JP7704043B2 - Parking Assistance Device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a parking assistance device for vehicles such as automobiles.

There is a known parking assistance device that displays image information of the vehicle's surroundings acquired by a camera sensor or the like on a display, and when the target parking position is determined by the occupant based on the image information, assists in moving the vehicle to the target parking position by automatic driving or the like.

For example, the following Patent Document 1 describes a parking assistance device that calculates a parking path for the vehicle to reach a parking space according to a parking mode corresponding to the positional relationship between the vehicle and the parking space, and performs parking assistance control to move the vehicle to the parking space along the calculated parking path. Furthermore, this parking assistance device is configured to store parking information that associates the parking space in which the vehicle is parked with position information, refer to the parking information when the vehicle is traveling, and activate parking assistance control if the vehicle is within a predetermined distance from the parking space.

According to the parking assistance device described in Patent Document 1 below, when the vehicle is within a specified distance of a parking space, parking assistance control is automatically activated, so the driver can activate parking assistance control without operating an activation switch.

JP 2014-125196 A

[Problem to be solved by the invention]
In the parking assistance device described in the above publication, the parking assistance control is not automatically activated unless the vehicle is within a predetermined distance from a parking space where the vehicle has been parked before. Therefore, the parking assistance control cannot be automatically activated in a place where the vehicle has not been parked before.

The main objective of the present invention is to provide an improved parking assistance device that allows the user to register the location where the parking assistance control is to be activated, and can automatically activate the parking assistance control even in a location where the vehicle has not been parked before.

[Means for solving the problems and effects of the invention]
According to the present invention, there is provided a parking assistance device (100) including an acquisition device (camera sensor 12) for acquiring image information of the surroundings of a vehicle (102), a display (52), and a control device (10) configured to display image information (106) of the surroundings of the vehicle acquired by the acquisition device on the display when a parking assistance control program is started, and to execute parking assistance control for assisting in the movement of the vehicle to the target parking position when a target parking position (110B) is determined by an occupant based on the image information,
A parking assistance device (basic configuration) configured to perform the following operations: when a registration switch is operated by an occupant, the control device (10) acquires information on the current location of the vehicle (102) and registers the current location as a registration point in the storage device (18) (S70, S80), which is a registration control (FIG. 2); and when it is determined that the vehicle is within a preset distance range from the registration point registered in the storage device and the vehicle speed (V) is equal to or less than a reference value (Vc) (S220, S240), the control device (10) starts a parking assistance control program (FIG. 4) (S250), which is an activation control (FIG. 3).
is provided.

The display (52) is a touch panel type display, the registration switches (52A, 52B) are displayed on the display and operated by touch, and include a registration-only switch (52A) and a registration and start-up switch (52B), and the control device (10) is configured to perform registration control (S80) when the registration and start-up switch is touched (S50), and then perform start-up control (S90).

According to the above configuration, when the parking assistance control program is started, image information of the surroundings of the vehicle acquired by the acquisition device is displayed on the display, and when the occupant determines the target parking position based on the image information, parking assistance control is executed to assist in moving the vehicle to the target parking position. Thus, the parking assistance control assists in moving the vehicle to the target parking position.

In addition, according to the above configuration, when the occupant operates the registration switch, information on the vehicle's current location is acquired, and the current location is registered in the storage device as a registered point. Furthermore, when it is determined that the vehicle is within a preset distance from the registered point registered in the storage device and the vehicle speed is equal to or less than a reference value, the parking assistance control program is started.

Therefore, by operating the registration switch, the occupant can register the current location of the vehicle as a registered point in the storage device even if the current location is a place where the vehicle has never been parked. Furthermore, if the vehicle is located within a preset distance from the registered point registered in the storage device and the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a reference value, the parking assistance control program can be started. Therefore, by registering the point where the parking assistance control program is to be started, the parking assistance control program can be automatically started without operating the start switch when the vehicle approaches the registered point, even if the vehicle has never been parked in the place.
Furthermore, according to the above configuration, the display (52) is a touch panel type display, the registration switches (52A, 52B) are displayed on the display and operated by touch, and include a registration-only switch (52A) and a registration and start-up switch (52B), and when the registration and start-up switch is touched (S50), the control device (10) performs registration control (S80) and then starts-up control (S90).
Therefore, the occupant can obtain the information on the current location of the vehicle and register the current location as a registered point in the storage device by touching the registration switch displayed on the display. Furthermore, the occupant can not only register the current location as a registered point in the storage device, but also start the parking assistance control program by touching the registration and start switch.

