Parking assistance method and parking assistance device

Abstract

The present invention provides a parking assistance method for assisting with parking a vehicle (1) in a preregistered target parking location (31), wherein when registering the target parking location (31) in a storage device (19b), one of a plurality of parking styles, including at least right angle parking and parallel parking, is selected automatically as the parking style for parking the vehicle (1) in the target parking location (31), the parking style for parking the vehicle (1) in the target parking location (31) is determined according to an input operation by a user with respect to the selected parking style, and the target parking location (31) and the determined parking style are registered in the storage device (19b).

Description

Parking assistance method and parking assistance device

[0001] The present invention relates to a parking assistance method and a parking assistance device.

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 describes that when a parking area that allows either right-angle parking or parallel parking is recognized, a screen that allows the user to select right-angle parking or parallel parking is displayed on the touch panel.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-062715

[0004] In a parking assistance system that assists in parking a vehicle at a pre-registered target parking position, user convenience can be improved by automatically registering a parking style for parking the vehicle at the target parking position. However, depending on the parking style, it may be difficult to appropriately determine the parking style. The present invention aims to accommodate various parking styles while improving user convenience when registering a parking style for parking the vehicle at a pre-registered target parking position.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a parking assistance method for assisting in parking a vehicle at a pre-registered target parking position. In the parking assistance method, when the target parking position is registered in a storage device, one parking style is automatically selected from a plurality of parking styles including at least perpendicular parking and parallel parking as a parking style for parking the vehicle at the target parking position, the parking style for parking the vehicle at the target parking position is determined in accordance with a user's input operation for the selected parking style, and the target parking position and the determined parking style are registered in the storage device.

[0006] According to the present invention, in assisting parking of a vehicle at a pre-registered target parking position, when a parking style for parking the vehicle at the target parking position is registered, it is possible to accommodate various parking styles while improving user convenience.

[0007] 1 is a schematic diagram of a parking assistance device according to an embodiment. (a) to (c) are schematic diagrams of parking styles. (a) is a schematic diagram of an example of a registration guide screen. (b) is a schematic diagram of an example of a registration acceptance screen. (c) is a schematic diagram of an example of a first detailed setting screen. (d) is a flowchart of a parking assistance method according to a first embodiment. (a) and (b) are schematic diagrams explaining an example of a method of detecting a target parking position using learned targets. (c) is a block diagram of an example of a functional configuration of the controller of FIG. 1. (a) and (b) are schematic diagrams of an example of a method of determining a parking style. (c) is a schematic diagram of an example of a parking assistance setting screen. (d) is a schematic diagram of an example of a parking position selection screen. (d) is a schematic diagram of an example of a second detailed setting screen. (d) is a schematic diagram of an example of a first parking assistance screen. (e) is a schematic diagram of an example of a second parking assistance screen. (f) is a flowchart of an example of a target parking position registration process. (f) is a flowchart of an example of a process during parking assistance.

[0008] (First Embodiment) (Configuration) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a parking assistance device according to an embodiment. A host vehicle 1 includes a parking assistance device 10 that assists the host vehicle 1 in parking at a target parking position. The parking assistance device 10 assists the host vehicle 1 in traveling along a target parking path from the current position of the host vehicle 1 to the target parking position. For example, an automatic driving may be performed in which the host vehicle 1 is controlled to travel to the target parking position along the target parking path of the host vehicle 1. The automatic driving that controls the host vehicle 1 to travel to the target parking position along the target parking path of the host vehicle 1 means control of all or part of the steering angle, driving force, and braking force of the host vehicle 1 to automatically perform all or part of the traveling of the host vehicle 1 along the target parking path. Furthermore, parking of the host vehicle 1 may be assisted by displaying the target parking path and the current position of the host vehicle 1 on a display device that is visible to a user (e.g., a passenger such as a driver) in the host vehicle 1.

[0009] The positioning device 11 measures the current position of the vehicle 1. The positioning device 11 includes, for example, a Global Navigation System (GNSS) receiver. Map data is stored in a map database (map DB) 12. The map data stored in the map database 12 may be, for example, map data for navigation or high-precision map data suitable for maps for autonomous driving. The human-machine interface (HMI) 13 is an interface device that exchanges information between the parking assistance device 10 and a user. For example, the HMI 13 may include a display device that can be viewed by the user. In the following description, the display device of the HMI 13 will be simply referred to as the "display device." The HMI 13 may also include an interface (such as a touch panel, button, switch, lever, dial, or keyboard) that accepts operational input from the user.

