Automatic parking device

Abstract

The automatic parking device of the present invention may include a central control unit that receives shooting data from a shooting unit provided in a parking lot or receives sensing data from a sensor unit to identify an empty parking space, a vehicle control unit that controls a motor driver or motor that operates the wheels of a driving unit by receiving a command from the central control unit, a path setting unit that sets a parking path to the empty parking space using the shooting data or sensing data, and a driving unit that loads or tows a vehicle that wishes to automatically park and moves it along the parking path. When the parking path is determined and transmitted from the central control unit or the vehicle control unit, the driving unit enters between the lower surface of the vehicle and the ground at the starting point of the parking path and is fixed to the vehicle, and the driving unit and the vehicle can move together along the parking path.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an unmanned automatic parking device capable of automatically performing valet parking by establishing a route plan and driving strategy that considers an uncertain environment in an unstructured road environment, such as a parking space. Background Technology

[0002] In complex facilities where the distance between the city and the parking lot is long, drivers constantly face parking problems. Typical issues include the significant amount of time invested in securing parking spaces and the potential for collisions between people or vehicles due to inconsistent spacing between parking zones.

[0003] In addition, existing autonomous driving systems often aim to park autonomously by linking the vehicle's driving system with a parking control system. To implement this, it may be necessary to distinguish between vehicles capable of autonomous driving, such as electric vehicles, and those that are not. Additionally, a communication control module that relays wireless communication connections between the OBD port and the server may be required. In most environments where such communication control infrastructure is not standardized, there are difficulties in resolving issues such as protocols and compatibility between communication control systems. The problem to be solved

[0004] The present invention can provide an automatic parking device that can solve the existing complex communication or control protocols or compatibility issues in the intermediate process between the input of an automatic parking request and the completion of parking by mechanically moving the vehicle itself along a parking path. means of solving the problem

[0005] The automatic parking device of the present invention may include a central control unit that receives shooting data from a shooting unit provided in a parking lot or receives sensing data from a sensor unit to identify an empty parking space, a vehicle control unit that controls a motor driver or motor that operates the wheels of a driving unit by receiving a command from the central control unit, a path setting unit that sets a parking path to the empty parking space using the shooting data or sensing data, and a driving unit that loads or tows a vehicle that wishes to automatically park and moves it along the parking path. When the parking path is determined and transmitted from the central control unit or the vehicle control unit, the driving unit enters between the lower surface of the vehicle and the ground at the starting point of the parking path and is fixed to the vehicle, and the driving unit and the vehicle can move together along the parking path. Effects of the invention

[0006] The automatic parking device of the present invention can perform autonomous valet parking safely and efficiently by establishing a path plan and driving strategy that considers uncertain environments in unstructured road environments such as parking spaces. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0007] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the parking path of the automatic parking device of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view (a) of the driving part of the present invention, and (b) is (a) with the case constituting the outer frame removed. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the components of the driving unit of the present invention, and the shooting unit and sensor unit. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an automatic parking method implemented by the automatic parking device of the present invention. Figure 5 is a flowchart of the data of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a lifting or fixed part for moving a vehicle of the present invention. FIGS. 7 and FIGS. 8 are explanatory diagrams of automatic parking of a vehicle using the automatic parking device of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0008] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 8, the automatic parking device of the present invention will be described.

[0009] FIG. 1 shows a parking path (A) formed for a parking lot (10) provided with a plurality of parking spaces (20). FIG. 1 (a) shows the starting point (R10) of the parking path (R) of a vehicle (50) that has requested automatic parking or valet parking and the plurality of parking spaces (20) A, B, C, D, etc. FIG. 1 (b) describes the parking path (R).

[0010] The parking space (20) can be distinguished into an empty parking space (21) where no vehicle (50) is parked and a parking space (23) where a vehicle (50) is parked.

[0011] The parking path (R) may refer to the movement path of the driving unit (100) that loads or tows the vehicle (50) to a target parking position. For example, if parking space B is an empty parking space (21) and the rest are parked, parking space B becomes the end point (R20) of the parking path (R), and a parking path (R) connecting the start point (R10) and the end point (R20) may be formed.