[Mode of the invention]
In one aspect of the present invention, the control device (10) is configured to display (S30) the registration switches (52A, 52B) on the display (52) when the vehicle (102) is stopped and information on the vehicle's current location can be obtained (S10).

According to the above aspect, when the vehicle is stopped and information on the current location of the vehicle is available, the registration switch is displayed on the display. Therefore, when the vehicle is stopped and information on the current location of the vehicle is available, the occupant can operate the registration switch displayed on the display.

In another aspect of the present invention, when the control device (10) determines that the vehicle speed (V) is equal to or less than a reference value (Vc) (S240), it determines whether or not there is a registered location registered in the storage device within a preset distance range from the vehicle (S220), and when it determines that there is a registered location within the distance range, it starts the parking assistance control program (Figure 4) (S250).

According to the above aspect, when it is determined that the vehicle speed is equal to or less than the reference value, it is determined whether or not there is a registered location registered in the storage device within a preset distance range from the vehicle, and when it is determined that there is a registered location within the distance range, the parking assistance control program is started. Therefore, if the vehicle speed is equal to or less than the reference value and there is a registered location registered in the storage device within a preset distance range from the vehicle, the parking assistance control program can be automatically started.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, in the above basic configuration , the parking assistance device (100) includes a start-up switch (16), and the control device is configured to start the parking assistance control program (FIG. 4) when the start-up switch is operated, without determining whether or not the vehicle is within a preset distance range from a registered point registered in the storage device.

According to the above configuration , when the start switch is operated, the parking assistance control program is started without determining whether or not the vehicle is within a preset distance from the registered point registered in the storage device. Therefore, by operating the start switch, the occupant can start the parking assistance control program regardless of whether or not the vehicle is within a preset distance from the registered point registered in the storage device.

In the above description, in order to aid in understanding the present invention, the names and/or symbols used in the embodiments described below are added in parentheses to the configuration of the invention corresponding to the embodiments. However, each component of the present invention is not limited to the components of the embodiments corresponding to the names and/or symbols added in parentheses. Other objects, other features, and associated advantages of the present invention will be easily understood from the description of the embodiments of the present invention described below with reference to the drawings.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a parking assistance device according to the present invention; 5 is a flowchart showing a routine corresponding to a current location registration control program in the embodiment. 5 is a flowchart showing a routine corresponding to an automatic start control program for parking assist control in the embodiment. 5 is a flowchart showing a routine corresponding to a parking assistance control program in the embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a "Register only" switch and a "Register and activate" switch displayed on a display. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a left side overhead image showing the current position of the vehicle and a registered point. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a left-side overhead image in which a target route is set.

The parking assistance device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings.

<Configuration>
As shown in Fig. 1, a parking assistance device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to a vehicle 102 and includes a driving assistance ECU 10. The vehicle 102 includes a drive ECU 20, a brake ECU 30, an electric power steering ECU 40, and a meter ECU 50. The ECU stands for an electronic control unit having a microcomputer as a main component. In the following description, the electric power steering is referred to as EPS.

The microcomputer of each ECU includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, a readable/writable non-volatile memory (N/M), and an interface (I/F). The CPU performs various functions by executing instructions (programs, routines) stored in the ROM. Furthermore, these ECUs are connected to each other via a Controller Area Network (CAN) 104 to enable data exchange (communication). Therefore, the detection values of sensors (including switches) connected to a specific ECU are also sent to other ECUs.

The driving assistance ECU 10 is a central control device that performs driving assistance control such as parking assistance control, following distance control, and lane keeping control. In an embodiment, the driving assistance ECU 10 cooperates with other ECUs to perform current location registration control for parking the vehicle 102, automatic start control of parking assistance control, and parking assistance control, as will be described in detail later.

