Parking assistance device

Abstract

To enable parking assistance by an appropriate method according to the surrounding conditions for parking to a parking area that is frequently used by a driver or the like.SOLUTION: A parking assistance device stores parking information including position information of a parking area each time a vehicle is parked in the parking area, learns a parking area that satisfies a prescribed condition in the parking areas included in the parking information as a target parking area for parking assistance and registers it in the parking information. The parking assistance device determines whether or not the vehicle approaches within a first distance from the target parking area on the basis of the position information of the target parking area and the current position information of the vehicle, searches for and presents a detour route that allows the vehicle to enter the target parking area from the opposite lane when the vehicle approaches within the first prescribed distance and the target parking area is located on the opposite side of the driving lane, and executes automatic control of parking assistance for parking the vehicle in the target parking area when the vehicle approaches within a second prescribed distance from the target parking area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a parking assistance device that assists in parking a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] There are technologies that assist drivers of vehicles, such as automobiles, in parking a vehicle into a parking space. The following conventional technology has been proposed as one such technology. In this conventional technology, in a learning mode, a sensor device mounted on the vehicle is used to detect and store reference data around the parking space. Then, in an operation mode, parking assistance is performed while comparing the reference data with the sensor data detected by the sensor device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2013-530867 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In an example of such conventional technology, for example, if the conditions around a parking space for which reference data has been stored in learning mode change (for example, the scenery changes due to snowfall, etc.), a difference will arise between the reference data and the actual conditions, which may make parking assistance difficult.

[0005] Therefore, in at least one aspect of the present invention, an object is to provide parking assistance for parking in a parking space (parking area) frequently used by drivers, etc., regardless of changes in the surrounding conditions, and to provide parking assistance in an appropriate manner according to the surrounding conditions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In one aspect of the present invention, a parking assistance device includes a parking information learning unit that stores parking information including position information of a parking area each time a vehicle is parked in a parking area, and learns parking areas included in the parking information that satisfy a predetermined condition as target parking areas for parking assistance and registers them in the parking information; a route presentation unit that determines whether the vehicle has approached within a first distance from the target parking area based on the position information of the target parking area and the current position information of the vehicle, and when the vehicle has approached within the first predetermined distance and it is detected that the target parking area is located on the opposite lane to the vehicle's driving lane, searches for and presents a detour route available for entering the target parking area from the opposite lane; and a parking control unit that performs automatic control of parking assistance to park the vehicle in the target parking area when the vehicle approaches within a second distance from the target parking area. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide parking assistance for parking in a parking area frequently used by drivers, etc., regardless of changes in the surrounding conditions, and to provide parking assistance in an appropriate manner according to the surrounding conditions. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a vehicle in which a first embodiment of the present invention is implemented; [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a parking assistance system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 shows an example of the data configuration of parking information used in the first embodiment of the present invention, where (A) is an example of parking history information, and (B) is an explanatory diagram showing an example of parking learning information. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of parking assistance processing in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of parking assistance processing in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6]FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a positional relationship between a target parking area and a vehicle in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a detour route to a target parking area in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a positional relationship between a target parking area and a vehicle in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of parking learning information used in the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of parking assistance processing in a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of parking assistance processing in a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of parking assistance processing in a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described in this specification, and different embodiments and their modifications can be appropriately combined.

[0010] [First embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a hardware configuration of a vehicle 1 equipped with a vehicle cruise control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] The vehicle 1 is a four-wheel vehicle having a left front wheel 2, a right front wheel 3, a left rear wheel 4, and a right rear wheel 5. Each wheel 2-5 is provided with a wheel cylinder 6-9 including a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper of each wheel. The hydraulic pressure of these wheel cylinders 6-9 is controlled by adjusting the hydraulic pressure of a master cylinder in a brake device 10 (hydraulic pressure control device). The braking mechanism of the service brakes of these vehicles 1 is not limited to a hydraulic friction brake, and may be, for example, an electric friction brake, or may include a braking mechanism of multiple systems. The vehicle 1 is also provided with an electric parking brake (EPB (Electronic Parking Brake)) device 11. The electric parking brake device 11 controls electric actuators incorporated in the brake calipers of the rear wheels 4 and 5 to drive the parking brake.

[0012] The engine 12 is a power unit (power source) including an internal combustion engine that controls the output torque to the wheels 2-5 by electronically controlling an electronically controlled throttle and an injector. The power source of the vehicle 1 may be, for example, a wheel drive motor that is driven by power supplied from a battery and controls the output torque to the wheels 2-5. The power source may also be both the engine 12 and the wheel drive motor.

[0013] The transmission 13 is a power transmission device that transmits the power generated by the engine 12, which is a power source, to the wheels 2-5 while changing the output torque, rotation speed, and rotation direction according to the driving conditions. The steering device 14 is an electric power steering mechanism equipped with a motor that generates a steering assist force, and is a device equipped with an actuator related to steering.

[0014] The parking assistance device 21 is an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that executes parking assistance for the vehicle 1. The parking assistance device 21 assists in parking the vehicle 1 in a parking lot by controlling the brake device 10, the electric parking brake device 11, the engine 12, the transmission 13, and the steering device 14 based on various sensors and setting information. The functional configuration of the parking assistance device 21 will be described in detail later.

