Automatic Parking Route Control for Stable Direction Change Stops

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Solution Overview

Problem

Automatic parking systems can shift the direction change stop point during parking, causing driver anxiety and potentially leading to unnecessary braking operations.

Innovation Solution

An automatic parking system that includes an obstacle detection device, image pickup device, and parking controller to set a parking route and display a direction change stop point, limiting the maximum number of updates of this point to reduce anxiety and enhance convenience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the direction change stop point is updated based on sensor recognition results during automatic parking, then the parking route accuracy is improved, but driver anxiety increases and unnecessary braking operations occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparking route accuracyVSAvoiddriver anxiety
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the direction change stop point based on real-time sensor recognition results during automatic parking. The parking controller continuously updates the stop point position according to detected obstacles and environmental changes, allowing the route to adapt dynamically while maintaining accuracy without causing driver anxiety through excessive updates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from obstacle detection devices and image pickup devices to monitor the parking environment continuously. Based on this feedback, the parking controller adjusts the direction change stop point only when necessary, providing optimal balance between route accuracy and driver comfort by filtering out minor fluctuations that would cause unnecessary updates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If the direction change stop point is updated frequently during automatic parking, then the parking route adapts to obstacles, but driver comfort deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroute adaptabilityVSAvoiddriver comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements dynamic adaptability by updating the direction change stop point in response to significant obstacle detections while filtering out minor variations. This dynamic approach allows the route to adapt to real environmental changes without excessive updates that would compromise driver comfort and perceived system stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the direction change stop point is kept fixed before parking start, then driver anxiety is reduced, but parking route precision decreases when obstacles are detected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriver anxietyVSAvoidparking route precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary setting of the direction change stop point before automatic parking begins, providing a stable reference that reduces driver anxiety. During parking execution, the system then allows controlled updates when obstacles are detected, balancing the preliminary stability with necessary adaptive precision through conditional update mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4197886B1Automatic parking system
Publication Date: 2026.04.08 SUZUKI MOTOR CORP
  • EP4197886B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4197886B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4197886B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

[Problem to be Solved] To provide an automatic parking system to reduce anxiety of a driver associated with automatic parking, and to enhance convenience and comfort of the automatic parking. [Solution] An automatic parking system includes: an obstacle detection device 13 configured to detect an obstacle around a vehicle 1; an image pickup device 16 configured to image a peripheral region of the vehicle 1; a parking controller 10 configured to set a parking route for moving the vehicle 1 to a target parking spot based on information on the obstacle and an image of the peripheral region, and to perform automatic parking control to park the vehicle at the target parking spot in accordance with the parking route; and a display device 11 configured to display information about the automatic parking control, wherein the display device 11 is configured to display a direction change stop point when the direction change stop point at which a traveling direction of the vehicle 1 is switched from forward to backward or backward to forward is included in the parking route, and the parking controller 10 is configured to limit a maximum number of updates of the direction change stop point to a first number of updates N1 during execution of the automatic parking control.