Parking assistance device

Abstract

To provide a parking support device, which in making an own vehicle to be automatically parked in a parking lot, can detect a parking space in which the own vehicle can be parked and guide the vehicle to the space, even when the device cannot recognize a parking frame because of adverse environments such as accumulated snow and accumulated mud.SOLUTION: A parking support device 1 comprises an operation support control unit 11 that allows an own vehicle M to be automatically parked in a parking space. The operation support control unit 11 sets parking allowance widths α0-α2 at left and right sides of the own vehicle M; sets a required parking space αs for the own vehicle M; compares a parking interval between parked vehicles Pv determined based on the environment information with the required parking space αs; and when determining that the parking interval between the parked vehicles Pv is larger than the required parking space αs, determines that spaces between the parked vehicles Pv are parking spaces SP1 and SP2, and then guides the own vehicle M to the parking spaces SP1 and SP2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a parking assistance device that can smoothly park a host vehicle even in a parking lot where a parking frame drawn on the road surface cannot be recognized.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a parking assistance device that assists an operation when a driver parks a host vehicle in a parking frame that demarcates a parking space set in a parking lot and reduces the burden on the driver. In this type of parking assistance device, when the driver operates the host vehicle and drives it in the parking lot, the control unit detects candidates for available parking frames and displays the parking frames listed in the candidates on a monitor. The driver selects a desired parking frame from the displayed parking frame candidates.

[0003] Then, the control unit sets a parking guidance route for parking the host vehicle in the parking frame selected by the driver. Then, the control unit automatically parks the host vehicle in the parking frame along the parking guidance route. Alternatively, the driver drives the host vehicle along the parking guidance route displayed on the monitor and parks it in the parking frame.

[0004] In the above-described conventional parking assistance device, when parking the host vehicle in a parking frame, first, an available parking frame is detected. Therefore, if the road surface of the parking lot is covered with snow, crown mud remaining after flooding, etc., and the parking frame drawn on the road surface cannot be recognized, it becomes difficult for the driving assistance device to construct a parking guidance route for guiding the host vehicle to the parking frame.

[0005] Drivers need parking assistance by a parking assistance device more in a bad environment where it is difficult to recognize a parking space than in a good environment. For example, in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2021-3926), when the parking space in a parking lot cannot be recognized due to snow accumulation, first, information on a pair of ruts determined to be driving tracks engraved on the snow accumulation is acquired, and a position where the ruts are interrupted in the parking space direction is set as the stop position of the tires of the own vehicle at the time of parking. Then, a target parking guidance path for guiding the own vehicle along the pair of ruts up to this stop position is set.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] However, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the parking assistance device cannot detect a pair of ruts engraved on the snow accumulation, even if the driver visually recognizes an empty parking space, the parking assistance control does not function, which will give discomfort to the driver.

[0008] That is, when a driver tries to park the own vehicle in a parking lot of a store or the like, especially in a situation where the parking lot has a bad environmental surface due to snow accumulation, mud on the road surface, etc., the driver tries to park in a parking space as close to the store as possible. Therefore, a plurality of vehicles enter and exit an empty parking space close to the store, and naturally, a plurality of types of ruts are engraved.

[0009] When the driver tries to park the own vehicle in a parking space using the parking assistance function in such an environment, the parking assistance device will select a parking space with a pair of ruts engraved far from the store, which will cause inconvenience to the passengers including the driver.

