Automated parking director systems and related methods

• US 20040252034A1
• Filed: 06/10/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Slemmer, John Blake, Rivenburgh, Neil Fredrick
• Granted Patent: US 7,026,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas

Abstract

Systems and methods of directing parking in a parking lot include: (a) detecting the presence and/or absence of a vehicle in respective parking spaces in a parking lot having a plurality of parking spaces to monitor the availability of parking spaces; (b) identifying the space location of parking spaces that are available for use based on the detecting and monitoring steps; and (c) automatically providing the location of the identified available spaces to prospective users in substantially real-time

Claims

1. An intelligent parking system for a parking lot comprising a plurality of individual parking spaces, comprising:

at least one object detector configured to identify when an object occupies a respective parking space and/or when the respective parking space is unoccupied; and

at least one processor in communication with the at least one object detector, the at least one processor being configured to automatically identify the location of individual parking spaces that are available and/or the parking spaces that are unavailable based on data obtained from the at least one object detector.

2. A parking system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to graphically display a map of parking spaces in the parking lot and visually contrasts the available spaces from the spaces that are unavailable.

3. A parking system according to claim 1, wherein the system identifies the available spaces in substantially real-time.

4. A parking system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to relay the identification of available and/or unavailable parking spaces to a computer network.

5. A parking system according to claim 4, wherein the computer network is a global computer network.

6. A parking system according to claim 1, wherein the object detector is in communication with a relay station that is configured to wirelessly transmit the detector data to the processor.

7. A parking system according to claim 1, further comprising a communication cable extending from the at least one object detector to the processor.

8. A parking system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one detector comprises a detector that is mounted to a floor of the parking space.

9. A parking system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one detector comprises a detector that is attached to an upstanding rail that is positioned to extend across a forward portion of a respective parking space.

10. A parking system according to claim 1, wherein, in operation, the detector is configured to generate a signal with a spatially encoded identifier when an object is in its respective parking space and not generate a signal when the space is available.

11. A parking system according to claim 1, wherein, in operation, the detector is configured to generate a signal with a spatially encoded identifier when its respective parking space is available and not generate a signal when the space is unavailable.

12. A parking system according to claim 2, further comprising at least one exterior display sign of a map of parking lot spaces in communication with said processor, wherein, in operation, the processor is configured to visually indicate the available spaces on the map on the display sign.

13. A parking system according to claim 12, wherein the display sign is sized and configured to reside proximate the parking lot for viewing by drivers approaching and/or in the parking lot.

14. A parking system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one exterior display sign is a plurality of exterior display signs.

15. A parking system according to claim 14, wherein the parking lot is a multi-tier parking garage, and wherein at least one display is positioned proximate an entry location for each level of the multi-tier parking garage.

16. A parking system according to claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to graphically display the map of parking spaces in the parking lot and visually contrast the available spaces from the spaces that are unavailable on the displayed map, said system further configured to relay the map of available spaces to a web page.

17. A parking system according to claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to graphically display the map of parking spaces in the parking lot and visually contrast the available spaces from the spaces that are unavailable on the map, said system further configured to relay the map of available spaces to a plurality of user'"'"'s wireless communication devices.

18. A parking system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate aggregate data of the number of spaces available.

19. A parking system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate navigation instructions to guide a user in the parking lot to an available space.

20. A parking system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to assign and/or allocate a first parking space to a first vehicle on a first time entry into the parking lot, and then assign and/or allocate a second parking space to a second vehicle that enters the parking lot thereafter.

21. A parking system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to virtually reserve parking spaces based on pre-orders of users that specify when, date and time parking lot space is desired, and then identify to the users the parking spaces so reserved.

22. A method of directing parking in a parking lot, comprising:

detecting the presence and/or absence of a vehicle in a respective parking space in a parking lot having a plurality of parking spaces to thereby monitor for the availability of parking spaces;

identifying the space location of parking spaces that are available for use based on the detecting and monitoring steps; and

automatically providing the location of the identified available spaces to at least one output device in substantially real-time.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the automatically providing step comprises graphically displaying the location of available spaces using at least a partial map of the parking lot.

24. A method according to claim 22, wherein the automatically providing step comprises textually identifying at least one available space.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein the automatically providing step comprises textually concurrently displaying the location a plurality of available spaces.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the automatically providing step displays the available spaces grouped by spatial relationship.

27. A method according to claim 25, wherein the automatically providing step comprises displaying a selected parking region having a cluster of open regions in a graphic format proximate a parking lot entry site and textually displays parking.lot locations for isolated available spaces.

28. A method according to claim 22, wherein the automatically providing step comprises displaying identified parking spaces on at least one exterior display board or sign.

29. A method according to claim 22, wherein the display sign is sized and configured to reside proximate the parking lot for viewing by drivers approaching and/or in the parking lot.

30. A method according to claim 22, further comprising wirelessly transmitting data obtained from the detecting step to a remote control station that carries out the automatically providing step.

31. A method according to claim 30, further comprising relaying the identified available spaces to a global computer network.

32. A method according to claim 22, further comprising displaying the location of the identified available spaces on a web page accessible via the global computer network.

33. A method according to claim 32, further comprising transmitting the location of at least one available space to a personal communication and/or computer device.

34. A method according to claim 22, further comprising virtually reserving at least one parking space based on a pre-order of a user that specifies date and time that a parking lot space is desired and relaying to the user the location of the parking space so reserved.

35. A method according to claim 22, further comprising visually displaying a map of parking spaces in the parking lot and visually contrasting the available spaces from unavailable spaces.

36. A method according to claim 22, further comprising generating navigational instructions guiding a prospective parking customer to an available parking space.

37. A system of directing parking in a parking lot, comprising:

means for detecting the presence and/or absence of a vehicle in a respective parking space in a parking lot having a plurality of parking spaces to monitor for the availability of parking spaces;

means for identifying the space location of parking spaces that are available for use based on the detecting; and

means for automatically updating and providing the location of the identified available spaces to at least one output device accessible by a prospective parking lot customer in substantially real-time.