IP Library Granted Patent US 11,417,217
Granted Patent B2
US 11,417,217 · App. 16/728,857 · Granted Aug 16, 2022

System, method, infrastructure, and vehicle for automated valet parking

Inventor: Dae Gil Cho (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY; KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
G08G1/202G01C21/3438G05D1/0088G05D1/0212G08G1/146G08G1/149G05D2201/0213
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,417,217
App. No.
16/728,857
Granted
Aug 16, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system, method, infrastructure, and vehicle for performing automated valet parking enable an unmanned vehicle to autonomously move to and park at an empty parking space by communicating with a parking infrastructure. The system, method, infrastructure, and vehicle enable an unmanned vehicle to autonomously move from a parking space to a pickup zone by communicating with a parking infrastructure.

Claims (52)

1. An apparatus for automated valet parking, the apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to perform a computation; and

a transceiver configured to transmit and receive data,

wherein the apparatus receives a pickup request for a vehicle, determines whether a pickup condition is satisfied after receiving the pickup request, and transmits to the vehicle a guide route that guides the vehicle from a parking space to a pickup zone when it is determined that the pickup condition is satisfied,

wherein the apparatus determines a pickup procedure starting area on the basis of a location of the parking place of the vehicle and a location of the pickup zone, transmits information on the pickup procedure starting area to a terminal, and determines that the pickup condition is satisfied in a case where the apparatus receives a final pickup request from the terminal, and

wherein the pickup procedure starting area is an area where the terminal needs to transmit the final pickup request to the apparatus.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus estimates a duration of the vehicle movement up to the pickup zone on the basis of the location of the parking place of the vehicle and the location of the pickup procedure starting area, estimates a duration of the driver movement up to the pickup zone on the basis of a current location of the terminal and the location of the pickup zone, and determines whether the pickup condition is satisfied on the basis of the estimated duration of the vehicle movement and the estimated duration of the driver movement.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the apparatus determines that the pickup condition is satisfied in a case where the estimated duration of the vehicle movement is shorter than the estimated duration of the driver movement.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the apparatus determines whether communication between the apparatus and the terminal is normally maintained and determines that the pickup condition is satisfied in a case where the estimated duration of the vehicle movement is shorter than the estimated duration of the driver movement and the communication between the apparatus and the terminal is not normally maintained.

5. An automated valet parking method performed using a parking infrastructure and a terminal, the method comprising:

receiving, by the infrastructure, a pickup request for a vehicle;

determining, by the infrastructure, whether the pickup condition is satisfied after receiving the pickup request; and

transmitting to the vehicle, by the infrastructure, a guide route that guides the vehicle from a parking place of the vehicle to a pickup zone, in a case where it is determined that the pickup condition is satisfied,

wherein the determining comprises

determining, by the infrastructure, a pick procedure starting area on the basis of a location of the parking place of the vehicle and a location of the pickup zone and transmitting information on the pickup procedure starting area to the terminal,

transmitting, by the terminal, a final pickup request to the infrastructure when a current location of the terminal is within the pickup procedure starting area, and

determining that the pickup condition is satisfied in a case where the infrastructure receives the final pickup request, and

wherein the pickup procedure starting area is an area where the terminal needs to transmit the final pickup request to the infrastructure.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the determining further comprises:

modifying, by the terminal, the pickup procedure starting area according to a monitoring result by monitoring at least either a movement pattern of the terminal or a moving phase of the terminal.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the modifying comprises:

making a request, by the terminal, for information on a new pickup procedure starting area when the movement pattern of the terminal changes; and

determining, by the infrastructure, the new pickup procedure starting area and transmitting the information on the new pickup procedure starting area to the terminal.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the modifying comprises:

adjusting the pickup procedure starting area such that a distance from the pickup procedure starting area to the pickup zone is increased when the moving phase of the terminal becomes faster; and

adjusting the pickup procedure starting area such that the distance from the pickup procedure starting area to the pickup zone is decreased when the moving phase of the terminal becomes slower.

9. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the determining comprises:

calculating, by the infrastructure, an estimated duration of the vehicle movement up to the pickup zone on the basis of the location of the parking place of the vehicle and the location of the pickup zone;

calculating, by the infrastructure, an estimated duration of driver movement up to the pickup zone on the basis of the current location of the terminal and the location of the pickup zone; and

determining whether the pickup condition is satisfied on the basis of the estimated duration of the vehicle movement and the estimated duration of the driver movement.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the determining further comprises:

determining, by the infrastructure, that the pickup condition is satisfied in a case where the estimated duration of the vehicle movement is shorter than the estimated duration of the driver movement.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the determining further comprises:

determining, by the infrastructure, whether communication with the terminal is normally maintained; and

determining, by the infrastructure, that the pickup condition is satisfied in a case where the estimated duration of the vehicle movement is shorter than the estimated duration of the driver movement and the communication with the terminal is not normally maintained.

12. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the infrastructure, a pickup signal for turning on an ignition of the vehicle.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

delegating a driving authority for the vehicle from the driver to the infrastructure after the pickup request is transmitted to the vehicle; and

delegating the driving authority for the vehicle from the infrastructure to the driver of the vehicle when the vehicle arrives at the pickup zone.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

locking doors of the vehicle, by the infrastructure, when the vehicle leaves the parking place; and

unlocking the doors of the vehicle, by the infrastructure, when the vehicle arrives at the pickup zone.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program for executing an automated valet parking method, the program to direct a processor to perform acts of:

receiving a pickup request for a vehicle;

determining whether the pickup condition is satisfied after receiving the pickup request; and

transmitting to the vehicle a guide route that guides the vehicle from a parking place of the vehicle to a pickup zone, in a case where it is determined that the pickup condition is satisfied,

wherein the determining comprises

determining a pick procedure starting area on the basis of a location of the parking place of the vehicle and a location of the pickup zone and transmitting information on the pickup procedure starting area to the terminal,

receiving a final pickup request from the terminal that is located in the pickup procedure starting area, and

determining that the pickup condition is satisfied in a case where the infrastructure receives the final pickup request, and

wherein the pickup procedure starting area is an area where the terminal needs to transmit the final pickup request to the infrastructure.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2019
From: CHO, DAE GIL
To: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY; KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051443/0199 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2018-0172790 · Dec 28, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200211400A1 · Jul 2, 2020