REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE FOR THE REMOTE CONTROL OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

The disclosure concerns a control device for the remote control of a motor vehicle including a display device for visualizing the surroundings of the motor vehicle detected by motor vehicle sensors of the motor vehicle, and a motor vehicle symbol in a surrounding area of the motor vehicle. An input device inputs a desired parking position within the detected surrounding area of the motor vehicle by displacement of the motor vehicle symbol that is represented on the display device.

Claims

1. A control device for remote control of a vehicle comprising: a display for visualizing an area surrounding the vehicle as detected by vehicle sensors and a vehicle symbol indicating a position of the vehicle within the area; and an input device for inputting a desired parking position within the area, wherein the vehicle symbol represented by the display is displaced into the desired parking position.

2. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control device comprises a touch display as the display device and the input device.

3. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control device (2) is configured to read in global positioning system (GPS) data and to associate the GPS data with the desired parking position.

4. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to predetermine a lateral and/or longitudinal parking position responsive to input to the input device of a displacement of the motor vehicle symbol as represented by the display device.

5. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to predetermine an angular position responsive to input to the input device of a displacement of the motor vehicle symbol as represented by the display device.

6. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to receive an orientation of adjacent, parked vehicles detected by the vehicle sensors and to display the orientation as adjacent vehicle symbols in the vehicle surrounding area.

7. The control device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the control device is configured to receive input via the input device to overwrite the orientation.

8. The control device as claimed in a claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to command half a wheel revolution of wheels of the vehicle by a forward or reverse movement of the vehicle.

9. A vehicle parking assist system comprising: a display for visualizing a vehicle surrounding area that is detected by vehicle sensors, and a vehicle symbol in the vehicle surrounding area; an input device for inputting a desired parking position within the vehicle surrounding area detected by the vehicle sensors, wherein the vehicle symbol represented by the display is displaced into the desired parking position; and a control device configured to, in response to displacing the vehicle symbol into the desired parking position, control a vehicle to achieve the desired parking position.

10. The vehicle parking assist system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the display and input device are comprised as a touch display communicable with the control device.

11. The vehicle parking assist system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control device is designed to read in GPS data, from the vehicle sensors, of the vehicle symbol and to associate the GPS data with the desired parking position on the display.

12. The vehicle parking assist system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control device is configured to receive input of an orientation of adjacent, parked vehicles detected by the vehicle sensors and to send the orientation onto the display, the orientation being adjacent vehicle symbols in the vehicle surrounding area.

13. The vehicle parking assist system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the control device is configured such that it enables a driver to overwrite the orientation on the display.

14. The vehicle parking assist system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control device is configured to cause half a wheel revolution of vehicle wheels by a forward or reverse movement.

15. A parking assist method comprising: displaying a visualization of an area surrounding a vehicle as detected by vehicle sensors, the visualization including a vehicle symbol indicating a position of the vehicle within the area; and controlling the vehicle to achieve the desired parking position responsive to receiving input of a desired parking position within the vehicle surrounding area as a displacement of the vehicle symbol into the desired parking position.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the vehicle surrounding area includes a predetermined displacement of the vehicle symbol into lateral and longitudinal parking positions.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the vehicle surrounding area includes a predetermined displacement of the vehicle symbol into an angular position

18. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the display further visualizes an orientation of adjacent, parked vehicles, detected by the vehicle sensors, as adjacent vehicle symbols in the vehicle surrounding area.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the display is designed such that it enables a driver to overwrite the orientation.

20. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising causing half a wheel revolution of vehicle wheels by a forward or reverse movement.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a control device for the remote control of a motor vehicle,

[0018] FIG. 2A shows a first step during the parking of a motor vehicle,

[0019] FIG. 2B shows a second step during the parking of a motor vehicle,

[0020] FIG. 2C shows a third step during the parking of a motor vehicle,

[0021] FIG. 3 shows parking in an angled parking space, and

[0022] FIG. 4 shows parking between adjacent parked motor vehicles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] 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.

[0024] Reference is made to FIG. 1 first.

[0025] A control device 2 for the remote control of a motor vehicle, for example of an automobile, is represented.

[0026] The control device 2 is a smartphone with a touch display 6 in the present exemplary embodiment. The touch display 6 is used as a display device for visualizing the surroundings of the motor vehicle detected by motor vehicle sensors of the motor vehicle, and the motor vehicle symbol 4 in the represented surroundings of the motor vehicle. For this purpose, in the present exemplary embodiment the control device 2 communicates wirelessly, for example by means of a BLUETOOTH connection, with a parking assistant of the motor vehicle for the automatic parking of the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle sensors that detect the surroundings of the motor vehicle and transfer the same to the control device 2 in the form of a corresponding data record.

[0027] Furthermore, the touch display 6 is used as an input device for inputting a desired parking position 8 within the detected surroundings of the motor vehicle by displacement of the motor vehicle symbol 4 displayed by the display device. A driver of the motor vehicle can thereby move the motor vehicle symbol 4 displayed by the touch display 6 and as a result indirectly move the motor vehicle in a known way by clicking and holding at the desired position.

