Parking assistance system

Abstract

A parking assistance system includes an imaging apparatus for obtaining image information of surroundings of a vehicle, a displaying apparatus for displaying the image information, a vehicle position calculating device for calculating a vehicle position from the image information, a parking reference detecting device for detecting a parking reference from the image information, a target position setting device for setting a parking target position on the basis of the parking reference, a guiding device for guiding the vehicle to the parking target position and a target position renewing device for renewing the parking target position during the guiding. The parking reference detecting device detects the parking reference every time the vehicle moves under a predetermined condition during the guiding. The target position renewing device renews the parking target position on the basis of a position of the parking reference relative to the vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and additional features and characteristics of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description considered with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 represents a block diagram illustrating a parking assistance system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 represents a diagram illustrating a vehicle at which the parking assistance system is provided;

FIG. 3 represents a diagram illustrating a parking operation of the vehicle to a parking area;

FIG. 4 represents a diagram illustrating a screen of a monitor apparatus before transition to a target position setting mode;

FIG. 5 represents a diagram illustrating the screen of the monitor apparatus after the transition to the target position setting mode;

FIG. 6 represents a diagram illustrating the screen of the monitor apparatus during a parking target position set;

FIG. 7 represents a diagram illustrating the screen of the monitor apparatus after the parking target position set;

FIG. 8 represents a diagram illustrating the screen of the monitor apparatus after an occupant changes the parking target position;

FIG. 9 represents a diagram illustrating the screen of the monitor apparatus after the parking target position is determined;

FIG. 10 represents a diagram illustrating the screen of the monitor apparatus during a parking assistance;

FIG. 11 represents a diagram illustrating the screen of the monitor apparatus during the parking assistance;

FIG. 12 represents a diagram illustrating the screen of the monitor apparatus after the parking assistance is ended;

FIG. 13 represents a flow chart illustrating an operation of the parking assistance system;

FIG. 14 represents a flow chart illustrating a parking stall line-detecting process in FIGS. 13 and 15;

FIG. 15 represents a flow chart illustrating a parking target position renewing process in FIG. 13; and

FIG. 16 represents a block diagram illustrating a parking assistance system according to another embodiment.

Claims

1. A parking assistance system, comprising: an imaging means for obtaining image information by taking an image of scenery of surroundings of a vehicle;a vehicle position calculating means for calculating a position of the vehicle on the basis of the image information obtained by imaging means;a parking reference detecting means for detecting a parking reference utilized as a reference for parking from the image information;a target position setting means for setting a parking target position on the basis of the parking reference;a parking reference renewing means for renewing the parking reference every time the vehicle moves under a predetermined condition; anda target position renewing means for renewing the parking target position based on the parking reference renewed by the parking reference renewing means every time the vehicle moves under a predetermined condition.

2. The parking assistance system according to claim 1, the parking reference renewing means includes the parking reference detecting means, which detects the parking reference every time the vehicle moves under a predetermined condition from the image information obtained by the imaging means.

3. The parking assistance system according to claim 2, further comprising a guiding means for guiding the vehicle to the parking target position; wherein the parking reference renewing means renewing the parking reference every time the vehicle moves under a predetermined condition during the guiding of the vehicle, andthe target position renewing means renews the parking target position during the guiding of the vehicle to the parking target position on the basis of a position of the parking reference relative to the vehicle.

4. The parking assistance system according to claim 3, further comprising a target position changing means for changing, on the basis of an operation of an occupant, the parking target position set by the target position setting means, wherein the target position renewing means renews the parking target position while the target position renewing means retains a position of the parking target position changed by the target position changing means relative to the parking reference.

5. The parking assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the parking reference is a parking stall line indicating a parking space.

6. The parking assistance system according to claim 5, wherein the parking reference detecting means detects information on the parking stall line and sets a parking stall line detection area, in which a detection of the parking stall line is performed, on the basis of the information on the parking stall line.

7. The parking assistance system according to claim 6, wherein the parking reference detecting means detects the parking stall line in the parking stall line detection area every time the vehicle moves under the predetermined condition

8. The parking assistance system according to claim 3, wherein the parking reference is a parking stall line indicating a parking space.

9. The parking assistance system according to claim 8, wherein the parking reference detecting means detects information on the parking stall line and sets a parking stall line detection area, in which a detection of the parking stall line is performed, on the basis of the information on the parking stall line.

10. The parking assistance system according to claim 9, wherein the parking reference detecting means detects the parking stall line in the parking stall line detection area every time the vehicle moves under the predetermined condition during the guiding of the vehicle.

11. The parking assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the parking reference is a shape information of an object present around a parking space and included in the image information.

12. The parking assistance system according to claim 3, wherein the parking reference is a shape information of an object present around a parking space and included in the image information.

13. The parking assistance system according to claim 3, wherein the guiding means calculates a guiding path from a current position of the vehicle calculated by the vehicle position calculating means to the parking target position.

14. The parking assistance system according to claim 13, wherein the guiding means calculates the guiding path on the basis of a renewed parking target position in a situation where the parking target position is renewed by the target position renewing means.

15. The parking assistance system according to claim 1, further comprising a displaying means provided in a vehicle compartment for displaying the image information obtained by the imaging means.

16. The parking assistance system according to claim 15, further comprising a guiding means for guiding the vehicle to the parking target position, wherein the guiding means calculates a guiding path from a current position of the vehicle calculated by the vehicle position calculating means to the parking target position, and the displaying means displays the guiding path.

17. The parking assistance system according to claim 13, wherein the guiding means includes a displaying means provided in a vehicle compartment and guides the vehicle to the parking target position by displaying the guiding path on the displaying means.

18. The parking assistance system according to claim 14, wherein the guiding means includes a displaying means provided in a vehicle compartment and guides the vehicle to the parking target position by displaying the guiding path on the displaying means.

19. The parking assistance system according to claim 13, wherein the guiding means guides the vehicle to the parking target position along the guiding path by controlling a steering means.

20. The parking assistance system according to claim 14, wherein the guiding means guides the vehicle to the parking target position along the guiding path by controlling a steering means.