[0015] FIG. 2 shows an example of the configuration of a parking assistance system 100 mounted on a vehicle 1. The parking assistance system 100 includes a parking assistance device 21. The parking assistance system 100 also includes a satellite positioning system (such as a GPS (Global Positioning System)) signal receiving device 31, a communication device 32, an external sensor 33, and a parking assistance execution switch 34, which provide input information to the parking assistance device 21. The parking assistance system 100 also includes a wheel speed sensor 41, an acceleration sensor 42, a gyro sensor 43, an accelerator sensor 44, a brake sensor 45, and a steering angle sensor 46 as vehicle sensors. The parking assistance system 100 also includes a navigation system 51, a display 52 that can output information transmitted from the parking assistance device 21, and a speaker 53. The parking assistance system 100 also includes an engine ECU 61, a steering ECU 62, a transmission ECU 63, a brake ECU 64, and an electric parking brake ECU 65, which are connected to in-vehicle devices that output operation signals from the parking assistance device 21 and operate them.

[0016] The parking assistance device 21 includes a parking control unit 22, a route presentation unit 23, and a parking information learning unit 24, the functions of which are realized by loading a program stored in a storage device provided in the microcomputer and executing it with a processor. The parking assistance device 21 also includes parking assistance availability information 25, parking history information 26, and parking learning information 27, which are data stored in the storage device.

[0017] The parking control unit 22 identifies that a target parking area for which parking assistance is to be performed (hereinafter simply referred to as the target parking area) exists near the vehicle 1. Then, based on the setting contents of the parking assistance availability information 25 and the operation of the parking assistance execution switch 34 by the driver or the like, the parking control unit 22 performs automatic control of parking assistance for the target parking area. Specifically, the parking control unit 22 detects the positions of surrounding objects in the target parking area based on input from the external sensor 33. Then, the parking control unit 22 calculates the operation amounts of the brake device 10, the electric parking brake device 11, the engine 12, the transmission 13, the steering device 14, and the like based on the various vehicle sensors. Then, the parking control unit 22 outputs operation signals to the ECUs of these in-vehicle devices based on the calculated operation amounts.

[0018] When the route presenting unit 23 detects that the target parking area is located on the opposite lane to the lane in which the vehicle 1 is currently traveling on the road, the route presenting unit 23 searches for and presents a detour route that allows entry into the target parking area from the opposite lane. The detour route can be searched for, for example, by using a navigation system 51. The detour route can be presented, for example, by displaying it on a display 52 or outputting it as audio through a speaker 53.

[0019] Every time the vehicle 1 is parked in a parking area (including both cases where the vehicle is parked by automatic control of parking assistance and cases where the vehicle is parked by the driver's operation), the parking information learning unit 24 stores information including the position information of the parking area in the storage means as parking history information 26. In addition, based on the parking history information 26, the parking information learning unit 24 learns parking areas that satisfy predetermined conditions among the parking areas included in the parking history information 26 as target parking areas for parking assistance, and stores the parking information learning unit 24 in the storage means as parking learning information 27.

[0020] The parking support availability information 25 is information for setting whether or not to enable the execution of parking support. For example, the parking support availability information 25 can be set to three types of parking support: "always execute", "execute based on user selection", and "not execute". The parking support availability information 25 can be set in advance at any timing by the driver or the like via the user interface of the display 52, and can also be changed as appropriate. The parking history information 26 and the parking learning information 27 are both data constituting parking information. As described above, the parking history information 26 registers information including the position information of the parking area each time the vehicle 1 is parked in the parking area. The parking learning information 27 registers parking areas that satisfy predetermined conditions among the parking areas included in the parking history information 26 as target parking areas for parking assistance. The parking history information 26 and the parking learning information 27 will be described in detail later.

[0021] The satellite positioning system signal receiving device 31 identifies the position information of the vehicle 1 based on the satellite positioning system signal received from an artificial satellite (positioning satellite). The communication device 32 is, for example, a WiFi connection device, a beacon connection device, or an Indoor Messaging System (IMES), and is used to acquire accurate position information inside a building or underground.

[0022] The external sensor 33 is, for example, a camera, a radar, a lidar (LiDAR), etc. The camera is, for example, a digital camera or an infrared camera using an imaging element such as a CCD or a CMOS, and captures the surroundings of the vehicle. The radar is a device that irradiates electromagnetic waves such as millimeter waves, detects the reflected waves of the irradiated electromagnetic waves reflected by objects around the vehicle, and detects the position, shape, etc. of each object. The lidar is a device that irradiates short-wavelength electromagnetic waves such as ultraviolet light, visible light, near-infrared light, etc. in pulses, and detects the reflected waves of the irradiated electromagnetic waves reflected by objects around the vehicle, and can detect the position, shape, etc. of each object with high accuracy. The parking assistance device 21 detects objects present around the vehicle 1 by using at least one or a combination of a plurality of these cameras, radars, and lidars.

[0023] The parking assistance execution switch 34 is a switch that accepts a selection input by the driver or the like as to whether or not to execute parking assistance. The parking assistance execution switch 34 may be installed, for example, on the steering device 14 or a center console, or may be displayed as a user interface on the display 52 or the like. The driver or the like can select to execute parking assistance or cancel parking assistance by operating the parking assistance execution switch 34.