The driving assistance ECU 10 is connected to a camera sensor 12, a radar sensor 14, and a start switch 16. The camera sensor 12 and the radar sensor 14 each include multiple camera devices and multiple radar devices. The driving assistance ECU 10 has a built-in non-volatile storage device 18.

Although not shown in the figure, each camera device of the exterior camera sensor 12 includes a camera unit that captures images of the surroundings of the vehicle 102, and a recognition unit that analyzes image data captured by the camera unit to recognize landmarks such as white lines on the road and other vehicles. The recognition unit supplies information about the recognized landmarks to the driving assistance ECU 10 at predetermined time intervals. Note that LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) may be used instead of the camera sensor 12.

Each radar device of the radar sensor 14 is equipped with a radar transmission/reception unit and a signal processing unit (not shown). The radar transmission/reception unit emits millimeter wave band radio waves (hereinafter referred to as "millimeter waves") and receives millimeter waves (i.e., reflected waves) reflected by three-dimensional objects (e.g., other vehicles, bicycles, guardrails, etc.) within the emission range. The signal processing unit acquires information indicating the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object, the relative speed between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object, the relative position (direction) of the three-dimensional object to the vehicle, etc., based on the phase difference between the transmitted millimeter wave and the received reflected wave, the attenuation level of the reflected wave, and the time from transmitting the millimeter wave to receiving the reflected wave, and supplies the information to the driving assistance ECU 10 at predetermined time intervals.

The start switch 16 is provided in a position that can be operated by the driver, such as a steering wheel (not shown in FIG. 1), and is configured to be switched on and off by the driver. When the start switch 16 is on, a signal indicating this is supplied to the driving assistance ECU 10.

The drive ECU 20 is connected to a drive device 22 that accelerates the vehicle 102 by applying a driving force to drive wheels not shown in FIG. 1. The drive ECU 20 normally controls the drive device 22 so that the driving force generated by the drive device 22 changes according to the driving operation by the driver, and when it receives a command signal from the driving assistance ECU 10, it controls the drive device 22 based on the command signal.

The drive device 22 is not limited to a combination of an internal combustion engine and an automatic transmission. In other words, the drive device 22 may be any drive device known in the art, such as a combination of an internal combustion engine and a continuously variable transmission, a so-called hybrid system which is a combination of an internal combustion engine and a motor, a so-called plug-in hybrid system, a combination of a fuel cell and a motor, or a motor.

The brake ECU 30 is connected to a brake device 32 that applies a braking force to wheels (not shown in FIG. 1) to decelerate the vehicle 102. The brake ECU 30 normally controls the brake device 32 so that the braking force generated by the brake device 32 changes according to the braking operation by the driver, and when it receives a command signal from the driving assistance ECU 10, it performs automatic braking by controlling the brake device 32 based on the command signal. When braking force is not applied to the wheels, brake lights (not shown in FIG. 1) are turned on.

The EPS device 42 is connected to the EPS ECU 40. The EPS ECU 40 controls the steering assist torque and reduces the steering burden on the driver by controlling the EPS device 42 in a manner known in the art based on the steering torque Ts and vehicle speed V detected by the driving operation sensor 60 and vehicle state sensor 70 described below. In addition, the EPS ECU 40 can steer the steered wheels as necessary by controlling the EPS device 42. Thus, the EPS ECU 40 and the EPS device 42 function as a steering device that automatically steers the steered wheels as necessary.

A touch panel display 52 that displays the status of control by the driving assistance ECU 10 is connected to the meter ECU 50. The display 52 may be, for example, a multi-information display that displays meters and various information, or may be the display of a navigation device 80 described below. As described below, when the display 52 receives a command signal from the driving assistance ECU 10, it displays a switch for registering the current location, an image of the surroundings of the vehicle 102 for selecting a parking position, and the like.

The driving operation sensor 60 and the vehicle condition sensor 70 are connected to the CAN 104. Information detected by the driving operation sensor 60 and the vehicle condition sensor 70 (called sensor information) is transmitted to the CAN 104. The sensor information transmitted to the CAN 104 can be used appropriately in each ECU. Note that the sensor information may be information of a sensor connected to a specific ECU and transmitted to the CAN 104 from that specific ECU.

