DE102013216442A1 - Method and device for optimizing a steering angle in a parking position - Google Patents

Abstract

It is proposed an apparatus and a method for optimizing a steering angle steerable wheels of a vehicle in a parking position. According to the invention, the first steering angle is changed after leaving the means of transportation by a last occupant with a first steering angle in the parking position.

Description

State of the art

The present invention relates to a method and a device for optimizing a steering angle steerable wheels of a vehicle in a parking position. In particular, the present invention relates to creating an effective parking position for presenting wide tires and associated rims.

In the prior art it is known to turn off vehicles for the presentation of impressive rims and wide tires in such a position in which the steered wheels (mostly the front axle of a car) are heavily hammered. In this way, even with a front view of the vehicle on one side of the rim, presented on the other side of the rubber of the tire impressive. In addition, devices and systems for automatic parking are known, which perform under the responsibility of the driver largely autonomous parking maneuvers.

The DE 10 2007 002 266 A1 discloses a method of operating a motor vehicle during a maneuver in which the steering is at least partially automatically actuated to assist the control.

DE 198 17 142 A1 shows a driver assistance system with automatic actuation of wheel drives and steering, in which a parking operation is automatically carried out and initiated by the driver by means of a remote control by pressing a button.

DE 102 53 468 A1 shows a power steering with maneuvering mode, in which after driver-triggered control command the steered vehicle wheels are moved by means of a servomotor of the power steering in one or the other steering end position or the straight ahead position.

It is an object of the present invention to present a parked vehicle, in particular its rim / tire combination, particularly effective.

Disclosure of the invention

The above object is achieved by a method for optimizing a steering angle with the features of claim 1 and a device having the features of claim 5. According to the first aspect of the invention, a method for optimizing a steering angle of steerable wheels of a vehicle in a parking position is proposed. The method includes the step of leaving the vehicle with a first steering lock by a last occupant in the parking position and then changing the first steering angle in the parking position. The means of transportation may be, for example, a street legal vehicle. This is brought according to the invention with a first steering angle in a parking position, wherein the first steering angle, for example, may be any, depending on the situation came to pass steering angle. Then the driver leaves the means of transportation. In addition, no further occupants remain in the passenger compartment of the means of transportation. The subsequent change of the first steering angle in the parking position is therefore particularly effective. For the purposes of the present invention, a parking position is understood to mean the position in which the vehicle finally remains until the parking operation is ended (for example by the user entering an access authorization). For an outside observer, the procedure can act as if the vehicle is moving independently ("as if by magic") the steerable wheels in order to present them particularly effectively. The above method allows a particularly effective staging of a parked vehicle, which can maintain the brand image and give pleasure to both the owner and the surrounding observers.

The subclaims relate to preferred embodiments of the method according to the invention.

Particularly preferably, the modification can produce a predefined second steering angle. In other words, after the evacuation of the passenger compartment of the means of locomotion, a second steering angle is produced, which is particularly effective. For example, this may be a medium steering angle to the left or right, so that the width of the tire is clearly visible and the rims of the vehicle are particularly good effect.

More preferably, the means of transportation is not moved after leaving ("evacuating") until changing the first steering angle. In other words, a parking operation performed or monitored by remote control is not defined as an object of the invention by means of a parking robot. In particular, the means of locomotion is not moved even after changing the first steering angle until a first occupant enters. In other words, the driver moves the vehicle to the parking position in which the vehicle remains until resumption. The steerable wheels according to the invention thus "changed in standing" in their steering angle, without that the wheels rotate in the true sense (about their axis of rotation).

In principle, within the scope of the invention, any desired steering angle can be defined as the second steering angle. The only boundary condition is that the first steering angle does not coincide with the second steering angle, since otherwise a change of the first steering angle would not take place. The second steering angle can thus also exist in a "straight ahead" position, if the user so wishes.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, a device for optimizing a steering angle of steerable wheels of a vehicle in a parking position is proposed. The device comprises at least one actuator for changing a first steering angle and an input device for defining a second steering angle. The actuator may for example be a part of a power steering, which is adapted to receive control commands from the input device and to change the first steering angle according to the invention. The input device is provided to receive an input of a user with regard to the second steering angle and forward it (at the given time) to the actuator. As stated in connection with the first aspect of the present invention, it is envisaged that after leaving the means of locomotion by the user and any other occupants, the device will alter a first steering angle existing up to that point. The features, combinations of features, scenarios and advantages arise according to the first aspect of the invention.