[0010] When attempting to park the host vehicle in a parking space using a parking assistance function, the present invention aims to provide a parking assistance device that can detect a parkable parking space even when it is unable to recognize a parking frame, and moreover, when there are multiple types of tire tracks inscribed in the vacant parking space or even when there are no tire tracks at all.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0011] The present invention One aspect is a parking assistance device that provides driving assistance when parking the host vehicle in a parking space in a parking lot, comprising an environmental information acquisition unit that acquires environmental information around the host vehicle, a required parking space setting unit that sets a parking margin width on the left and right of the host vehicle to set a required parking space for the host vehicle, a parking interval calculation unit that obtains a parking interval between parked vehicles based on the environmental information acquired by the environmental information acquisition unit, a parkable space setting unit that compares the required parking space set by the required parking space setting unit with the parking interval of the parked vehicles obtained by the parking interval calculation unit and sets the space between the parked vehicles as a parkable space when it is determined that the parking interval is wider than the required parking space, and a parking assistance unit that guides the host vehicle to the parkable space set by the parkable space setting unit The parking support unit includes: setting a position obtained by adding the length from the parked vehicle adjacent to the driver's seat side of the host vehicle to the center in the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle in the parking margin width to the target parking guidance path, and guiding the vehicle so that the center in the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle coincides with the target parking guidance path. . One aspect of the present invention is a parking support device that provides driving support when parking a host vehicle in a parking space in a parking lot, including: an environmental information acquisition unit that acquires environmental information around the host vehicle; a necessary parking space setting unit that sets a parking margin width on the left and right of the host vehicle and sets a necessary parking space for the host vehicle; a parking interval calculation unit that obtains a parking interval between parked vehicles based on the environmental information acquired by the environmental information acquisition unit; a parking available space setting unit that compares the necessary parking space set by the necessary parking space setting unit with the parking interval of the parked vehicles obtained by the parking interval calculation unit, and sets the space between the parked vehicles as a parking available space when it is determined that the parking interval is wider than the necessary parking space; and a parking support unit that guides the host vehicle to the parking available space set by the parking available space setting unit. When the parking available space setting unit sets a plurality of parking available spaces, the parking support device further includes a parking space selection unit that allows a driver to select one from the parking available spaces, and the parking support unit guides the host vehicle to the parking available space selected by the parking space selection unit.

Advantages of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, when attempting to guide the host vehicle to a parking space in a parking lot, first, the parking interval between parked vehicles that are already parked is obtained, and this parking interval is compared with the required parking space required by the host vehicle. When it is determined that this parking interval is wider than the required parking space, the space between the parked vehicles is determined as a parkable space, and the host vehicle is guided to this parkable space. Therefore, when attempting to guide the host vehicle to a parking space, even when the parking frame cannot be recognized in a harsh environment such as snow accumulation or mud on the road surface, and moreover, even when there are multiple types of tire tracks inscribed in the vacant parking space or even when there are no tire tracks at all, the parkable parking space for the host vehicle can be detected and the vehicle can be guided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The parking assistance device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on the host vehicle M (see FIGS. 7 and 9). This parking assistance device 1 includes a driving assistance control unit 11. This driving assistance control unit 11 is composed of a microcontroller including a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, a rewritable non-volatile memory (flash memory or EEPROM), and peripheral devices. The ROM stores programs and fixed data necessary for the CPU to execute each process. The RAM is provided as a work area for the CPU, and various data in the CPU are temporarily stored. Note that the CPU is also called an MPU (Microprocessor) or a processor. Instead of the CPU, a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) or a GSP (Graph Streaming Processor) may be used. Alternatively, the CPU, the GPU, and the GSP may be selectively combined and used.

[0015] When the driver sets a desired assistance mode, this driving assistance control unit 11 performs driving assistance according to the corresponding assistance mode. The driving assistance control unit 11 includes a driving assistance mode and a parking assistance mode as assistance modes. The driving assistance mode performs map matching on the road map in the road map database 22b based on the host vehicle position information acquired by the GNSS sensor 22a of the map locator unit 22 described later, and autonomously travels in a section where automatic driving is possible along a preset target travel route. Further, in a travel route where automatic driving is difficult, the driving assistance mode executes well-known following inter-vehicle distance (ACC: Adaptive Cruise Control) control, lane keeping (ALK: Active Lane Keep) control, and lane departure suppression (LDP: Lane Departure Prevention) control, and when the host vehicle M detects that it is along the lane and a preceding vehicle, it executes travel control to follow the preceding vehicle.

