Activating the display of image information in a motor vehicle with a parking assistance system

Abstract

motor vehicle (1) comprising - a parking assistance system (3) for performing automated reversing parking maneuvers with steering control and optionally with longitudinal movement control of the vehicle, - a camera-based environmental sensor system (2) in the form of a reversing camera for detecting the vehicle's surroundings, - a vehicle cockpit which - a display device (5) for displaying image information obtained by means of the reversing camera (2) and - a control element (6) for activating a reverse parking maneuver by the driver operating the control element (6), and - a user interface (10, 5) for activating the display of the image information on the display device (5) by operating the user interface by the driver, wherein the user interface (10, 5) also serves to deactivate the display of the image information, and wherein the motor vehicle (1) is configured such that - when an automated reverse parking maneuver is activated by pressing the control element (6), the vehicle (1) automatically activates the display of image information obtained by means of the reversing camera on the display device (5), without the driver having to activate the display of the image information via the user interface, and - when performing the automated reverse parking maneuver, the deactivation of the display of image information via the user interface is blocked.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to the automatic activation of the display of image information on a display device in a motor vehicle with a parking assistance system.

[0002] With automated lateral parking assistance systems, the system controls the vehicle's steering during the parking maneuver. The driver must maintain longitudinal control by applying the accelerator and brakes. With automated lateral and longitudinal parking assistance systems, the system also takes over longitudinal control; the vehicle's longitudinal movement is thus controlled by the parking assistance system. In such systems, the driver generally has the option of parking the vehicle independently and, optionally, exiting the parking space by operating a control element in the vehicle's cockpit.

[0003] An exemplary parking assistance system with automated lateral and longitudinal guidance is described in the publication "Parking Assistance with Longitudinal and Lateral Guidance," Dirk Ahrens, 5th Conference on Driver Assistance at the Technical University of Munich, Munich, 2012. When a vehicle manually drives past parked vehicles, a suitable parallel parking space is located using lateral sensors and visually displayed to the driver on an in-vehicle display. The driver confirms the parking space by selecting a side, which is done by activating the turn signal. If the driver is in a valid starting corridor next to the front boundary object, from which there is a possible driving trajectory to a valid parking position, the parking maneuver is activated by pressing and holding a parking button and then releasing the brake.After activation of the parking maneuver, the vehicle reverses into the parallel parking space in one or more maneuvers, automatically controlling the steering and longitudinal movement.

[0004] Parking with a parking assistance system, especially one with automated lateral and longitudinal guidance, does not relieve the driver of their responsibility for driving the vehicle. The driver must continue to monitor the vehicle's surroundings.

[0005] For monitoring the surroundings while parking, information systems are known that use camera-based environmental sensors to capture the vehicle's surroundings and display corresponding image information on a screen in the vehicle's cockpit. An example of this is a reversing camera system, where, for instance, a camera is located at the rear of the vehicle to capture the area behind it. Top-view systems are also known, where images from multiple cameras are used to generate a top-view image of the vehicle and displayed to the driver.

[0006] German patent application DE 10 2009 041 587 A1 discloses a remote control with which a parking assistance system can be controlled from outside the vehicle. A camera integrated into the vehicle captures an image of the side of the vehicle's surroundings facing away from the driver, this image is sent to the remote control, and the image is displayed on the remote control.

[0007] The publication DE 10 2008 019 346 A1 discloses a method and a device for automatically parking and unparking a vehicle. A camera is provided, and the image information captured by the camera is transmitted to a mobile device.

[0008] The publication DE 10 2011 086 442 A1 describes a parking assistant with a camera system, whereby, when the parking assistant is active, an environmental view supplied by the camera system is displayed on a screen in the vehicle.

[0009] Furthermore, reference is made to the publication DE 10 2009 039 084 A1, which describes a parking assistance system that has a control device operated by the driver to release the parking assistance by the system.

[0010] The purpose of the invention is to simplify the monitoring of the vehicle's surroundings for the driver when using a parking assistance system that intervenes in the vehicle's steering.

