# US 10,319,233 B2 · Parking support method and parking support device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,319,233 B2 - Document ID: US10319233B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/769,576 - Filed: 2015-10-22 - Published: 2018-11-01 - Granted: 2019-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-22 - Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yasuhisa Hayakawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10319233B2 ## CPC - B62D 15/0285: {Parking performed automatically} - G08G 1/143: {inside the vehicles} - B60R 21/00: Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks (safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles B60R22/00; seats constructed to protect the occupant from the effect of abnormal g-forces, e.g. crash or safety seats, B60N2/42; energy-absorbing arrangements for hand wheels for steering vehicles B62D1/11; energy-absorbing arrangements for vehicle steering columns B62D1/19) - B60W 30/06: Automatic manoeuvring for parking - G08G 1/14: indicating individual free spaces in parking areas - B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera - 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) - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT ## Abstract A parking assist method for assisting parking of a subject vehicle uses a parking assist apparatus comprising a controller and a display. The controller guides the subject vehicle to a parking space. The parking assist method includes detecting available parking spaces into which the subject vehicle can be parked, setting a parking space suitable for parking of the subject vehicle among the detected plurality of available parking spaces as a recommended available parking space in accordance with the traveling state of the subject vehicle, displaying the recommended available parking space on the display, setting the recommended available parking space displayed on the display as a target parking space for the subject vehicle on the basis of an operation by a driver or passenger, and performing automated control of the subject vehicle to park the subject vehicle into the target parking space. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A parking assist method for assisting parking of a subject vehicle using a parking assist apparatus comprising a controller that guides the subject vehicle to a parking space and a display that displays parking spaces, the parking assist method comprising: specifying, with the controller, available parking spaces into which the subject vehicle can be parked; detecting, using one or both of a sensor and camera, an available parking space suitable for parking of the subject vehicle from among the specified available parking spaces in accordance with a traveling state of the subject vehicle; setting, with the controller, the detected available parking space as a recommended available parking space; and when the recommended available parking space is displayed by the display in a state in which the subject vehicle decelerates during detection of the recommended available parking space, prohibiting, with the controller, the recommended available parking space from changing to another available parking space. ### Claim 2 A parking assist method for assisting parking of a subject vehicle using a parking assist apparatus comprising a controller that guides the subject vehicle to a parking space and a display that displays parking spaces, the parking assist method comprising: specifying, with the controller, available parking spaces into which the subject vehicle can be parked; when parking spaces are present at right and left with respect to a travel direction of the subject vehicle, setting, with the controller, one of right and left regions to a settable region for the recommended available parking space in accordance with a traveling state of the subject vehicle; setting, with the controller, the parking space included in the settable region to a recommended available parking space; and displaying the recommended available parking space on the display. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The parking assist method according to claim 2, further comprising calculating a lateral distance that is a distance from the parking space located on a side of the subject vehicle to the subject vehicle, wherein one of the right and left regions is set as the settable region for the recommended available parking space in accordance with a length of the lateral distance, and a characteristic when one of the right and left regions is selected is a hysteresis characteristic with respect to the length of the lateral distance. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The parking assist method according to claim 2, further comprising estimating an intention of a driver or passenger of the subject vehicle in accordance with a traveling state of the subject vehicle; wherein the recommended available parking space is set among the specified available parking spaces in accordance with the intention of the driver or passenger. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The parking assist method according to claim 4 wherein the intention of the driver or passenger is estimated on an assumption that the traveling state is represented by at least one of a traveling position of the subject vehicle and a vehicle speed of the subject vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The parking assist method according to claim 2, further comprising: setting the recommended available parking space displayed on the display to the target parking space for the subject vehicle on a basis of an operation by a driver or passenger of the subject vehicle; and performing automated control of the subject vehicle to park the subject vehicle into a target parking space. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The parking assist method according to claim 2, further comprising calculating a required time each of the available parking spaces, the required time being a time required for parking when the subject vehicle is parked, wherein the available parking space with which the required time for parking is shorter than a predetermined time is set as the recommended available parking space. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The parking assist method according to claim 2, further comprising calculating a required time each of the available parking spaces, the required time being a time required for parking when the subject vehicle is parked, wherein the available parking space with which the required time for parking is shortest is set as the recommended available parking space. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The parking assist method according to claim 2, further comprising specifying a gaze point which is separated from the subject vehicle by a given gaze point distance, wherein the available parking space with which a distance from the gaze point to the available parking space is shorter than a predetermined distance threshold is set as the recommended available parking space. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The parking assist method according to claim 9, wherein a length of the gaze point distance is set in accordance with whether a travel direction of the subject vehicle is forward or backward. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The parking assist method according to claim 2, further comprising specifying a gaze point which is separated from the subject vehicle by a given gaze point distance, wherein the available parking space with which a distance from the gaze point to the available parking space is shortest is set as the recommended available parking space. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The parking assist method according to claim 2, further comprising evaluating ease of entry when the subject vehicle is parked into each of the available parking spaces, wherein the available parking space into which entry is easiest is set as the recommended available parking space. ### Claim 13 A parking assist method for assisting parking of a subject vehicle using a parking assist apparatus comprising a controller that guides the subject vehicle to a parking space and a display that displays parking spaces, the parking assist method comprising: specifying, with the controller, available parking spaces into which the subject vehicle can be parked; setting, with the controller, the available parking space located at one of right and left to the recommended available parking space in accordance with a traveling situation of the subject vehicle when a predetermined number or more of the available parking spaces are present and; displaying the recommended available parking space on the display. ### Claim 14 A parking assist apparatus comprising: a display configured to display parking spaces; and a controller configured to guide the subject vehicle to a parking space, wherein the controller is configured to: specify available parking spaces into which the subject vehicle can be parked; detect, using one or both of a sensor and a camera, an available parking space suitable for parking of the subject vehicle from among the specified available parking spaces in accordance with a traveling state of the subject vehicle; set the detected available parking space as a recommended available parking space; control the display to display the recommended available parking space; when the recommended available parking space is displayed in a state in which the subject vehicle decelerates during detection of the recommended available parking space, prohibit the recommended available parking space from changing to another available parking space; set the recommended available parking space displayed on the display as a target parking space for the subject vehicle on a basis of an operation by a driver or passenger of the subject vehicle; and perform automated control of the subject vehicle to park the subject vehicle into the target parking space.