[0012] The parking path (R) may include vertices (R30) or edges (R40). The vertex (R30) functions as a node of the parking path (R), and control instructions may be issued from the vertex (R30) to the wheels (170) of the driving unit (100), including the Mecanum wheel (170). In particular, the driving unit (100) of the present invention utilizes the Mecanum wheel (170) to ensure that the parking path (R) follows a straight path while minimizing curved paths. Since the Mecanum wheel (170) is capable of lateral straight movement such as pivoting in place or sideways movement, contact accidents or parking complexity occurring during parking along curved paths can be significantly reduced.

[0013] Therefore, it may be preferable for the parking path (R) to consist of a vertex (R30) corresponding to a turning point or a turning point and an edge (R40) that is a straight path. An empty parking space (21) may correspond to the end point (R20) of the parking path (R) and the vertex (R30).

[0014] In summary, the automatic parking device of the present invention may include at least one of a central control unit (420) that receives shooting data (D10) from a shooting unit (500) provided in a parking lot (10) and receives sensing data (D20) from a sensor unit (600) to identify an empty parking space (21), a vehicle control unit (110) that receives a command from the central control unit (420) and controls a motor driver (130) or a motor (150) that operates the wheel (170) of a driving unit (100), and a driving unit (100) that loads or tows a vehicle (50) that wishes to be automatically parked and moves it to the end point (R20) of a parking path (R).

[0015] When the driving unit (100) is confirmed and transmitted from the central control unit (420) or the vehicle control unit (110) to the parking path (R), it enters between the lower surface of the vehicle (50) and the ground at the starting point (R10) of the parking path (R) and is fixed to the vehicle (50), so the driving unit (100) and the vehicle (50) can move together along the parking path (R).

[0016] In FIGS. 2 and 3, the driving unit (100) may include a case (102) forming an outer frame, a vehicle control unit (110) that receives operation commands from a server (400) or a central control unit (420) and controls the operation of the driving unit (100), a recognition unit (120), a motor driver (130), a motor (150), or a wheel (170) including a Mecanum wheel.

[0017] The vehicle control unit (110) can control the operation of each component of the driving unit (100) by position at the vertex (R30) or edge (R40) of the final parking path (R) received from the central control unit (420) or server (400).

[0018] Depending on the position of the vertex (R30) or edge (R40) of the vehicle control unit (110), the motor driver (130) or motor (150) that operates the Mecanum wheel (170) can be controlled.

[0019] When the path setting unit (440) receives information about a parking lot map to perform automatic parking, it can convert the configuration of the parking lot map, such as parking spaces (20), roads, entrances, and exits, into a topology map composed of vertices (R30) and edges (R40). Accordingly, the starting point (R10) of the parking path (R) where the driving unit (100) or the automatic parking device starts parking will be determined as one of the vertices (R30) of the given topology map, and the ending point (R20) can be determined from the shooting data (D10) or sensing data (D20) of the shooting unit (500) or sensor unit (600). Once the starting point (R10) and the ending point (R20) are determined, the path setting unit (440) can establish a shortest path consisting of vertices (R30) and edges (R40) by connecting the determined starting point (R10) and the ending point (R20) through the topology map.

[0020] Although immediate data processing by the recognition unit (120) corresponding to the eyes of the driving unit (100) is not mandatory, the sudden appearance of an object on the path (R) or external environmental factors on the road surface of the driving path (R) can be recognized and transmitted to the vehicle control unit (110). Depending on the content captured by the recognition unit (120), the vehicle control unit (110) can transmit data to the central control unit (420) and wait for the result, or if the obstacle is minor or easy to avoid, the vehicle control unit (110) can immediately reset the parking path (R').

[0021] The wheel (170) of the driving unit (100) may include a Mecanum wheel that enables the driving unit (100) to move in all directions.

