MAPPING OF A DRIVABLE AREA FOR VEHICLE NAVIGATION

Abstract

An area which is to be defined as drivable by a vehicle is mapped by tracking the movement of a person such as the driver of the vehicle during a set-up procedure. The person travels along the boundaries of the area to be drivable and the area is mapped by a program using sensors to monitor the path of movement. Other areas within the already mapped area can also be mapped as drivable or as non-drivable.

Claims

1. A method for mapping a first area which is drivable by a vehicle at a site, comprising the steps of: positioning the vehicle at the site so that a sensor in the vehicle is positioned to monitor the first area; initiating a mapping program which captures a reference position at the site; moving a person along a boundary of the first area; tracking a movement of the person using the sensor and recording the movement pattern with the mapping program; and assessing the recorded movement pattern to confirm the boundary and to designate the first area as drivable.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is configured for at least partial automated driving.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the person is an occupant of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the person launches the program using a remote device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the remote device is comprised of a smartphone device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the movement pattern of the person corresponds to a closed loop.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein completion of the closed loop automatically initiates the assessing of the boundary.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first area as represented by the recorded movement pattern can be changed after completion of the recording by manual editing using an interface device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein data related to a second area is added to the mapping of the first area.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein in the second area is a non-drivable area within the first area, and wherein the second area is defined by the steps of: moving the person along a boundary of the second area; tracking the movement of the person using the sensor and recording the second movement pattern with the mapping program; and assessing the second recorded movement pattern to confirm the boundary and to designate the second area as non-drivable.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the second area is defined at a later time than the first area, and wherein the second area is added to the mapping of the first area at this later time.

12. A vehicle comprising: a driver assistance system for at least partial autonomous control of the vehicle; a sensor system for monitoring a region around the vehicle; a control device; and an interface device coupled to the control device; wherein the control device and the interface device are configured to perform a method for mapping a first area which is drivable by a vehicle at a site, wherein the method comprises the steps of: positioning the vehicle at the site so that the sensor system is positioned to monitor the first area; initiating a mapping program which captures a reference position at the site; moving a person along a boundary of the first area; tracking a movement of the person using the sensor and recording a movement pattern with the mapping program; and assessing the recorded movement pattern to confirm the boundary and to designate the first area as drivable.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the person is an occupant of the vehicle.

14. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the interface device comprises a remote device, and wherein the person starts the program using the remote device.

15. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the movement pattern of the person corresponds to a closed loop.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein completion of the closed loop automatically initiates the assessing of the boundary.

17. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the first area as represented by the recorded movement pattern can be changed after completion of the recording by manual editing using the interface device.

18. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein data related to a second area is added to the mapping of the first area.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the second area is a non-drivable area within the first area, and wherein the second area is defined by the steps of: moving the person along a boundary of the second area; tracking a second movement of the person using the sensor and recording a second movement pattern with the mapping program; and assessing the second recorded movement pattern to confirm the boundary and to designate the second area as non-drivable.

20. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the second area is defined at a later time than the first area, and wherein the second area is added to the mapping of the first area at this later time.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG. 1 is an overhead view of a site with a drivable area to be mapped.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of the method according to the invention.

[0019] FIG. 3 is an overhead view of a site with a drivable area to be mapped and a non-drivable area to be mapped.

[0020] FIG. 4 is an overhead view of the site of FIG. 3 showing mapping of the non-drivable area.

[0021] FIG. 5 is an overhead view of the site of FIGS. 3 and 4 showing the resulting map.

[0022] FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a smartphone suitable for carrying out the method of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] In a situation according to FIG. 1, a vehicle 1 according to the invention is positioned in a site (e.g., a home site) where it is desired to define a first drivable area 10. The vehicle 1 is at least partially automated, e.g., it has at least one driving assistance system that can independently carry out one aspect of the parking process without driver intervention (for example steering). The vehicle 1 has a control device 2 which is designed to receive and process signals from sensors 3 which capture a movement of a person and to display them, based on the movement pattern of the person, in a program for mapping the area 10 and the site on a display of an interface in the vehicle 1 or in an external control device (located outside the vehicle). An external control device is, for example, a smartphone 4 (FIG. 6), on which, for example, the FordPass™ app is installed, which can be used to operate the program, and on the display 41 of which the area 10 can be displayed. Of course, other apps and/or interfaces can also be used.

[0024] A camera 31 may be used as the sensor 3. Alternatively or additionally, a radar device, a lidar device, and/or an ultrasonic device may be used as sensors 3 without being limited to this number. Furthermore, GPS data can be used to track the movement of a person when a GPS device is present or available (e.g., installed in the vehicle 1 or provided externally in smartphone 4 or another device).