The input device may preferably be a key and / or a remote control and / or a man-machine interface permanently installed in the means of transportation. In particular, the permanently installed human-machine interface usually has an optical output unit, which makes it possible to display parameters of the device according to the invention and to have them edited by a user. For example, the user may define the steering angle of the second steering angle and / or a delay time after which the second steering angle is produced after leaving the vehicle and / or after locking the vehicle. In contrast, the key and / or the remote control offer the possibility to decide after leaving the means of transportation when and / or in which direction the first steering angle is to be changed. This provides a particularly effective change process and involves the user / owner / owner of the means of transport more in the presentation.

Further preferably, the input device may be configured to control and / or to predefine the second steering angle with respect to direction and / or height by means of a "swipe" gesture. A "wiping gesture" is understood as meaning a gesture in which, for example, a finger of a user makes a wiping movement in contact with the input device. For example, if the user wipes from left to right, a steering angle is produced according to a right turn. If the user wipes from right to left, a steering angle is produced according to a left-hand bend. If the input device is in a correspondingly different mode, the height (for example in the form of a bar graph) can be edited by means of the swipe gesture. Of course, also in "real time", the first steering angle may be varied according to the position of the user's finger on the input device (e.g., in mutually different directions). This satisfies the play instinct of the user and strengthens his role in the presentation of the vehicle.

In this case, the input device may preferably have a touch-sensitive, in particular capacitive operating surface. Capacitive control surfaces have proven to be user-friendly and intuitive in mass-produced articles, and also offer the possibility of encapsulating a corresponding equipped input device with respect to moisture and foreign body intrusion.

More preferably, the input device is set up to be activated in response to a leaving and / or closing of the means of locomotion. In other words, the device can be put into an operating state ("active") by a predefined trigger and / or even prompt the user for input. This provides the ability to conserve energy within the input device until an input can usefully be made. For example, a seat occupancy sensor, the locomotive ignition switch, a microswitch within the door, or an actuation of a lock button on an input device may provide a trigger for activating the device of the invention. The device according to the invention essentially uses elements which are installed in many production vehicles anyway. In this way, the device can be realized by means of software code.

Brief description of the drawings

Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

1 a perspective view of a vehicle in a parking position with effectively presented steerable wheels;

2 a flowchart, illustrating steps of an embodiment of a method according to the invention; and

3 a schematic overview of components of an embodiment of a device according to the invention.

Embodiments of the invention

1 shows a car 1 as a means of transport, which for the presentation of the wheel / tire combination 2 has been turned off with left front wheels as the second steering angle.

2 shows a flowchart, illustrating steps according to an embodiment of a method according to the invention. In step 100 a parking position of a means of transport is approached. In other words, the vehicle is moved to an end position, whereby it changes from an operating state to a parked state. In step 200 the driver leaves as last occupant the means of transportation 1 , He chooses no specific steering wheel position as the first steering angle. In step 300 the sequence of a predefined period of time after leaving the locomotion means (detected via the seat occupancy sensor system) is checked and a control signal is generated after the expiration. In step 400 the first steering angle is changed in response to the expiration of the predefined time interval. Here, a predefined second steering angle is produced without the steering wheel of the means of transport would be manually operated. The second steering angle, for example, in principle be predefined and are made in response to the passage of time, if no input is made by the user. In the example, two (eg symmetrical) steering angles are predefined between which the user selects by means of a swipe gesture when the input device is actuated. In addition, by the above-described wiping gesture, the user can arbitrarily change the first steering angle "in real time" by successively executing the wiping gesture in different directions, so that the steering angle is always changed according to a current position of a user's finger on the input device.