[0010] The shift switch (shift SW) 14 is a switch used by the driver or the parking assistance device 10 to switch the shift position of the vehicle 1. The external sensor 15 detects objects within a predetermined distance range from the vehicle 1. The external sensor 15 detects the surrounding environment of the vehicle 1, such as the relative position of the vehicle 1 and objects present around the vehicle 1, the distance between the vehicle 1 and the objects, and the direction in which the objects are present. The external sensor 15 may include, for example, a camera that captures the surrounding environment of the vehicle 1. The external sensor 15 may include a distance measuring device such as a laser range finder, radar, LiDAR, or sonar. The vehicle sensor 16 detects various information (vehicle information) about the vehicle 1. For example, the vehicle sensor 16 may include a vehicle speed sensor, a three-axis acceleration sensor, and sensors that detect the steering angle of the steering wheel and the steering angle of the steered wheels. The parking switch (parking SW) 17 is a switch that activates parking assistance control by the parking assistance device 10.

[0011] The controller 19 is an electronic control unit that performs parking assistance control of the host vehicle 1. The controller 19 includes a processor 19a and peripheral components such as a storage device 19b. The processor 19a may be, for example, a CPU or an MPU. The storage device 19b may include a semiconductor storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, or the like. The functions of the controller 19 described below are realized, for example, by the processor 19a executing a computer program stored in the storage device 19b. The parking brake 20 generates friction braking force on the wheels of the host vehicle 1 in accordance with a user's operation or a control signal from the controller 19. The steering actuator 21a controls the steering mechanism of the host vehicle 1 in accordance with the control signal from the controller 19. The accelerator actuator 21b controls the accelerator opening of a drive device such as an engine or a drive motor in accordance with the control signal from the controller 19. The brake actuator 21c activates a braking device in accordance with the control signal from the controller 19.

[0012] Next, parking assist control by the controller 19 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2( a) and 2(b). The user registers a target parking position 31 in the storage device 19b before using the parking assist control. When registering the target parking position 31, the user manually parks the host vehicle 1 at the target parking position 31. FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are schematic diagrams showing the situation in which the host vehicle 1 is parked at the target parking position 31 when registering the target parking position 31. FIG. 2(a) shows the case of perpendicular parking, and FIG. 2(b) shows the case of parallel parking. Reference numeral 30 indicates the travel path when the host vehicle 1 is manually parked. Reference numeral 32 indicates a turning position on the travel path 30, which is the position where the host vehicle 1 turns. Note that "turning" refers to the operation of changing the shift position of the host vehicle 1 from a forward driving position to a reverse driving position when parking backward. Reference symbol PW denotes an aisle through which the vehicle 1 can travel when parking at the target parking position 31, and the target parking position 31 faces the aisle PW. In the following description, the width direction and traffic direction of the aisle PW may be referred to as the "aisle width direction Dw" and the "depth direction Dd," respectively. Perpendicular parking and parallel parking refer to parking perpendicularly and parallel to the traffic direction (i.e., the depth direction Dd) of the aisle PW that the target parking position 31 faces. Perpendicular parking may also include parking at a right angle to the traffic direction of the aisle.

[0013] When registering the target parking position 31 in the storage device 19b, the user performs an operation to instruct the registration of the target parking position 31 (hereinafter, this may be referred to as a "registration operation"). For example, the registration operation may be performed by operating (pressing) the parking switch 17 when the shift position is in the parking range. The controller 19 may automatically start the registration process of the target parking position 31 when the shift position is changed to the parking range. The parking assistance device 10 may be switchable between an automatic registration start mode, in which the registration process of the target parking position 31 is automatically started when the shift position is changed to the parking range, and a manual registration start mode, in which the registration process is started when the parking switch 17 is operated when the shift position is in the parking range. When the registration process is started, the controller 19 detects the target parking position 31. For example, the target parking position 31 may be detected based on the measurement results of the current position of the vehicle 1 by the positioning device 11. The controller 19 displays a registration guidance screen on the display device to guide the user to register the target parking position 31. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an example of the registration guidance screen. For example, the registration guide screen 40a includes a captured image 41 generated by capturing an image of the surroundings of the vehicle 1, and an overhead image 42 generated by converting the captured image of the surroundings of the vehicle 1. A vehicle icon 42a indicating the current position of the vehicle 1 is superimposed on the overhead image 42.

[0014] The registration guidance screen 40a includes a registration button 43a and an end button 43b as GUI (Graphical User Interface) components that accept user operations. The display device is provided with a touch panel, and when the user operates a GUI component displayed on the display device, the controller 19 accepts the user's operation via the touch panel. When the end button 43b is operated, the controller 19 cancels the registration process of the target parking position 31. When the registration button 43a is operated, the controller 19 automatically selects one of a plurality of parking styles, including at least perpendicular parking and parallel parking, as a parking style for parking the host vehicle 1 at the target parking position 31, and displays a registration acceptance screen on the display device that accepts the registration operation of the target parking position 31. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an example of the registration acceptance screen. For example, the registration acceptance screen 40b includes an overhead image 42. A guide frame 42b indicating the target parking position 31 is superimposed on the overhead image 42. The registration reception screen 40b also includes, as GUI components, an end button 43b, a parking position adjustment button 43c and a parking direction adjustment button 43d for fine-tuning the position and orientation of the target parking position 31, an advanced settings button 43e, and a decision button 43f. When the advanced settings button 43e is operated, the controller 19 displays on the display device a first advanced settings screen for receiving advanced settings of the target parking position 31 from the user.