[0016] On the one hand, in the parking support mode, when the host vehicle M enters a parking lot and the driver drives within the parking lot by himself / herself, if the driver selects this mode, the driving support control unit 11 searches for a parking space where parking is possible and notifies the driver. Then, when the driver selects a desired parking space from among the parking spaces where parking is possible, the host vehicle M is automatically parked in the selected parking space. Also, on the input side of the driving support control unit 11, sensor units for acquiring the driving state information (including position and direction) of the host vehicle M and the surrounding environment information of the host vehicle M, which are necessary when executing the driving support mode and the parking support mode, are connected.

[0017] As the sensor units required when executing each support mode, in this embodiment, a front recognition sensor 21, a map locator unit 22, an autonomous driving sensor 23, a brake sensor 24 that detects depression of the brake pedal and turns on, a select position sensor 25 that detects the select position selected by the driver operating the select lever, a rear sensor 26 that acquires the environmental information behind the host vehicle M, left and right front side sensors 27, and left and right rear side sensors 28 are provided. Incidentally, the environmental information acquisition unit of the present invention is constituted by each of the sensors 21, 26 to 28.

[0018] The front recognition sensor 21 is an image sensor, and in this embodiment, it includes a stereo camera composed of a main camera 21a and a sub-camera 21b using a CCD, a CMOS, or the like as an imaging element, and an image processing unit (IPU) 21c. Both cameras 21a and 21b have a predetermined baseline length and are installed horizontally at equal intervals left and right from the center in the vehicle width direction at a position above the rearview mirror at the front of the vehicle interior and close to the windshield. The front recognition sensor 21 processes the images of the environmental information in a predetermined area captured by both cameras 21a and 21b with the IPU 21c and then transmits them to the driving support control unit 11.

[0019] In addition, the map locator unit 22 includes a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) sensor 22a and a road map database 22b. The GNSS sensor 22a receives positioning signals transmitted from a plurality of positioning satellites to acquire the position coordinates of the host vehicle M. The road map database 22b is a large-capacity storage medium such as an HDD, in which road map information is stored. The road map information stored in this road map database 22b includes road information (general roads, arterial roads, highways, road shapes, road orientations, number of lanes, lane widths, etc.) required when the driving support mode is executed, and static information of parking lots (position information of entrances and exits, site information, etc.) required when the parking support mode is executed.

[0020] The driving support control unit 11 maps the position coordinates (latitude, longitude, altitude) of the host vehicle M acquired by the GNSS sensor 22a onto the road map information stored in the road map database 22b to estimate the vehicle position (current position) on the road map.

[0021] The autonomous driving sensor 23 is a general term for sensors required when the host vehicle M is autonomously driven, and is composed of a vehicle speed sensor that detects the vehicle speed (host vehicle speed) of the host vehicle M, a yaw rate sensor that detects the yaw rate acting on the host vehicle M, a front-rear acceleration sensor that detects the front-rear acceleration, and the like.

[0022] In addition, the rear sensor 26 is composed of a combination of at least one of a monocular camera using a CCD, a CMOS, etc. as an image sensor and an ultrasonic sensor, a millimeter-wave radar, a microwave radar, an infrared sensor, a lidar, a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging), etc. Alternatively, the rear sensor 26 may be a stereo camera composed of a main camera and a sub-camera, similar to the above-described front recognition sensor 21.

[0023] Further, the left and right front side sensors 27 are respectively disposed, for example, at the left and right ridge portions of the front bumper of the host vehicle M, and scan in a fan shape the area (scanning area) from the left and right diagonally front to the side of the host vehicle M. On the other hand, the left and right rear side sensors 28 are arranged, for example, at the left and right ridge portions of the rear bumper, and scan in a fan shape the area that cannot be scanned by the left and right front side sensors 27 from the rear of the host vehicle M to the left and right. Each of these side sensors 27, 28 is composed of a millimeter-wave radar, a microwave radar, a LiDAR, etc., receives the reflected wave from the target (parking vehicle Pv in the parking support mode), and acquires environmental information such as the distance and azimuth from the host vehicle M to the target (parking vehicle Pv).

