Method and apparatus for recognizing parking slot by using bird's eye view and parking assist system using the same

A method for recognizing a parking slot based on a bird's-eye view by a parking slot recognition unit connected to a camera and a user interface unit to recognize the parking slot, the camera photographing a parking space at a vehicle and creating and transferring an input image, the user interface unit receiving an input of a seed point from a driver as a desired parking location in the parking space and transferring the seed point, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving the input image and the seed point and converting the input image into the bird's-eye view;
• (b) estimating a number of marking line segments and a direction of the marking line segments by using a directional intensity gradient regarding a distance on the bird's-eye view;
• (c) recognizing the marking line segment closer to the camera as a guideline among at least one marking line segment intersecting with a direction of view from the camera to the seed point;
• and
• (d) recognizing a number of separating line segments in a direction of the guideline so as to recognize the guideline and the separating line segments as the parking slot.

A system for assisting parking of a vehicle by recognizing a parking slot based on a bird's-eye view, the system comprising:

• a parking slot recognition unit having a camera and a user interface unit, the parking slot recognition unit receiving an input image from the camera and a seed point from the user interface unit, converting the input image into the bird's-eye view, estimating a number of marking line segments and a direction of the marking line segments by using a directional intensity gradient regarding a distance on the bird's-eye view, recognizing the marking line segment closer to the camera as a guideline among at least one marking line segment intersecting with a direction of view from the camera to the seed point, recognizing a number of separating line segments in a direction of the guideline so as to recognize the guideline and the separating line segments as the parking slot, and transferring a target parking slot;
• a detection unit having a number of sensors for recognizing a driving condition of the vehicle, the detection unit creating and transferring information regarding the driving condition of the vehicle;
• a parking assist control unit for estimating a location of the vehicle based on the information regarding the driving condition from the detection unit, receiving the target parking slot so as to create a path plan for parking the vehicle at the parking slot, and creating and transferring a control signal for parking the vehicle at the parking slot based on consideration of the location;
• and
• an active steering unit for steering the vehicle according to the control signal after receiving the control signal.