[0015] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an example of the first detailed setting screen. The first detailed setting screen 40c includes an overhead image 42. The GUI components include a registration number selection operation area 44a, a parking style selection operation area 44b, an automatic detection mode setting operation area 44c, and a back button 44d. The registration number selection operation area 44a is an area for selecting which of the multiple storage areas 1 to 5 the target parking position 31 will be stored in. The parking style selection operation area 44b is an area for accepting a user's operation for selecting a parking style for parking the host vehicle 1 at the target parking position 31. When the first detailed setting screen 40c is displayed for the first time after the controller 19 automatically selects a parking style, the parking style automatically selected by the controller 19 is presented in the parking style selection operation area 44b. In the example of FIG. 5, "perpendicular parking" is presented as the parking style automatically selected by the controller 19. For example, the controller 19 may accept a parking style selection operation by the user by switching the parking style presented in the parking style selection operation area 44b from among a plurality of parking styles each time the parking style selection operation area 44b is pressed. This accepts a user operation input to change the parking style that the controller 19 automatically selected and presented. The controller 19 may accept a parking style selection operation by displaying a menu for selecting a parking style.

[0016] The automatic detection mode setting operation area 44c is an area for selecting whether or not to automatically start parking assist control for the target parking position 31 when the host vehicle 1 approaches the target parking position 31. When the back button 44d is operated, the display of the HMI 13 returns to the registration acceptance screen 40b of FIG. 4. When the confirm button 43f is operated, the controller 19 registers the target parking position 31 and the currently selected parking style in the storage device 19b. Furthermore, if the HMI 13 displays the registration acceptance screen 40b of FIG. 4 and no operation is performed for a certain period of time, the controller 19 may register the target parking position 31 and the currently selected parking style in the storage device 19b. Note that if the first detailed setting screen 40c is not operated for a certain period of time after the parking style selection operation area 44b is operated to change the parking style by the user, the display may automatically return to the registration acceptance screen 40b without reflecting the user's change operation. In this case, when the confirm button 43f is operated, the controller 19 automatically registers the selected parking style. Alternatively, the display may return to the registration acceptance screen 40b with the change operation reflected. In this case, the parking style selected by the user is registered. Also, after the first detailed setting screen 40c is displayed for the first time after the controller 19 automatically selects the parking style, if the user does not change the parking style and does not operate the first detailed setting screen 40c for a certain period of time, the screen may return to the registration acceptance screen 40b with the parking style automatically selected by the controller 19 selected. In this case, when the enter button 43f is operated, the parking style automatically selected by the controller 19 is registered.

[0017] (Operation) Figure 6 is a flowchart of the parking assistance method of the first embodiment. In step S1, the controller 19 detects the target parking position 31. In step S2, the controller 19 selects one of a plurality of parking styles. In step S3, the controller 19 presents the selected parking style to the user. In step S4, the controller 19 accepts an input operation by the user for the presented parking style. In step S5, the controller 19 registers the target parking position 31 and the parking style selected in response to the input operation.

[0018] Second Embodiment When registering a target parking position 31 in the storage device 19b, the controller 19 in the second embodiment registers targets present around the target parking position 31 as "learned targets." When assisting parking of the host vehicle 1, targets detected around the host vehicle 1 are compared with the learned targets to detect the relative position of the target parking position 31 with respect to the host vehicle 1. Hereinafter, targets detected around the host vehicle 1 and compared with the learned targets during parking assistance may be referred to as "surrounding targets." FIGS. 7( a) and 7(b) are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of a method for detecting the target parking position 31 using learned targets. When registering the target parking position 31, targets present around the target parking position 31 are extracted and registered (stored) in advance in the storage device 19b as learned targets. For example, as shown in FIG. 7( a), the host vehicle 1 is manually driven along a parking path 30 and parked at a target parking position 31. During this time, targets present around the host vehicle 1 are detected by the external sensor 15 and stored as learned targets. Circles schematically represent learned targets. For example, the controller 19 may store the relative positions of the learned targets with respect to the target parking position 31. The controller 19 can acquire the positions of the learned targets detected when the host vehicle 1 is parked at the target parking position 31 as the relative positions of the learned targets with respect to the target parking position 31. For example, the controller 19 may store the coordinates of the learned targets and the target parking position 31 in a coordinate system with a fixed point as the reference point (hereinafter referred to as a "map coordinate system"). The controller 19 stores learned target data related to the learned targets in the storage device 19b. For example, the learned target data may include data representing the feature amounts of the learned target (hereinafter referred to as "feature amount data"), data on the relative positional relationship between the target parking position 31 and the learned target (hereinafter referred to as "relative position data"), and position data of the target parking position 31 in a map coordinate system. As the relative position data, for example, the relative position of the learned target with respect to the target parking position 31 may be stored. The coordinates of the learned target and the target parking position 31 in the map coordinate system may also be stored.