The driving operation sensor 60 includes a driving operation amount sensor that detects the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal, a braking operation amount sensor that detects the master cylinder pressure or the force applied to the brake pedal, and a brake switch that detects whether the brake pedal is operated. Furthermore, the driving operation sensor 60 includes a steering angle sensor that detects the steering angle θ, a steering torque sensor that detects the steering torque Ts, etc.

The vehicle state sensor 70 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the vehicle speed V of the vehicle 102, a longitudinal acceleration sensor that detects the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle, a lateral acceleration sensor that detects the lateral acceleration of the vehicle, and a yaw rate sensor that detects the yaw rate of the vehicle.

The navigation device 80 is also connected to the CAN 104. The navigation device 80 includes a GPS receiver that detects the position of the vehicle 102, a storage device that stores map information and road information, and a communication device that acquires the latest map information and road information from the outside. The navigation device 80 functions as a device that acquires information on the current location of the vehicle 102, and outputs a signal indicating the vehicle's current location on the map to the driving assistance ECU 10.

In this embodiment, the ROM of the driving assistance ECU 10 stores a current location registration control program, an automatic start control program for parking assistance control, and a parking assistance control program. These control programs correspond to the flowcharts shown in Figures 2 to 4, respectively, and the CPU of the driving assistance ECU 10 executes each control according to these programs.

<Current location registration control program (Fig. 2)>
Next, a current location registration control program in the embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in Fig. 2. The current location registration control according to the flowchart shown in Fig. 2 is executed by the CPU of the driving assistance ECU 10 when the vehicle 102 is stopped, and ends when the vehicle 102 resumes traveling.

The vehicle may be determined to be in a stopped state when the vehicle speed V detected by the vehicle speed sensor of the vehicle state sensor 70 is equal to or less than the stop determination reference value (0 or a positive constant). Alternatively, the vehicle may be determined to be in a stopped state when the vehicle speed V detected by the vehicle speed sensor is equal to or less than the stop determination reference value and the brake lamps (not shown in FIG. 1) are on. Alternatively, the vehicle may be determined to be in a stopped state when the vehicle speed V detected by the vehicle speed sensor is equal to or less than the stop determination reference value and the shift position of the transmission (not shown in FIG. 1) is in the P range. Furthermore, the vehicle may be determined to have resumed traveling when the vehicle speed V detected by the vehicle speed sensor of the vehicle state sensor 70 is equal to or more than the running determination reference value (a positive constant greater than the running determination reference value).

First, in step S10, the CPU determines whether or not information on the current location of the vehicle 102 can be obtained from the navigation device 80. If the CPU determines that the vehicle 102 is not currently located, the CPU temporarily ends this control. If the CPU determines that the vehicle 102 is not currently located, the CPU advances this control to step S20.

In step S20, the CPU determines whether the parking assistance control program is already running. If the CPU determines yes, it ends this control, and if the CPU determines no, it advances control to step S30.

In step S30, the CPU displays a "Register only" switch 52A and a "Register and start" switch 52B as current location registration switches (icons) on the display 52 as shown in FIG. 5, and prompts the driver to operate them. These switches can be selectively turned on by the driver's touch.

In step S40, the CPU determines whether the "Registration only" switch 52A has been turned on. If the CPU determines that the switch is on, the CPU advances control to step S80. If the CPU determines that the switch is on, the CPU advances control to step S50.

In step S50, the CPU determines whether the "Register and Activate" switch 52B is turned on. If the CPU determines that the switch is turned on, the CPU advances control to step S90. If the CPU determines that the switch is turned on, the CPU advances control to step S60.

In step S60, the CPU determines whether a time equal to or greater than the reference time (positive constant) for determining whether the current location has been registered has elapsed since the display unit 52 started displaying the current location registration switch. If the CPU determines that the time has not elapsed, it temporarily terminates this control, and if the CPU determines that the time has not elapsed, it advances this control to step S100.

In steps S70 and S80, the CPU registers the information (e.g., longitude and latitude) of the current location of the vehicle 102 obtained by the navigation device 80 by storing it as a registration point in the storage device 18. Note that when step S70 is completed, the control proceeds to step S100, and when step S80 is completed, the control proceeds to step S90.

In step S90, the CPU starts the parking assistance control program corresponding to the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, and then proceeds to step S100.