[0011] The problem is solved by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

[0012] A first aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising a parking assistance system for performing automated reversing maneuvers with steering control (lateral guidance), in particular for performing automated reversing maneuvers in parallel parking spaces (parallel to the road) and / or perpendicular parking spaces (perpendicular to the road). Preferably, the parking assistance system is a parking assistance system with both lateral and longitudinal guidance. Gear selection is also preferably handled by the parking assistance system, preferably using an automatic transmission.

[0013] Furthermore, a camera-based environmental sensor system in the form of a reversing camera is provided to detect the vehicle's surroundings. Additionally, a display unit is provided in the vehicle cockpit to show image information acquired by the camera-based environmental sensor system. This display unit is, for example, a screen controlled by a control unit (such as a head unit). Furthermore, a control element is provided in the vehicle cockpit for activating a reverse parking maneuver by the driver. This control element is, for example, a button that must be pressed to activate a reverse parking maneuver. The button must be held continuously during the parking maneuver to maintain the maneuver, and releasing the button immediately stops the parking maneuver.

[0014] The vehicle includes a user interface for activating the display of image information on the display device by the driver operating the user interface, which also serves to deactivate the display of the image information. Activation is achieved, for example, via a central control element, which the driver can use to activate the display of image information, such as the image from a reversing camera, on the screen connected to a head unit.

[0015] The vehicle is designed so that when an automated reversing maneuver is activated by pressing the control, the vehicle automatically displays image information obtained from the reversing camera on the display, without the driver having to activate the display via the user interface. During the automated parking maneuver, deactivating the display via the user interface is disabled.

[0016] The invention automatically displays image information to the driver when a parking maneuver is initiated, assisting in monitoring the vehicle's surroundings. Manual activation of the image information display is not necessary.

[0017] To support the driver in their responsibility for monitoring the surroundings, the invention retrieves image information for monitoring the vehicle's surroundings when a parking maneuver is activated. For this purpose, all or some of the camera-based systems for monitoring the vehicle's surroundings can be automatically activated when the parking maneuver is initiated, for example, the image from the reversing camera, the image from the side cameras, and / or the image from a top-down system.

[0018] The driver cannot deactivate the image information display during the parking maneuver and thus, for example, cause the parking maneuver to be aborted (provided the parking assistance system is designed to abort the parking maneuver if the image information display is deactivated). Since the image information display cannot be deactivated during the parking maneuver, the driver continuously receives image information for monitoring the surroundings during the parking maneuver.

[0019] The control element is preferably a button that is pressed to activate a parking maneuver. The vehicle is designed such that the button must be held down continuously during the parking maneuver to maintain the maneuver, and the parking maneuver is stopped immediately when the button is released.

[0020] It should be noted that pressing the control element (here, the button) does not necessarily start the parking maneuver immediately. Depending on the specific design, one or more additional steps may be required to activate the parking maneuver. For example, to activate the parking maneuver, the vehicle also checks whether the brake pedal is released while the button is continuously pressed. Only when the driver releases the brake pedal does the parking assistance system execute the automated parking maneuver and the vehicle begin to move.

[0021] It is preferably intended that when the button is continuously pressed, the display of image information on the display device is activated.

[0022] After the automatic activation of the display of image information, the display of the image information preferably remains in place during the parking maneuver until the final parking position is reached or the parking maneuver is aborted.

[0023] A second aspect of the invention relates to a method for automatically activating the display of image information on a display device of a motor vehicle as described above. According to the method, when an automated reversing parking maneuver is activated by pressing the control element, the vehicle automatically activates the display of image information acquired by the reversing camera on the display device, without the driver having to activate the display of the image information via the aforementioned user interface. During the automated parking maneuver, deactivation of the image information display via the user interface is blocked.

[0024] The foregoing descriptions of the motor vehicle according to the invention also apply accordingly to the method according to the invention. Advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention not explicitly described here correspond to the described advantageous embodiments of the motor vehicle according to the invention.

[0025] The invention relates to preventing the deactivation of the display of image information on the display device during the parking maneuver.

[0026] To enhance the driver's ability to monitor the vehicle's surroundings, the image information will be automatically displayed on the instrument panel during automated parking maneuvers, without requiring the driver to activate the display beforehand. When the automated parking maneuver is activated, the vehicle will automatically display the image from the reversing camera on the instrument panel.