[0024] The wheel speed sensor 41 is a sensor that detects the rotation speed of each wheel as a signal, and it is possible to calculate the traveling speed from this. The acceleration sensor 42 detects the acceleration of the vehicle 1 in the front-rear direction, the acceleration in the vehicle width direction, and the acceleration in the up-down direction. The gyro sensor 43 detects the angular velocity of the angle at which the vehicle 1 has rotated around three axes including the roll axis, the pitch axis, and the yaw axis. The accelerator sensor 44 detects the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal (accelerator opening). The brake sensor 45 detects the amount of depression of the brake pedal (amount of brake operation). The steering angle sensor 46 detects the amount of steering (steering angle) of the steering wheel.

[0025] The navigation system 51 searches for and provides guidance to a destination of the vehicle 1 based on the position information of the vehicle 1 identified based on the satellite positioning system signal received by the satellite positioning system signal receiver 31 and map information (not shown).

[0026] The display 52 displays routes and the like output by the navigation system 51, as well as messages output to the driver and the like from various ECUs of the vehicle 1. The display 52 can also display a user interface and function as an input device that accepts input operations by the driver and the like (for example, touch operations on a touch panel, operations via buttons on a console, and the like). The speaker 53 is capable of outputting messages from various ECUs of the vehicle 1 to the driver or the like by voice.

[0027] The engine ECU 61 calculates an engine control amount based on the input signal, and outputs a control signal to an injector of the engine 12. Then, the injector adjusts the fuel injection amount based on the control signal, thereby adjusting the output of the engine 12 and controlling the engine torque. The steering ECU 62 calculates a steering angle based on the steering amount of the steering wheel, and outputs a control signal to the steering actuator. The steering actuator controls the steering device 14 based on the control signal. The transmission ECU 63 calculates a gear ratio based on input signals such as a driving speed and an accelerator operation amount, and outputs a control signal to an actuator of the transmission 13. The actuator of the transmission controls the transmission 13 based on the control signal. The brake ECU 64 calculates the amount of brake operation based on the input signal and outputs a control signal to the brake actuator. The brake actuator generates air pressure and hydraulic pressure acting on each wheel from the brake device 10 based on the control signal, and controls the brake torque generated on each wheel. The electric parking brake ECU 65 outputs a control signal to an actuator in response to an operation command for the electric parking brake. The actuator of the electric parking brake operates the electric parking brake in response to the control signal.

[0028] The above components are connected to each other via an in-vehicle network 181. The in-vehicle network 181 is configured, for example, by a Controller Area Network (CAN), a Local Interconnect Network (LIN), Ethernet (registered trademark), FlexRay, or the like. Moreover, each of the parking assistance device 21 and various ECUs such as the engine ECU 61, steering ECU 62, transmission ECU 63, brake ECU 64, and electric parking brake ECU 65 includes a processor, an SRAM, an FROM, a communication interface, and an internal bus that connects them to enable mutual communication. The processor is hardware that executes a set of instructions (such as data transfer, calculation, processing, control, and management) written in a program, and is composed of an arithmetic unit, a register that stores instructions and information, peripheral circuits, and the like. The SRAM is composed of a volatile memory in which data is lost when the power supply is cut off, and provides a temporary storage area used by the processor during operation. The FROM is composed of a non-volatile memory in which data can be electrically rewritten, and stores a program that manages each ECU and various data used in the operation of the program. The communication interface is composed of, for example, a CAN transceiver, and provides a function of connecting to an in-vehicle network.

[0029] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the data configuration of the parking history information 26 and the parking learning information 27. As shown in FIG. The parking history information 26 is a collection of data that is generated each time the vehicle 1 is parked in a parking area. As shown in Fig. 3(A), each piece of data in the parking history information 26 may include position information of the parking area, driving information (route, vehicle speed, inclination) from the start of parking to the parking position, parking start time, and parking end time.

[0030] The parking learning information 27 is a set of data generated for each parking area based on the parking history information 26. As shown in FIG. 3(B), each piece of data in the parking learning information 27 may include the position information of the parking area, driving information from the start of parking to the parking position, parking frequency for the parking area (e.g., the number of times parking is performed in a predetermined period), the number of times parking is performed (e.g., the cumulative number of times parking is performed), parking time (e.g., the average parking time per parking and the cumulative parking time may be included), and parking support target information (information indicating whether the parking area of ​​the data is a target parking area for parking support). Note that, with regard to the driving information from the start of parking to the end of parking in the parking learning information 27, if there are multiple patterns in parking in the parking area of ​​the data (e.g., if the parking area can be approached from multiple directions), multiple pieces of driving information may be registered. The parking history information 26 and the parking learning information 27 are examples of parking information, and the data configuration is not limited to these examples. For example, the parking learning information 27 may register only data of parking areas that are the target parking areas for parking assistance.

[0031] Next, the parking assistance process executed by the parking assistance device 21 will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and the explanatory diagrams shown in FIGS. In step 1, the parking control unit 22 judges whether or not the current position of the vehicle 1 is within a predetermined distance (first distance) from a target parking area that is a target of parking assistance, based on the position information of the vehicle 1 acquired from the satellite positioning system signal receiver 31. Specifically, the parking control unit 22 judges whether or not there is data of a parking area whose position information indicates a position within a predetermined distance from the current position and whose parking assistance target information indicates that the parking area is a target parking area, by referring to the parking learning information 27. If a target parking area exists, the process proceeds to step 2 (Yes), and if not, the judgment of step 1 is continued (No).

