METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING A MOTOR VEHICLE TO AN AUTOMATIC PARKING SYSTEM, AUTOMATIC PARKING SYSTEM AND MOTOR VEHICLE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for transferring a motor vehicle to an automatic parking system, which is designed to transfer the motor vehicle driverlessly to a free parking space of the parking system, according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention further relates to an automatic parking system according to the preamble of claim 5.

[0002] A method according to the preamble of claim 1 and an automatic parking system according to the preamble of claim 5 are known from US 2003 / 0069665 A1.

[0003] Further automatic parking systems and methods for their operation are known from DE 10 2016 207 139 A1, US 2018 / 0053422 A1, US 2014 / 0066110 A1, DE 10 2015 121 113 A1, US 2012 / 0111937 A1 , JP2016006603A and DE 10 2015 208 068 A1. Furthermore, DE 10 2014 221 745 A1, for example, discloses a method and system for monitoring a motor vehicle in a parking lot. As described in Fig. 1 Shown schematically, the parking system 1 comprises a parking lot 2 with an entrance 4, an exit 6, and a plurality of parking spaces 8. A motor vehicle 10 is driven by a motor vehicle user to a handover zone 12 of the parking lot 2 and handed over to a parking lot operator. The motor vehicle 10 is then transferred either autonomously or by personnel to a free parking space 14. Upon request by the motor vehicle user, the motor vehicle 10 is transferred by the parking lot operator to a pick-up zone 16 and picked up again by the motor vehicle user. DE 2016 014 327 A1 discloses a method for paying a parking fee, wherein a parking fee to be paid is displayed on a display unit of a motor vehicle.

[0004] JP2016006603A describes a system for autonomous parking management in which a vehicle is assigned a parking position based on communication data. Control is provided by a management device that determines the parking position based on vehicle information and departure schedules and ensures that vehicles are efficiently parked and exited through autonomous operations, with authentication performed via temporary passwords.

[0005] Furthermore, DE 10 2015 209 190 A1 discloses a method for user-defined provision of a motor vehicle, in which the trajectory of the motor vehicle is stored until a parking position is reached, so that the motor vehicle can be picked up again at any point of the trajectory.

[0006] DE 10 2014 205 122 A1, on the other hand, describes an arrangement for monitoring the autonomous driving of a motor vehicle. In this arrangement, the motor vehicle issues a request signal to a motor vehicle user, and the autonomous driving is carried out depending on a response signal from the motor vehicle user.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for transferring a motor vehicle to an automatic parking system and an automatic parking system.

[0008] This object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1 and a parking system having the features of claim 5. Advantageous embodiments with expedient further developments of the invention are specified in the dependent patent claims.

[0009] The method according to the invention for transferring a motor vehicle to an automatic parking system, which is configured to transfer the motor vehicle driverlessly to a free parking space in the parking system, is characterized in that the parking system transmits an authorization code to the motor vehicle, which is displayed in the motor vehicle in a manner perceptible to a motor vehicle user. According to the invention, after leaving the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle user transmits this authorization code to the parking system in order to thereby grant permission to travel. Only after the permission to travel has been granted is the motor vehicle transferred driverlessly to the free parking space in the parking system.

[0010] Since the vehicle user must consciously enter the release code to initiate the autonomous transfer of the vehicle to a free parking space, the vehicle handover is advantageously particularly error-proof. Accidental release is virtually impossible. Furthermore, entering the release code offers a way to reliably associate the vehicle and the vehicle user, making the vehicle handover particularly error-proof in this respect as well. In particular, misuse of the vehicle by a third party is also ruled out, since only the driver knows the release code.

[0011] Preferably, a fixed sequence of alphanumeric characters is transmitted as the release code.

[0012] Preferably, the release code is selected such that it cannot be derived from the external circumstances of the parking process. In particular, it contains no information that would allow identification of the motor vehicle, the vehicle user (or, for example, a mobile device of the vehicle user), or the assigned parking space (without knowledge of the assignment stored in the parking system). In this embodiment of the invention, the release code contains, for example, no information about the vehicle's registration number, the name or telephone number of the vehicle user, or the identifier or location of the parking space. Instead, the release code can be formed, for example, by a consecutive number or a randomly selected character string.The lack of linking the release code to the external circumstances of the parking process, in particular to the motor vehicle, the vehicle user or the parking space, ensures a particularly high level of security against errors and misuse.

[0013] Preferably, the release code is visually displayed on a display unit located in the interior of the motor vehicle. In an alternative but equally preferred embodiment, the release code is displayed acoustically via a loudspeaker.

[0014] To transmit the release code to the parking system, a mobile input device, particularly a mobile phone, is used. The input device has appropriate software (in the case of a mobile phone, a corresponding "smartphone app") that allows the vehicle user to enter the release code and transmit it to the parking system.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the vehicle user transmits the release code after parking and exiting the vehicle in a designated transfer zone of the parking system. This advantageously ensures a defined starting position for the parking system when receiving the vehicle.

[0016] The automatic parking system according to the invention, which is configured to transfer a motor vehicle driverlessly to a free parking space in the parking system, is characterized by a control and communication unit configured to transmit an authorization code to a communication unit of the motor vehicle. The control and communication unit is further configured to receive the authorization code from a mobile input device. Finally, the control and communication unit is configured to initiate the driverless transfer of the motor vehicle only after receiving the authorization code.