[0022] An independent drive motor (150) may be provided for each Mecanum wheel (170) so that the driving unit (100) can drive sideways using the Mecanum wheel (170). Two Mecanum wheels (170) may be provided at a certain distance from each other on the side of the driving unit (100), and sideways driving may be possible when the two Mecanum wheels (170) provided on one side rotate in opposite directions.

[0023] The Mecanum wheel (170) may be composed of a main wheel (172) and an auxiliary wheel (174). Each individual drive motor may be used in the Mecanum wheel (170) to enable independent driving. The auxiliary wheel (174) may be utilized as a means for lateral driving. The driving of the Mecanum wheel (170) may be driven by a control command set in the vehicle control unit (110) or the central control unit (420).

[0024] The configuration of the Mecanum wheel (170) and the auxiliary wheel (174) can be such that the central axes of the auxiliary wheel (174) of the front left Mecanum wheel (170) and the rear right Mecanum wheel (170) are each tilted at a certain angle in a counterclockwise direction. The central axes of the auxiliary wheel (174) of the front right Mecanum wheel (170) and the rear left Mecanum wheel (170) can each be provided tilted at a certain angle in a clockwise direction.

[0025] When the automatic parking device intends to drive forward, the force acting on each Mecanum wheel (170) can be based on the principles of physics vectors. The forces on the two front Mecanum wheels (170) in the inward direction of the main body can cancel each other out, leaving only the forward force.

[0026] The two rear Mecanum wheels (170) have forces in the outer direction of the main body cancel each other out, leaving only the forward force so that the driving unit (100) can be driven in the forward direction. In the above example of forward driving, if the driving direction of each wheel is reversed, rear driving can be achieved.

[0027] When the driving unit (100) is to drive to the right, the front left Mecanum wheel (170) and the rear right Mecanum wheel (170) are driven to move forward, and the front right Mecanum wheel (170) and the rear left Mecanum wheel (170) are driven by motors to move backward, so that the driving unit (100) can drive to the right.

[0028] The two Mecanum wheels (170) on the right cancel each other out inwardly, leaving only the force in the right direction. The two Mecanum wheels (170) on the left cancel each other outwardly, leaving only the force in the right direction, so that the driving unit (100) can be driven to the right. In the above example of driving to the right, if the driving direction of each wheel is reversed, driving to the left can occur.

[0029] The driving embodiments shown in FIGS. 7 and FIGS. 8 are possible in terms of the structure of the wheel of the driving unit (100) including such a Mecanum wheel (170).

[0030] FIG. 7 shows sequential movements from a starting point (R10) to an ending point (R20) on a driving path (R) composed of four vertices (R30) and three edges (R40), in the order of (a) to (d). Here, it can be seen that the edges (R40) of the driving path (R) consist only of straight paths, and that the lateral straight movement is performed by the Mecanum wheel (170) from the first vertex (R30). FIG. 8 shows the pivoting movement of the driving unit (100) in (a), and the completion of the parking path (R) through (b) and (c) in sequence.

[0031] In this way, since the parking lot (10) is implemented as a topology map including vertices (R30) and edges (R40), when a Mecanum wheel (170) is adopted, the parking path (R) can be composed only of pivots and linear drives, and can be implemented as only vertices (R30) and edges (R40) in the topology map.

[0032] According to FIGS. 2 and 6, the automatic parking device of the present invention may include at least one of a driving unit (100), a fixed unit (200), and a lifting unit (300).

[0033] The driving unit (100) can be autonomously driven to load or tow the vehicle (50) and move it to a target parking location.

[0034] Structurally, the automatic parking device of the present invention requires that the vehicle (50) be fixed to the driving unit (100) by means of a fixing unit (200) or a lifting unit (300) by entering the vehicle lower part (53) between the lower surface (53) of the vehicle (50) and the ground. For example, the driving unit (100) may have a flat shape so as to enter the vehicle lower part (53), and the vehicle lower surface may be fixed by surface contact between the driving unit (100) or the fixing unit (200) and the vehicle lower part, so that when the driving unit (100) is driven, the vehicle (50) can be driven together with the driving unit (100).

