Using lighting and other streetside devices to indicate parking space availability and navigation information

• US 10,096,246 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2014
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron Networked Solutions, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Itron Networked Solutions, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Inventors: Victor, Dalton Theebaraj, Howarth, James Alexander, Flammer, George
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US14/262,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,628 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3685 the POI's being parking facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/84 Mapping; Conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/142 external to the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/146 where the parking area is a limited parking space, e.g. parking garage, restricted space
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/147 where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre

Abstract

A method for directing a vehicle to a parking space within an environment is disclosed. The method includes selecting a parking space from a collection of parking spaces within the environment, further selecting one or more lighting devices within the environment based at least on a location of the selected parking space, and sending a signal to the one or more lighting devices to generate a lighting pattern visible to a driver of the vehicle, where the lighting pattern directs the driver to navigate the vehicle toward the parking space. In addition, the vehicle may be navigated using radio navigation algorithms based on beacon signals broadcasted from streetside devices, such as lighting devices or parking meters.

Claims

1. A method for directing a vehicle to a destination within an environment, comprising:

receiving, from a plurality of streetside devices within the environment, a plurality of wireless beacon signals, wherein each of the streetside devices;

illuminates a region of the environment, and

broadcasts a wireless beacon signal that indicates the physical location of the streetside device;

determining, by a second positioning device onboard the vehicle, a location of the vehicle based on the plurality of wireless beacon signals received from the plurality of streetside devices; and

generating a direction to the destination based on the location of the vehicle,

wherein one or more streetside devices generate a lighting pattern that directs a driver of the vehicle towards a parking space that is selected based on the destination.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting, from a plurality of parking spaces within the environment and by a parking space selector separate from the vehicle, a parking space based on the destination of the vehicle, wherein the direction directs the vehicle to the parking space.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, by the parking space selector, a parking reservation associated with the destination of the vehicle, wherein the parking space is selected further based on proximity of the parking space to the destination.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting, by the parking space selector, the parking space being vacated within a densely packed portion of the environment, wherein the parking space is selected further based on detecting the parking space being vacated.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting, by the parking space selector, the parking space being vacated within a pre-determined time period prior to the vehicle entering the environment, wherein the parking space is selected further based on detecting the parking space being vacated.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an autonomous vehicle.

7. A system for directing a vehicle to a destination within an environment, comprising:

a plurality of streetside devices within the environment, wherein each streetside device comprises a light source configured to illuminate a region of the environment, a first positioning device, and a transmitter, wherein the first positioning device is configured to determine a physical location of the streetside device, and the transmitter is configured to broadcast a wireless beacon signal that indicates the physical location of the streetside device; and

a second positioning device onboard the vehicle and configured to;

detect one or more wireless beacon signals generated by the plurality of streetside devices;

determine a location of the vehicle based on the one or more wireless beacon signals; and

generate a direction to the destination based on the location of the vehicle,

wherein one or more streetside devices generate a lighting pattern that directs a driver of the vehicle towards a parking space that is selected based on the destination.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a parking space selector separate from the vehicle and configured to select, from a plurality of parking spaces within the environment, a parking space based on the destination of the vehicle, wherein the direction directs the vehicle to the parking space.

9. The system of claim 8, the parking space selector further configured to:

receive a parking reservation associated with the destination of the vehicle, wherein the parking space is selected further based on proximity of the parking space to the destination.

10. The system of claim 8, the parking space selector further configured to:

detect the parking space being vacated within a densely packed portion of the environment, wherein the parking space is selected further based on detecting the parking space being vacated.

11. The system of claim 8, the parking space selector further configured to:

detect the parking space being vacated within a pre-determined time period prior to the vehicle entering the environment, wherein the parking space is selected further based on detecting the parking space being vacated.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the vehicle comprises an autonomous vehicle.

13. A system for directing a vehicle to a destination within an environment, comprising:

a positioning device configured to;

receive, from a plurality of streetside devices within the environment, a plurality of beacon signals, wherein each of the plurality of beacon signals identifies a location of a corresponding streetside device in the plurality of streetside devices;

determine a current location of the vehicle based on range information associated with the plurality of beacon signals and the locations of the plurality of streetside devices identified by the plurality of beacon signals, and

generate a direction to the destination based on the current location of the vehicle; and

a parking space selector configured to;

detect a parking space being vacated within a pre-determined time period prior to the vehicle entering the environment, and

select the parking space based on the destination of the vehicle and based on the parking space being vacated, wherein the direction directs the vehicle to the parking space.