[0017] The advantages and preferred embodiments described for the method according to the invention also apply to the parking system according to the invention.

[0018] The features and feature combinations mentioned above in the description, as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures, can be used not only in the respective combinations specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, embodiments are also to be considered encompassed and disclosed by the invention that are not explicitly shown or explained in the figures, but which emerge and can be produced from the explained embodiments through separate feature combinations.

[0019] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the claims, the following description of preferred embodiments, and the drawings. These show: Fig. 1 schematically shows a parking system for driverless transfer of a motor vehicle to a free parking space according to the prior art; Fig. 2 a first step of a method for transferring a motor vehicle to the parking system for driverless transfer to a free parking space; and Fig. 3 a second step of the method according to Fig. 2 .

[0020] Corresponding parts are always provided with the same reference symbols in all figures.

[0021] To explain the Fig. 1 For the parking system 1 shown according to the prior art, reference is made to the introduction to the description.

[0022] In the Fig. 2 und Fig. 3 an entrance area of ​​a parking system 1 according to the invention is shown, wherein successive steps of the method according to the invention for transferring a motor vehicle 10 to the parking system 1 are shown.

[0023] The parking system 1 according to the invention is essentially as shown in Fig. 1 The parking system 1 is also referred to as "Autonomous Valet Parking" (AVP). The parking system 1 comprises a parking space 2, which, within the scope of the invention, can be formed by any parking infrastructure, in particular by a parking garage or an underground car park.

[0024] The parking system 1 comprises a parking system-side control and communication unit 20, which is configured to establish a data connection 24 with a motor vehicle-side control and communication unit 22.

[0025] If a motor vehicle 10 approaches, as in Fig. 2 As shown, the entrance 4 of the parking system 1, the data connection 24 between the motor vehicle 10 and the parking system 1 is established via radio. The control and communication unit transmits an alphanumeric release code C to the motor vehicle 10 via this data connection 24. The release code C is displayed visibly for a motor vehicle user 26 inside the motor vehicle 10 on a display 28 of the control and communication unit 22. The motor vehicle user 26 is requested to memorize the release code C.

[0026] The motor vehicle user 26 drives the motor vehicle 10 to the transfer zone 12 and leaves the motor vehicle 10 as in Fig. 3In order to signal to the parking system 1 that the motor vehicle 10 is now authorized for autonomous transfer to a free parking space 14, the motor vehicle user 26 transmits the authorization code C via a data connection 30 to the control and communication unit 20 of the parking system 1. For this purpose, the user uses a mobile input device 32, which is preferably a mobile radio device ("smartphone").

[0027] Only after the control and communication unit 20 has detected the release code C is the motor vehicle 10 controlled by the parking system 1 to maneuver driverlessly to a free parking space 14 in the parking lot 2. To do so, the control and communication unit 20 controls the motor vehicle 10, specifically its drive and steering, to approach a free parking space 14. Alternatively, the control and communication unit 20 simply transmits information about the location of a free parking space 14 to the motor vehicle 10, specifically to a control unit of the motor vehicle 10, and the motor vehicle 10 drives autonomously to this parking space.

Claims

1. Method for transferring a motor vehicle (10) in an automatic parking system (1), which is configured to transfer the motor vehicle (10) in a driverless manner to a free parking space (14) of the parking system (1), wherein a release code (C) is transmitted by the parking system (1) to a motor vehicle user (26), wherein the motor vehicle user (26), after leaving the motor vehicle (10), transmits this release code (C) in turn to the parking system (1) by means of a mobile input appliance (32), in order to issue a drive release, and wherein the motor vehicle (10) is transferred to the free parking space (14) of the parking system (1) in a driverless manner only after the drive release has been issued, characterized in that the release code (C) is transmitted by a control and communication unit (20) on the parking system side via a data link (24) to a control and communication unit (22) on the motor vehicle side and is output in the motor vehicle (10) so as to be perceptible to the motor vehicle user (26) and the release code (C) is transmitted via a data link (30) between the control and communication unit (20) on the parking system side and the mobile input appliance (32) in order to issue the drive release.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a defined sequence of alphanumeric characters is transmitted as the release code (C).

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the release code (C) is output on a display unit (28) of the control and communication unit (22) on the motor vehicle side, which display unit is arranged in the interior the motor vehicle (10).

4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the motor vehicle user (26) transmits the release code (C) when they have parked the motor vehicle (10) in a transfer zone (12) of the parking system (1) provided for this purpose.

5. Automatic parking system (1), which is configured to transfer a motor vehicle (10) in a driverless manner to a free parking space (14) of the parking system (1), wherein the parking system (1) comprises a control and communication unit (20) on the parking system side, - which is configured to transmit a release code (C), - which is configured to receive the release code (C) again via a data link (30) between the control and communication unit (20) on the parking system side and a mobile input appliance (32), and - which is furthermore configured to initiate the driverless transfer of the motor vehicle (10) to the free parking space (14) only once the release code (C) has been received, characterized in that the control and communication unit (20) is configured to transmit the release code (C) via a data link (24) to a control and communication unit (22) on the motor vehicle side.