[0027] In a conventional graphical user interface for activating and deactivating the display of a reversing camera image, for example, three different states regarding the display of the reversing camera image can be provided, which are indicated to the driver via a displayed pictogram of the reversing camera: 1. The image from the reversing camera cannot be activated (for example, due to a defect in the reversing camera); in this case, the displayed pictogram of the reversing camera is, for example, grey and therefore not selectable and has no activation checkmarks. 2. The image from the reversing camera can be activated, but is not activated; in this case, the displayed pictogram of the reversing camera is, for example, white and therefore selectable, and does not have an activation checkmark. 3. The reversing camera image is activated; in this case, the displayed reversing camera pictogram is, for example, white and therefore selectable, and also has an activation checkmark indicating that the reversing camera is activated; after selecting the pictogram and then pressing the button, the reversing camera image is deactivated.

[0028] A conventional parking assistance system could be designed so that if the driver intentionally or accidentally deactivates the automatic display of the reversing camera image information during a parking maneuver by selecting the corresponding pictogram, the parking process is automatically aborted by the parking assistance system. However, such an abort of the parking process due to the deactivation of the image information display would be surprising and disruptive for the driver.

[0029] Alternatively, the conventional parking assistance system could also be designed in such a way that if the automatic display of the image information from the reversing camera is intentionally or accidentally deactivated by the driver during a parking maneuver by selecting the corresponding pictogram, the parking process is not automatically aborted; in this case, however, monitoring of the parking process would no longer be possible with the support of the camera-based environmental sensors.

[0030] The automated parking maneuver of the invention is an automated reverse parking maneuver, in which, in addition to lateral guidance, longitudinal guidance is preferably also handled by the parking assistance system. The vehicle has a reversing camera as camera-based environmental sensors, and the display device serves to show an image acquired by the reversing camera. During the automated parking maneuver, the deactivation of the reversing camera image on the display device is blocked via the user interface.

[0031] Preferably, the user interface has at least these three possible states with regard to the display of image information: - a state a in which the display of image information is deactivated and can be activated by operating the user interface, - a state b in which the display of image information is activated and can be deactivated by operating the user interface, - a state c in which the display of image information is enabled and cannot be disabled by operating the user interface.

[0032] Furthermore, a state d may also be provided in which the display of image information cannot be activated (for example, due to a defect in the environmental sensors).

[0033] The user interface is preferably a graphical user interface with a plurality of pictograms (also referred to as icons), where one pictogram (i.e., an icon) is assigned to the camera-based environmental sensor (e.g., the reversing camera), and the individual pictograms can be selected by the driver via input devices (e.g., a central control element or a touchscreen). In state c, the pictogram for the camera-based environmental sensor is not selectable. The pictogram is displayed, for example, in a second color (e.g., gray) and is therefore not selectable, and it has an activation marker (e.g., an activation checkmark) indicating that the display is activated. Alternatively, it would be conceivable that the pictogram is selectable in state c, but no reaction occurs to an operator action (e.g., pressing a button) when the pictogram is selected.

[0034] In state a, the display of image information can be activated, but is not yet enabled; the displayed pictogram of the camera-based environmental sensor (e.g., reversing camera) is shown in a first color (e.g., white) and is therefore selectable, but does not have an activation marker (e.g., activation checkmark). After selecting the pictogram and performing an additional operation (e.g., pressing a button), the display of image information is activated.

[0035] In state b, for example, the display of image information is activated; the displayed pictogram of the camera-based environmental sensor is shown in the first color (e.g., white) and is therefore selectable, and also has an activation marker (e.g., an activation checkmark). After selecting the pictogram and performing an additional operation (e.g., pressing a button), the display of image information is deactivated.

[0036] In state d, for example, the display of image information cannot be activated (because the camera-based environmental sensor is defective, for example); in this case, the displayed pictogram of the camera-based environmental sensor is shown in the second color (e.g., gray) and is therefore not selectable and does not have an activation marker (e.g., activation checkmark).