[0019] See FIG. 7B . The controller 19 starts parking assist control of the host vehicle 1 when a user performs an operation (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as an “activation operation”) to instruct activation of parking assist control of the host vehicle 1. For example, the activation operation may be an operation of the parking switch 17. Alternatively, the parking assist control may be automatically started when the host vehicle 1 approaches a registered target parking position 31. The parking assist device 10 may be switchable between an automatic assistance start mode in which parking assist control is automatically started when the host vehicle 1 approaches a registered target parking position 31, and a manual assistance start mode in which parking assist control is started by an activation operation. When parking assist control starts, the controller 19 uses the external sensor 15 to extract targets around the host vehicle 1 as surrounding targets. Triangular plots represent surrounding targets. The controller 19 detects the target parking position 31 present around the host vehicle 1 by matching the learned targets with the surrounding targets and associating identical feature points with each other. The controller 19 calculates the relative position of the host vehicle 1 with respect to the target parking position 31 based on the relative positional relationship between the host vehicle 1 and surrounding targets detected when parking assistance is performed, and the relative positional relationship between the learned targets associated with the surrounding targets and the target parking position 31. For example, the controller 19 calculates the position of the target parking position 31 on a coordinate system (hereinafter referred to as the "vehicle coordinate system") based on the current position of the host vehicle 1. The controller 19 calculates a target parking path 35 leading from the host vehicle 1's own position 33 to the target parking position 31. The controller 19 performs parking assistance control of the host vehicle 1 based on the calculated target parking path 35.

[0020] 8 is a block diagram of an example of the functional configuration of the controller 19. When the HMI control unit 50 detects a registration operation for the target parking position 31, it outputs a map generation command to the map generation unit 55 to register the learned target data in the storage device 19b. The image conversion unit 52 converts the captured image from the camera into an overhead image seen from a virtual viewpoint directly above the host vehicle 1. The image conversion unit 52 converts the captured image into an overhead image at predetermined intervals and accumulates the converted overhead images along the travel path of the host vehicle 1 to generate a surrounding image, which is an image of the area surrounding the host vehicle 1. The host position calculation unit 53 calculates the current position of the host vehicle 1 on the map coordinate system as its own position using odometry (e.g., dead reckoning) based on vehicle information output from the vehicle sensor 16.

[0021] The target detection unit 54 detects targets from the surrounding image output from the image conversion unit 52. The target detection unit 54 may detect the positions of feature points of the targets and their image feature amounts as targets. The target detection unit 54 outputs the positions of the detected feature points and the image feature amounts as target data to the map generation unit 55 and the target parking position detection unit 57. In addition, in synchronization with the detection of the targets, the target detection unit 54 outputs the self-position acquired from the self-position calculation unit 53 to the map generation unit 55 and the target parking position detection unit 57. The map generation unit 55 generates learned target data in the registration process of the target parking position 31 and registers it as map data 56 in the storage device 19b. For example, the map generation unit 55 receives the target data and the self-position of the vehicle 1 on a map coordinate system synchronized with the target data from the target detection unit 54. The map generation unit 55 acquires position information of the target parking position 31 in the map coordinate system. For example, when the vehicle 1 is located at the target parking position 31, the self-position calculated by the self-position calculation unit 53 may be acquired as the position information of the target parking position 31. The map generation unit 55 generates relative position data based on the positions of the feature points included in the target data, the position information of the vehicle 1 synchronized therewith, and the position information of the target parking position 31. The map generation unit 55 acquires feature amount data from the target data output from the target detection unit 54. The learned target data including the relative position data and feature amount data is registered as map data 56 in the storage device 19b.

[0022] Next, the map generation unit 55 automatically selects a parking style for parking the vehicle 1 at the target parking position 31 from a plurality of parking styles. For example, the plurality of parking styles may include angle parking in addition to the above-described perpendicular parking and parallel parking. FIG. 2( c) is a schematic diagram of angle parking. Angled parking means parking at an angle to the traffic direction of the aisle PW. Parking styles may be divided into right-angle parking and left-angle parking with respect to the traffic direction of the aisle PW. For example, FIG. 2( c) shows left-angle parking because a parking direction exists diagonally to the left with respect to the traffic direction of the aisle PW. For example, when the target parking position 31 is registered in advance, the map generation unit 55 may select a parking style when the vehicle 1 is manually parked at the target parking position 31. For example, the map generation unit 55 may determine the parking style based on the shape of the driving trajectory 30 when the vehicle 1 is manually parked at the target parking position 31. For example, the map generation unit 55 may calculate the driving trajectory 30 by continuously recording the own position measured by the own position calculation unit 53 while the vehicle 1 is driving to the target parking position 31.

