Automated Valet Parking with Infrastructure-Guided Slot Navigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Modern cities face challenges with vehicle parking, including collisions, long parking times due to congestion, and inconvenience in locating and retrieving parked vehicles in crowded areas.

Innovation Solution

An automated valet parking system where vehicles autonomously travel to and park in vacant slots using advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and infrastructure communication, allowing for efficient parking and retrieval without driver intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual parking is performed by drivers in crowded parking lots, then drivers can control their vehicles, but parking time increases and collision risks increase due to traffic congestion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollision riskVSAvoidparking time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle performs parking operations autonomously without driver intervention. The automated valet parking system enables the vehicle to navigate to the parking lot, find a vacant slot, and park itself, eliminating the need for manual driving operations and reducing both collision risk and parking time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual mechanical control by the driver is replaced with an automated control system. The system uses sensors, processors, and communication modules to detect parking slots, calculate routes, and control vehicle movements, substituting human-operated mechanical systems with automated electronic control systems that reduce errors and improve efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If drivers manually navigate to parking slots in crowded areas, then vehicles can be parked, but energy consumption increases due to prolonged driving time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparking efficiencyVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of vacant parking slots and calculates optimal routes before the vehicle enters the parking lot. By pre-planning the parking destination and path, the system minimizes unnecessary driving operations and energy consumption during the actual parking process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The automated control system replaces manual driving operations, optimizing vehicle movements and reducing idle driving time. The system efficiently manages acceleration, deceleration, and positioning maneuvers to minimize energy consumption while maintaining high parking productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If automated valet parking is implemented, then parking time decreases and collision risks are minimized, but system complexity increases due to advanced driver assistance systems and infrastructure requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparking efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The automated valet parking system is divided into distinct functional modules: a communication module for infrastructure interaction, a sensor module for environment detection, a processor for route calculation and control decisions, and an actuator module for vehicle control. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies system integration and maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs multi-functional components that perform multiple tasks. For example, the sensor array detects both vacant parking slots and obstacles, the processor calculates routes and controls vehicle operations, and the communication module interacts with both parking lot infrastructure and vehicle systems. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of components needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Loss of time

If drivers park manually in large shopping centers, then vehicles can be parked, but time and energy are wasted locating vacant slots and navigating through congestion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetime to locate parking slotVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of vacant parking slots and calculation of optimal routes before the vehicle enters the parking lot. The communication module receives real-time information about available slots from the parking lot infrastructure, and the processor pre-calculates the most efficient path, eliminating the need for drivers to search and navigate manually.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously receives feedback from the communication module about the status of parking slots and from sensors about the vehicle's position and environment. This real-time feedback allows the system to dynamically adjust the route and parking destination, ensuring the most efficient path is taken while minimizing time and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11845425B2System, method, infrastructure, and vehicle for automated valet parking

Publication Date: 2023.12.19 KIA CORPORATION

AI summary

An automated parking system and a method enables a vehicle to autonomously travel to and parks in a vacant parking slot based on communication with a parking infrastructure. In addition, the automated parking system and method for a driverless vehicle is capable of autonomously traveling from a parking slot to a pickup area via communication with the parking infrastructure.