DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM

Abstract

A driver assistance system supports a driver of a vehicle during a parking procedure. Using the driver assistance system, automatic display and finding an available parking space is performed at a desired destination, automatic transfer to a memory of data relating to the vehicle position is performed after carrying out the parking procedure, wherein these data are retrievable by a mobile communication device of the driver to relocate the vehicle, and automatic payment for the parking procedure is performed before the vehicle drives out of a parking area, which has the parking space.

Claims

1. A driver assistance method comprising: automatically displaying, on a vehicle display, a parking area having parking spaces at a desired destination; automatically transferring, to a memory, data relating to a vehicle position responsive to completing a parking procedure such that the vehicle position occupies a parking space of the parking spaces, wherein the vehicle position is retrieved by a mobile communication device such that the driver is notified of the vehicle position on the mobile communication device; and automatically paying for parking at the desired destination before the vehicle exits the parking area.

2. The driver assistance method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising requesting a reservation of the parking space from the parking spaces at the desired destination in response to a driver input.

3. The driver assistance method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising starting a route guidance to the parking area which has the parking space responsive to an available parking space being found.

4. The driver assistance method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising forwarding information relating to costs incurred in using the parking space automatically to the mobile communication device.

5. The driver assistance method as claimed in claim 1, wherein automatically paying the desired destination uses wireless Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) communication.

6. The driver assistance method as claimed in claim 1, wherein automatically paying the desired destination is performed by using fingerprint recognition.

7. The driver assistance method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising displaying additional information while automatically displaying the parking area.

8. The driver assistance method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the additional information includes at least one of a multistory car park, an underground car park, a parking space under cover, an outdoor parking space, a distance to an exit, parking charges, availability, a number of parking spaces, a number of available parking spaces, dimensions of the parking spaces, accessibility of the parking spaces, restrictions affecting the parking spaces, opening times, or toilet access.

9. A vehicle comprising: a navigation system configured to automatically display, on a vehicle display, a parking area having parking spaces at a desired destination; a memory unit configured to automatically transfer data relating to a vehicle position responsive to completion of a parking procedure such that the vehicle position occupies a parking space of the parking spaces to a mobile communication device, wherein the vehicle position is retrieved by the mobile communication device such that a driver is notified of the vehicle position on the mobile communication device; and a Radio Frequency Identification wireless communication system configured to automatically pay the desired destination charges relating to the parking procedure before the vehicle exits the parking area.

10. The vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the navigation system is further configured to request a reservation of the parking space in the parking area at the desired destination in response to a driver input.

11. The vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein the navigation system is further configured to start route guidance to the parking area in response to the reservation.

12. The vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the memory is further configured to forward information relating to costs incurred in using the parking space to the mobile communication device.

13. The vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the RFID wireless communication system uses fingerprint recognition to pay the desired destination for the parking space.

14. The vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the navigation system is further configured to display additional information indicative of an accessibility of the parking space while the parking area is displayed.

15. A driver assistance system comprising: a navigation system that displays an area having parking spaces at a destination; a memory that transfers data indicative of a vehicle position occupying a space in the area after a parking procedure to a mobile device, wherein a driver is notified of the vehicle position on the mobile device; and a communication system that pays the destination charges relating to the parking procedure before exiting the area.

16. The driver assistance system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the navigation system requests a reservation of the space in the area at the destination in response to a driver input.

17. The driver assistance system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the navigation system starts route guidance to the area in response to the reservation.

18. The driver assistance system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the memory forwards information relating to costs incurred in using the space to the mobile device.

19. The driver assistance system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the communication system uses fingerprint recognition to pay the destination for the space.

20. The driver assistance system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the navigation system displays additional information indicative of restrictions that affect the space while the area is displayed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram to explain a typical scenario in the operation of the driver assistance system according to the disclosure;

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram for the detailed explanation of an automatic payment procedure carried out according to the disclosure;

[0024] FIG. 3 shows a flow diagram to explain a communication according to the disclosure between a vehicle and an infrastructure of a parking area or multistory car park; and

[0025] FIG. 4 shows a block diagram to illustrate communication shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] As required, detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram to explain a typical scenario in an operation of a driver assistance system according to the disclosure;

[0028] In step S110, an automatic display of parking spaces, including their characteristics, is performed, along with finding and reserving a selected parking space. In step S120, a vehicle drives into a parking area (e.g. a multistory car park) that has the selected parking space concerned. In step S130, data relating to a vehicle position are transferred automatically to a memory. In step S140, the vehicle position is retrieved via a mobile communication device of a driver. In step S150, payment is made via fingerprint identification. In step S160, the vehicle leaves the parking area.

[0029] The performance of a payment procedure inside a vehicle according to one embodiment is presented in more detail in the flow diagram shown in FIG. 2. In a step S210, credit card information or payment card information is forwarded from a vehicle user wishing to make use of a service to a vehicle. Furthermore, in step S220, fingerprints of all users are forwarded to the vehicle in order to enable an unequivocal matching between a credit card and a user, and corresponding data are encrypted and stored by the vehicle in step S230.

[0030] In a step S240, the vehicle approaches an entrance to the parking area or multistory car park, the vehicle is registered via an RFID communication and a barrier is opened. In a step S250, the vehicle (after carrying out a parking procedure) approaches an exit of the parking area or multistory car park, the payment procedure is carried out via a POS terminal, and the barrier is opened and the vehicle can leave the parking area.

[0031] According to the disclosure, a novel and sophisticated communication between the vehicle and the infrastructure of the multi-story car park can be used, as described below. To do this, when a multistory car park is used, information relating to an address of the multistory car park, a level and number of parking spaces, and also an arrival time can first be transmitted from a parking space recognition to the vehicle in order to enable a calculation of the expected parking charge. This information is stored in the vehicle and can be retrieved on demand. Even after a lengthy parking duration (e.g. at the end of a two-week holiday), it is then simple to relocate the vehicle. The same RFID interface can be used as was already used in the previously described performance of payment procedures.

[0032] A possible sequence of a method according to the disclosure is explained below with reference to the flow diagram shown in FIG. 3 and the block diagram shown in FIG. 4. A novel and sophisticated communication between the vehicle and the infrastructure of the parking area (e.g. multistory car park) is used here:

[0033] According to FIG. 3, recording or recognizing of the vehicle (denoted 420 in FIG. 4) through parking space recognition (denoted 410 in FIG. 4), and transferring relevant information to the vehicle, wherein this information may comprise, for example, an address of the parking area or multistory car park, a level or number of the parking space and an arrival time of the vehicle in the parking area (in order to enable a calculation of the parking charge incurred) is performed in a first step S310. The corresponding wireless communication is denoted 415 in FIG. 4. This information can be stored in the vehicle so that the driver can retrieve it later, on demand. In step S320, the driver receives a pop-up message on a display with all data for confirmation of the latter, as a result of which an input of the data from other, possibly simultaneously forwarded, parking space recognitions can be prevented. Following confirmation of the data, the parking space recognition stops a transmission procedure to avoid a misinterpretation by other vehicles. In a step S330, the vehicle transmits the data to a server (denoted 430 in FIG. 4), where they are stored until the user next moves the vehicle. This communication (performed via mobile radiocommunication) is denoted 425 in FIG. 4. In step S340, the user requests location information from the server. In step S350, the server forwards the information concerned via mobile radiocommunication to the driver or to a communication device (denoted 440 in FIG. 4) carried by said driver. The corresponding communication is denoted 435 in FIG. 4.

[0034] While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the disclosure. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the disclosure.