[0023] FIG. 9( a) is a schematic diagram of an example of a method for determining a parking style in reverse parking. Note that reverse parking refers to a parking style in which the vehicle enters a parking space from the rear of the vehicle body and parks. For example, the map generation unit 55 detects a section of the travel trajectory 30 in which the host vehicle 1 moves forward and approaches the target parking position 31 as a straight section Ss. Reference symbols Ps and Pe indicate the start and end points of the straight section Ss, respectively. The map generation unit 55 detects the direction in which the host vehicle 1 traveled through the straight section Ss as the straight section direction Ds of the straight section Ss. The map generation unit 55 also detects a parking direction Dp, which is the direction in which the host vehicle 1 will be parked at the target parking position 31. For example, the map generation unit 55 detects the forward direction of the host vehicle 1 when the host vehicle 1 is parked at the target parking position 31 as the parking direction Dp. The map generation unit 55 may determine the parking style based on the angle θ between the straight section direction Ds and the parking direction Dp. For example, the parking style may be determined to be parallel parking when the angle θ is within a first predetermined angle θ1. Alternatively, the parking style may be determined to be angled parking when the angle θ is greater than the first predetermined angle θ1 and within a second predetermined angle θ2 (> the first predetermined angle θ1), and the distance of the straight-line section Ss is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance D1. Alternatively, the parking style may be determined to be perpendicular parking when the angle θ is greater than the second predetermined angle θ2 or greater than the first predetermined angle θ1 and the distance of the straight-line section Ss is less than the predetermined distance D1. For example, the first predetermined angle θ1 and the second predetermined angle θ2 may be 20 degrees and 65 degrees, respectively, and the predetermined distance D1 may be 3 meters. The hatched area Rf in FIG. 9A represents the area extending from the parking space at the target parking position 31 in the parking direction Dp. The map generating unit 55 may set the end point Pe of the straight section Ss closer to the start point Ps than the region Rf so that the straight section Ss does not intersect with the extension region Rf.

[0024] The map generation unit 55 may also select either rearward parking or forward parking (head-in parking) as the parking style for parking the host vehicle 1 at the target parking position 31. Forward parking is a style in which the host vehicle 1 enters a parking space from the front of the vehicle body and parks. For example, when the parking direction Dp is defined as the forward direction of the target parking position 31, the map generation unit 55 may determine that the parking style when the host vehicle 1 is manually parked at the target parking position 31 is rearward parking if the travel trajectory 30 is located in front of the target parking position 31, and may determine that the parking style is forward parking if the travel trajectory 30 is located behind the target parking position 31. FIG. 9B is a schematic diagram of an example of a method for determining the parking style in forward parking. In the case of forward parking, the map generation unit 55 may determine whether the parking style is perpendicular parking or oblique parking based on the angle θ between the straight section direction Ds and the parking direction Dp. For example, if the angle θ is within a second predetermined angle θ2 and the distance of the straight-line section Ss is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance D1, the parking style may be determined to be angle parking. Alternatively, if the angle θ is greater than the second predetermined angle θ2 or the distance of the straight-line section Ss is less than the predetermined distance D1, the parking style may be determined to be perpendicular parking. The HMI control unit 50 displays the parking style selected by the map generation unit 55 in the parking style selection operation area 44b of the first detailed setting screen 40c. If the user changes the parking style by operating the parking style selection operation area 44b, the HMI control unit 50 accepts the user's selection of the parking style. If the user changes the parking style, the map generation unit 55 associates the changed parking style with the learned target data of the target parking position 31 and registers them in the storage device 19b. If the user does not change the parking style, the map generation unit 55 associates the parking style selected by the map generation unit 55 with the learned target data and registers them in the storage device 19b.

[0025] After the learned target data and parking style are registered in the storage device 19b, when the user changes the registered parking style, the HMI control unit 50 displays a parking assistance setting screen that accepts an operation to change the parking style. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of an example of the parking assistance setting screen. The parking assistance setting screen 70a includes an overhead image 42. The screen also includes, as GUI components, an assistance mode selection operation area 71a, a registration mode selection operation area 71b, a back button 71c, and a detailed setting screen call button 71d. The assistance mode selection operation area 71a is an area for selecting either the automatic assistance start mode or the manual assistance start mode. The registration mode selection operation area 71b is an area for selecting either the automatic registration start mode or the manual registration start mode. When the back button 71c is pressed, the display of the HMI 13 returns to the main menu screen (not shown). When the detailed setting screen call button 71d is pressed, the HMI control unit 50 displays a parking position selection screen for selecting one of the multiple registered target parking positions 31 whose settings are to be changed.