[0024] Further, the driving support control unit 11 is connected to an HMI (Human Machine Interface) monitor 31. On this HMI monitor 31, there are displayed an initial setting screen that the driver sets in advance before the driving support control unit 11 executes the parking support mode, a mode selection screen for the driver to select either the driving support mode or the parking support mode as the support mode, a parking space selection screen (see FIG. 6) that displays the available parking spaces and allows the driver to select, etc. Incidentally, this HMI monitor 31 may be used in combination with a multi-information display of a combination meter or a navigation display device (navigation monitor) of a car navigation system.

[0025] Further, a drive control actuator 32 and a notification device 33 are connected to the output side of the driving support control unit 11. This drive control actuator 32 is a general term for a power actuator, an electric power steering (EPS) actuator, a brake actuator, etc. that assist the running state of the host vehicle M. Here, the power actuator controls the output of a drive source such as an engine or an electric motor. The EPS actuator controls the drive of the EPS motor. Also, the brake actuator adjusts the brake hydraulic pressure supplied to the brake wheel cylinders provided on each wheel. Further, the notification device 33 audibly notifies the driver of various information required when each support mode is being executed.

[0026] The driving support control unit 11 has a parking support control function that parks the host vehicle M in a parking space on behalf of the driver or supports the driver when the driver attempts to park the host vehicle M in a parking space by his or her own driving. The parking support control executed by the driving support control unit 11 is specifically processed according to the parking support control routine shown in FIG. 3. This routine is executed at every predetermined calculation cycle after the system is started up.

[0027] Here, before explaining the parking support control routine shown in FIG. 3, the parking space initial setting routine shown in FIG. 2 will be explained. Note that the processing in this routine corresponds to the necessary parking space setting unit of the present invention.

[0028] This routine initializes in advance the left and right parking margins of the host vehicle M that are read when the driver executes the parking support mode, and is activated when an item (not shown) of "initial setting" is selected from the menu of the mode selection screen displayed on the HMI monitor 31.

[0029] Then, in step S1, the parking margin in the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle M in a bad environment is set. Generally, in parking support control, when attempting to park the host vehicle M in a parking space, first, a frame (parking frame) that partitions the area of the parking space set as the parking target is recognized. Then, a target parking guidance path is set so that the center in the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle M coincides with the center in the width direction of this parking frame, and the host vehicle M is guided along this target parking guidance path. Therefore, in general parking support control, in a bad environment where the surface of the parking lot is covered with snow or mud and the parking frame cannot be recognized, the target parking guidance path cannot be set.

[0030] Therefore, in the present embodiment, in a bad environment where the parking frame cannot be recognized, in step S1, the left and right parking margins of the host vehicle M are set in advance so that the host vehicle M can be guided to the parking space by bad environment parking support.

[0031] This left and right parking margin width is set from the selection screen displayed on the HMI monitor 31. Fig. 6 shows an example of the display of the screen for selecting the left and right parking margin width. In the display example shown in the figure, the parking margin width (left and right parking margin width) set on the left and right of the host vehicle M is selected step by step, and first, the selection screen for the one-sided parking margin width α0 in the upper row is displayed. This one-sided parking margin width α0 [m] is set at the time of factory shipment. Then, when the "▽" button is touched, the screen for selecting the one-sided parking margin width α1 shown in the middle row is displayed. Here, further, when the "▽" button is touched, the screen for selecting the one-sided parking margin width α2 shown in the lower row is displayed. This left and right parking margin width is set to be gradually wider as α0 > α1 > α2, and the area surrounded by this left and right parking margin width and the front-rear length of the host vehicle M is set as the margin space α. Incidentally, when the "△" button displayed on the lower and middle display screens of Fig. 6 is touched, the screen is returned to the previous screen. Also, the left and right parking margin width may be selectable from three or more levels. Alternatively, the left and right margin widths may be continuously variable.

[0032] Next, proceed to step S2 to check whether the driver has selected the desired left and right parking margin width. Whether the driver has selected the left and right parking margin width is determined, for example, by whether the driver has touched the "OK" button (not shown) on the HMI monitor 31. Then, when the "OK" button is touched, proceed to step S3. Also, if the "OK" button is not touched even after a predetermined time has elapsed, it is determined as uncertain and the routine ends.

