REAL TIME DETECTION OF PARKING SPACE AVAILABILITY

• US 20100007525A1
• Filed: 07/09/2008
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shanbhag, Amit Umesh, Aaronson, Philip, Ames, Glen
• Granted Patent: US 7,893,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/932.200
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for determining parking availability are described. A sensor system is configured to monitor a plurality of parking spaces. The sensor system includes at least one sensor element that generates a sensor data output signal. A parking availability determiner receives the sensor data output signal and generates parking availability information. The parking availability determiner is configured to determine from the received sensor data output signal at least one parking space of the plurality of parking spaces that is occupied, and to include an indication in the parking availability information that the determined at least one parking space is occupied. If one or more further parking space are included in the plurality of parking spaces other than the determined at least one parking space, an indication is included in the parking availability information that the further parking spaces are available for parking.

Claims

1. A system for determining availability of vehicle parking, comprising:

a sensor system configured to monitor a plurality of parking spaces, the sensor system including at least one sensor element that generates a sensor data output signal; and

a parking availability determiner that receives the sensor data output signal and generates parking availability information;

wherein the parking availability determiner is configured to determine from the received sensor data output signal at least one parking space of the plurality of parking spaces that is occupied, to include an indication in the parking availability information that the determined at least one parking space is occupied, and if at least one further parking space is included in the plurality of parking spaces other than the determined at least one parking space, to include an indication in the parking availability information that the at least one further parking space is available for parking.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each parking space of the plurality of parking spaces is marked with a corresponding symbol;

wherein the at least one sensor element includes an image capturing device configured to capture an image of the plurality of parking spaces, and to generate image data corresponding to the captured image, the image data being included in the sensor data output signal; and

wherein the parking availability determiner is configured to analyze the image data to detect each parking space having the corresponding symbol at least partially obstructed in the captured image, and to include an indication in the parking availability information that each parking space having an at least partially obstructed corresponding symbol is occupied.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each parking space is centrally marked with the corresponding symbol.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein each parking space is marked with the corresponding symbol at an entrance.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein each symbol has a size approximately equal to a size of the corresponding parking space.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein each symbol has a size that is less than a size of an average sized automobile.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor element comprises at least one of a light detector for each parking space configured to provide an indication whether a light beam crossing at least a portion of the parking space is interrupted, a movement sensor for each parking space configured to provide an indication whether a mechanical sensor in the parking space is displaced, an acoustic sensor for each parking space, a weight sensor for each parking space, or a magnetic loop sensor for each parking space.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein each parking space is adjacently marked with a corresponding uniquely identifying second symbol, wherein the parking availability determiner is configured to analyze the image data to detect the corresponding uniquely identifying second symbol for each parking space in the captured image, and to determine an identification number for each parking space from the detected corresponding uniquely identifying second symbol.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the parking availability determiner is configured to determine a location of a parking space by analyzing the image data to detect at least one second symbol proximate to the parking space in the captured image.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication interface configured to transmit the parking availability information over a network to a device configured to display the parking availability information.

11. A method for determining availability of vehicle parking, comprising:

capturing an image of a plurality of parking spaces, each parking space being marked with a corresponding symbol;

determining at least one parking space having the symbol at least partially obstructed in the image;

storing an indication that the determined at least one parking space is occupied; and

if at least one further parking space is included in the plurality of parking spaces other than the determined at least one parking space, storing an indication that the at least one further parking space is available.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the symbol is a barcode unique to each parking space, wherein said determining comprises:

determining that the barcode marking a parking space is at least partially obstructed in the image if the barcode is not readable in the image.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said determining comprises:

determining that a first symbol marking a first parking space is at least partially obstructed in the image if the first symbol in the image is at least one of a different shape or a different size from a non-obstructed second symbol marking a second parking space in the image.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said determining comprises:

determining that a symbol marking a parking space is at least partially obstructed in the image if a color of the symbol in the image cannot be detected.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein each parking space is adjacently marked with a corresponding uniquely identifying second symbol, said method further comprising:

determining an identification number for each parking space according to the corresponding uniquely identifying second symbol in the image.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining a location of a parking space in the image by at least detecting a second symbol proximate to the parking space in the image.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said determining a location of a parking space in the image by at least detecting a second symbol proximate to the parking space in the image comprises:

determining the location of the parking space in the image by detecting a second symbol positioned at each corner of the parking space in the image.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating parking availability information that includes the indication that the determined at least one parking space is occupied and the indication that the at least one further parking space is available; and

transmitting the parking availability information over a network to a device.

19. A method for determining availability of vehicle parking, comprising:

monitoring a plurality of parking spaces;

determining from said monitoring at least one parking space of the plurality of parking spaces that is occupied;

generating parking availability information that includes an indication that the determined at least one parking space is occupied, and

indicating as available for parking any further parking spaces included in the plurality of parking spaces other than the determined at least one parking space.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said monitoring comprises:

monitoring the plurality of parking spaces with an array of sensor elements, each sensor element being configured to generate a corresponding sensor data output signal,

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said monitoring includes at least one of:

detecting for each parking space whether a light beam crossing at least a portion of the parking space is interrupted;

determining whether a mechanical sensor in each parking space is displaced;

monitoring each parking space with an acoustic sensor;

detecting a weight present in each parking space;

or

detecting a change in a magnetic field for each parking space.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

a communication interface configured to transmit the parking availability information over a network to a device configured to display the parking availability information.