[0026] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of an example of a parking position selection screen. The parking position selection screen 70b includes, as GUI components, overhead images 72a-72e of the surroundings of one or more registered target parking positions 31. When the user touches one of the overhead images 72a-72e, the HMI control unit 50 displays a second detailed setting screen that accepts detailed settings from the user for the target parking position 31 of the touched overhead image. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of an example of the second detailed setting screen. The second detailed setting screen 70c includes an overhead image 73 of the surroundings of the selected target parking position 31, a parking style selection operation area 74a, an automatic detection mode setting operation area 74b, and a back button 74c. The parking style selection operation area 74a and the automatic detection mode setting operation area 74b are similar to the parking style selection operation area 44b and the automatic detection mode setting operation area 44c in FIG. 5. When the back button 74c is pressed, the display of the HMI 13 returns to the parking assistance setting screen 70a of FIG. 10. If the second detailed setting screen 70c is not operated for a certain period of time after the user operates the parking style selection operation area 74a to change the parking style, the screen may automatically return to the parking assistance setting screen 70a without reflecting the user's operation to change the parking style. In this case, the parking style is not changed, and the registration of the parking style before the operation of the parking style selection operation area 74a is maintained. Alternatively, the screen may automatically return to the parking assistance setting screen 70a after reflecting the user's operation to change the parking style. In this case, the parking style changed by the user is registered.

[0027] 8 , the parking assist control unit 51 executes parking assist control to assist the host vehicle 1 in parking at the registered target parking position 31. In the automatic assist start mode, the parking assist control unit 51 automatically starts parking assist control when the host vehicle 1 approaches the registered target parking position 31. In the manual assist start mode, the parking assist control unit 51 starts parking assist control when the user performs a start operation. When the parking assist control starts, the target parking position detection unit 57 receives target data output from the target detection unit 54 as target data of surrounding targets, and receives the host vehicle 1's own position in the map coordinate system in synchronization with the target data. The target parking position detection unit 57 detects the target parking position 31 by matching the learned targets with the surrounding targets and associating targets with the same feature points. That is, whether the target parking position 31 can be detected is determined based on whether matching between the learned targets and the surrounding targets is successful. If matching is successful (if the target parking position 31 is detected), the target parking position detection unit 57 calculates the relative position of the vehicle 1 with respect to the target parking position 31 based on the relative positional relationship between the surrounding targets and the vehicle 1 and the relative positional relationship between the learned targets associated with the surrounding targets and the target parking position 31.

[0028] When the target parking position detection unit 57 begins detecting the target parking position 31 around the host vehicle 1, the HMI control unit 50 displays a guide for the parking assistance function on the display device. For example, while the parking assistance control unit 51 is searching for the target parking position 31 around the host vehicle 1, the HMI control unit 50 displays a first parking assistance screen on the display device. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of an example of the first parking assistance screen. The first parking assistance screen 80a includes the captured image 41, the overhead image 42, and an end button 81a as a GUI component. When the end button 81a is operated, the controller 19 stops the parking assistance control. See FIG. 8 . When the target parking position detection unit 57 detects the target parking position 31 around the host vehicle 1, the target trajectory generation unit 59 generates a target parking path from the current position of the host vehicle 1 in the vehicle coordinate system to the target parking position 31. For example, the target trajectory generation unit 59 may have a separate driving trajectory calculation algorithm for each of a plurality of different parking styles. The target trajectory generating unit 59 may switch the driving trajectory calculation algorithm to generate a target parking path for parking the host vehicle 1 at the target parking position 31 in a registered parking style from among a plurality of different parking styles. In addition, the target trajectory generating unit 59 calculates a target vehicle speed profile, which is a target value for the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1 on the target parking path.

[0029] Once the target trajectory generating unit 59 has generated the target parking path, the HMI control unit 50 displays a second parking assistance screen on the display device. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of an example of the second parking assistance screen. The second parking assistance screen 80b includes a captured image 41 and an overhead image 42. The target parking paths 41a and 42d calculated by the target trajectory generating unit 59 are superimposed on the captured image 41 and the overhead image 42, respectively. The second parking assistance screen 80b includes, as GUI components, an end button 81a, a setting button 81b, and a parking start button 81c. When the user presses the setting button 81b, the HMI control unit 50 displays a second detailed setting screen 70c shown in FIG. 12 on the display device and accepts, from the user, detailed settings for the target parking position 31 detected by the target parking position detecting unit 57. That is, when executing parking assist control to assist parking of the host vehicle 1 at the target parking position 31, the HMI control unit 50 accepts an operation to change the parking style for parking the host vehicle 1 at the target parking position 31. This operation to change the parking style can be performed at any time after the target parking position is registered in the storage device. For example, the parking style may be changed by a user's operation input at any time while the vehicle is stopped, or the parking style may be changed at any time when the vehicle approaches the registered parking position.