[0033] When proceeding to step S3, the data of the required parking space αs for the host vehicle (see Figs. 6 and 7) set based on the vehicle width of the host vehicle M and the set left and right margin spaces α is registered in the non-volatile memory and the routine ends. Incidentally, this required parking space αs for the host vehicle is read in the bad environment parking support subroutine of Fig. 5 described later.

[0034] The processing in the parking support control routine shown in FIG. 3 will be described. The routine is executed at each predetermined calculation cycle after the driving support control unit 11 is activated. First, in step S11, the vehicle position information estimated by the map locator unit 22 is acquired, and the routine proceeds to step S12, where the surrounding map information of the vehicle position is acquired from the map locator unit 22 based on the vehicle position information.

[0035] Next, the routine proceeds to step S13, where the vehicle position is map-matched to the surrounding map to check whether the vehicle M has entered the parking lot. If it is determined that the vehicle has entered the parking lot, the routine proceeds to step S14. If it is determined that the vehicle has not entered the parking lot, the routine ends.

[0036] When the routine proceeds to step S14, the notification device 33 audibly notifies the driver of an announcement asking whether to set the support mode to the parking support mode, and a selection screen for the parking support mode is displayed on the HMI monitor 31, and the routine proceeds to step S15. When the routine proceeds to step S15, it is determined whether the driver has selected the parking support mode. If the driving support mode is selected, the routine proceeds to step S16. If the driver does not select the driving support mode even after a predetermined time has elapsed after the announcement, or if the driver selects manual driving on the HMI monitor 31, the routine ends as it is.

[0037] When the routine proceeds to step S16, the parking support mode is executed and the routine ends. This parking support mode is executed according to the parking support mode execution subroutine shown in FIG. 4. In this subroutine, first, in step S21, the front and front-side environment information recognized by the front recognition sensor 21 and the left and right front-side sensors 27 is acquired. Next, the routine proceeds to step S22 to check whether a parking frame drawn on the road surface for partitioning the parking space is recognized from the acquired front and front-side environment information. This parking frame is recognized, for example, from the front and front-side environment information acquired by the front recognition sensor 21 based on the luminance difference between the road surface and the edge of the parking frame, or the change in the intensity (reflectivity) of the reflected light or reflected wave from the road surface and the parking frame.

[0038] When the driving support control unit 11 determines that a parking space has been recognized, it proceeds to step S23, executes the parking support process in a favorable environment, and then exits the routine. Note that this parking support process in a favorable environment is the same as conventional parking support that guides the host vehicle M to the parking space based on the parking space, so the explanation is omitted.

[0039] On the other hand, when it is determined that the parking space is not recognized, it proceeds to step S24, executes the parking support process in an unfavorable environment, and then exits the routine.

[0040] This parking support process in an unfavorable environment is executed according to the parking support subroutine in an unfavorable environment shown in FIG. 5. In this subroutine, first, in step S31, the required parking space αs of the host vehicle registered in the parking space initial setting routine of FIG. 2 is read.

[0041] Next, it proceeds to step S32. As shown in FIG. 7, when the host vehicle M is slowly traveling in the traffic lane in front of the parking space set in parallel in the field, based on the forward and front-side environment information acquired by the front recognition sensor 21 and the left and right rear-side sensors 28, parked vehicles Pv parked on the left and right of the traffic lane are detected. Note that when the traffic lane itself cannot be recognized due to snow accumulation or mud, the traffic lane is estimated from the map information in the parking lot and the position of the host vehicle. Alternatively, parked vehicles Pv and ruts formed on the snow accumulation or mud are detected, and a place where a plurality of ruts extending in one direction are detected in front of the parked vehicle Pv may be estimated as the traffic lane.

[0042] Next, it proceeds to step S33. Based on the forward and front-side environment information, the interval between adjacent parked vehicles Pv is calculated from the distances between each parked vehicle Pv parked in parallel along the traffic lane and the host vehicle M. The interval between these parked vehicles Pv is based on the forward and front-side environment information acquired by the front recognition sensor 21 and the left and right front-side sensors 27, recognizes objects such as parked vehicles Pv (see FIG. 9) parked in the parallel direction and the outer wall, obtains the width of the recognized objects (parked vehicles Pv, outer wall), and the forward distance from the object to the host vehicle M, and obtains the interval between adjacent objects from this data. Note that the process in step S33 corresponds to the parking interval calculation unit of the present invention.