[0032] In step 2, the parking control unit 22 notifies the driver or the like that a target parking area exists near the vehicle 1. For example, the parking control unit 22 outputs a message (announcement) such as "A registered parking lot is nearby." The message may be displayed via the display 52, or the speaker 53 may output a sound of the message.

[0033] In step 3, the route presentation unit 23 determines whether or not the target parking area is located on the opposite lane to the lane of the vehicle 1 on the road on which the vehicle 1 is currently traveling. The route presentation unit 23 can detect the lane of the vehicle 1 based on, for example, position information based on a satellite positioning system signal, white lines that can be captured by a camera included in the external sensor 33, surrounding objects that can be identified by a radar or a lidar, etc. Note that FIG. 6 shows a state in which the target parking area P is located on the opposite lane to the lane of the vehicle 1. If the target parking area is located on the opposite lane to the lane of the vehicle 1, proceed to step 4 (Yes), and if not, proceed to step 5 (No).

[0034] In step 4, the route presentation unit 23 searches for a detour route that allows entry into the target parking area from the lane on the side where the target parking area is located (the lane opposite to the lane on which the vehicle 1 is currently traveling) and presents it to the driver, etc. As described above, the search for the detour route can be performed, for example, by using the navigation system 51. Also, the presentation of the detour route can be realized, for example, by displaying it on the display 52 or outputting it as sound by the speaker 53. Note that FIG. 7 shows an example of a detour route that allows entry into the target parking area from the lane on the side where the target parking area P is located, starting from the current position of the vehicle 1 in a state where the target parking area P is located on the lane opposite to the lane on which the vehicle 1 is traveling as shown in FIG. 6.

[0035] In step 5, the parking control unit 22 judges whether the vehicle 1 is approaching within a predetermined distance (second distance) that is an even closer distance from the target parking area, in other words, within a range where parking assistance can be started (for example, within a few meters) based on the position information of the vehicle 1 acquired from the satellite positioning system signal receiver 31. If the vehicle 1 is approaching the target parking area, the process proceeds to step 4 (Yes), and if not, the judgment of step 3 is continued. Note that if the vehicle 1 moves out of the predetermined distance, which is the judgment criterion in the processing of step 1, the processing of step 1 is performed again.

[0036] In step 6, the route presentation unit 23 determines whether or not the target parking area is located on the opposite lane to the lane on which the vehicle 1 is currently traveling on the road. If the target parking area is located on the opposite lane to the lane on which the vehicle 1 is currently traveling, the process proceeds to step 7 (Yes), and if not, the process proceeds to step 10 (No).

[0037] In step 7, the route presenting unit 23 judges whether or not the road on which the vehicle 1 is currently traveling is prohibited for vehicles to cross. The route presenting unit 23 can identify the prohibited crossing of vehicles based on predetermined information such as information indicated by road signs that can be captured by a camera, which is an example of the external sensor 33, and traffic regulation information that can be provided in conjunction with map information. If the prohibited crossing of vehicles is detected, the process proceeds to step 17 in FIG. 5 (Yes), and if not, the process proceeds to step 8 (No).

[0038] In step 8, the parking control unit 22 judges whether or not the vehicle 1 is in a situation in which it is possible to cross the road in order to park in the target parking area. The route presentation unit 23 makes this judgment based on, for example, information detected by a camera, radar, or lidar, which is an example of the external sensor 33, based on whether or not there are other vehicles, etc. traveling in the opposite lane, or pedestrians, etc. on the sidewalk that is crossed when entering the target parking area. If the situation is such that it is possible to cross the road, proceed to step 10 in Fig. 5 (Yes), and if not, proceed to step 9 (No). In step 9, the parking control unit 22 waits until the vehicle 1 is in a state where it is possible for the vehicle 1 to cross the road.

[0039] In step 10, the parking control unit 22 refers to the parking assistance availability information 25 and determines whether the parking assistance setting is valid or not. For example, if the setting contents of the parking assistance availability information 25 are three types of parking assistance, namely "always execute", "execute based on user selection", and "not execute", if "always execute" or "execute based on user selection" is set, the setting is deemed valid. If the parking assistance setting is valid, proceed to step 5 (Yes), and if not, proceed to step 11 (No).

[0040] In step 11, the parking control unit 22 accepts a selection input by the driver or the like as to whether or not to execute parking assistance via the parking assistance execution switch 34. The selection input is accepted only when the parking assistance availability information 25 is set to "execute based on user selection." For example, the parking control unit 22 outputs a confirmation message such as "Do you want to execute parking assistance?" via the display 52 or the speaker 53, and the driver or the like responds by operating the parking assistance execution switch to realize the selection input. Note that FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the processing of steps 3 to 5 together with the positional relationship between the vehicle 1 and the target parking area. As shown in FIG. 6, the parking control unit 22 outputs the above-mentioned message to the driver or the like when the vehicle 1 enters within a predetermined distance from the target parking area where parking assistance can be started.

[0041] In step 12, the parking control unit 22 determines whether or not to execute parking assistance based on a combination of the parking assistance availability information 25 and the operation of the parking assistance execution switch 34. Specifically, the parking control unit 22 determines to execute parking assistance when the parking assistance availability information 25 is "always executed", or when the parking assistance availability information 25 is "executed based on user selection" and execution of parking assistance is selected by the selection input in step 5. If parking assistance is to be executed, the process proceeds to step 7 (Yes), and if not, the process proceeds to step 11 (No).

