Parking space management

• US 10,032,377 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2015
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Bartsch, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Omer S
• Application Number:
  US15/328,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20170229017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 3409322
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/144 on portable or mobile units, e.g. personal digital assistant [PDA]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/147 where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

Based on the interaction between a mobile end device and a parked vehicle, it is determined whether a parked car will soon exit a parking space within a period of time. A report is selectively sent to a server in accordance with the determination. The report indicates the imminent exit of the motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for indicating an imminent exit from a parking space by a parked motor vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a movement profile of a mobile terminal device, where the movement profile comprises a continuous time-averaged direction of movement of the mobile terminal device;

checking, based on each of (i) an interaction between the mobile terminal device and the parked motor vehicle, and (ii) a predominant area of the movement profile of the mobile terminal device is within a threshold value, whether an exit from a parking space by the motor vehicle is prospectively imminent within a time period; and

selectively dispatching a message to a server depending on the check, indicating the imminent exit from the parking space;

wherein the predominant area of the movement profile is a continuous average time value of a position of the mobile terminal device;

determining a distance between the motor vehicle and the predominant area of the movement profile of the mobile terminal device during the interaction between the mobile terminal device and the parked motor vehicle,

wherein the checking further comprises;

performing a threshold value comparison between the determined distance and the threshold value, wherein the dispatch of the message is performed selectively depending on the threshold value being greater than the determined distance.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transferring a position of the motor vehicle or the position of the mobile terminal device between the motor vehicle and the mobile terminal device during the interaction between the mobile terminal device and the parked motor vehicle, wherein the determination of the movement profile of the mobile terminal device takes place relatively with reference to the position of the parked motor vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a control message between the mobile terminal device and the motor vehicle during the interaction between the mobile terminal device and the parked motor vehicle, wherein the control message indicates an operating condition of a motor vehicle component.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining the time period based on a distance between the parked motor vehicle and a further motor vehicle searching for a parking space.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein checking is based on a calendar of the user of the mobile terminal device.

5. A device configured to indicate an imminent exit from a parking space by a parked motor vehicle, the device comprising:

a processing unit configured to;

check whether an exit from a parking space by the motor vehicle is prospectively imminent within a time period based on each of (i) an interaction between a mobile terminal device and the parked motor vehicle, and (ii) a predominant area of a movement profile of the mobile terminal device is within a threshold value,

determine the movement profile of a mobile terminal device, wherein the movement profile comprises a continuous time-averaged direction of movement of the mobile terminal device, and

an interface configured to dispatch a message selectively to a server depending on the check, wherein the message indicates the imminent exit from the parking space;

wherein the predominant area of the movement profile is a continuous average time value of a position of the mobile terminal device;

the processing unit is further configured to;

determine a distance between the motor vehicle and the predominant area of the movement profile of the mobile terminal device during the interaction between the mobile terminal device and the parked motor vehicle,

check a threshold value comparison between the determined distance and the threshold value, wherein the dispatch of the message is performed selectively depending on the threshold value being greater than the determined distance.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the device is configured to carry out a method comprising:

determining the movement profile of the mobile terminal device, where the movement profile comprises the time-averaged direction of movement of the mobile terminal device;

checking, based on each of (i) the interaction between the mobile terminal device and the parked motor vehicle, and (ii) the movement profile of the mobile terminal device, whether the exit from the parking space by the motor vehicle is prospectively imminent within the time period; and

selectively dispatching the message to the server depending on the check, indicating the imminent exit from the parking space.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the device is configured to carry out a method comprising:

determining a distance between the motor vehicle and the mobile terminal device during the interaction between the mobile terminal device and the parked motor vehicle, wherein the check comprises;

performing a threshold value comparison between the determined distance and a predefined threshold value, wherein the dispatch of the message is performed selectively depending on the threshold value comparison.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the device is configured to carry out a method comprising:

transferring a position of the motor vehicle or the position of the mobile terminal device between the motor vehicle and the mobile terminal device during the interaction between the mobile terminal device and the parked motor vehicle, wherein the determination of the movement profile of the mobile terminal device takes place relatively with reference to the position of the parked motor vehicle.

9. The device of claim 5, wherein the device is configured to carry out a method comprising:

transmitting a control message between the mobile terminal device and the motor vehicle during the interaction between the mobile terminal device and the parked motor vehicle, wherein the control message indicates an operating condition of a motor vehicle component.

10. The device of claim 5, wherein the device is configured to carry out a method comprising:

defining the time period based on a distance between the parked motor vehicle and a further motor vehicle searching for a parking space.

12. The device of claim 5, wherein the processing unit is configured to check whether an exit from the parking space by the motor vehicle is prospectively imminent within the time period based on a calendar of the user of the mobile terminal device.