[0037] The parking assistance system is preferably configured to send a control signal to a control unit of the user interface, wherein the control signal can have at least three different signal states, and each of these three different signal states is assigned to a state of the user interface with respect to the display of image information. The control unit of the user interface is configured to set the respective state of the user interface with respect to the display of image information depending on the received control signal.

[0038] The user interface control unit is, for example, a head unit that controls a display device (such as a screen or a head-up display). The head unit's display device preferably shows both the pictograms and the image information.

[0039] The invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and an exemplary embodiment. These show: Fig. 1 an exemplary motor vehicle with a parking assistance system with automated lateral and longitudinal guidance; Fig. 2. An exemplary flowchart for the automatic activation of a reversing camera in the motor vehicle according to Fig. 1; Fig. 3a / b shows an example graphical user interface.

[0040] Fig. Figure 1 shows an exemplary motor vehicle 1 with a parking assistance system with automated lateral and longitudinal guidance. The motor vehicle includes a reversing camera 2 at the rear of the vehicle, a parking assistance system 3, a head unit 4 (control unit for controlling the screen 5), a screen 5 controlled via the head unit 4, a parking button 6, a drive 7 with automatic transmission (with engine and transmission control), a steering system 8, and a braking system 9 (with brake control unit). Furthermore, a central input / control element 10 is provided for the driver, whose input signals are received by the head unit 4.

[0041] The parking assistance system 3 can control the lateral and longitudinal movement of the vehicle by appropriately controlling the drive 7, the braking system 9 and the steering actuator 8.

[0042] The reversing camera 2 transmits image information to the head unit 4, which, after appropriate signal processing, forwards the image information to the screen 5. The parking assistance system 3 communicates with the head unit control unit 4. Furthermore, the parking assistance system registers when the parking button 6 is pressed.

[0043] Fig. Figure 2 shows an example flowchart for performing an automated parking maneuver for a motor vehicle according to Fig. 1.

[0044] First, while driving forward, the parking assistance system measures parallel parking spaces as it passes by in order to find a suitable parking space (see 110 in Fig. 2); For simple measurement, the parking assist system does not yet need to be activated by the driver. To activate the parking assist system, the driver presses the parking button 6; this is detected by the parking assist system 3 (see 120). After the parking assist system is activated, the parking assist system 3 requests the head unit 4 to display the parking space search status on screen 5 to the driver. When a suitable parking space has been found, this is displayed to the driver, and the driver brings the vehicle 1 to a standstill by pressing the brake pedal (see 130). To keep the vehicle 1 stationary with the automatic transmission in drive mode D (D - Drive), the driver continues to press the brake pedal. The driver then activates the turn signal to select the desired parking space. For example, the right turn signal is activated to select a parking space to the right of the vehicle.To activate the parking maneuver, the parking assistance system 3 checks whether the driver is pressing the parking button 6 (see 140). The parking button 6 must be held down continuously during the parking maneuver (continuous activation of the parking button 6 is checked throughout the entire parking maneuver; if the parking button 6 is no longer pressed, the parking maneuver is stopped immediately). Once the parking button 6 is held down continuously, the image from the reversing camera 2 is displayed on screen 5 (see 150). The parking assistance system 3 detects when the parking button 6 is held down continuously. Based on this, the parking assistance system 3 sends a corresponding activation request to display the image from the reversing camera 2 to the head unit control unit 4.The image from the reversing camera 2 displayed on screen 5 cannot be deactivated by the driver via the central control element 10 from the time the display is automatically activated until the final parking position is reached. The braking torque initiated by the driver when pressing the parking button 6 is adopted by the parking assistance system 3 and now specified by the parking assistance system 3 as the braking torque (see 160). The driver then receives a corresponding prompt on screen 5 to release the brake pedal. After releasing the brake pedal, the reversing parking maneuver begins, and the parking assistance system 3 takes over all vehicle control during the parking maneuver, including steering, braking, and gear shifting; the driver remains responsible for monitoring the parking process.

