METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY DETECTING AND CHECKING PARKING PLACES OF A PARKING ARRANGEMENT

• US 20130253879A1
• Filed: 03/21/2013
• Published: 09/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: N.V. Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek "Nedap"
• Original Assignee: N.V. Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek "Nedap"
• Inventors: TANNEMAAT, Gerhard Johan
• Granted Patent: US 9,696,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/150
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• 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: G08G 1/146 where the parking area is a limited parking space, e.g. parking garage, restricted space
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/149 coupled to means for restricting the access to the parking space, e.g. authorization, access barriers, indicative lights

Abstract

Method and system for automatically detecting and checking the use of parking places of a parking arrangement, which is provided with a parking network and a central computer, the parking places being each provided with an electronic parking sensor module, which has an identification code and a vehicle sensor for detecting vehicles in the respective parking places, wherein use is made of electronic license devices, carried along with the vehicles and each having a unique identification number and motion sensor means, which can determine at what time a vehicle comes to a standstill, and wherein information about said time together with the identification number is transmitted to the central computer, which can compare said time with times at which the parking places become occupied, to determine in which parking place the vehicle is parked.

Claims

1. A method for automatically detecting and checking the use of at least a number of parking places, each provided with at least one electronic parking sensor module, of a parking arrangement, which is provided with a parking network for communication between the electronic parking sensor modules and a central computer, wherein the electronic parking sensor modules are each provided with an identification code and with at least one vehicle sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a vehicle in the respective parking place;

and wherein use is made of electronic license devices, which can be carried along in or on vehicles which can be parked in said parking places, the license devices being each provided with a unique identification number and with transmitting means to transmit the identification number of the license device of the respective vehicle directly or indirectly to the central computer, wherein the central computer is configured to determine in which parking place the respective vehicle is parked, wherein the license devices are provided with motion sensor means, which together with time measuring means can determine exactly at what time a vehicle comes to a standstill;

wherein the transmitting means are configured to transmit information about the time together with the identification number of the license device of the respective vehicle directly or indirectly to the central computer; and

wherein the central computer on the basis of a comparison of said time with times at which the parking places become occupied determines in which parking place the respective vehicle is parked.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein after the time at which the vehicle comes to a standstill a short period of waiting follows before the license device approaches the parking network and/or the central computer by means of the transmitting means.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein after the vehicle has come to a standstill, by the motion sensor means directly or indirectly an additional locating system is switched on for providing extra location information.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein time measuring means are used, which comprise a real time clock, and that the real time clock is synchronized with a clock of the parking network and/or the central computer, before the time at which a vehicle comes to a standstill is compared with the times at which parking places become occupied.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting means are switched off as long as the vehicle is in motion, and when the vehicle is parked in a place where no parking network is present.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein with the aid of the motion sensor means and the time measuring means it is determined at what time a parked vehicle drives away from a parking place and that the transmitting means transmit information about said time together with the identification number of the license device directly or indirectly to the central computer.

16. An electronic license device for use in a method according to claim 1, the license device being provided with a unique identification number and with motion sensor means, which together with time measuring means of the license device (30) can determine at what time exactly a vehicle carrying the license device comes to a standstill, wherein the license device furthermore comprises transmitting means to transmit information about said time together with the identification number to a parking network and/or a central computer of a parking arrangement.

7. A method for automatically detecting and checking the use of at least a number of parking places, each provided with at least one electronic parking sensor module, of a parking arrangement, which is provided with a parking network for communication between the electronic parking sensor modules and a central computer, wherein the electronic parking sensor modules are each provided with an identification code and with at least one vehicle sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a vehicle in the respective parking place;

and wherein use is made of electronic license devices, which can be carried along in or on vehicles which can be parked in the parking places, the license devices being each provided with a unique identification number and with transmitting means to transmit the identification number of the license device of the respective vehicle directly or indirectly to the central computer, wherein the central computer is configured to determine in which parking place the respective vehicle is parked, wherein the license devices are provided with motion sensor means, which together with time measuring means can determine exactly at what time a vehicle comes to a standstill;