In step S100, the CPU displays on the display 52 that the current location registration control is ending, and then stops displaying the current location registration switch.

As can be seen from the above explanation, the current location registration control is executed when the vehicle 102 is stopped, and when the navigation device 80 can obtain information on the current location of the vehicle 102 (S10), the "Register only" switch 52A and the "Register and start" switch 52B are displayed on the display 52 (S30).

When switch 52A or 52B is turned on, the current location information of vehicle 102 obtained by navigation device 80 is registered as a registered location by storing it in storage device 18. Therefore, by turning on switch 52A or 52B when vehicle 102 is in a position that the occupant wishes to register as a registered location (S40, S50), the occupant can register the current location of vehicle 102 as a registered location even if the vehicle has never been parked there (S70, S80).

In addition, by turning on switch 52B, the occupant can register the current location of vehicle 102 as a registered point even if the vehicle has not been parked there before, and can start the parking assistance control program (S90).

<Automatic start control program for parking assistance control (Fig. 3)>
Next, an automatic start control program for the parking assist control in the embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in Fig. 3. The automatic start control according to the flowchart shown in Fig. 3 is executed by the CPU of the driving assist ECU 10 when an ignition switch (IGSW) not shown in Fig. 1 is on.

First, in step S210, the CPU searches for the nearest registered point from among registered points (registered points) stored in the storage device 18 (not shown in FIG. 1) based on the information on the current location of the vehicle 102 acquired by the navigation device 80. Note that when searching for the nearest registered point, the traveling direction of the vehicle 102 may be taken into consideration.

In step S220, the CPU determines whether the vehicle 102 is located within a reference distance (positive constant) from the nearest registered point. If the CPU determines that the vehicle 102 is located within a reference distance (positive constant), the CPU temporarily ends this control. If the CPU determines that the vehicle 102 is located within a reference distance (positive constant), the CPU proceeds to step S230.

In step S230, the CPU displays a map of the area in which the vehicle 102 is located on the display 52, and also displays the nearest registered point (there may be multiple registered points) on the map. Thus, the driver can recognize the presence and location of the nearest registered point by referring to the map displayed on the display 52. Note that the steps of displaying the map and the nearest registered point may be omitted.

In step S240, the CPU determines whether the vehicle speed V of the vehicle 102 is equal to or lower than the reference vehicle speed Vc (positive constant) for determining a low speed. If the CPU determines that the vehicle speed V is lower than the reference vehicle speed Vc (positive constant), the CPU ends this control. If the CPU determines that the vehicle speed V is lower than the reference vehicle speed Vc (positive constant), the CPU starts the parking assistance control program (Figure 4) in step S250.

In step S260, the CPU determines whether the vehicle speed V of the vehicle 102 is 0. If the CPU determines that the vehicle speed V is 0, in step S270, the CPU displays a message on the display 52 recommending that the vehicle stop, such as "Please stop the vehicle," and then returns the control to step S260. In contrast, if the CPU determines that the vehicle speed V is 0, in step S280, the CPU jumps to step S310 (FIG. 4) of the parking assistance control program.

As can be seen from the above explanation, the automatic start control of the parking assist control is executed when the ignition switch is on, and the nearest registered point is searched for among the registered points stored in the memory device 18 (S210). If it is determined that the vehicle 102 is located within a reference distance range from the nearest registered point (S220), a map of the area in which the vehicle 102 is located is displayed on the display 52, and the nearest registered point is displayed on the map (S230). Thus, the driver can recognize the location of the registered point closest to the vehicle's current location.

When it is determined that the vehicle speed V of the vehicle 102 is equal to or lower than the reference vehicle speed Vc for low speed determination (S240), the parking assistance control program is started (S250). Therefore, the driver can start the parking assistance control program without operating the start switch 16 by lowering the vehicle speed V to equal to or lower than the reference vehicle speed Vc for low speed determination in the vicinity of the position where the nearest registered point is displayed on the map.

<Parking Assistance Control Program (Figure 4)>
Next, a parking assist control program in the embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in Fig. 4. The parking assist control according to the flowchart shown in Fig. 4 is executed by the CPU of the driving assist ECU 10 when started by the above-mentioned current location registration control or automatic start control of the parking assist control, or when started by the start switch 16.

