Autonomous Valet Parking Using Code Markers for Space Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous valet parking systems face challenges in accurately matching vehicles with service providers due to issues like unavailable parking spaces, vehicle misplacement, and sensor faults, leading to inefficiencies in service delivery.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing code markers in the parking lot, combined with vehicle sensors and a communication network, enables precise vehicle positioning and autonomous parking operations, allowing vehicles to identify and park at designated service spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a service provider manually checks parking positions and vehicle appearance, then service delivery can be performed, but parking spaces may become unavailable due to another driver parking first, preceding vehicles not exiting, or sensor faults causing misplacement
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle autonomously performs parking operations without human intervention. The processor controls the vehicle to automatically move to and park in the target parking space based on received positioning information, eliminating the need for manual service provider intervention and reducing errors associated with human checking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual visual checking by service providers with automated image recognition systems. Sensors capture images of code markers in the parking lot, and processors automatically decode positioning information from these images, substituting human mechanical inspection with automated optical and computational systems.
2Measurement precision
If the system uses automated sensors to detect code markers for vehicle positioning, then parking accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases due to multiple sensors and processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces code markers as intermediary elements placed in the parking lot. These markers serve as mediators between the vehicle's sensors and the parking management system, enabling accurate positioning through image recognition without requiring complex direct sensing and communication infrastructure throughout the parking facility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses image data captured by sensors to create a digital representation of the code marker's position. The processor analyzes this image copy to determine vehicle location and parking space coordinates, replacing the need for direct physical measurement systems with optical copying and digital processing.
3Productivity
If the vehicle autonomously moves to a target parking space using control commands, then service efficiency is improved, but errors occur when the vehicle parks in the wrong space due to sensor faults or mismatched positioning information
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback through the communication apparatus that continuously exchanges positioning information between the server and vehicle. The vehicle receives target parking space coordinates, executes movement, and the system can verify successful parking through subsequent image recognition of code markers, creating a closed-loop control system that corrects positioning errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The server pre-calculates and transmits the coordinates of the target parking space to the vehicle before the autonomous movement begins. This preliminary provision of positioning information allows the vehicle to navigate directly to the correct space, preventing wrong-parking errors before they occur.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an autonomous valet parking vehicle, including: a sensor unit configured to obtain image data associated with an environment around a vehicle; a controller configured to control at least one function of the vehicle; a communication apparatus configured to communicate with a server associated with autonomous valet parking; and a processor configured to receive, from the server, a movement request message comprising a control command for at least one of: acceleration, brake, or steering; control, based on the control command, the vehicle toward a service space; identify, based on the image data, a code marker corresponding to service selection information; and control, based on the code marker, an autonomous parking operation of the vehicle to park the vehicle in the service space.