3 shows a schematic overview of components of an embodiment of a device according to the invention 10 , A servomotor 3 a power steering as an actuator is set up, control commands from a first input device 4a to receive, which is designed as an input-control unit (HMI, Human Machine Interface). The first input unit 4a is also set up, with a second input unit 4b to communicate wirelessly in the form of a radio key. On the second input unit 4b is a capacitive, touch-sensitive element 6 provided by means of which pressure and wiping gestures can be recognized and converted into control commands. According to in conjunction with 2 described method, the device 10 by means of the servomotor 3 the steerable wheels of the means of locomotion from a straight-ahead position 5a as the first steering lock in a position corresponding to a right turn 5b as a second steering lock bring to the means of transportation 1 in the whole and the wheel / tire combination in particular after the parking process effectively present.

The feature proposed according to the invention for the means of transportation could be described as a "sports park position", which represents a comfort feature, in particular for athletically oriented drivers. Therefore, the function ensures that an optimal angle (e.g., optically) is set when the wheels are turned. This ensures that the rims and the width of the tires are expressed optimally. In a manual adjustment of the wheels by the driver according to the prior art control of the result can always be done only by disembarking or uncomfortable movements (leaning out of the window). In addition, a "show effect" is achieved because the vehicle, after leaving the driver, corrects the wheel position "as if by magic". The possible delay times after parking the vehicle and the steering direction can be predefined in many areas by the user or the manufacturer and can be selected as desired. Technically, the function can be realized by means of a so-called electrical superposition steering system or the park-steering assistant or a "parking robot." The marketing-side valuable joy of use ("joy-of-use") is the driver by the comfort and fun feature The driver is proud of his vehicle and wants to present it as effectively as possible, with the help of the present invention this is made possible for him.

Although the aspects and advantageous embodiments of the invention have been described in detail with reference to the embodiments explained in connection with the accompanying drawings, modifications and combinations of features of the illustrated embodiments are possible for the skilled person, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the scope of protection the appended claims are defined.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

vehicle

2

wheel

3

servomotor

4a

Input operation unit

4b

radio key

5a

straight-ahead

5b

Right turn position

6

touch-sensitive element

10

contraption

100-400

steps

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102007002266 A1 [0003]
• DE 19817142 A1 [0004]
• DE 10253468 A1 [0005]

Claims (10)

Method for optimizing a steering angle ( 5a ) steerable wheels ( 2 ) of a vehicle in a parking position comprising the steps: - leaving ( 200 ) of the means of locomotion ( 1 ) with a first steering angle ( 5a ) by a last occupant in the parking position, and then - changing ( 400 ) of the first steering angle ( 5a ) in the parking position. The method of claim 1, wherein said modifying ( 400 ) a predefined second steering angle ( 5b ). Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the means of locomotion ( 1 ) after leaving ( 200 ) to change ( 400 ) of the first steering angle ( 5a ), especially after modification ( 400 ) of the first steering angle ( 5a ) is not moved until boarding of a first occupant. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second steering angle ( 5b ) corresponds to a straight ahead or a left turn or a right turn Device for optimizing a steering angle of steerable wheels of a means of locomotion ( 1 ) in a parking position comprising: - an actuator for modifying ( 400 ) of a first steering angle ( 5a ), - an input device ( 4a . 4b ) for defining a second steering angle ( 5b ), - the device ( 10 ) after leaving ( 200 ) of the means of locomotion ( 1 ) with a first steering angle ( 5a ) by a last occupant in the parking position the first steering angle ( 5a ), in particular according to one of the preceding claims. Device according to claim 5, wherein the input device ( 4a . 4b ), the change - in terms of the angle of the second steering angle ( 5b ) and / or - to predefine the change with respect to a predefined time delay. Device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the input device ( 4a . 4b ) a key ( 4b ) and / or a remote control and / or a fixed means of locomotion ( 1 ) installed human-machine interface ( 4a ). Device according to one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the input device ( 4a . 4b ) is set up, by means of a wiping gesture - the second steering angle ( 5b ) with regard to direction and / or height and / or to predefine. Device according to one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the input device ( 4a . 4b ) a touch-sensitive, in particular capacitive, control surface ( 6 ) having. Device according to one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the input device ( 4a . 4b ) in response to an exit and / or closure of the means of locomotion ( 1 ) to be activated.

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