[0042] In step 13, the parking control unit 22 acquires various information detected about the target parking area from the external sensor 33. Specifically, if there is information detected about an object existing in the target parking area and in an area through which the vehicle 1 may pass when parking the vehicle 1 from the current position into the target parking area, the parking control unit 22 acquires the information. Note that the area through which the vehicle 1 may pass when parking the vehicle 1 from the current position into the target parking area may be identified using the driving information from the start to the end of parking set in the parking learning information 27, or may be calculated from the position information of the target parking area and the current position of the vehicle 1.

[0043] In step 14, the parking control unit 22 determines whether or not there are any obstacles (including people, etc.) in the target parking area and in the area through which the vehicle 1 may pass when parking the vehicle 1 from the current position into the target parking area, based on the information acquired in step 7. If there are no obstacles, the process proceeds to step 9 (Yes), and if not, the process proceeds to step 11 (No).

[0044] In step 15, the parking control unit 22 executes automatic control of parking assistance to park the vehicle 1 in the target parking area. Specifically, the parking control unit 22 performs automatic control associated with parking assistance by referring to driving information from the start to the end of parking, which can be acquired from the parking learning information 27, or by calculating a driving route, etc., from the position information of the target parking area and the current position of the vehicle 1. Note that FIG. 8(A) shows a positional relationship in which the target parking area P can be entered from the lane on the side where the target parking area P is located. For example, the vehicle 1 can enter the target parking area P as shown in FIG. 7 from the position shown in FIG. 6. Note that in this case, parking assistance can be performed by either forward parking or backward parking. On the other hand, FIG. 8(B) shows a positional relationship in which the target parking area P is entered from the lane opposite to the lane on the side where the target parking area P is located. In this case, it is desirable to control so that parking assistance is performed by forward parking for safety reasons. In this control, the parking control unit 22 acquires input information from various vehicle sensors, i.e., the wheel speed sensor 41, the acceleration sensor 42, the gyro sensor 43, the accelerator sensor 44, the brake sensor 45, the steering angle sensor 46, etc. Then, based on the input information, the parking control unit 22 calculates the operation amount of the brake device 10, the electric parking brake device 11, the engine 12, the transmission 13, the steering device 14, etc. Furthermore, based on the operation amount, the parking control unit 22 realizes parking assistance control of the vehicle 1 by outputting control signals to the engine ECU 61, the steering ECU 62, the transmission ECU 63, the brake ECU 64, the electric parking brake ECU 65, etc. At that time, the parking control unit 22 acquires information such as the position and size of objects existing in the target parking area and its surroundings from the external sensor 33, and controls the vehicle 1 while referring to this information. Here, the parking control unit 22 may use an external sensor 33 to detect the positions of other vehicles parked adjacent to the target parking area, garage walls, etc., and park the vehicle 1 by ensuring equal space between the other vehicles, garage walls, etc. and the vehicle 1's own vehicle based on the positions and the vehicle width dimension of the vehicle 1.Furthermore, when the space between the vehicle and other vehicles or the wall of the garage is less than a predetermined value (for example, when it is difficult to open or close the door), the parking control unit 22 may stop the parking assistance control and announce it to the driver, etc. By this parking assistance control, parking operations (for example, brake pedal operation, steering operation, accelerator pedal operation, shift operation, etc.) by the driver are not required.

[0045] In step 16, the parking control unit 22 judges whether or not the driver has performed a driving operation during automatic control of the parking assistance. If an operation has been performed, it is determined that the parking assistance has been canceled and the process proceeds to step 11 (Yes), otherwise the process proceeds to step 12 (No). In step 17, the parking control unit 22 executes normal control by the driver's own parking operation of the vehicle 1. In this parking assistance process, the parking control unit 22 executes the normal control in the following cases: the parking assistance setting is disabled, the driver has selected not to perform parking assistance, there is an obstacle or the like in the parking area, or the driver has performed a parking operation.

[0046] In step 18, the parking information learning unit 24 stores the position information of the parking area where the vehicle 1 is parked by the parking control by the parking assistance in step 9 or the parking operation by the driver himself in step 11 and various information related to the parking in the storage means as the parking history information 26. Specifically, the parking information learning unit 24 registers data including the position information of the parking area where the vehicle 1 is parked in step 9 or step 11, the driving information (route, vehicle speed, inclination) from the start of parking to the parking position, the parking start date and time, and the parking end date and time in the parking history information 26. The start of parking can be identified, for example, by the timing when the shift operation of the vehicle 1 is changed from drive (D) to reverse (R) and the vehicle 1 is reversed. On the other hand, the end of parking can be identified, for example, by the timing when the electric parking brake device 11 is operated or the ignition switch is turned off.

