METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING PARKING LOTS

• US 20080101656A1
• Filed: 10/30/2006
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ramanujam, Ramanarayan N., Watson, Carol Sue Robertson, Dunsmoir, John W., Kinstler, Sheryl S., Barnes, Thomas Henry
• Granted Patent: US 8,139,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30232 Surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30248 Vehicle exterior or interior
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/251 involving models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for tracking vehicles in a parking facility using optics. The process receives a series of two-dimensional images of a vehicle in a parking facility from a camera. The process generates an object representing the vehicle based on the series of two-dimensional images. The object includes a set of parameters defining an outer edge frame for the vehicle. The process determines a location of the vehicle in the parking garage based on the outer edge frame and positional pixel data for the parking facility.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for tracking vehicles in a parking facility, the computer implemented method comprising:

receiving a series of two-dimensional images of a vehicle in a parking facility from a camera;

generating an object representing the vehicle based on the series of two-dimensional images, wherein the object includes a set of parameters defining an outer edge frame for the vehicle; and

determining a location of the vehicle in the parking garage based on the outer edge frame and positional pixel data for the parking facility.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the camera is a first camera and further comprising:

receiving a second series of two-dimensional images of the vehicle in the parking facility from a second camera; and

determining the location of the vehicle based on the series of two-dimensional images from the first camera and the second series of two-dimensional images from the second camera.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining positional pixel data for each pixel in a camera image, wherein positional pixel data identifies a location in the parking facility represented by a given pixel in the camera image.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3 wherein the step of determining a location of a vehicle further comprises:

identifying a given pixel at a lowest point of the outer edge frame for the vehicle; and

determining a location of the pixel at the lowest point of the outer edge frame based on the positional pixel data associated with the given pixel.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the outer edge frame is a pentagonal outer edge frame and further comprising:

generating the outer edge frame for the vehicle based on eight location parameters for the vehicle.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a camera constant for the camera, wherein the camera constant is an angle in radians between two pixels in a camera image generated by the camera.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

capturing a series of consecutive images as a test vehicle is driven around a pre-determined course through an area of the parking facility to form a set of calibration images; and

calculating positional pixel data for the area of the parking facility from the calibration images, wherein positional pixel data identifies a location in the area of the parking facility represented by each pixel in the camera image, and wherein the positional pixel data is used to calibrate the camera.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the outer edge frame is a pentagonal outer edge frame and further comprising:

identifying a direction of the vehicle based on a right lower edge and a left lower edge of the pentagonal outer edge frame, wherein the right lower edge and the left lower edge indicate a direction of a set of wheels on the vehicle.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

retrieving a pre-defined parking map for an area of the parking facility, wherein the pre-defined parking map provides information regarding the location of parking bays and access roads in the parking facility; and

generating positional pixel data based on the pre-defined parking map and calibration data obtained during calibration of the camera.

10. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium including computer usable program code for tracking vehicles in a parking facility using optics, said computer program product comprising;

computer usable program code for receiving a series of two-dimensional images of a vehicle in a parking facility from a camera;

computer usable program code for generating an object representing the vehicle based on the series of two-dimensional images, wherein the object includes a set of parameters defining an outer edge frame for the vehicle; and

computer usable program code for determining a location of the vehicle in the parking garage based on the outer edge frame and positional pixel data for the parking facility.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the camera is a first camera and further comprising:

computer usable program code for receiving a second set series of two-dimensional images of the vehicle in the parking facility from a second camera; and

computer usable program code for determining the location of the vehicle based on the series of two-dimensional images from the first camera and the second series of two-dimensional images from the second camera.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 further comprising:

computer usable program code for determining positional pixel data for each pixel in a camera image, wherein positional pixel data identifies a location in the parking facility represented by a given pixel in the camera image.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein the computer usable program code for determining a location of a vehicle further comprises:

computer usable program code for identifying a given pixel at a lowest point of the outer edge frame for the vehicle; and

computer usable program code for determining a location of the pixel at the lowest point of the outer edge frame based on the positional pixel data associated with the given pixel.

14. The computer program product of claim 10 further comprising:

computer usable program code for determining a camera constant for the camera, wherein the camera constant is an angle in radians between two pixels in a camera image generated by the camera.

15. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the outer edge frame is a pentagonal outer edge frame and further comprising:

computer usable program code for generating the pentagonal outer edge frame for the vehicle based on eight location parameters for the vehicle.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising:

computer usable program code for identifying a direction of the vehicle based on a right lower edge and a left lower edge of the pentagonal outer edge frame, wherein the right lower edge and the left lower edge indicate a direction of a set of wheels on the vehicle.

17. A system for tracking vehicles in a parking facility using optics, the system comprising:

a camera for capturing a series of two-dimensional images of a vehicle in a parking facility from a camera;

a controller for generating an object representing the vehicle based on the series of two-dimensional images, wherein the object includes a set of parameters defining an outer edge frame for the vehicle; and

wherein the controller determines a location of the vehicle in the parking garage based on the outer edge frame and positional pixel data for the parking facility.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the camera is a first camera and further comprising:

a second camera for capturing a second series of two-dimensional images of the vehicle in the parking facility, wherein the location of the vehicle is determined based on the series of two-dimensional images from the first camera and the second series of two-dimensional images from the second camera.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a set of cameras for capturing a series of two-dimensional images of a vehicle in a parking garage;

a storage device connected to a bus, wherein the storage device contains a computer usable program product; and

a processor, wherein the processor unit executes the computer usable program code to receive the series of two-dimensional images of the vehicle in the parking facility from the set of cameras;

generate an object representing the vehicle based on the series of two-dimensional images, wherein the object includes a set of parameters defining an outer edge frame for the vehicle; and

determine a location of the vehicle in the parking garage based on the outer edge frame and positional pixel data for the parking facility.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 previous wherein the set of cameras includes at least two cameras.