[0045] The following describes in more detail how to prevent the driver from deactivating the reversing camera image during parking maneuvers. Fig. Figure 3a shows an example graphical user interface displayed on screen 5 and operated via the central control element 10. When the image from reversing camera 2 is activated, the image from reversing camera 2 is displayed in field 201. The graphical user interface features several pictograms 200a-200f (icons). A single pictogram 200a-200f can be selected by operating the central control element 10, for example, by rotating the control element clockwise and counterclockwise. The selected pictogram is highlighted, for example, by a white box like pictogram 200a in Figure 3a. Fig. 3a. Pictogram 200b corresponds to the pictogram of the reversing camera 2. The reversing camera 2 can be in one of the following states, which are indicated to the driver via the respective display of pictogram 200b: 1. The image from the reversing camera 2 cannot be activated (e.g., defective); in this case, the displayed pictogram 200b of the reversing camera 2 is, for example, grey and therefore cannot be selected and does not have an activation checkmark. 2. The image from the reversing camera 2 can be activated, but is not activated; the displayed pictogram 200b of the reversing camera 2 is, for example, white and therefore selectable, and does not have an activation checkmark. 3. The image from reversing camera 2 is activated; the displayed pictogram 200b for reversing camera 2 is, for example, white and therefore selectable, and also shows an activation checkmark indicating that reversing camera 2 is activated. This state is in Fig. Figure 3a shows a situation outside of an active parking maneuver. After selecting pictogram 200b and then operating the central control element 10 (for example, by pressing down on the control element), the image from the reversing camera 2 is deactivated. 4. The reversing camera image is activated but cannot be deactivated; the displayed pictogram 200b for reversing camera 2 is, for example, gray and therefore not selectable, and also shows an activation checkmark indicating that reversing camera 2 is activated. This state is in Fig. Figure 3b shows this condition; it occurs during an active parking maneuver.

[0046] A fourth state is created for the reversing camera in head unit 4, in which reversing camera 2 cannot be deactivated. In this fourth state, the option to deactivate the image from reversing camera 2 is not visually offered (pictogram 200b is gray).

[0047] After automatically activating the reversing camera 2 and locking the deactivation of the image of the reversing camera 2 (see step 150 in Fig. 2) pictogram 200b of the reversing camera shows this 4th state (see Fig. 3b).

[0048] The activation of the image of the reversing camera 2 and the locking of the deactivation of the reversing camera 2 are carried out via a control signal from the parking assistance system 3 to the head unit 4.

[0049] States 1 to 3 can be triggered via two specific bits of the control signal. The first of the two bits indicates whether reversing camera 2 is activatable, and the second bit indicates whether it is activated: If both bits are 0, the reversing camera is not activatable, and state 1 is present. If the activatability bit is 1 and the activation bit is 0, the reversing camera is activatable, and state 2 is present. If both the activatability and activation bits are 1, the reversing camera is activated, and state 3 is present. These signal states can be used for parking functions without a direct connection to the reversing camera.

[0050] To trigger the 4th state, two other bits of the control signal are used: If, for example, the other two bits in the control signal of the parking assistance system 3 to the head unit 4 are each set to 1, the head unit 4 activates the reversing camera 2, whereby pictogram 200b of the reversing camera 2 then does not allow deactivation of the reversing camera 2 (see Fig. 3b). This occurs when the parking button 6 is continuously pressed. To trigger state 4, an additional signal state is created in the control signal, which activates the active forced coupling between the parking assist and the reversing camera in the head unit 4 (i.e., the image from the reversing camera 2 must be displayed during the parking maneuver and cannot be deactivated).

[0051] Locking the reversing camera in state 4 prevents the driver from switching off the reversing camera image or switching the image to other camera functions (for example, a top-down view of the surroundings). This additional state 4 allows differentiation between a state that cannot be deactivated (due to forced coupling) and a reversing camera malfunction (state 1). Therefore, the parking maneuver cannot be aborted due to accidental deactivation of the reversing camera 2, as accidental deactivation is prevented in state 4. Since the respective state is triggered via the control signal from the parking assistance system 3 to the head unit 4, any adjustments to when each state is triggered can be implemented in the parking assistance system 3; no adjustments in the head unit 4 are necessary.

