Automatic steering apparatus for vehicle

Details Automatic steering apparatus for vehicle Automatic steering apparatus for vehicle

1998-04-14

2001-05-01

Boehler, Anne Marie (Department: 3618)

Motor vehicles

With device for programmably operating vehicles steerable...

C116S02800A, C180S446000, C318S587000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06223847

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic steering apparatus for a vehicle, to automatically park the vehicle without recourse to steering by a driver.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automatic steering apparatuses for vehicles are already known from Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 3-74256 and 4-55168. These automatic steering apparatuses for vehicles utilize an actuator of a conventionally well-known electrically powered steering device, and are adapted to automatically carry out reverse parking and longitudinal parking of a vehicle by controlling the actuator based on a relationship between distance of movement of the vehicle and a steering angle which are stored in advance.
When the automatic parking operation is to be carried out by the automatic steering apparatus, the vehicle is first stopped at a starting position, which is in a given positional relationship to a target or completion position at which the vehicle is to be parked. The automatic parking control operation is then started at the starting position. Therefore, if the vehicle is not correctly stopped, a deviation is generated from the target position which the vehicle reaches using the automatic parking control operation. However, in the prior art, a driver stops the vehicle at the starting position by visual estimation of the starting position. Hence, it is difficult to avoid an error due to a deviation in the starting position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to ensure that a driver can easily and correctly stop the vehicle at the starting position.
To achieve the above object, according to an aspect and feature of the present invention, there is provided an automatic steering apparatus for a vehicle, comprising a movement locus determining means for storing or calculating a locus of movement of the vehicle to a target position, an actuator for steering the wheels of the vehicle, and a control means for controlling the driving of the actuator based on the locus of movement determined by the movement locus determining means to move the vehicle, which is stopped at a starting position, to the target position. A marker is provided for stopping the vehicle at the starting position.
With the above arrangement, the driver can easily and correctly stop the vehicle at the starting position based on the marker.
In addition to the above feature, the marker is provided on the vehicle. Thus, it is unnecessary to provide a marker at every parking position, resulting in enhanced convenience.
In addition to the above feature, the marker emits light or sound. Thus, the driver can reliably perceive the marker.
In addition to the above feature, the marker emits light or sound by operating a manual switch. Thus, the driver enables the marker to emit light or sound when required.
In addition to the above feature, the marker is placed into a visually perceivable position by operating a manual switch. Thus, the driver can visually perceive the marker when required. Also by placing the marker into the visually non-perceivable position, the marker can be prevented from obstructing the field of view of the driver or from degrading the appearance of the vehicle.
In addition to the above feature, the manual switch may be a switch for selecting any of a plurality of loci of movement stored in the movement locus determining means. Thus, when the driver selects a desired locus of movement, the marker corresponding to such a locus of movement can emit light or sound.
In addition to the above feature, when the vehicle starts to move from the starting position, the emission of light or sound from the marker is stopped. Thus, it is unnecessary for the driver to stop the emission of light or sound, resulting in enhanced convenience.
In addition to the above feature, when the vehicle starts to move from the starting position, the marker is automatically brought into a visually non-perceivable position. Thus, it is unnecessary to bring the marker into the visually non-perceivable position by the driver, resulting in enhanced convenience.
In addition to the above feature, the marker is provided on the vehicle, so that when a predetermined relationship between the marker and an object outside the vehicle is satisfied, the vehicle is stopped at the starting position. Thus, the vehicle can be stopped easily and correctly at the starting position by aligning the marker, which is provided on the vehicle, with an object which is provided outside the vehicle.
In addition to the above feature, a plurality of the markers are provided on the vehicle. Thus, the vehicle can be stopped easily and correctly at the starting position by using the plurality of markers.
In addition to the above feature, the movement locus determining means determines the locus of movement as a steering angle of the wheel relative to a traveling distance of the vehicle. Thus, a constant locus of movement can be ensured irrespective of magnitude of the vehicle speed during the automatic steering control operation.
In addition to the above feature, the automatic steering apparatus includes a brake input means which is operated by the driver. The control means permits the driving of the actuator based on the condition that the brake input means is operated. Thus, when the vehicle is about to interfere with an obstacle during an automatic steering control operation, the brake device can be immediately operated to stop the vehicle.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3117642 (1964-01-01), Larinof
patent: 4016653 (1977-04-01), Bartlett
patent: 4257706 (1981-03-01), Smith
patent: 4755791 (1988-07-01), Kuroda
patent: 4823471 (1989-04-01), Van Schaack
patent: 4941263 (1990-07-01), Hirshberg
patent: 5052113 (1991-10-01), Aquino
patent: 5742141 (1998-04-01), Czekaj
patent: 5764015 (1998-06-01), Shimizu et al.
patent: 5945799 (1999-08-01), Shimizu et al.
patent: 3-74256 (1991-03-01), None
patent: 4-55168 (1992-02-01), None

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