First, in step S310, the CPU displays an all-around overhead image of the vehicle 102 on the display 52. As shown in FIG. 6, the driver can display a left-side overhead image, a right-side overhead image, a front-side overhead image, and a rear-side overhead image by touching an image selection icon 52C. FIG. 6 is an example of a left-side overhead image 106, where 102n indicates the current position of the vehicle 102, and the star indicates the registered point 108.

In step S320, the CPU judges whether the driver has determined the desired parking position (target parking position) by touching a possible parking position (parking space) displayed on the display 52. If the CPU judges negative, it returns the control to step S310, and if the CPU judges positive, it advances the control to step S330. Note that once the driver has determined the desired parking position, he or she may get out of the vehicle 102 and then be able to operate the terminal device to give necessary instructions regarding remote parking.

In step S330, the CPU sets a target route from the current position of the vehicle 102 to the target parking position, and displays the target route on the display 52, as well as the "Start parking" icon 52D and the "Register and start parking" icon 52E. Figure 7 shows an example of a left-side overhead image 106 in which the target route has been set. In Figure 7, Pn indicates the reference position of the vehicle 102. 110 indicates a parking space, and 110A and 110B indicate available parking spaces.

Assume that the driver touches part 110B to determine parking space 110B as the desired parking position (target parking position). A target route 112 from the current position 102n of the vehicle 102 to the target parking position 110B is set as the target trajectory of the reference position Pn, and the target route 112 is displayed on the display 52.

In step S340, the CPU determines whether or not the "Start parking" icon 52D or the "Registration and start parking" icon 52E displayed on the display 52 is touched, thereby permitting the vehicle 102 to move by automatic driving. If the CPU determines that the vehicle 102 is not parked, it repeats step S340. If the CPU determines that the vehicle 102 is parked, it advances the control to step S350. When the CPU determines that the vehicle 102 is parked, the vehicle 102 is parked. If the CPU determines that the vehicle 102 is parked, it advances the control to step S350. When the "Registration and start parking" icon 52E is touched, the vehicle 102 is registered by storing the information on the current location of the vehicle 102 obtained by the navigation device 80 as a registration point in the storage device 18, as in steps S70 and S80 described above.

In step S350, the CPU, in cooperation with other ECUs, moves the vehicle 102 along the target route toward the target parking position by automatic driving that automatically controls the drive unit 22, the brake unit 32, and the EPS unit 42. Although not shown in the figure, the vehicle 102 can be stopped as necessary by touching the "stop" icon displayed on the display 52.

Furthermore, the vehicle 102 may be moved to the target parking position by automatic control of the EPS device 42, and the vehicle may be braked and driven by semi-automatic driving such as driving assistance provided by the driver.

In step S360, the CPU determines whether or not the vehicle 102 has reached the target parking position based on the detection results of the camera sensor 14 and the laser sensor 16. If the CPU determines that the vehicle 102 has reached the target parking position, the CPU returns the control to step S350, and if the CPU determines that the vehicle 102 has reached the target parking position, the CPU advances the control to step S370.

In step S370, the CPU displays on the display 52 that the vehicle 102 has reached the target parking position, shifts the transmission shift position to P range, and turns off the ignition switch (IGSW). In the case of remote parking, the display of the terminal device displays that the vehicle 102 has reached the target parking position.

As can be seen from the above explanation, the parking assist control is executed when it is started by the current location registration control or the automatic start control of the parking assist control, or when it is started by the start switch 16. When the parking assist control is started, an overhead image of the surroundings of the vehicle 102 is displayed (S310).

When the driver determines the target parking position using the overhead image (S320), a target route from the current position of the vehicle 102 to the target parking position is set, the target route is displayed on the display 52, and the "Start parking" icon 52D and the "Register and start parking" icon 52E are displayed (S330).

When it is determined that the vehicle 102 is permitted to move by automatic driving as a result of touching any of the icons (S340), the vehicle 102 is moved by automatic driving along the target route toward the target parking position (S350). When it is determined that the vehicle 102 has reached the target parking position (S360), the fact that the vehicle 102 has reached the target parking position is displayed on the display 52, the transmission shift position is shifted to P range, and the ignition switch is turned off (S370).

