Method and system for cooperative parking space discovery and transfer
First Claim
1. A method for transferring a parking space from a first vehicle, the transferor, to a second vehicle, the transferee, comprising the steps of:
- (a) transmitting a message from said transferor, via a wireless communications network, to a central control system that said parking space, currently occupied by said transferor, is offered for transfer;
(b) transmitting a message from said transferee, via a wireless communications network, to said central control system that said transferee requests a parking space;
(c) matching at said central control system the space offer from step (a) with the space request from step (b) according to predetermined criteria;
(d) transmitting a message from said central control system to said transferee directing said transferee to said parking space;
(e) transmitting a message from said central control system to said transferor directing said transferor to continue occupying said parking space until the arrival of said transferee; and
(f) interchanging said transferor with said transferee in said parking space;
whereby said parking space will be transferred from said transferor to said transferee; and
whereby a driver can efficiently find and occupy a parking space in a guaranteed fashion.
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Abstract
A method that matches a vehicle about to vacate a parking space with a vehicle searching for parking in that same area, and a system to support this method. The vehicle occupying the parking space sends a “space offered” message, via a wireless mobile communications network, to a central control system. The vehicle searching for a parking space sends a “space requested” message, via a wireless mobile communications network, to the same central control system. The central control system matches a parking space request with a compatible parking space offer. The central control system then dispatches a message to the offering vehicle instructing it to wait, and also dispatches a message to the requesting vehicle directing it to the offered space. When the requesting vehicle arrives at the designated parking space, the offering vehicle vacates the space and the requesting vehicle takes its place.
86 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for transferring a parking space from a first vehicle, the transferor, to a second vehicle, the transferee, comprising the steps of:
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(a) transmitting a message from said transferor, via a wireless communications network, to a central control system that said parking space, currently occupied by said transferor, is offered for transfer;
(b) transmitting a message from said transferee, via a wireless communications network, to said central control system that said transferee requests a parking space;
(c) matching at said central control system the space offer from step (a) with the space request from step (b) according to predetermined criteria;
(d) transmitting a message from said central control system to said transferee directing said transferee to said parking space;
(e) transmitting a message from said central control system to said transferor directing said transferor to continue occupying said parking space until the arrival of said transferee; and
(f) interchanging said transferor with said transferee in said parking space;
whereby said parking space will be transferred from said transferor to said transferee; and
whereby a driver can efficiently find and occupy a parking space in a guaranteed fashion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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15. A parking space detection and transfer system, comprising:
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(a) a mobile user unit for sending formatted messages between a vehicle operator and a central control system, said mobile user unit comprising;
a non-volatile memory for storing vehicle attributes such as a unique vehicle identification code and vehicle geometry, a position sensor capable of determining the geographic location of said mobile user unit, a wireless network interface for transmitting messages between said mobile user unit and said central control system, and a user interface configured for accepting input from said vehicle operator for the purpose of signaling that said operator is offering for transfer a currently occupied parking space or that said operator is requesting a parking space, where said user interface is also configured to present to said operator instructional and informational messages concerning the transfer of said parking space;
(b) a wireless mobile communications network for carrying messages between said mobile user unit and said central control system; and
(c) a central control system for matching the parking space offer with the parking space request and for sending instructional and informational messages concerning the transfer of said parking space;
said central control system comprising;
a memory configured to store a plurality of said parking space offers, a memory configured to store a plurality of said parking space requests, a data processor configured to control the storage of said parking space offers in said memory and to control the storage of said parking space requests in said memory, where the data processor is further configured to match parking space requests with parking space offers according to predetermined criteria and further configured to exchange formatted instructional and informational messages with said mobile user units, and a wireless network interface for transmitting messages between said central control system and said mobile user unit.
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Specification