[0047] In step 18, the parking information learning unit 24 registers (updates) the parking learning information 27 based on the information registered in the parking history information 26. Specifically, when data corresponding to the parking area where the vehicle is currently parked has already been registered in the parking learning information 27, the parking information learning unit 24 reflects information related to the current parking in the parking frequency, number of parking attempts, and parking time of the data. On the other hand, when data corresponding to the parking area where the vehicle is currently parked has not been registered in the parking learning information 27, the parking information learning unit 24 newly registers data corresponding to the parking area and then reflects information related to the current parking. Then, the parking information learning unit 24 determines whether the parking area of ​​the data satisfies a predetermined condition for being a target parking area for parking assistance based on the parking frequency, number of parking attempts, and parking time of the data. The predetermined condition can be, for example, at least one of the following cases: the parking frequency of the parking learning information 27 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the number of parking attempts is equal to or greater than a predetermined number, and the parking time is equal to or greater than a predetermined time. When the parking area of ​​the data satisfies the predetermined condition, the parking information learning unit 24 sets information indicating that the parking area is a target parking area for parking assistance to the parking assistance target information of the data. In addition, the parking information learning unit 24 can also register the parking learning information 27 at any other timing (for example, when the ignition switch of the vehicle 1 is turned on or at a preset time) based on the accumulated parking history information 26, instead of at step 18.

[0048] According to the driving assistance process, when the vehicle 1 is parked in a parking area, the parking history information 26 is stored, and the parking learning information 27 is generated based on the parking history information 26. Then, based on the parking learning information 27, for example, a parking area where the driver of the vehicle 1 frequently parks can be identified. Furthermore, the parking area can be set as a target parking area for parking assistance, and when the vehicle 1 approaches the target parking area, automatic control of the parking assistance can be automatically executed. Therefore, the driver can leave the parking operation to the vehicle 1 by simply approaching the frequently used parking area, without having to explicitly perform an operation to start parking assistance. Therefore, the parking operation by the driver is greatly simplified.

[0049] In addition, in the driving assistance process, the target parking area is stored in the parking history information 26 and the parking learning information 27 in association with the position information of the vehicle 1 obtained by the satellite positioning system signal receiver 31. Therefore, for example, even if the situation around the target parking area changes, it is possible to accurately detect the target parking area. Furthermore, according to the driving assistance process, automatic control of parking assistance is executed according to a combination of preset parking assistance availability information 25 and the operation of the parking assistance execution switch 34, which can be operated when the vehicle 1 approaches within a predetermined distance from the target parking area. That is, the driver can always execute the automatic control of parking assistance, or execute it after confirming each time, or never execute it. Therefore, the execution availability of the automatic control of parking assistance can be adapted to the needs of all drivers.

[0050] In the driving assistance process of this embodiment, particularly when the target parking area is located on the opposite lane to the driving lane of the vehicle 1, a detour route that allows the driver to enter the target parking area from the opposite lane to which the target parking area is located is presented to the driver, etc. Therefore, parking assistance is realized more smoothly even for the target parking area located along a road with multiple lanes.

[0051] Furthermore, when the vehicle 1 approaches the target parking area further, if the target parking area is located on the opposite lane of the vehicle 1's driving lane on the road on which the vehicle 1 is currently traveling (for example, if the driver does not use the above-mentioned detour route for some reason, such as by judgment), the following processing is realized. That is, if the road on which the vehicle 1 is currently traveling is prohibited for vehicles to cross, parking assistance is not performed, and subsequent operations are left to the driver. Also, if the road is not prohibited for crossing, parking assistance is started if the road is crossable, and if not, it is waited until the road is crossable. Therefore, parking assistance can be appropriately realized even if the target parking area is located on the opposite lane of the vehicle 1's driving lane on the road on which the vehicle 1 approaches further.

[0052] In this embodiment, the distance that the vehicle 1 approaches the target parking area is determined in two stages (steps 1 and 5 in FIG. 5), and the detour route is presented only at the first stage of approach. However, the detour route may also be presented at the second stage when the vehicle 1 approaches the target parking area further. It is also possible to further increase the timing of presenting the detour route. That is, it is also possible to set an arbitrary number of determination distances from the target parking area (e.g., hundreds of meters, tens of meters, etc.), and to search for and present the detour route each time the vehicle approaches the determination distance from the target parking area. In this way, for example, even if the driver does not use the detour route presented at first, the driver can use the detour route presented at the stage of further approaching the target parking area. In addition, if the distance of the detour route is more than a predetermined value longer than the distance of a predetermined route (e.g., the shortest route) from the current position of vehicle 1 to the target parking area, or if the time required for the detour route is more than a predetermined value longer than the time required for the predetermined route, the detour route may be avoided by not presenting the detour route.

[0053] [Second embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the second embodiment, a case will be described in which a driver or the like designates a target parking area as a destination in advance, and a route to the target parking area is guided by a navigation system 51. This embodiment also includes a case in which the vehicle 1 travels the route by automatic driving, for example. In addition, in this embodiment, when designating a target parking area as a destination, it is possible to designate the parking orientation (forward parking or backward parking). Below, differences from the first embodiment will be particularly described, and overlapping contents will be omitted as a rule.

[0054] 9 shows the parking learning information 27 in the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the parking learning information 27 further includes information indicating a parking orientation designated by a driver or the like for the parking area indicated by the data. The other items are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described.

[0055] Next, the parking assistance process executed by the parking assistance device 21 in the second embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIG. 10 to FIG. In step 21, the route presenting unit 23 presents the information on the target parking area stored in the parking learning information 27 to the driver, etc. The target parking area can be presented, for example, on the display 52 in a list format or a format superimposed on map information. Then, the route presenting unit 23 accepts a selection input of the target parking area to be the destination by the driver, etc. The driver, etc. can perform an input operation, for example, by touch panel input on the display 52.

