Method and apparatus for optimizing parking situations

• US 20050096974A1
• Filed: 10/30/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kumhyr, David Bruce, Kirkland, Dustin C., Chagoly, Bryan Christopher
• Application Number:
  US10/697,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20050096974A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas

Abstract

A parking management system is provided for optimizing parking situations based on preferences of individual drivers. A surveyor collects parking information, which identifies whether or not parking spaces are occupied by a vehicle. Parking information may be collected by sensors located near or within the parking spaces themselves. The parking information is stored in a parking data structure, such as a database, which also stores properties for the spaces. A profile data structure, such as a database, contains profiles for users of the parking structure. The parking management system identifies a user and retrieves the profile of the user from the profile data structure. The parking management system then searches the parking data structure for available spots and selects a spot or set of spots that most closely match the user'"'"'s preferences. The parking management system then presents the spot of set of spots to the driver.

Claims

1. A method for providing location data concerning optimal parking spaces according to a user profile, comprising the steps of:

providing a user profile containing data concerning preferred parking parameters to a parking space;

providing a parking database including data concerning parking parameters for each of a plurality of parking spaces under the control of a parking management system;

determining a list of available parking spaces; and

responsive to a user communication with the parking management system, providing an optimal available parking space based on the user profile, the parking database, and the list of available parking spaces.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user profile includes an identification of a user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data concerning preferred parking parameters includes a set of parameters and, for each parameter within the set of parameters, a preference value and a priority.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user profile is a default profile.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user profile is selected responsive to receiving an identification of a user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the identification of the user is received by one of a card reader and a keypad interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the parking parameters include at least one of an identification, an indication of whether a parking space is occupied, an indication of whether the parking space is designated as handicapped, an indication of whether a pole is on one side of the parking space, a distance from an elevator lobby, a distance from an entrance or exit, and an indicator of whether the parking space is on an end of a row.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a list of available parking spaces includes receiving sensor information from a plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor within the plurality of sensors indicates whether a given parking space is occupied.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein providing an optimal available parking space includes outputting the optimal available parking space to an output device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein output device is one of a display and a printer.

11. An apparatus for providing location data concerning optimal parking spaces according to a user profile, the apparatus comprising:

a parking management system;

a user profile containing data concerning preferred parking parameters to a parking space; and

a parking database including data concerning parking parameters for each of a plurality of parking spaces under the control of a parking management system,

wherein the parking management system determines a list of available parking spaces and, responsive to a user communication with the parking management system, provides an optimal available parking space based on the user profile, the parking database, and the list of available parking spaces.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the user profile includes an identification of a user.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the data concerning preferred parking parameters includes a set of parameters and, for each parameter within the set of parameters, a preference value and a priority.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the user profile is a default profile.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the user profile is selected responsive to receiving an identification of a user.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the identification of the user is received by one of a card reader and a keypad interface.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the parking parameters include at least one of an identification, an indication of whether a parking space is occupied, an indication of whether the parking space is designated as handicapped, an indication of whether a pole is on one side of the parking space, a distance from an elevator lobby, a distance from an entrance or exit, and an indicator of whether the parking space is on an end of a row.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the parking management system receives sensor information from a plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor within the plurality of sensors indicates whether a given parking space is occupied.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the parking management system outputs the optimal available parking space to an output device.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the output device is one of a display and a printer.

21. A computer program product, in a computer readable medium, for providing location data concerning optimal parking spaces according to a user profile, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for determining a list of available parking spaces; and

instructions, responsive to a user communication with a parking management system, for providing an optimal available parking space based on a user profile containing data concerning preferred parking parameters to a parking space, a parking database including data concerning parking parameters for each of a plurality of parking spaces under the control of a parking management system, and the list of available parking spaces.