Parking Support Apparatus Using Door Lock Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing parking support apparatuses require users to manually operate remote terminals, making the initiation of automatic parking control cumbersome and inconvenient, especially when the terminal is not accessible or usable.

Innovation Solution

A parking support apparatus equipped with a detector that uses a doorknob sensor, camera, kick sensor, and sound sensor to detect specific user movements and voice commands as parking instruction actions, allowing for the initiation of parking control without needing to operate a remote terminal, thereby simplifying the starting process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a remote operation terminal is used to start automatic parking control, then the parking control can be activated, but the user operation becomes troublesome and inconvenient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparking control activationVSAvoiduser operation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses the vehicle's existing door lock operator to detect parking instructions, eliminating the need for separate remote terminals. The door lock operator serves dual purposes: its original function and detecting user parking intentions through operation patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The door lock operator is repurposed to perform multiple functions: traditional door locking/unlocking and detecting parking control instructions. This multi-functional approach removes the need for dedicated remote operation terminals.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If a remote operation terminal is required to start parking control, then the system can be controlled, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparking control activationVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The door lock operator performs both its traditional function and serves as a detection device for parking instructions, reducing the number of separate components needed in the system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the detection function from separate remote terminals and integrates it into the existing door lock operator, simplifying the overall system architecture by removing redundant components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If the door lock operator is used to detect parking instructions, then the ease of operation improves, but the detection precision must be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser operationVSAvoidparking instruction detection
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system analyzes the operational pattern of the door lock operator, using feedback from multiple operations to distinguish genuine parking instructions from accidental or unintended actions. The control unit determines whether operations represent true user intent.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system requires multiple door lock operations (excessive action) to confirm a parking instruction, ensuring that single accidental operations do not trigger unwanted parking control activation while maintaining ease of legitimate use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3552927B1Parking support apparatus
Publication Date: 2021.12.29 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP3552927B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3552927B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3552927B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A parking support apparatus configured to perform a parking control for automatically parking a vehicle in a target parking position. The parking support control is provided with: a detector configured to obtain a signal of a vehicle external sensor that can detect at least one of a movement and a voice/sound of a user who is outside the vehicle and to determine whether or not the at least one of the movement and the voice/sound of the user matches a parking instruction action set in advance, thereby detecting a particular parking instruction action of the user; and a starter configured to start the parking control if the parking instruction action is detected.