[0056] In step 22, the route presentation unit 23 receives a designated input of the parking orientation (forward parking or backward parking) for the target parking area by the driver. The route presentation unit 23 then stores the designated parking orientation information in the parking learning information 27. It is also possible to use the parking orientation information designated when previously parking in the same target parking area. In this case, a confirmation input of whether to park in the same parking orientation as the previous time may be requested, or it may be set to automatically park in the same parking orientation as the previous time, thereby omitting the input by the driver, etc. In step 23, the route presentation unit 23 searches for a route to the selected target parking area and provides route guidance to the target parking area. The route search and guidance can be realized by, for example, the navigation system 51.

[0057] In step 24, the parking control unit 22 determines whether or not the current position of the vehicle 1 is within a predetermined distance from the selected target parking area based on the position information of the vehicle 1 acquired from the satellite positioning system signal receiver 31. If it is within the predetermined distance from the target parking area, the process proceeds to step 25 (Yes), and if not, the determination in step 24 is continued (No). In step 25, the parking control unit 22 notifies the driver or the like that the selected target parking area is located near the vehicle 1.

[0058] In step 26, the route presentation unit 23 determines whether or not the target parking area is located on the opposite lane to the lane on which the vehicle 1 is currently traveling on the road. If the target parking area is located on the opposite lane to the lane on which the vehicle 1 is currently traveling, the process proceeds to step 27 (Yes), and if not, the process proceeds to step 30 in FIG. 11 (No).

[0059] In step 27, the route presentation unit 23 searches for a detour route to enter the target parking area from the lane on the side in which the target parking area is located (the lane opposite the lane in which the vehicle 1 is currently traveling) and presents it to the driver, etc. In step 28, the route presenting unit 23 determines whether to provide route guidance to the target parking area using the detour route presented in step 27, that is, whether to use the detour route. As a method of this determination, for example, the driver or the like may select whether to use the presented detour route, and the determination may be made based on the result of the selection. As another method, when the distance of the detour route is longer than the distance of the originally planned route (predetermined route) from the current position of the vehicle 1 to the target parking area by a predetermined value or more, or when the required time of the detour route is longer than the required time of the planned route by a predetermined value or more, the detour route may be determined not to be used, and the use of the detour route may be avoided. Only in such cases, the driver or the like may select whether to use the presented detour route, and the determination may be made based on the result of the selection. If the detour route is to be used, the process proceeds to step 29 (Yes), and if not, the process proceeds to step 30 (No).

[0060] In addition, if the distance of the detour route is longer than the distance of the originally planned route from the current position of vehicle 1 to the target parking area by a predetermined value or more, or if the time required for the detour route is longer than the time required for the planned route by a predetermined value or more, in step 27, the detour route may not be presented in the first place, and the use of the detour route may be automatically avoided. In step 29, the route presenting unit 23 changes to the detour route presented in step 27 and provides route guidance to the target parking area.

[0061] In step 30, the parking control unit 22 determines whether the vehicle 1 is approaching within a predetermined distance, that is, within a range where parking assistance can be started, based on the position information of the vehicle 1 acquired from the satellite positioning system signal receiving device 31. If the vehicle 1 is approaching the target parking area, the process proceeds to step 31 (Yes); otherwise, the determination in step 30 is continued.

[0062] In step 31, the route presentation unit 23 determines whether or not the target parking area is located on the opposite lane to the lane on which the vehicle 1 is currently traveling on the road. If the target parking area is located on the opposite lane to the lane on which the vehicle 1 is traveling, the process proceeds to step 32 (Yes), and if not, the process proceeds to step 38 in FIG. 12 (No).

[0063] In step 32, the route presentation unit 23 determines whether or not the road on which the vehicle 1 is currently traveling is a vehicle crossing prohibition. If the road is a vehicle crossing prohibition, the process proceeds to step 33 (Yes), and if not, the process proceeds to step 36 (No). In step 33, the route presenting unit 23 searches for a detour route that can enter the target parking area from the lane on the side where the target parking area is located, and presents it to the driver, etc. In the first embodiment, when the vehicle 1 approaches within a range where parking assistance for the target parking area can be started, the detour route is not searched for and presented again, but in the second embodiment, the detour route is searched for and presented even at this stage.

[0064] In step 34, the route presenting unit 23 determines whether to provide route guidance to the target parking area using the detour route presented in step 27, that is, whether to use the detour route. If the detour route is to be used, the process proceeds to step 35 (Yes), and if not, the process proceeds to step 17 in FIG. 5 (No). In step 35, the route presenting unit 23 changes to the detour route presented in step 27 and provides route guidance to the target parking area.

[0065] In step 36, the parking control unit 22 judges whether or not the vehicle 1 is in a situation in which it is possible to cross the road in order to park in the target parking area. If it is in a situation in which it is possible to cross the road, the process proceeds to step 37 (Yes), and if not, the process proceeds to step 38 in FIG. 12 (No). In step 37, the parking control unit 22 waits until a situation arises in which the vehicle 1 can cross the road.