[0030] When a parking style change operation is accepted on the second detailed setting screen 70c, the target trajectory generating unit 59 regenerates a target parking path based on the changed parking style. The HMI control unit 50 may superimpose the regenerated target parking path on the captured image 41 and the overhead image 42 in FIG. 14 . When the parking start button 81c is operated, assistance for parking the host vehicle 1 into the target parking position 31 begins. See FIG. 8 . The steering control unit 60 controls the steering actuator 21a so that the host vehicle 1 travels along the target parking path. The vehicle speed control unit 61 controls the accelerator actuator 21b and the brake actuator 21c so that the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1 changes in accordance with the target vehicle speed profile. When the host vehicle 1 reaches the target parking position 31 and the parking assist control is completed, the parking assist control unit 51 activates the parking brake 20 and switches the shift position to the parking range.

[0031] FIG. 15 is a flowchart of an example of a process for registering a target parking position 31. In step S10, the controller 19 detects the target parking position 31 and learned targets around it. In step S11, the controller 19 generates learned target data. In step S12, the controller 19 selects a parking style based on the shape of the manually driven parking path 30. In step S13, the controller 19 displays a registration acceptance screen 40b. In step S14, the controller 19 determines whether or not the detailed settings button 43e has been operated. If the detailed settings button 43e has not been operated (step S14: N), the process proceeds to step S19. If the detailed settings button 43e has been operated (step S14: Y), the process proceeds to step S15. In step S15, the controller 19 displays a first detailed settings screen 40c. In step S16, the controller 19 determines whether or not a parking style change operation has been performed on the first detailed settings screen 40c. If no change operation has been performed (step S16: N), the process proceeds to step S18. If a change operation has been performed (step S16: Y), the process proceeds to step S17.

[0032] In step S17, the controller 19 changes the parking style to be registered in the storage device 19b from the parking style selected in step S12 to the parking style selected by the user in step S16. In step S18, the controller 19 determines whether or not the back button 44d has been operated. If the back button 44d has not been operated (step S18: N), the process returns to step S16. If the back button 44d has been operated (step S18: Y), the process proceeds to step S19. In step S19, the controller 19 determines whether or not the enter button 43f has been operated. If the enter button 43f has not been operated (step S19: N), the process returns to step S14. If the enter button 43f has been operated (step S19: Y), the process proceeds to step S20. In step S20, the controller 19 registers the learned target data and the parking style in the storage device 19b.

[0033] FIG. 16 is a flowchart of an example of processing during parking assistance. In step S31, the controller 19 measures the current position of the vehicle 1 using the positioning device 11 and detects the target parking position 31 registered near the current position. In step S32, the controller 19 reads the learned target data and parking style of the target parking position 31 from the storage device 19b. In step S33, the controller 19 detects surrounding targets. In step S34, the controller 19 compares the surrounding targets with the learned targets to detect the relative position of the target parking position 31 with respect to the vehicle 1. In step S35, the controller 19 generates a target parking path. In step S36, the controller 19 displays the second parking assistance screen 80b. In step S37, the controller 19 determines whether a user's operation to change the parking style has been accepted. If the change operation has not been accepted (step S37: N), the process proceeds to step S39. If the change operation has been accepted (step S37: Y), the process proceeds to step S38. In step S38, the controller 19 regenerates the target parking path based on the changed parking style. In step S39, the controller 19 assists the parking of the host vehicle 1 based on the regenerated target parking path.

[0034] (Effects of the Embodiment) (1) When registering a target parking position, the controller 19 automatically selects one parking style from a plurality of parking styles, including at least perpendicular parking and parallel parking, as the parking style for parking the vehicle 1 at the target parking position, determines the parking style for parking the vehicle 1 at the target parking position in accordance with a user's input operation for the selected parking style, and registers the target parking position and the determined parking style in the storage device. The controller 19 may change the registered parking style in accordance with a user's input operation at any time after registering the target parking position. When assisting the parking of the vehicle 1 at the target parking position after registering the target parking position, the controller 19 may change the registered parking style in accordance with a user's input operation. This allows for support for various parking styles while improving user convenience when registering a parking style. (2) When assisting in parking of the vehicle 1 after registering a target parking position, the controller 19 may calculate the relative positional relationship between the target parking position and the current position of the vehicle 1, generate a driving trajectory from the current position of the vehicle 1 to the target parking position based on the calculated relative positional relationship and the registered parking style, and when the registered parking style is changed in response to an input operation by the user, regenerate the driving trajectory based on the changed parking style and assist in parking the vehicle 1 at the target parking position based on the driving trajectory. This allows for support for various parking styles.

