Low Power Vehicle Detection

• US 20130027218A1
• Filed: 07/25/2012
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IPS Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IPS Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Schwarz, Alexander, Hunter, Stephen John
• Granted Patent: US 9,127,964 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/246 provided with vehicle proximity-detectors detecting hidden masses, e.g. metal detectors, G01V, e.g. G01V3/00; proximity switches per se H03K17/00; traffic control systems G08G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/042 using inductive or magnetic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/34 Smart metering supporting the carbon neutral operation of end-user applications in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A parking meter detects an object in proximity, based on a change in a proximity measurement at the meter, activates a directional sensor in response to detecting the object, receives sensor data at a meter processor from the directional sensor, wherein the received sensor data indicates a predetermined direction to the detected object relative to the meter. The parking meter determines a presence of the object, or lack thereof, in the predetermined direction based on the sensor data, and upon a positive determination of the presence of the object, stores an indication of the presence of the object along with a time of the positive determination.

Claims

1. A method of operating a parking meter, the method comprising:

detecting an object in proximity to a parking meter, the detecting being based on a change in a proximity measurement at the meter;

activating a directional sensor in response to detecting the object;

receiving sensor data at a meter processor from the directional sensor, the received sensor data indicating a predetermined direction to the detected object relative to the meter;

determining a presence of the object, or lack thereof, in the predetermined direction based on the sensor data; and

upon a positive determination of the presence of the object, storing an indication of the presence of the object along with a time of the positive determination.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein detecting an object in proximity is performed with a proximity sensor.

3. The method as in claim 2, wherein the proximity sensor comprises a magnetometer coupled to the parking meter and wherein the proximity measurement is indicative of a magnetic field at the meter.

4. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

determining a confidence level of the presence of the object based on the received sensor data; and

subsequent to determining the confidence level, varying an action of the meter based on the confidence level.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein detecting the object comprises:

comparing the proximity measurement to a baseline measurement, the baseline measurement representing an expected proximity measurement when the object is not present; and

positively detecting the object if the proximity measurement differs from the baseline measurement by more than a threshold value.

6. A parking meter comprising:

a proximity sensor configured to detect an object in proximity to the parking meter based on a proximity measurement, and configured to produce a trigger signal in response to the detection of the object;

a directional sensor configured to detect a direction of the object relative to the meter; and

a control module coupled to the magnetometer and the directional sensor and configured to;

receive the trigger signal from the proximity sensor and, in response to receiving the trigger signal, activate the directional sensor,

receive sensor data from the directional sensor,

determine a presence of an object, or lack thereof, in the predetermined direction based on the directional sensor data, and

upon a positive determination of the presence of the object, store an indication of the presence of the object along with a time of the positive determination.

7. The parking meter as in claim 6, wherein the proximity sensor comprises a magnetometer and the proximity measurement comprises an indication of a magnetic field at the meter.

8. The parking meter as in claim 7, wherein the control module is configured to determine a confidence level based on the received sensor data and vary an action of the meter based on the determined confidence level.

9. The parking meter as in claim 6, wherein the proximity sensor is configured to detect the object by comparing the proximity measurement to a baseline measurement, the baseline measurement representing an expected proximity measurement when the object is not present, and, if the received proximity measurement differs from the baseline measurement by more than a threshold, positively determining the presence of the object.