Automated Parking System Collision Avoidance via Sensor Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated parking systems face challenges in reliably preventing collisions between vehicles and objects within the parking system, particularly with unforeseen events or vulnerable road users, requiring effective and quick reaction mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The method involves a communication device and sensor system that determines the position and travel route of vehicles and objects, checks for potential overlaps, and initiates measures such as acoustic or optical warnings to prevent collisions, adjusting routes or influencing object movement paths to ensure safe navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If the parking system uses sensor-based automatic control to steer vehicles, then the vehicle parking automation level is improved, but the ability to detect and respond to unforeseen objects or vulnerable road users deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor types (ultrasonic, optical, radar) into a unified sensor system that monitors both the vehicle and the parking environment simultaneously. This merging of sensing capabilities allows the system to maintain high automation while improving detection reliability for unforeseen objects and vulnerable road users.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where sensor data about objects and vulnerable road users is constantly fed back to the controller. The controller adjusts vehicle steering commands in real-time based on this feedback, enabling the automated system to respond dynamically to unexpected situations while maintaining automation.
2Device complexity
If the parking system monitors only registered vehicles, then the system complexity is reduced, but the detection of unauthorized objects or people deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the monitoring task into two parts: registered vehicle tracking (simple identification) and unknown object detection (sensor-based monitoring). This segmentation allows the system to maintain low complexity for known vehicles while implementing comprehensive sensor monitoring for detecting unauthorized objects or people.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor system acts as an intermediary between the controller and all objects in the parking area. Instead of the controller directly managing all objects, sensors provide intermediate detection data about both registered vehicles and unknown objects, simplifying the overall system architecture while enhancing detection capability.
3Reliability
If the system reacts quickly to detected objects, then the collision prevention effectiveness is improved, but the response time for normal vehicle operations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic response strategies where the control commands adapt to the detected situation. For collision risks, the system generates urgent steering commands with higher priority, while normal vehicle operations use standard response times. This dynamic adjustment allows quick reaction to hazards without unnecessarily delaying routine operations.
Solution Approach 2:
When potential collisions are detected, the system rushes through the response sequence by prioritizing collision prevention commands over other vehicle operations. The controller immediately generates and executes steering commands to avoid collisions, skipping non-critical processing steps to ensure the fastest possible response to safety threats.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for controlling an automated parking system (10), wherein the parking system (10) has a transfer area (12) at which a vehicle (14) can be transferred to the parking system (10), and a parking area (16) in which the vehicle (14) can be parked, wherein the parking system (10) has a communication device (18), a controller (21) and at least one sensor (20) for monitoring the parking area (16), wherein the communication device (18) can establish communication with a vehicle (14) to be parked and the controller (21) can send control commands to the vehicle (14) via the communication device (18).wherein the following steps are repeatedly performed: a) Determining the position of the vehicle (14) by the at least one sensor (20) and determining a travel path (22) of the vehicle (14) by the controller (21) and sending travel commands for the travel path (22) to the vehicle via the communication device (18); b) Detecting an object (26) within the parking system (10) whose path of movement (28) cannot be controlled by the parking system (10), and determining and/or estimating the position and a path of movement (28) of the object (26) by the sensors (20) and the controller (21); c) Checking whether the travel path (22) of the vehicle (14) and the path of movement (28) of the object (26) can overlap by the controller (21); d) If a possible overlap between the travel path (22) and the path of movement (28) has been detected, triggering at least one action of the parking system (14).which includes an interaction with the object (26) and which prevents a collision between the vehicle (14) and the object (26). The invention further relates to a parking system designed to carry out this method.