# US 10,246,000 B2 · Parking assistance system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,246,000 B2 - Document ID: US10246000B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/482,424 - Filed: 2017-04-07 - Published: 2017-10-12 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-08 - Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Inventors: Ingolf Schneider; Philipp Roeckl; Martin Petermann; Peter Kahler; Marten Wittorf - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246000B2 ## CPC - B60Q 1/085: {due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers (B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence)} - B60Q 1/0023: {the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera} - B60Q 1/0035: {relative to the vehicle} - B60Q 1/06: adjustable, e.g. remotely-controlled from inside vehicle (B60Q1/05 takes precedence) - B60Q 1/143: {combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers} - B60Q 1/48: for parking purposes - B60Q 9/007: {providing information about the distance to an obstacle, e.g. varying sound} - B62D 15/027: {Parking aids, e.g. instruction means} - B60Q 2300/054: Variable non-standard intensity, i.e. emission of various beam intensities different from standard intensities, e.g. continuous or stepped transitions of intensity - B60Q 2300/45: Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers - B60Q 2400/50: Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A parking assistance system for a motor vehicle includes a monitoring unit for detecting an object in the vicinity of the vehicle and a light system connected to the monitoring unit and configured to emit light into the area surrounding the motor vehicle. The monitoring unit is configured to sense the bearing of an object and to control the distribution of the light emitted from the light system as a function of the sensed bearing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A parking assistance system for a motor vehicle comprising: a monitoring unit configured to detect an object in a zone surrounding the motor vehicle and to sense a bearing of the detected object; and a lighting system operably coupled to the monitoring unit and configured to emit light in an area surrounding the motor vehicle; wherein the monitoring unit controls a distribution of the emitted light as a function of the sensed bearing, wherein the monitoring unit is further configured to determine when the detected object is on a left-side of the vehicle or on a right-side of the vehicle, and to produce a first distribution of emitted light when no object is detected, a second distribution of emitted light when the detected object is on the left-side of the motor vehicle and a third distribution of emitted light when the detected object is on the right-side of the motor vehicle, wherein the lighting system comprises a first light located on the left-side of the motor vehicle and a second lights located on the right-side of the motor vehicle opposite the first light, the first and second lights being operable in a first operating state and a second operating state different from the first operating state; and wherein the monitoring unit is further configured to operate the first and second lights in the first operating state for producing the first distribution, to operate the first light in the first operating state and the second light in the second operating state for producing the second distribution, and to operate the first light in the second operating state and the second light in the first operating state for producing the second distribution, wherein the monitoring unit is further configured to sense the distance of the detected object from the vehicle and to control a light property of the lighting system in the second operating state as a function of the sensed distance, and wherein the controlled light property comprises an opening angle defined between a light boundary and a dark boundary of the light emitted by the first and second lights in the second operating state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The parking assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the lighting system is further configured to emit light in a direction of the detected object. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The parking assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second lights comprise a pair of lights selected from the group consisting of indicator lights or headlights. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The parking assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the controlled light property is selected from the group consisting of a light intensity, a light color, a spatial light distribution, a temporal light distribution or a combination thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The parking assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the lighting system is operable in a third operating state and the orientation of the light boundary and the dark boundary is different in the second operating state and the third operating state. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The parking assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring unit is further configured to determine when the detected object is ahead of the motor vehicle in a direction of travel and to produce a fourth distribution of light when the detected object is ahead of the vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The parking assistance system according to claim 6, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to produce the fourth distribution of light through operating the first and second lights in the second operating state. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The parking assistance system according to claim 6, wherein the lighting system is operable in a third operating state and the monitoring unit is configured to produce the fourth distribution of light through operating both lights in the third operating state. ### Claim 9 A method of assisting the parking of a motor vehicle comprising: detecting an object in a zone surrounding the motor vehicle; sensing a bearing of the detected object; emitting light in an area surrounding the motor vehicle; controlling a distribution of the emitted light as a function of the sensed bearing; sensing a distance of the detected object from the motor vehicle; and controlling a light property of the light as a function of the sensed distance, and wherein the controlled light property comprises an opening angle defined between a light boundary and a dark boundary of the emitted light. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein emitting light in an area surrounding the motor vehicle comprises emitting light in a direction of the detected object. ### Claim 11 A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions, which when executed on a computer, perform: detecting an object in a zone surrounding the motor vehicle; sensing a bearing of the detected object; emitting light in an area surrounding the motor vehicle; controlling a distribution of the emitted light as a function of the sensed bearing; sensing a distance of the detected object from the motor vehicle; and controlling a light property of the light as a function of the sensed distance, and wherein the controlled light property comprises an opening angle defined between a light boundary and a dark boundary of the emitted light.