Method for performing automatic valet parking

US11590964B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Ford Global Technologies, LLC · US

Inventors

• Frederic Stefan · Aachen, DE
• Michael Marbaix · Haillot, BE
• Evangelos Bitsanis · Hamm, DE
• Turgay Isik Aslandere · Hamm, DE
• Alain Marie Roger Chevalier · Henri-Chapelle, BE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 26, 2020
• Grant date: Feb 28, 2023
• Expiry date: Feb 18, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B60W50/02
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A method for performing automatic valet parking, which includes selecting a road scenario applicable to a roadway; notifying a driver to release manual control elements of a motor vehicle and to leave the motor vehicle; checking whether the control elements have been released and the driver has left the motor vehicle and, in this case, entering an EXPLORE mode in which the motor vehicle is slowly driven autonomously and searches for a free car space or a parking space using the vehicle's own environmental sensors, before the motor vehicle is placed in a parking position; and then to change from the EXPLORE mode to a PARKING mode in which the motor vehicle is parked in the car space or in the parking space from the parking position by means of the longitudinal and lateral controllers and using the environmental data previously obtained from the environmental sensors in the EXPLORE mode.