wherein the transmitting means are configured to transmit information about the time together with the identification number of the license device of the respective vehicle directly or indirectly to the central computer; and

wherein the central computer on the basis of a comparison of said time with times at which the parking places become occupied determines in which parking place the respective vehicle is parked;

and wherein after the vehicle has come to a standstill, by the motion sensor means directly or indirectly an additional locating system is switched on for providing extra location information;

and wherein time measuring means are used, which comprise a real time clock, and the real time clock is synchronized with a clock of the parking network and/or the central computer, before the time at which a vehicle comes to a standstill is compared with the times at which parking places become occupied.

8. A system for automatically detecting and checking the use of at least a number of parking places, each provided with at least one electronic parking sensor module, of a parking arrangement, which is provided with a parking network for communication between the electronic parking sensor modules and a central computer, wherein the electronic parking sensor modules are each provided with an identification code and with at least one vehicle sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a vehicle in the respective parking place;

and wherein the system furthermore comprises one or more electronic license devices, which in operation can be carried along with the vehicles which can be parked in said parking places, the license devices being each provided with a unique identification number and with transmitting means to transmit the identification number of the license device of the respective vehicle directly or indirectly to the central computer, wherein the central computer is configured to determine in which parking place the respective vehicle is parked, wherein the license devices are provided with motion sensor means, which together with time measuring means can determine exactly at what time a vehicle comes to a standstill;

wherein the transmitting means are configured to transmit information about the time together with the identification number of the license device of the respective vehicle directly or indirectly to the central computer; and

wherein the central computer on the basis of a comparison of said time with times at which the parking places become occupied determines in which parking place the respective vehicle is parked.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the license device comprises a microprocessor, which is connected with the motion sensor means and with time measuring means and which is furthermore connected with a radio circuit for transmitting information to the parking network and/or the central computer.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the motion sensor means are configured for, after a vehicle has come to a standstill, directly or indirectly switching on an additional locating system for providing extra location information.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the license devices are configured to transmit also the extra location information to the parking network and/or the central computer.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein the time measuring means comprise a real time clock and that the license devices are configured to synchronize the real time clock with a clock of the parking network and/or the central computer before the time at which a vehicle comes to a standstill is compared with the times at which parking places become occupied.

13. The system according to claim 8, wherein the license devices are configured to switch off the transmitting means as long as the vehicle is in motion and when the vehicle is parked in a place where no parking network is present.

14. The system according to claim 8, wherein the license devices are configured to determine at what time a parked vehicle drives away from a parking place provided with a parking sensor module and to transmit information about this time together with the unique identification number directly or indirectly to the central computer.

15. A system for automatically detecting and checking the use of at least a number of parking places, each provided with at least one electronic parking sensor module, of a parking arrangement, which is provided with a parking network for communication between the electronic parking sensor modules and a central computer, wherein the electronic parking sensor modules are each provided with an identification code and with at least one vehicle sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a vehicle in the respective parking place;

and wherein the system furthermore comprises one or more electronic license devices, which in operation can be carried along with the vehicles which can be parked in said parking places, the license devices being each provided with a unique identification number and with transmitting means to transmit the identification number of the license device of the respective vehicle directly or indirectly to the central computer, wherein the central computer is configured to determine in which parking place the respective vehicle is parked, wherein the license devices are provided with motion sensor means, which together with time measuring means can determine exactly at what time a vehicle comes to a standstill;

wherein the transmitting means are configured to transmit information about the time together with the identification number of the license device of the respective vehicle directly or indirectly to the central computer; and

wherein the central computer on the basis of a comparison of said time with times at which the parking places become occupied determines in which parking place the respective vehicle is parked;

and wherein the motion sensor means are configured for, after a vehicle has come to a standstill, directly or indirectly switching on an additional locating system for providing extra location information;

and wherein the time measuring means comprise a real time clock, and the license devices are configured to synchronize the real time clock with a clock of the parking network and/or the central computer before the time at which a vehicle comes to a standstill is compared with the times at which parking places become occupied.