Vehicle Navigation Path Planning for Tight Parking Spaces
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in efficiently navigating and parking in tight spaces due to the need for multiple back and forth movements or large turning radii, which increase time, fuel consumption, and are difficult for inexperienced drivers.
Innovation Solution
A navigation system that utilizes image acquisition units to identify a vacant parking slot, determines a linear path using imaginary circles based on the vehicle's minimum turning radius, and adjusts steering and throttle to maneuver directly into the slot without multiple back and forth movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If Reeds-Shepp approach is used for path planning, then the shortest path is achieved, but multiple back and forth movements are required which increase parking time and fuel consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the parking maneuver into distinct phases: approach phase, turning phase, and parking phase. Each phase has optimized control parameters, allowing the vehicle to execute the maneuver more efficiently without requiring multiple back-and-forth movements, thus reducing parking time while maintaining path optimality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of steering angle and velocity throughout the parking maneuver. By continuously optimizing control parameters based on real-time vehicle state and position, the system achieves smooth transitions and eliminates unnecessary movements, reducing both parking time and fuel consumption while maintaining the shortest path
2Ease of operation
If long back and forth movement is performed to reach the turning point, then the vehicle can adjust heading, but a large amount of space is required which is not suitable for tight parking spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the control parameters (steering angle, velocity, acceleration) dynamically during the parking maneuver to achieve heading adjustment within a compact space. By optimizing these parameters, the vehicle can rotate and reposition itself without requiring the large clearance needed for traditional back-and-forth movements, making it suitable for tight parking spaces with aisle widths of 4.9 meters or less
3Ease of operation
If multiple back and forth movements are performed, then the vehicle can reach the turning point, but fuel consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent ensures continuous useful action throughout the parking maneuver by optimizing the trajectory and control parameters to eliminate idle movements and back-and-forth corrections. The vehicle maintains forward progress toward the target position while smoothly adjusting heading, ensuring that every movement contributes to the parking objective and minimizing fuel consumption
Data Source
AI summary
A method for automatic navigation and parking of a vehicle (202) in a tight parking space using a navigation system (200) is provided. The method includes identifying a vacant slot (406C) in a designated area (204) and stopping the vehicle (202) at a current position (412) within the designated area (204) upon identifying the vacant slot (406C). The method further includes determining a linear distance by which the vehicle (202) has to initially move from the current position (412) to a start point (426) for ultimately reaching a destination point (418) within the vacant slot (406C) via a middle point (438) and a tangential point (422). The navigation system (200) determines the linear distance based on a horizontal distance between the tangential point (422) and a collinear point (436) and one or more coordinates of the tangential point (422), the start point (426), and the current position (412).