# US 12,007,767 B2 · Method and apparatus for automated valet parking of vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,767 B2 - Document ID: US12007767B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/679,725 - Filed: 2019-11-11 - Published: 2020-05-14 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-09 - Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Motors Corporation - Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Motors Corporation - Inventors: Kyung Ho Yoo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007767B2 ## CPC - B62D 15/0285: {Parking performed automatically} - G05D 1/0088: {characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00)} - B60R 25/20: Means to switch the anti-theft system on or off - B60R 25/209: {Remote starting of engine} - B60W 30/06: Automatic manoeuvring for parking - G05D 1/81: Handing over between on-board automatic and on-board manual control - G08G 1/14: indicating individual free spaces in parking areas - 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) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - 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 - 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}) ## Abstract An automated valet parking method includes receiving, by a vehicle, a vehicle return request, receiving, from an infrastructure, a guide route that guides the vehicle from a current parking position to a pickup area to the vehicle, leaving, by the vehicle, the current parking position based on the guide route, autonomously travelling, by the vehicle, to the pickup area along the guide route, and arriving, by the vehicle, at the pickup area. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An automated valet parking method comprising: receiving, by a vehicle that is parked, a vehicle return request; receiving, by the vehicle, a guide route from a current parking position to a pickup area from an infrastructure; preparing, by the vehicle, to leave the current parking position based on the guide route; and performing autonomous driving, by the vehicle, from the current parking position to the pickup area along the guide route; arriving, by the vehicle, at the pickup area; receiving, by the vehicle, a vehicle control release instruction instructing engine off or power off from the infrastructure after the vehicle arrives at the pickup area; and performing, by the vehicle, engine off or power off according to the vehicle control release instruction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the preparing to leave the current parking position comprises: receiving, by the vehicle, a vehicle exiting signal from the infrastructure; and performing, by the vehicle, a vehicle starting operation when receiving the vehicle exiting signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, further comprising: delegating a driving authority to the vehicle or the infrastructure from a driver of the vehicle when the vehicle receives the vehicle return request; and delegating the driving authority from the vehicle or the infrastructure to the driver of the vehicle when the vehicle arrives at the pickup area. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, further comprising: automatically locking doors of the vehicle under control of the vehicle or the infrastructure when the vehicle leaves the current parking position; and automatically unlocking the doors of the vehicle under control of the vehicle or the infrastructure when the vehicle arrives at the pickup area. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the vehicle, a vehicle exiting signal when it is determined that the vehicle is allowed to leave the current parking position based on at least one of information of the current parking position or information of the pickup area. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the information of the pickup area includes at least one type of information selected from among the number of vehicles existing in the pickup area, the number of vehicles moving toward the pickup area, the number of vehicles that have previously received respective vehicle return requests, and the number of drivers waiting in the pickup area. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the performing autonomous driving comprises: monitoring, by the vehicle, a surrounding environment of the vehicle using built-in sensors and generating surrounding environment information; determining, by the vehicle, a driving path based on the guide route and the surrounding environment information; and autonomously driving, by the vehicle, to the pickup area along the driving path. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the determining a driving path comprises: determining, by the vehicle, whether the surrounding environment is in a condition in which the vehicle can autonomously drive along the guide route, based on the surrounding environment information; and determining a driving path that is different from the guide route but shares at least one node with the guide route when the surrounding environment is in a condition in which the vehicle cannot autonomously drive along the guide route. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: determining, by the vehicle, whether the vehicle has reached the pickup area; and transmitting, by the vehicle, to the infrastructure at least one piece of information selected from among a current vehicle position, a current vehicle speed, and an expected arrival time, when it is determined that the vehicle is not in the pickup area. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: entering a standby mode, by the vehicle, after arriving at the pickup area and counting a waiting time duration; comparing, by the vehicle, the counted waiting time duration with a reference time duration; and initiating, by the infrastructure, an automated valet parking procedure for the vehicle when the waiting time duration exceeds the reference time duration. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the initiating an automated valet parking procedure comprises: transmitting, by the vehicle, a parking request to the infrastructure; receiving, by the vehicle, a new parking position for the vehicle and a guide route to the new parking position; performing, by the vehicle, autonomous driving to the new parking position along the guide route; and performing, by the vehicle, autonomous parking to the new parking position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program comprising instructions for performing, when executed by a processor, the method according to claim 1. ### Claim 13 An autonomous valet parking apparatus for performing automated valet parking, the apparatus comprises: a transceiver configured to receive a vehicle return request and a guide route that guides a vehicle from a current parking position to a pickup area; a processor configured to generate a control signal for preparing to exit the vehicle based on the guide route; and a vehicle controller configured to control the vehicle such that the vehicle autonomously travels to the pickup area from the current parking position along the guide route according to the control signal, wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive a vehicle control release instruction instructing engine off or power off from the infrastructure after the vehicle arrives at the pickup area, and wherein the vehicle controller controls to perform engine off or power off according to the vehicle control release instruction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein when the transceiver receives a vehicle exiting signal, the processor generates a control signal that activates a vehicle starting operation in response to the vehicle exiting signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a driving authority is delegated to the vehicle or the infrastructure from a driver of the vehicle when the vehicle receives the vehicle return request, and wherein the driving authority is delegated from the vehicle or the infrastructure to the driver of the vehicle when the vehicle arrives at the pickup area.