Method and System for Determining the State of Occupation of a Plurality of Scheduled Areas by Vehicles

• US 20130106621A1
• Filed: 07/05/2010
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FM S.r.l.
• Original Assignee: FM S.r.l.
• Inventors: Cecchet, Marco
• Granted Patent: US 9,111,449 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/146 where the parking area is a limited parking space, e.g. parking garage, restricted space

Abstract

A method for determining the state of occupation of a plurality of scheduled areas by vehicles, comprising the steps of: associating with each area to be monitored a transmitter which periodically transmits a signal of fixed power; receiving in a concentrator the plurality of signals emitted by said plurality of transmitters; examining said plurality of signals and determining the occupied/vacant state of each area to be monitored; periodically transmitting a signal comprising information on the occupied/vacant state of each monitored area to an operating centre; generating information indicative of the state of occupation of a plurality of areas.

Claims

1. A method for determining the state of occupation of a plurality of scheduled areas by vehicles, comprising the steps of:

associating with each area to be monitored a transmitter which periodically transmits a signal of fixed power;

receiving in a concentrator the plurality of signals emitted by said plurality of transmitters;

examining said plurality of signals and determining the occupied/vacant state of each area to be monitored;

periodically transmitting a signal comprising information on the occupied/vacant state of each monitored area to an operating centre;

generating information indicative of the state of occupation of a plurality of areas,

wherein the step of examining said plurality of signals comprises the step of monitoring the received signal intensity of said plurality of signals.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the step of determining the occupied/vacant state of each area to be monitored comprises the step of defining the state of a first area as occupied when the intensity of the received signal of said first area is less than a predetermined value.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the step of determining the occupied/vacant state of each area to be monitored comprises the step of defining the state of a first area as vacant when the intensity of the received signal of said first area exceeds a predetermined value.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said predetermined value varies with time.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said fixed power signal comprises information identifying said transmitter.

6. A method as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the step of determining the occupied/vacant state of each area to be monitored comprises the step of associating an end-of-parking time with said first area.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised by comprising the step of transmitting information indicative of the vehicle or of the driver to said concentrator.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, characterised by comprising the step of authorizing parking if the information indicative of the vehicle or the driver is considered acceptable.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the information generated by the operating centre is used to generate a payment for parking.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the information generated by the operating centre is compared with the data contained in a data base by the operating centre to verify whether the person occupying the particular parking space or the particular area possesses authorization.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the step of determining the occupied/vacant state of each area to be monitored comprises the step of associating an occupation start time with each area and an occupation finish time.

13. A method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said predetermined value varies with time.

12. A system for determining the state of occupation of a plurality of scheduled areas by vehicles, comprising a plurality of transmitters associated respectively with a plurality of areas to be monitored;

said plurality of transmitters periodically transmitting a signal of fixed power carrying information identifying said transmitter;

a receiver-transmitter which receives signals from said plurality of transmitters;

said receiver-transmitter comprising means for determining the variation in the intensity of the signal originating from said transmitters;

if the intensity of a transmitter signal is less than a predetermined threshold, the area associated with said transmitter is occupied by a vehicle;

if the intensity of a transmitter signal is greater than a predetermined threshold, the area associated with said transmitter is vacant;

said receiver-transmitter transmitting signals containing vehicle occupied area data or vacant area data to an operating centre;

said operating centre generating information indicative of the state of occupation of a plurality of areas.

14. A system for determining the state of occupation of a plurality of scheduled areas by vehicles, comprising a plurality of transmitters associated respectively with a plurality of areas to be monitored;

said plurality of transmitters periodically transmitting a signal of fixed power carrying information identifying said transmitter;

a receiver-transmitter which receives signals from said plurality of transmitters;

said receiver-transmitter configured for determining the variation in the intensity of the signal originating from said transmitters;

if the intensity of a transmitter signal is less than a predetermined threshold, the area associated with said transmitter is occupied by a vehicle;

if the intensity of a transmitter signal is greater than a predetermined threshold, the area associated with said transmitter is vacant;

said receiver-transmitter transmitting signals containing vehicle occupied area data or vacant area data to an operating centre;

said operating centre generating information indicative of the state of occupation of a plurality of areas.