[0066] In step 38, the parking control unit 22 refers to the parking learning information 27 and determines whether the parking orientation specified in step 22 is rear-end parking. If the parking orientation is rear-end parking, the process proceeds to step 39 (Yes), and if not, the process proceeds to step 10 in FIG. 5 (No). In step 39, the parking control unit 22 refers to information indicating the congestion state of the lane in which the vehicle 1 is currently traveling, i.e., the traveling lane on the side where the target parking area is located, and judges whether or not the road is congested. Information indicating the congestion state is, for example, information detected by a camera, radar, or lidar, which is an example of the external sensor 33, or information such as congestion information that can be provided in conjunction with map information. If the traveling lane is congested, proceed to step 40 (Yes), and if not, proceed to step 17 in FIG. 5 (No).

[0067] In step 40, the parking control unit 22 judges whether or not to stop the execution of the parking assistance. As a method of this judgment, for example, the driver or the like may select and input whether or not to stop the execution of the parking assistance, and the judgment may be made based on the result of the selection. If the execution of the parking assistance is to be stopped, the process proceeds to step 17 in FIG. 5 (Yes), and if not, the process proceeds to step 10 in FIG. 5 (No). The process from step 10 in Fig. 5 onwards is the same as in the first embodiment, and therefore the description will be omitted. In the second embodiment, when performing automatic control for parking assistance in step 15 in Fig. 5, it is possible to refer to the parking orientation designation information in the parking learning information 27 and perform parking assistance in a direction according to the parking orientation designation.

[0068] According to the second embodiment, when route guidance to a target parking area as a destination is performed and the target parking area is located on the opposite lane to the lane of the vehicle 1, the following processing is performed. That is, when a detour route that allows entry into the target parking area from the opposite lane where the target parking area is located is presented, a determination is made as to whether or not to use the detour route. The determination may be realized, for example, by having the driver or the like select whether or not to use the detour route after the detour route is presented. In addition, whether or not to use the detour route can be automatically selected by comparing the distance, the required time, and the like with the planned route. Therefore, parking assistance can be performed by appropriately using the detour route depending on the situation, and convenience is further improved.

[0069] In the second embodiment, when the parking orientation designation for the target parking area as the destination is rear parking, if the road is congested, the driver, etc. can select whether or not to perform parking assistance. In this case, when the traffic volume is high, the driver, etc. can, for example, perform forward parking by his / her own operation, or not perform parking at all. In this case, parking assistance may be performed by switching from rear parking to forward parking. In the above description, the presence or absence of congestion is determined when the vehicle 1 is traveling in the lane on the side where the target parking area is located, but the presence or absence of congestion may also be determined in the same way when parking assistance is performed from the opposite lane on a road that the vehicle can cross. In addition, when the road is congested, the driver, etc. may be able to select whether or not to perform parking assistance in the same way.

[0070] [others] The above-described embodiments of the present invention are merely some of the possible implementations within the technical scope of the present invention, and are disclosed as examples of the present invention, and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the functional and physical configurations in each embodiment are not limited to the above-described aspects, and for example, each function or physical resource can be integrated and implemented, or conversely, can be further distributed and implemented, and further, some of the configurations can be added, deleted, or replaced with other configurations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1...vehicle, 21...parking assistance device, 22...parking control unit, 23...route presentation unit, 24...parking information learning unit, 25...parking assistance availability information, 26...parking history information, 27...parking learning information, 31...satellite positioning system signal receiving device, 32...communication device, 33...external sensor, 34...parking assistance execution switch

Claims

1. a parking information learning unit that stores parking information including position information of the parking area each time the vehicle is parked in the parking area, learns a parking area that satisfies a predetermined condition among the parking areas included in the parking information as a target parking area for parking assistance, and registers the parking area in the parking information; a route presenting unit that determines whether the vehicle has approached within a first distance from the target parking area based on position information of the target parking area and current position information of the vehicle, and when the vehicle has approached within the first predetermined distance and it is detected that the target parking area is located on the opposite lane to the vehicle's driving lane, searches for and presents a detour route that can enter the target parking area from the opposite lane; a parking control unit that executes automatic control of parking assistance to park the vehicle in the target parking area when the vehicle approaches within a second distance from the target parking area; A parking assistance device comprising:

2. 2. The parking assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the route presentation unit, when detecting that the target parking area is located on an opposite lane to the vehicle's driving lane, determines whether or not a road on which the vehicle is driving is a vehicle crossing prohibited road, and if the road is a vehicle crossing prohibited road, searches for and presents the detour route.

3. 2. The parking assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the parking control unit refers to setting information indicating whether the parking orientation into the target parking area is to be either forward parking or backward parking, and when the parking orientation of the setting information is backward parking, refers to information indicating a congestion state of the driving lane, and when the driving lane is congested, determines whether or not to perform parking assistance based on a user's selection.

4. 2. The parking assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the route presentation unit is configured to avoid using the detour route or to determine whether to use the detour route based on a user's selection when a distance of the detour route is longer than a distance of a predetermined route from the current position of the vehicle to the target parking area by a predetermined value or when a time required for the detour route is longer than a time required for the predetermined route by a predetermined value or more.

5. 2. The parking assistance device according to claim 1, wherein when the vehicle approaches within the second distance from the target parking area and detects that the target parking area is located on the opposite lane to the vehicle's driving lane, the route presentation unit further searches for and presents a detour route for entering the target parking area from the opposite lane.

Images