[0035] (3) The controller 19 may detect targets around the target parking position in advance, register learned target data indicating the relative positional relationship between the detected targets and the target parking position, and when moving the host vehicle 1 to the registered target parking position, detect the positions of surrounding targets, which are targets around the host vehicle 1, calculate the relative positional relationship between the target parking position and the current position of the host vehicle 1 based on the learned target data and the positions of the surrounding targets. Based on the calculated relative positional relationship, the controller 19 may generate a driving trajectory from the current position of the host vehicle 1 to the target parking position, and assist the host vehicle 1 in parking the target parking position based on the driving trajectory. This allows for accurate generation of the driving trajectory to the target parking position. (4) The controller 19 may select a parking style based on the angle between the direction of the straight section of the driving trajectory along which the host vehicle 1 moves forward and approaches the target parking position when parking the host vehicle 1 at the target parking position and the forward direction of the host vehicle 1 when parked at the target parking position. This allows for automatic selection of the parking style. (5) The multiple parking styles may include angled parking. The plurality of parking styles may also include rearward parking and forward parking. This enables parking assistance for various parking styles. (6) The user's input operation for the parking style presented when registering the target parking position may include not performing any operation for a certain period of time. The controller 19 may register the presented parking style if no operation is performed for the presented parking style for a certain period of time. This eliminates the need for user input operations.

[0036] 1... Vehicle, 10... Parking assistance device, 19... Controller

Claims

1. A parking assistance method for assisting a vehicle in parking at a pre-registered target parking position, comprising: When the target parking position is registered in a storage device, a parking style for manually parking the vehicle at the target parking position is selected and presented to the user; When a user inputs a change to the parking style, a parking style for parking the vehicle at the target parking position is determined in accordance with the input, and the target parking position and the determined parking style are registered in the storage device. If the input operation is not performed, the target parking position and the presented parking style are registered in the storage device. A parking assistance method comprising:

2. 2. The parking assistance method according to claim 1, wherein the parking style registered in the storage device is changed in response to an input operation by the user at any time after the target parking position is registered in the storage device.

3. 2. The parking assistance method according to claim 1, wherein, when assisting parking of the vehicle at the target parking position after the target parking position has been registered in the storage device, the parking style registered in the storage device is changed in accordance with an input operation by the user.

4. When assisting parking of the vehicle at the target parking position after the target parking position has been registered in the storage device, Calculating a relative positional relationship between the target parking position and the current position of the vehicle; generating a driving trajectory from the current position of the vehicle to the target parking position based on the calculated relative position relationship and the parking style registered in the storage device; When the parking style registered in the storage device is changed in response to the input operation of the user, the driving trajectory is regenerated based on the changed parking style; assisting the host vehicle in parking at the target parking position based on the travel trajectory; 4. The parking assistance method according to claim 3.

5. detecting targets present around the target parking position in advance, and registering data representing a relative positional relationship between the detected targets and the target parking position in the storage device as learned target data; When the host vehicle is moved to the target parking position after the learned target data is registered in the storage device, positions of surrounding targets that are targets present around the host vehicle are detected; calculating the relative positional relationship based on the learned target data and the positions of the surrounding targets; 5. The parking assistance method according to claim 4.

6. detecting targets present around the target parking position in advance, and registering data representing a relative positional relationship between the detected targets and the target parking position in the storage device as learned target data; When the host vehicle is moved to the target parking position after the learned target data is registered in the storage device, positions of surrounding targets that are targets present around the host vehicle are detected; Calculating a relative positional relationship between the target parking position and the current position of the vehicle based on the learned target object data and the positions of the surrounding targets; generating a travel trajectory from the current position of the vehicle to the target parking position based on the calculated relative position relationship; assisting the host vehicle in parking at the target parking position based on the travel trajectory; 4. The parking assistance method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is driven in a direction parallel to the road surface.

7. 7. The parking assistance method according to claim 1, wherein the parking style is automatically selected based on the angle between the direction of a straight section of a travel trajectory in which the host vehicle moves forward and approaches the target parking position when parking at the target parking position, and the forward direction of the host vehicle when parked at the target parking position.

8. 8. The parking assistance method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of parking styles includes angled parking.

9. 9. The parking assistance method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of parking styles include rear-facing parking and forward parking.

10. The input operation of the user for the parking style presented when registering the target parking position in the storage device includes the user not performing any operation for a certain period of time, When the user does not perform any operation for the presented parking style for a certain period of time, the presented parking style is registered in the storage device.

10. The parking assistance method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is driven in a direction parallel to the road.

11. A parking assistance device that assists in parking a vehicle at a pre-registered target parking position, When the target parking position is registered in a storage device, a parking style for manually parking the vehicle at the target parking position is selected and presented to the user; When a user inputs a change to the parking style, a parking style for parking the vehicle at the target parking position is determined in accordance with the input, and the target parking position and the determined parking style are registered in the storage device. If the input operation is not performed, the target parking position and the presented parking style are registered in the storage device. A parking assistance device comprising a controller.