Claims

[1] motor vehicle (1) comprising - a parking assistance system (3) for performing automated reversing parking maneuvers with steering control and optionally with longitudinal movement control of the vehicle, - a camera-based environmental sensor system (2) in the form of a reversing camera for detecting the vehicle's surroundings, - a vehicle cockpit which - a display device (5) for displaying image information obtained by means of the reversing camera (2) and - a control element (6) for activating a reverse parking maneuver by the driver operating the control element (6), and - a user interface (10, 5) for activating the display of the image information on the display device (5) by operating the user interface by the driver, wherein the user interface (10, 5) also serves to deactivate the display of the image information, and wherein the motor vehicle (1) is configured such that - when an automated reverse parking maneuver is activated by pressing the control element (6), the vehicle (1) automatically activates the display of image information obtained by means of the reversing camera on the display device (5), without the driver having to activate the display of the image information via the user interface, and - when performing the automated reverse parking maneuver, the deactivation of the display of image information via the user interface is blocked. [2] Motor vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein - the parking assistance system (3) is used to perform automated parking maneuvers with control of the steering and control of the longitudinal movement of the motor vehicle. [3] Motor vehicle (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control element corresponds to a button (6) which is to be pressed to activate a parking maneuver, and the motor vehicle (1) is arranged such that - the button (6) must be continuously pressed during the parking maneuver to maintain the parking maneuver, and - the parking maneuver is stopped immediately when button (6) is no longer pressed. [4] Motor vehicle (1) according to claim 3, wherein the motor vehicle (1) is designed such that to activate the parking maneuver - the button (6) must be pressed continuously and - while continuously pressing button (6) a previous actuation of the brake pedal must be terminated, whereby immediately after termination of the actuation of the brake pedal the motor vehicle begins to perform the automated parking maneuver. [5] Motor vehicle (1) according to one of claims 3 or 4, wherein the motor vehicle is designed such that when the button (6) is continuously pressed, the display of image information on the display device (5) is activated. [6] Motor vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the user interface with regard to the display of image information can have at least the three possible states: - an initial state in which the display of image information is deactivated and can be activated by operating the user interface, - a second state in which the display of image information is activated and can be deactivated by operating the user interface, - a third state in which the display of image information is activated and cannot be deactivated by operating the user interface. [7] Motor vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the user interface is a graphical user interface with a plurality of pictograms (200a-200f) and one pictogram (200b) of this plurality of pictograms is assigned to the camera-based environment sensor, and the user interface is designed such that - a pictogram (200a-200f) can be selected by the driver via input means (10) of the user interface, - when pictogram (200b) of the camera-based environment sensor is selected, the display of the camera-based environment sensor is activated or deactivated by an operation of the input means, and - in the third state, the pictogram (200b) of the camera-based environment sensor is not selectable, or alternatively, the pictogram (200b) is selectable but does not react to the operating action. [8] Motor vehicle according to one of claims 6-7, wherein - the parking assistance system (3) is configured to send a control signal to a control unit (4) of the user interface, wherein the control signal can have at least three different signal states and each of these three different signal states is assigned to a state of the user interface with respect to the display of the image information, and - the control unit (4) of the user interface is set up to adjust the respective state of the user interface with regard to the display of image information, depending on the control signal received. [9] Method for automatically activating the display of image information on a display device (5) of a motor vehicle (1), comprising: - a parking assistance system (3) for performing automated reversing parking maneuvers with steering control and optionally with longitudinal movement control of the vehicle, - a camera-based environmental sensor system (2) in the form of a reversing camera for detecting the vehicle's surroundings, - a vehicle cockpit which - the display device (5) for displaying image information obtained by means of the reversing camera and - a control element (6) for activating a reverse parking maneuver by the driver operating the control element, - a user interface (10, 5) for activating the display of image information on the display device (5) by operating the user interface by the driver, wherein the user interface (10, 5) also serves to deactivate the display of image information, and wherein - when an automated reverse parking maneuver is activated by pressing the control element (6), the vehicle automatically activates the display of image information obtained by means of the reversing camera (2) on the display device (5), without the driver having to activate the display of the image information via the user interface, and - when performing the automated parking maneuver, the deactivation of the display of image information via the user interface is blocked.

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