[0035] The fixed part (200) can fix the vehicle (50) to the driving part (100) so that the vehicle (50) does not detach while the driving part (100) is moving, and the lifting part (300) can adjust the height of the fixed part (200) so that the vehicle (50) can be connected or coupled to the fixed part (200).

[0036] According to FIGS. 3 to 5, the automatic parking device of the present invention may include a shooting unit (500) such as a camera or a sensor unit (600) such as an IR sensor.

[0037] A shooting unit (500) provided in a parking lot (10) can photograph the entire parking lot (10), and the shooting data (D10) of the shooting unit (500) can be used to identify empty parking spaces (21) among the parking spaces (20). A sensor unit (600) that can be provided with a parking curb (25), etc. of a parking space (20) can generate sensing data (D20) to determine whether or not a vehicle is parked in each parking space (20).

[0038] The central control unit (420) or the path setting unit (440) can combine the shooting data (D10) of the shooting unit (500) and the sensing data (D20) of the sensor unit (600) and utilize them for forming or selecting a parking path (R). The central control unit (420) or the path setting unit (440) can issue a command (D30) containing the finally selected parking path (R) to the vehicle control unit (110).

[0039] Referring to FIG. 4, an automatic parking method implemented through the automatic parking device of the present invention will be described.

[0040] The automatic parking method of the present invention may include a parking request step (S100) or an automatic parking step (S200).

[0041] The parking request step (S100) may include a valet parking request input step (S110), an empty parking space verification step (S130), a parking path generation step (S150), or a final parking path selection step (S170).

[0042] In the valet parking request input step (S110), an automatic parking (valet parking) request may be input through a terminal installed by the operator of the automatic parking device or an app distributed by the operator. When an automatic parking request is input, the driving unit (100) may move to the location where the automatic parking request was input or the nearest location. This step may be performed when the automatic parking step (S200) begins after the valet parking request input step (S110) or after the final parking path selection (S170) is completed.

[0043] In the empty parking space verification step (S130), the shooting data (D10) of the shooting unit (500) or the sensing data (D20) of the sensor unit (600) can be transmitted to the central control unit (420) or the path setting unit (440), and from these, the empty parking spaces (23) can be identified as the endpoint (R20) of the candidate parking path (R).

[0044] In the parking path generation step (S150), the path setting unit (440) can generate a topology map of the parking lot including parking spaces (20), driving paths, entrances (R10), etc. from the parking lot map data (S151). Based on this topology map, once the starting point (R10) and the ending point (R20) are determined, the path setting unit (440) can generate a candidate parking path (R) composed of vertices (R30) and edges (R40).

[0045] In the final parking path selection step (S170), the path setting unit (440) can select a final parking path from among the candidate parking paths by considering the parking situation of surrounding vehicles or path interference of other automatic parking devices. Based on this final parking path, the driving direction of the vehicle (50) at each edge (R40), pivot operation, lateral straight driving, etc., and the operation of the driving unit (100) at each vertex (R30) can be determined.

[0046] In the automatic parking step (S200), when an automatic parking request is input to a terminal or app, the automatic parking device or driving unit (100) can move to the starting point (R10) of the final parking path (R) selected in the parking request step (S100) (S210).

[0047] The vehicle control unit (110) or central control unit (420) can use the fixed unit (200) or the lifting unit (300) to fix the vehicle (50) to be parked to the driving unit (100) and prepare to move together (S230).

[0048] When the final parking path (R) is transmitted from the central control unit (420) to the vehicle control unit (110), the driving unit (100) can start automatic parking along the final parking path (R) (S250).

[0049] When parking is completed at the endpoint (R20), the central control unit (420) or the vehicle control unit (110) can confirm that parking is completed at the parking space (20) which is the endpoint (R20) from the shooting data (D10) of the shooting unit (500) or the sensing data (D20) of the sensor unit (600) (S270).

