IP Library Granted Patent US 12673702
Granted Patent B2
US 12673702 · App. 18/593,484 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Driving assistance apparatus, and vehicle for safe automated pulling out

Inventors: Takehito Sato (Tokyo, JP); Atsushi Nojiri (Tokyo, JP); Satoshi Fukumoto (Tokyo, JP); Yoshimasa Okabe (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
B60W60/0054B60W60/0059G06V20/56B60W2420/403
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12673702
App. No.
18/593,484
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A control method for a driving assistance apparatus of a vehicle, the driving assistance apparatus coupled with a sensor monitoring an ambient area of the vehicle, the control method including generating a travel path from a parking space to a road region using input from the sensor, traveling the vehicle part of the travel path using a second input from the sensor in a first autonomous traveling mode, traveling the vehicle another part of the travel path using a third input from the sensor in a second autonomous traveling mode, and switching from the second autonomous driving mode to a manual driving mode in response to a steering operation of the vehicle being performed by the user while the vehicle is travelling the second part of the travel path in the second autonomous mode.

Claims (46)

1 . A control method for a driving assistance apparatus of a vehicle, the driving assistance apparatus coupled with a sensor monitoring an ambient area of the vehicle, the control method comprising:

generating a travel path from a first position in a parking space to a second position in a road region of a road using a first input received from the sensor, the travel path having a third position between the first position and the second position, the parking space being adjacent to the road region of the road;

traveling the vehicle a first part of the travel path from the first position to the third position using a second input received from the sensor in a first autonomous traveling mode, in which a first steering operation and a first accelerator operation of the vehicle, are controlled automatically;

traveling the vehicle a second part of the travel path from the third position to the second position using a third input received from the sensor in a second autonomous traveling mode, in which at least a second steering operation of the vehicle is controlled automatically, while the vehicle is travelling in the first autonomous traveling mode and when the vehicle reaches the third position where the vehicle has entered the road region by a predetermined distance from the first position and when a second accelerator operation of the vehicle is performed by the user; and

switching from the second autonomous traveling mode to a manual driving mode in response to a third steering operation of the vehicle being performed by the user while the vehicle is travelling the second part of the travel path in the second autonomous traveling mode.

2 . The control method for the driving assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein it is possible that other vehicles travel in the road region of the road.

3 . The control method for the driving assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the parking space is located inside the road and on a side of the road.

4 . The control method for the driving assistance apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of other parking spaces is located inside the road, on the side of the road, and adjacent to the parking space.

5 . The control method for the driving assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the parking space is located outside the road and adjacent to the road.

6 . The control method for the driving assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle changes a travel direction of the vehicle from a first direction to a second direction being opposite to the first direction at the third position of the travel path.

7 . The control method for the driving assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the travel path has a fourth position between the first position of the travel path and the third position of the travel path,

the vehicle changes a travel direction of the vehicle from a third direction to a fourth direction being opposite to the third direction at the fourth position of the travel path.

8 . The control method for the driving assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising,

stopping the vehicle temporarily at the third position of the travel path.

9 . The control method for the driving assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising,

notifying the user of the vehicle to perform the second accelerator operation of the vehicle, at the third position of the travel path.

10 . The control method for the driving assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising,

notifying the user of the vehicle to perform the third steering operation of the vehicle while the vehicle is travelling the second part of the travel path in the second autonomous traveling mode.

11 . A driving assistance apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

an input circuit configured to be coupled with a first sensor monitoring an ambient area of the vehicle, and a second sensor detecting a user operation; and

an output circuit configured to be coupled with a vehicle driving device of the vehicle, the vehicle driving device controlling at least a steering and an accelerator of the vehicle, wherein

the driving assistance apparatus generates a travel path from a first position in a parking space to a second position in a road region of a road using a first input received from the first sensor, the travel path having a third position between the first position and the second position, the parking space being adjacent to the road region of the road,

the driving assistance apparatus travels the vehicle a first part of the travel path from the first position to the third position using a second input received from the first sensor in a first autonomous traveling mode, in which a first steering operation and a first accelerator operation of the vehicle, are controlled automatically,

the driving assistance apparatus travels the vehicle a second part of the travel path from the third position to the second position using a third input received from the first sensor in a second autonomous traveling mode, in which at least a second steering operation of the vehicle is controlled automatically, while the vehicle is travelling in the first autonomous traveling mode and when the vehicle reaches the third position where the vehicle has entered the road region by a predetermined distance from the first position and when a second accelerator operation of the vehicle is performed by the user, and

the driving assistance apparatus switches from the second autonomous traveling mode to a manual driving mode in response to a third steering operation of the vehicle being performed by the user while the vehicle is travelling the second part of the travel path in the second autonomous traveling mode.

12 . The driving assistance apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein

it is possible that other vehicles travel in the road region of the road.

13 . The driving assistance apparatus to claim 11 , wherein

the parking space is located inside the road and on a side of the road.

14 . The driving assistance apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein

at least one of other parking spaces is located inside the road, on the side of the road, and adjacent to the parking space.

15 . The driving assistance apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein

the parking space is located outside the road and adjacent to the road.

16 . The driving assistance apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein

the vehicle changes a travel direction of the vehicle from a first direction to a second direction being opposite to the first direction at the third position of the travel path.

17 . The driving assistance apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein

the travel path has a fourth position between the first position of the travel path and the third position of the travel path, and

the vehicle changes a travel direction of the vehicle from a third direction to a fourth direction being opposite to the third direction at the fourth position of the travel path.

18 . The driving assistance apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein

the driving assistance apparatus stops the vehicle temporarily at the third position of the travel path.

19 . The driving assistance apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein

the output circuit is further configured to be coupled with a speaker of the vehicle, and

the driving assistance apparatus notifies the user of the vehicle to perform the second accelerator operation of the vehicle, at the third position of the travel path.

20 . The driving assistance apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein

the output circuit is further configured to be coupled with a speaker of the vehicle, and

the driving assistance apparatus notifies the user of the vehicle to perform the third steering operation of the vehicle while the vehicle is travelling the second part of the travel path in the second autonomous traveling mode.