[0028] Furthermore, the control device 2 comprises an analyzer (not shown) that analyzes the detected surroundings of the motor vehicle and the parking position 8 input by the driver of the motor vehicle in order to determine corresponding control signals for controlling the motor vehicle in order to thereby achieve the desired parking position 8.

[0029] If, on the other hand, the driver of the motor vehicle moves the displayed motor vehicle symbol 4 into an area that cannot be used as a parking area, for example since the distance from the wall 10 falls below a predetermined minimum distance from the wall 10, the control unit 2 blocks said movement and/or outputs an audible and/or visual alarm signal.

[0030] Furthermore, the control device 2 is designed to read in GPS data of the motor vehicle and to associate said data with a stored desired parking position 8. By a comparison of the current GPS data with stored GPS data, the control device 2 detects that the motor vehicle is near the parking position 8, i.e. the distance of the motor vehicle from the parking position 8 is less than a predetermined distance. If the comparison of the GPS data reveals that the motor vehicle is near the parking position 8, which is for example a regularly used parking space, the control device 2 provides the stored parking position 8 on the touch display 6 for selection by the driver of the motor vehicle.

[0031] The control device 2 with the touch display 6 and the analyzer comprise hardware and/or software components for this purpose.

[0032] In FIG. 1, the touch display 6 is displaying the motor vehicle symbol 4 in the detected surroundings of the motor vehicle, which in the present exemplary embodiment are bounded by a symbolically represented u-shaped wall 10. The automatically preset parking position 8 can be changed by the driver of the motor vehicle by displacement of the motor vehicle symbol 4, for example in the direction of the arrow if this is desired.

[0033] Reference is now made to FIGS. 2A through 2C.

[0034] In FIG. 2A, at the start of a parking process a central parking position 8 within the u-shaped wall 10 that is predetermined by the control device 2 is shown.

[0035] FIG. 2B shows that by clicking or touching the motor vehicle symbol 4 represented on the touch display 6, a driver of the motor vehicle is displacing said symbol laterally or sideways to the right in relation to the forward direction of travel of the motor vehicle 4 that is indicated by the arrow.

[0036] FIG. 2C shows the displayed motor vehicle symbol 4 in the final parking position 8 thereof with a minimum distance from the wall 10 on the passenger's side of the motor vehicle symbol 4, whereas on the driver's side there is sufficient room to be able to open the driver's door of the motor vehicle. Thus, the available parking space is used optimally.

[0037] Reference is additionally made to FIG. 3.

[0038] FIG. 3 shows three angled parking spaces 12 with an orientation represented by the lateral boundary lines shown and that extends at an angle to a longitudinal direction of the wall 10. In the present exemplary embodiment, the angled parking spaces 12 are at an angle of 70° to the longitudinal direction of the wall 10.

[0039] In the present exemplary embodiment, the control device 2 is designed to predetermine an angular position by rotating the motor vehicle symbol 4 represented on the touch display. Thus, an angular orientation can be predetermined in order to adjust the parking position 8 to the lateral boundary lines. Thus, the motor vehicle, represented by the motor vehicle symbol 4, can be parked in the parking position 8 between the adjacent motor vehicles, represented by the motor vehicle symbols 14, 16, without crossing the lateral boundary lines.

[0040] Reference is additionally made to FIG. 4.

[0041] FIG. 4 shows a scenario in which the parked motor vehicle, represented by the motor vehicle symbol 4, is parked at the parking position 8 between the adjacent motor vehicles represented by the motor vehicle symbols 14, 16.

[0042] Here motor vehicle sensors of the motor vehicle have detected that both the first adjacent motor vehicle, represented by the motor vehicle symbol 14, and also the second motor vehicle, represented by the motor vehicle symbol 16, are parked in the forward direction of travel. Accordingly, when determining the parking position 8 by the control device 2, the parking position 8 is determined so that a minimum distance from the driver's side of the first adjacent motor vehicle is guaranteed in order to enable the driver's door of the first adjacent motor vehicle to open, whereas the distance from the passenger's side of the second adjacent motor vehicle is significantly less and in the present exemplary embodiment corresponds to the distance from the wall 10 in FIG. 2C. Thus, the available parking space is used optimally.

[0043] Furthermore, the control device 2 according to the present exemplary embodiment also has the possibility of overwriting the detected orientation by a driver of the motor vehicle in the present exemplary embodiment. This can be the case if one of the two adjacent motor vehicles 14, 16 is not a left-hand drive as represented in FIG. 4, but a right-hand drive. In this case (or in the case of incorrectly detected motor vehicle orientation), the parking position 8 would be closer to the first adjacent motor vehicle 14 and further from the second adjacent motor vehicle 16.

[0044] Furthermore, in the present exemplary embodiment the control device 2 is designed to cause half a wheel revolution of wheels of the motor vehicle 4 by a forward and/or reverse movement of the motor vehicle 4 in order to simplify the fitting of snow chains.

[0045] 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.