[0050] When parking is confirmed to be complete (S270), the driving unit (100) can move to a waiting area or the starting point (R10) of the parking path (R) to prepare for the next automatic parking. Explanation of the symbols

[0051] 10... parking lot 20... parking spaces 21... Empty parking space 23... Parked parking space 25... curb 50... vehicle 51... Wheels 53... Vehicle undercarriage 100... Driving part 102... Case 110... Vehicle control unit 120... Recognition unit 130... Motor driver 150... Motor 170... Mecanum Wheel 172... Main Wheel 174... Auxiliary wheel 200... Fixing part 300... Elevator 400... Server 420... Central Control Unit 440... Route Setting Unit 500... Camera unit 600... Sensor unit D10, D20, D30... Data R... Parking path R10... Start point R20... End point R30... Vertex R40... Edge S100... Parking request step S200... Automatic parking step

Claims

Claim 1 A central control unit that receives shooting data from a shooting unit installed in a parking lot or receives sensing data from a sensor unit to identify an empty parking space; a vehicle control unit that receives a command from the central control unit and controls a motor driver or motor that operates the wheels of a driving unit; a path setting unit that sets a parking path to the empty parking space using the shooting data or sensing data; and a driving unit that loads or tows a vehicle desiring automatic parking and moves it along the parking path. An automatic parking device comprising: a driving unit, wherein when a parking path is determined and transmitted from the central control unit or the vehicle control unit, the driving unit enters between the lower surface of the vehicle and the ground at the starting point of the parking path and is fixed to the vehicle, wherein the driving unit and the vehicle move together along the parking path, and the wheels of the driving unit include Mecanum wheels that enable movement in all directions; wherein the path setting unit converts the configuration of parking spaces, roads, entrances, or exits constituting a parking lot map into a topology map composed of vertices corresponding to turning points or transition points and edges that are straight paths, and sets the path formed by the vertices and edges connecting the determined starting point and the ending point which is an empty parking space as the parking path; and wherein the vehicle control unit controls a motor driver or motor that operates the Mecanum wheels so as to perform straight driving by the Mecanum wheels at the edges of the parking path and pivot operation or lateral straight driving by the Mecanum wheels at the vertices. Claim 2 In claim 1, the starting point of the parking path is determined as one of the vertices of the given topology map, the ending point of the parking path is determined from the shooting data or the sensing data, and the empty parking space confirmed by the central control unit is the ending point of the parking path corresponding to the vertex, an automatic parking device. Claim 3 In claim 1, the Mecanum wheel comprises a main wheel and an auxiliary wheel, and an independent drive motor is provided for each Mecanum wheel to enable lateral driving, and each individual drive motor is used for the Mecanum wheel to drive independently of each other, and the auxiliary wheel is utilized as a means for lateral driving, and the front left Mecanum wheel and the rear right Mecanum wheel are each configured such that the central axes of the auxiliary wheels are tilted counterclockwise at a certain angle, and the front right Mecanum wheel and the rear left Mecanum wheel are each configured such that the central axes of the auxiliary wheels are tilted clockwise at a certain angle, and the driving part is flat in shape to fit between the lower surface of the vehicle and the ground, and the driving part fits into the lower part of the vehicle between the lower surface of the vehicle and the ground and fixes the vehicle to the driving part by a fixing part or a lifting part, and the fixing part fixes the vehicle to the driving part so that the vehicle does not detach while the driving part is moving, and the lifting part adjusts the height of the fixing part so that the fixing part can be connected or coupled with the vehicle. Claim 4 An automatic parking device according to claim 1, wherein an empty parking space that is a candidate endpoint of the parking path is identified from the above-mentioned shooting data or sensing data, and the path setting unit sets a candidate parking path for each empty parking space when the endpoint is identified, and among the candidate parking paths, a final parking path is selected from a plurality of candidate parking paths by considering the parking situation of surrounding vehicles or path interference of other automatic parking devices, and when the final parking path is transmitted to the vehicle control unit, the driving unit completes parking at the endpoint of the final parking path, and when parking is completed at the endpoint, the vehicle control unit or central control unit confirms parking completion from the above-mentioned shooting data or sensing data, and when parking completion is confirmed, the driving unit moves to a waiting area or the starting point of the parking path to prepare for the next automatic parking.

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