[0025] The first drivable area 10 at the home site includes a courtyard (driveway) between a residential building 11 and a garage 12. The vehicle 1 is to drive through the first area 10 and be parked in the garage 12. In order to map the area, in a method according to FIG. 2, the vehicle 1 is preferably positioned in the drivable first area 10 in a first step S1. Then, in a second step S2, the program for mapping is started. The program may be started by a driver 5 using a smartphone 4 on which a FordPass™ app is installed. for example. Alternatively, the program can also be started via an interface input which is incorporated in vehicle 1.

[0026] In a third step S3, the driver 5 moves out of vehicle 1 to a starting point 14, and from there initiates a movement around the first area 10 along the boundaries 13 thereof. The driver 5 enters information into the program when the movement for mapping is starting. Alternatively, another occupant from the vehicle 1 may move around the first area, or another person who has not previously been in the vehicle 1. The driver 5 travels a closed loop along the boundaries 13 to the starting point 14.

[0027] In a fourth step S4, the movement of the driver 5 is tracked by means of the camera 31 of the vehicle 1. The movement pattern of the person is recorded by the program and the outlines of the first area 10 are mapped. The fourth step S4 runs synchronously with the third step S3.

[0028] In a fifth step S5, the progress of the mapping is captured. If the mapping is not yet complete (N, for No), the method returns to step S4. Once the mapping is complete (Y, for Yes), the method continues to a sixth step S6.

[0029] In step S6, the mapping result is assessed by the driver 5. If the driver 5 is satisfied with the result (Y), it is saved and can be used by the vehicle 1 for use during parking. If the driver 5 is not satisfied with the result (N), the data can be discarded. The method can then be repeated, or the program can also be terminated (END).

[0030] In a seventh step S7, it is decided whether to map another area which can be added to (or subtracted from) the first area 10. If not (N), the method is terminated (END). If another area is to be mapped (Y), the method runs in a loop to step S3 and the steps of the method are carried out for a second area 20 (see FIG. 3-5) as described for the first area 10 and, if necessary, analogously for other areas.

[0031] In a situation according to FIG. 3, a second area 20 is marked within the first area 10. In the example this second area 20 is a flower bed 21, which should not be driven upon. For this purpose, the second area 20 is also mapped analogously to the first area 10. The method described in FIG. 2 is then continued according to FIG. 4 in such a way that the driver 5 decides after mapping the first area 10 in step S7 that the method should be continued and the second area 20 should be mapped.

[0032] In step S7, it is selected on the control panel of the remote control that another area within the first area 10 is to be mapped. As mentioned above, the method then runs again from step S3 for mapping the second area 20.

[0033] In step S3, the driver 5 goes to a starting point 24, starts his movement around the second area 20 and travels a complete loop along the boundaries 23 of the second area 20 until he reaches the starting point 24 again (FIG. 4). In the simultaneously running step S4, the movement of the driver 5 is tracked by means of the camera 31 of the vehicle 1. The movement pattern of the driver 5 is recorded by the program and the outlines of the second area 20 are mapped and inserted into the first area 10 as a non-drivable area. The finished mapping of the first area 10 with the second area 20 is shown in FIG. 5.

[0034] Steps S5-S7 run analogously as described above for the first area 10 when mapping the second area 20.

[0035] The driver 5 saves the result of the mapping according to the view of the mapped area and terminates the program manually. As explained above, other areas, which are not to be driven, within the first area 10 can also be captured and added to the mapping. Further areas can also be mapped which can be driven or if appropriate should not be driven and which are adjacent to the first area 10. The method would then be continued after step S7 with the mapping of another area analogous to steps S3 to S7 described above for capturing another area.

[0036] In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the second area 20 is mapped at a later time. For this purpose, the file stored in memory with the mapped first area 10 is opened in the mapping program and the mapping of the second area 20 with the steps S1 to S7 described in FIG. 2 is started. This adds another area to an existing mapping. In an analogous way, further areas can be added to an existing mapping at any time. In the same way, individual mapped areas within the first area 10 can also be deleted at any time if the characteristics characterizing them (for example a construction site) are no longer present.

[0037] In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the driver or possibly another user changes the recorded areas after completion of the recording. The user enters corresponding changes on the touchscreen of the smartphone 4 (or a display in the vehicle 1, for example) by means of finger contact (FIG. 6). For example, the driver is shown a mapped area 10 having a boundary includes points along the contour of the recorded area, which he can move with his fingers.