Device and method for operating a parking lot

• US 10,062,283 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2015
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Mielenz, Holger
• Primary Examiner(s): Bolourchi, Nader
• Application Number:
  US14/956,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20160155331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 340932
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/146 where the parking area is a limited parking space, e.g. parking garage, restricted space

Abstract

A device for operating a parking lot, includes a communication interface, which is configured to receive a parking inquiry for a vehicle in the parking lot from a user of a communication network via the communication network, and a processor, which, in response to the received parking inquiry, configured to ascertain a parking position in the parking lot for the vehicle based on an instantaneous and/or expected number of vehicles situated in an entrance area of the parking lot, the communication interface being configured to transmit the ascertained parking position via the communication network to the user so that the vehicle may park in the ascertained parking position. Also described is a method for operating a parking lot and a computer program therefor.

Claims

1. A device for operating a parking lot, comprising:

a communication interface to receive a parking inquiry for a vehicle in the parking lot from a user of a communication network via the communication network; and

a processor, which, in response to the received parking inquiry, is configured to ascertain a parking position in the parking lot for the vehicle based on an instantaneous and/or expected number of vehicles situated in an entrance area of the parking lot;

wherein the communication interface is configured to transmit the ascertained parking position via the communication network to the user so that the vehicle may park in the ascertained parking position,

wherein the processor is configured to ascertain the parking position in that the processor assigns to every possible parking position in the parking lot an associated length of time for reaching the associated possible parking position from the entrance area, and assigns to every particular trajectory point of a trajectory leading from the entrance area to a particular parking position a point in time at which a vehicle will pass a particular trajectory point following a start, the ascertained parking position to be transmitted being selected from the possible parking positions so that the vehicle of the parking inquiry does not block a driving area of a following vehicle when the same crosses a trajectory point of the vehicle of the parking inquiry, and

wherein the processor is configured to ascertain the parking position in that the processor selects, from the possible parking positions in the parking lot, that parking position as the parking position to be transmitted which is situated behind a nodal point which is different from a nodal point situated in front of a parking position for a prior vehicle of a prior parking inquiry.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to compare the instantaneous and/or expected number of vehicles in the entrance area to a predefined threshold value, the processor being configured to ascertain the parking position based on the comparison.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to ascertain respective new parking positions for parked vehicles as a function of a capacity utilization of the parking lot, the communication interface being configured to transmit the new parking positions via the communication network to the parked vehicles so that the parked vehicles may autonomously re-park corresponding to the new parking position.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor determines whether a vehicle density at the entrance area is one of a first value and a second value, the second value being higher than the first value, and wherein the processor ascertains the parking position on the basis of whether the vehicle density at the entrance area is one of the first value and the second value.

5. A method for operating a parking lot, the method comprising:

receiving a parking inquiry for a vehicle in the parking lot is received from a user of a communication network via the communication network; and

ascertaining, in response to the received parking inquiry, a parking position in the parking lot for the vehicle based on an instantaneous and/or expected number of vehicles situated in an entrance area of the parking lot;

wherein the ascertained parking position is transmitted via the communication network to the user so that the vehicle may park in the ascertained parking position,

wherein the parking position is ascertained by assigning to every possible parking position in the parking lot an associated length of time for reaching the associated possible parking position from the entrance area, and by assigning to every particular trajectory point of a trajectory leading from the entrance area to a particular parking position a point in time at which a vehicle will pass a particular trajectory point following a start, the ascertained parking position to be transmitted being selected from the possible parking positions so that the vehicle of the parking inquiry does not block a driving area of a following vehicle when the same crosses a trajectory point of the vehicle of the parking inquiry, and

wherein the parking position is ascertained in that, from the possible parking positions in the parking lot, that parking position is selected as the parking position to be transmitted which is situated behind a nodal point which is different from a nodal point situated in front of a parking position for a prior vehicle of a prior parking inquiry.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the instantaneous and/or expected number of vehicles in the entrance area is compared to a predefined threshold value, the parking position being ascertained based on the comparison.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein respective new parking positions for parked vehicles is ascertained as a function of a capacity utilization of the parking lot, the new parking positions being transmitted via the communication network to the parked vehicles so that the parked vehicles may autonomously re-park corresponding to the new parking position.

8. The method of claim 5, further compromising determining whether a vehicle density at the entrance area is one of the first value and the second value, the second value being higher than the first value, wherein the ascertaining of the parking position depends on whether the vehicle density at the entrance area is one of the first value and the second value.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program, which is executable by a processor, comprising:

a program code arrangement having program code for operating a parking lot, by performing the following;

receiving a parking inquiry for a vehicle in the parking lot is received from a user of a communication network via the communication network; and

ascertaining, in response to the received parking inquiry, a parking position in the parking lot for the vehicle based on an instantaneous and/or expected number of vehicles situated in an entrance area of the parking lot;

wherein the ascertained parking position is transmitted via the communication network to the user so that the vehicle may park in the ascertained parking position,

wherein the parking position is ascertained by assigning to every possible parking position in the parking lot an associated length of time for reaching the associated possible parking position from the entrance area, and by assigning to every particular trajectory point of a trajectory leading from the entrance area to a particular parking position a point in time at which a vehicle will pass a particular trajectory point following a start, the ascertained parking position to be transmitted being selected from the possible parking positions so that the vehicle of the parking inquiry does not block a driving area of a following vehicle when the same crosses a trajectory point of the vehicle of the parking inquiry, and

wherein the parking position is ascertained in that, from the possible parking positions in the parking lot, that parking position is selected as the parking position to be transmitted which is situated behind a nodal point which is different from a nodal point situated in front of a parking position for a prior vehicle of a prior parking inquiry.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the program code arrangement determines whether a vehicle density at the entrance area is one of a first value and a second value, the second value being higher than the first value, and wherein the ascertaining of the parking position depends on whether the vehicle density at the entrance area is one of the first value and the second value.