[0043] Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S34, where the obtained interval between adjacent parked vehicles Pv is compared with the width of the required parking space αs of the host vehicle. Then, when the interval between the parked vehicles Pv is ≥ the width of the required parking space αs of the host vehicle, in step S35, it is determined that there is a space (parking available space) where the host vehicle M can be parked, and the process proceeds to step S36. On the other hand, when the interval between the parked vehicles Pv < the width of the required parking space αs of the host vehicle, in step S35, it is determined that the space is difficult to park, and the process branches to step S37.

[0044] When the process proceeds to step S36, it is checked whether the detection of all parking available space candidates based on the forward and front-side environmental information acquired this time is completed. If it has not been completed yet, the process returns to step S32 to search for the next parking available space candidate. Also, all When the candidates for all parking available spaces are detected, the process proceeds to step S38.

[0045] On the other hand, when the process branches to step S37, similar to step S36, it is checked whether the detection of all parking available spaces is completed based on the forward and front-side environmental information. If it has not been completed yet, the process returns to step S32 to search for the next parking available space candidate. Also, when the candidates for all parking available spaces are detected, the process proceeds to step S38. Note that the processing in steps S35 to S37 corresponds to the parking available space setting unit of the present invention.

[0046] When the process proceeds to step S38, the parking available space detected this time is displayed on the HMI monitor 31. FIG. 8 illustrates the parking available space displayed on the HMI monitor 31. As shown in FIG. 7 described above, when parking available spaces SP1 and SP2 are detected at two locations, the front side and the back side of the traffic lane, the detected parking available spaces SP1 and SP2 are displayed in a bird's-eye view on the HMI monitor 31.

[0047] Next, proceed to step S39, drive the notification device 33, and announce to the driver which of the available parking spaces (SP1 and SP2 in FIG. 7) displayed on the HMI monitor 31 to select. Then, proceed to step S40 to determine whether the driver has selected any of the available parking spaces. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, when the driver wishes to automatically park in the available parking space SP2, touch the available parking space SP2 displayed on the HMI monitor 31. Note that the processing in this step S40 corresponds to the parking space selection unit of the present invention.

[0048] Then, in step S40, if it is determined that the driver has selected any of the available parking spaces, proceed to step S41. Also, if a predetermined time has elapsed after the announcement, or if the host vehicle M has passed in front of the available parking space displayed on the HMI monitor 31, exit the routine.

[0049] When proceeding to step S41, the driving support control unit 11 executes automatic parking for the available parking space (SP2 in FIGS. 7 and 9) selected by the driver and exits the routine.

[0050] For example, when the driver selects to automatically park the host vehicle M in the available parking space SP2, the driving support control unit 11 first sets a target parking guidance path Gr for guiding the host vehicle M to the available parking space SP2 as shown in FIG. 9. This target parking guidance path Gr is set such that the center in the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle M coincides with the center in the width direction of the available parking space SP2. Alternatively, as in the case of the available parking space SP1, when the width direction of the host vehicle M's required parking space αs is greater than or equal to a predetermined value (e.g., 1.5 times), a target parking guidance path Gr may be set to park while leaving a margin space α (see FIG. 6) with respect to the parked vehicle Pv adjacent to the driver's seat side of the host vehicle M.

[0051] Then, after automatically parking the host vehicle M in a predetermined parking space, the driving support control unit 11 exits the routine. Incidentally, this target parking guidance route Gr is set in accordance with the normal target parking guidance route set when a parking frame is recognized. The process in this step S41 corresponds to the parking support unit of the present invention.

[0052] As a result, for example, as shown in FIG. 9, by having the host vehicle M circle around the traffic lane in the parking lot, it is possible to acquire the position information of the entire parked vehicle Pv parked in the parking lot. In this case, similar to FIG. 8 described above, the position of the entire parked vehicle Pv parked in the parking lot and the parking space shown by hatching in the figure are displayed in a bird's-eye view on the HMI monitor 31 so that the driver can select a desired parking space.

