; 40: Operation management server; 100, 200, 300: Information acquisition unit; 101, 201, 301: Detection unit; 102, 202, 302: Passenger / alighting condition setting unit; 103, 203, 303: Passenger / alighting condition management unit; 104, 204, 304: Communication unit; 105, 205, 305: Parkable area calculation unit; 10 6, 206, 306: Easy-to-board / landing calculation unit; 107, 207, 307: Support content generation unit; 108, 208, 308: Display unit; 109, 209, 309: Control unit; 110, 210, 310: Storage unit; 211: Learner; 250: Boarding / landing setting screen; C00: Map information; D00: Vehicle information; E00: Boarding / landing object information; F00: Boarding / landing setting information; G00: Parking location evaluation log.

Claims

1. A parking support device, comprising: The information acquisition department acquires information about the vehicle's surroundings; The detection unit detects the area where the vehicle can drive and the three-dimensional shape of objects around the vehicle based on information about the surrounding area. The parking area calculation unit calculates the parking area where the vehicle can park based on the area where the vehicle can drive and the three-dimensional shape of the object. The ease of boarding and alighting calculation unit calculates the ease of boarding and alighting of the object from getting off or onto the vehicle, based at least on the three-dimensional shape of the object. as well as The support content generation unit calculates the parking position of the vehicle based on the ease of boarding and alighting and the parking area, and generates support content for parking the vehicle based on the parking position.

2. The parking support device according to claim 1, wherein, The ease of boarding / alighting calculation unit calculates the ease of boarding / alighting based on vehicle information, including the height of the boarding / alighting position of the vehicle, and information about the boarding / alighting object.

3. The parking support device according to claim 2, wherein, The ease of boarding and alighting calculation unit calculates a higher ease of boarding and alighting based on the physical information and / or vehicle performance of the boarding / alighting object, the three-dimensional shape of the object and / or the object category, provided that the physical constraints or vehicle constraints of the boarding / alighting object are met. The physical or driving constraints of the passenger-landing object are calculated based on at least one of the following values: the height difference between the vehicle and the object, the distance, the passage width for other vehicles, and the inclination.

4. The parking support device according to claim 3, wherein, have: The passenger boarding and alighting conditions management department determines whether parking support can be provided for the vehicle; and The control unit controls the vehicle according to the support content.

5. The parking support device according to claim 4, wherein, It has a storage unit that records parking evaluation values ​​representing the parking status of the vehicle and the actual performance of the ease of boarding and alighting in the parking status. The parking status includes at least one of the following: the positional relationship between the parked vehicle and the object, elevation difference, distance, passage width for other vehicles, tilt, and angle. The parking evaluation value includes at least one value that can estimate the boarding and alighting time of the object. The support content generation unit improves the parking location to a location where the passenger or landing object can easily board or alight, based on the parking status and the parking evaluation value.

6. The parking support device according to claim 5, wherein, The ease of boarding and alighting calculation unit calculates the ease of boarding and alighting for parking positions extracted from the parking area. It changes the interval of the parking positions according to the vehicle information, the information of the boarding and alighting object, and the required accuracy. The interval of the parking positions is calculated by processing the extraction of parking positions that are easy for the boarding and alighting object to board and alight from the parking waiting area.

7. The parking support device according to claim 5, wherein, The passenger boarding / alighting condition management unit determines whether there is disaster information obtained from external sensors or the communication unit installed on the vehicle, or whether there is passenger boarding / alighting from an emergency vehicle. It updates the storage unit to prevent regular vehicles from stopping within a certain range of the vehicle's stopping position for a certain period of time. Using at least one of the following: sensor information obtained by the information acquisition unit from the external sensors, information indicating the occupant's status obtained from internal sensors, vehicle category read from the storage unit, and information obtained from the communication unit, it determines whether surrounding vehicles, including the vehicle in question, are emergency vehicles. Increase the parking priority of vehicles identified as emergency vehicles.

8. The parking support device according to claim 4, wherein, The support content generation unit obtains a weighted average of various factors set by the user, including the vehicle's parking position relative to the object at the boarding / alighting location and the ease of boarding / alighting. The ease of getting on and off calculation unit calculates the ease of getting on and off using the weighted average of the elements obtained by the support content generation unit.

9. The parking support device according to claim 4, wherein, The passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit determines whether to implement the parking support process when the vehicle is below a certain speed and the vehicle is approaching a pre-set stopping position or a stopping position obtained by the communication unit.

10. The parking support device according to claim 4, wherein, The passenger boarding and alighting condition management unit switches to any one of the following modes: normal mode for normal driving, detection mode for high-precision detection of objects around the vehicle, and parking support mode for implementing the parking support process.

11. The parking support device according to claim 4, wherein, If the passenger boarding / alighting condition management department determines that the vehicle door cannot be opened or closed based on the shape of the object at the boarding / alighting location, including the height of the vehicle door, the movable range of the vehicle door, and the parking position relationship between the vehicle and the object at the boarding / alighting location, the vehicle door management department shall report to the occupants of the vehicle or the manager of the vehicle that the vehicle door cannot be opened or closed.

12. A parking support method, comprising: Steps to obtain information about the vehicle's surroundings; The steps of detecting the drivable area of ​​the vehicle and the three-dimensional shape of objects around the vehicle based on information about the vehicle's surroundings; The steps for calculating the parking area where the vehicle can park based on the area where the vehicle can drive and the three-dimensional shape of the object; At least based on the three-dimensional shape of the object, the steps of calculating the ease of boarding or alighting the object from or from the vehicle are included; as well as The steps are as follows: calculating the parking location of the vehicle based on the ease of boarding and alighting and the available parking area, and generating support content for parking the vehicle based on the parking location.

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