Electronic system for controlling the docking of a vehicle with a docking area, and corresponding method

A method for controlling docking of a vehicle, at a given docking zone of a docking destination, the given docking zone comprising at least one target, the method comprising:

• determining a position of the given docking zone by determining a type of target from a set of given types and from its position,
• determining a guidance trajectory of the vehicle to the given docking zone depending on the type and depending on a position of the target;
• and
• determining a type of the docking destination;
• wherein determining the guidance trajectory comprises determining one or more exclusion zones depending on the type of the docking destination, and comparing the type of the docking destination with types of docking destinations stored in a database in association with exclusion zones, so that the guidance trajectory of the vehicle to the given docking zone does not pass into any of the exclusion zones;
• wherein determining the guidance trajectory comprises determining a docking line passing through a target point situated on a surface of the given docking zone and perpendicular to this the surface so that the guidance trajectory of the vehicle to the given docking zone is terminated by a final portion of the docking line with a length greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold;
• and
• allowing the vehicle to reach the target point using the guidance trajectory by forming a circular arc extending from a center of a rear suspension of the vehicle to the target point, with a radius determined by a formula (X2+Y2)/(2×Y), with X and Y corresponding to coordinates of the target point relative to the center of the rear suspension of the vehicle.

An electronic system for controlling docking of a vehicle at a given docking zone of a docking destination, the given docking zone comprising at least one target, the system comprising:

• a vision device;
• a control system coupled to the vision device configured to determine a position of the given docking zone by determining a type of the target from a set of given types and from its position;
• the control system configured to determine a guidance trajectory of the vehicle to the given docking zone depending on the type and on the position of the target;
• and
• the control system configured to determine the type of the docking destination, the control system determines one or more exclusion zones depending on a type of the docking destination, by comparison of the type of the docking destination with types of docking destination stored in a database in association with exclusion zones, so that the guidance trajectory of the vehicle to the given docking zone does not pass into any of the exclusion zones;
• wherein the control system determines a trajectory for reaching a final portion of the docking line by adjusting the trajectory at different predetermined moments, in order, at each of the moments,
• to align a rear suspension of the vehicle with the docking line when the vehicle is located at a distance greater than a given distance from the docking line;
• to align a front suspension of the vehicle with the docking line when the vehicle is located at a distance less than the given distance from the docking line;
• to retain the trajectory determined at a preceding moment, if a confidence level in locating targets determined by the control system is less than a given threshold, or if the control system no longer detect the targets;
• wherein the guidance trajectory allows the vehicle to reach a target point and forms a circular arc extending from a center of the rear suspension of the vehicle to the target point, with a radius determined by a formula (X2+Y2)/(2×Y), with X and Y corresponding to coordinates of the target point relative to the center of the rear suspension of the vehicle.

A method for controlling docking of a vehicle, at a given docking zone of a docking destination, the given docking zone comprising at least one target, the method comprising:

• determining a position of the given docking zone by determining a type of target from a set of given types and from its position,
• determining a guidance trajectory of the vehicle to the given docking zone depending on the type and depending on a position of the target, and
• determining a type of the docking destination,
• wherein determining the guidance trajectory comprises determining one or more exclusion zones depending on the type of the docking destination, and comparing the type of the docking destination with types of docking destinations stored in a database in association with exclusion zones, so that the guidance trajectory of the vehicle to the given docking zone does not pass into any of the exclusion zones;
• wherein determining the guidance trajectory comprises determining the trajectory for reaching a final portion of the docking line by adjusting the trajectory at different predetermined moments, in order, at each of the predetermined moments
• to align a rear suspension of the vehicle with the docking line when the vehicle is located at a distance greater than a given distance from the docking line;
• to align a front suspension of the vehicle with the docking line when the vehicle is located at a distance less than the given distance from the docking line;
• and
• to retain the trajectory determined at a preceding moment if a confidence level in locating the targets during determining the position of the given docking zone is less than a given threshold, or if the targets are no longer detected;
• and
• further comprising allowing the vehicle to reach a target point using the guidance trajectory by forming a circular arc extending from a center of the rear suspension of the vehicle to the target point, with a radius determined by a formula (X2+Y2)/(2×Y), with X and Y corresponding to coordinates of the target point relative to the center of the rear suspension of the vehicle.