The driver can therefore use the overhead image to determine a target parking position, and by touching icon 52D or 52E, the vehicle 102 can be driven automatically to the target parking position and parked.

In addition, by touching the "Register and start parking" icon 52E, the driver can register the current location of the vehicle 102 as a registration point and can automatically drive the vehicle 102 to the target parking position and park it.

Although the present invention has been described in detail above with respect to a specific embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other embodiments are possible within the scope of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, the registration switches are the "Registration only" switch 52A and the "Registration and activation" switch 52B, which are displayed on the display 52 (S30). However, the "Registration and activation" switch 52B may be omitted. Also, the registration switch may not be a switch displayed on the display 52, but may be a permanently installed switch, similar to the activation switch 16.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the storage device 18 is built into the driving assistance ECU 10, but it may also be a storage device accessible from the vehicle 102 via wireless communication, such as a storage device installed in the cloud.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the "Start Parking" icon 52D and the "Register and Start Parking" icon 52E are displayed on the display 52. However, the "Register and Start Parking" icon 52E may be omitted, and conversely, when the "Start Parking" icon 52D is touched, the current location of the vehicle 102 may be automatically registered as a registered point. However, when the current location is automatically registered as a registered point, unnecessary points are also registered, and the number of registered points becomes enormous. In contrast, according to the embodiment, when parking assistance control is activated by operating the activation switch 16, points that the driver considers necessary can be registered as registered points, and it is possible to avoid registering unnecessary points.

10...driving assistance ECU, 12...camera sensor, 14...radar sensor, 16...start switch, 20...driving ECU, 22...driving device, 30...braking ECU, 32...braking device, 40...EPS ECU, 42...EPS device, 50...meter ECU, 52...display, 52A..."registration only" switch, 52B..."registration and start" switch, 60...driving operation sensor, 70...vehicle status sensor, 80...navigation device, 100...driving assistance device, 102...vehicle, 108...registration point

Claims (4)

A parking assistance device including: an acquisition device that acquires image information of the surroundings of a vehicle; a display; and a control device configured to display the image information of the surroundings of the vehicle acquired by the acquisition device on the display when a parking assistance control program is started, and to execute parking assistance control to assist in moving the vehicle to the target parking position when a driver determines a target parking position based on the image information,
In a parking assistance device, the control device is configured to perform a registration control of acquiring information on a current location of the vehicle and registering the current location as a registered point in a storage device when a registration switch is operated by an occupant, and a start control of starting the parking assistance control program when it is determined that the vehicle is within a preset distance from the registered point registered in the storage device and the vehicle speed is equal to or less than a reference value,
A parking assistance device in which the display is a touch panel type display, the registration switch is displayed on the display and operated by touch, and includes a registration only switch and a registration and start-up switch, and the control device is configured to perform the registration control when the registration and start-up switch is touched, and then to perform the start-up control . 2. The parking assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein the control device is configured to display the registration switch on the display when the vehicle is stopped and information on the current location of the vehicle is available. 3. The parking assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein the control device is configured to, when it determines that the vehicle speed is equal to or less than the reference value, determine whether or not there is a registered point registered in the storage device within the predetermined distance range from the vehicle, and when it determines that the registered point is within the distance range, start the parking assistance control program. A parking assistance device including: an acquisition device that acquires image information of the surroundings of a vehicle; a display; and a control device configured to display the image information of the surroundings of the vehicle acquired by the acquisition device on the display when a parking assistance control program is started, and to execute parking assistance control to assist in moving the vehicle to the target parking position when a driver determines a target parking position based on the image information,
In a parking assistance device, the control device is configured to perform a registration control of acquiring information on a current location of the vehicle and registering the current location as a registered point in a storage device when a registration switch is operated by an occupant, and a start control of starting the parking assistance control program when it is determined that the vehicle is within a preset distance from the registered point registered in the storage device and the vehicle speed is equal to or less than a reference value,
The parking assistance device includes a start-up switch, and the control device is configured to perform the start-up control when the start-up switch is operated, without determining whether the vehicle is within a predetermined distance range from a registered point registered in the storage device.

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