[0053] In this way, when attempting to automatically park the host vehicle in a parking space in a parking lot, in this embodiment, when the parking frame that demarcates the parking space cannot be recognized in a bad environment such as snow accumulation or mud on the parking frame, the width of the necessary parking space αs of the host vehicle M and the interval between the already parked vehicle Pv are compared to check whether there is a parking space where the host vehicle M can be parked. Therefore, even when there are multiple types of ruts for entering and exiting the empty parking space as in the prior art, or when there are no ruts at all, the host vehicle M can be easily automatically parked in the empty parking space.

[0054] Incidentally, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, in the process of step S41 described above, the target parking guidance route Gr may be superimposed and displayed in a bird's-eye view around the parking space where parking is to be performed on the HMI monitor 31 so that the driver can park the host vehicle M along the target parking guidance route Gr by his / her own driving.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0055] 1... Parking support device, 11... Driving support control unit, 21... Front recognition sensor, 21a... Main camera, 21b… Sub - camera, 21c… Image processing unit (IPU), 22… Map locator unit, 22a… GNSS sensor, 22b… Road map database, 23… Autonomous driving sensor, 24… Brake sensor, 25… Select position sensor, 26… Rear sensor, 27… Left - right front - side sensors, 28… Left - right rear - side sensors, 31… HMI monitor, 32… Drive control actuator, 33… Notification device, Gr… Target parking guidance route, M… Own vehicle, Pv… Parked vehicle, SP1, SP2… Parkable spaces, α… Margin space, α0~α2… One - side parking margin width, αs… Required parking space for own vehicle

Claims

1. In a parking assistance device that provides driving assistance when parking a host vehicle in a parking space in a parking lot, an environmental information acquisition unit that acquires environmental information around the host vehicle; a required parking space setting unit that sets a parking margin width on the left and right of the host vehicle and sets a required parking space for the host vehicle; a parking interval calculation unit that obtains a parking interval between parked vehicles based on the environmental information acquired by the environmental information acquisition unit; a parking available space setting unit that compares the required parking space set by the required parking space setting unit with the parking interval of the parked vehicles obtained by the parking interval calculation unit, and when it is determined that the parking interval is wider than the required parking space, sets the space between the parked vehicles as a parking available space; a parking assistance unit that guides the host vehicle to the parking available space set by the parking available space setting unit and comprising the parking assistance unit sets, as a target parking guidance path, a position obtained by adding the length from a parked vehicle adjacent to the driver's seat side of the host vehicle to the center in the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle to the parking margin width, and guides the vehicle so that the center in the width direction of the host vehicle coincides with the target parking guidance path A parking assistance device characterized by the above.

2. In a parking assistance device that provides driving assistance when parking a host vehicle in a parking space in a parking lot, an environmental information acquisition unit that acquires environmental information around the host vehicle; a required parking space setting unit that sets a parking margin width on the left and right of the host vehicle and sets a required parking space for the host vehicle; a parking interval calculation unit that obtains a parking interval between parked vehicles based on the environmental information acquired by the environmental information acquisition unit; a parking available space setting unit that compares the required parking space set by the required parking space setting unit with the parking interval of the parked vehicles obtained by the parking interval calculation unit, and when it is determined that the parking interval is wider than the required parking space, sets the space between the parked vehicles as a parking available space; a parking assistance unit that guides the host vehicle to the parking available space set by the parking available space setting unit, and comprising when the parking available space setting unit sets a plurality of parking available spaces, further having a parking space selection unit that allows a driver to select one from the parking available spaces, the parking assistance unit guides the host vehicle to the parking available space selected by the parking space selection unit A parking assistance device characterized by the above.

3. The required parking space setting unit can variably set the parking margin width The parking assistance device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above.

4. The parking assistance unit guides the vehicle so that the center in the width direction of the host vehicle coincides with the center in the width direction of the parking space between the parked vehicles. The parking assistance device according to claim 2, characterized by the above.

Images