PROCESS AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING A PARTICULAR STATE OF A SPECIFIC PARKING SPACE

• US 20130335240A1
• Filed: 02/06/2012
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tinynode SA
• Original Assignee: Shockfish S.A.
• Inventors: Meier, Roger, Castella, Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 9,147,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/10 Plotting field distribution ; Measuring field distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/081 the magnetic field is produced by the objects or geological structures characterised by the method of magnetic field measurement G01R33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/042 using inductive or magnetic detectors
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/147 where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre

Abstract

The present invention concerns a process and a system for detecting a particular state of a specific parking space among a plurality of parking spaces, a particular state being one of empty or occupied. Each parking space is equipped with at least one detector for measuring a value of at least one parameter, said parameter being variable according to the presence or absence of a vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a particular state of a specific parking space among a plurality of parking spaces, a particular state being one of empty or occupied, each parking space being equipped with at least one detector for measuring a value of at least one parameter, the parameter being variable according to the presence or absence of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

measuring a first value of the at least one parameter with the detector for the specific parking space;

measuring a second value of the at least one parameter with the detector for at least one parking space close to the specific parking space, wherein a parking space is considered close to the specific parking space if the presence of a vehicle in the close parking space influences the first value of the at least one parameter in a non negligible way;

transmitting at least the first and second values to a processing unit;

comparing the first value with a stored reference value corresponding to a known state of the specific parking space;

comparing at least the second value with the first value; and

determining whether the specific parking space has an occupied or empty state, based on the result of both of said comparison steps.

2. The method for detecting a particular state according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

forming a measurement profile, the measurement profile comprising at least the first and second values; and

comparing the measurement profile with a set of measurement profiles stored in a management center and corresponding to a set of known states of the specific parking space and of the at least one close parking space.

3. The method for detecting a particular state according to claim 1, wherein the first value and the second value each comprise at least two axial components and the comparison steps comprise comparing axial components of the first value with axial components of the second value.

4. The method for detecting a particular state according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of detectors take measurements during a first time interval.

5. The method for detecting a particular state according to claim 4, wherein the first time interval is identical for each detector.

6. The method for detecting a particular state according to claim 4, wherein the first and second values are transmitted towards the processing unit during a second time interval which does not overlap with the first time interval.

7. The method for detecting a particular state according to claim 1, wherein the first and second values are transmitted to the processing unit through repeaters.

8. The method for detecting a particular state according to claim 7, wherein the repeaters transmit the received first and second values during a third time interval which does not overlap with the second time interval.

9. A system for detecting a particular state of a specific parking space among a plurality of parking spaces, a particular state being one of empty or occupied, said system comprising:

for each parking space at least one detector for measuring a value of at least one parameter, the parameter being variable according to the presence or absence of a vehicle, the at least one detector for the specific parking space measuring a first value of the parameter for the specific parking space;

transmission means for transmitting the measured value from each detector to a processing unit, the processing unit comprising means for comparing the first value with a stored reference value corresponding to a known state of the specific parking space;

means for comparing the first value with a second value of the parameter measured for at least one parking space close to the specific parking space, wherein a parking space is considered as close to the specific parking space if the presence of a vehicle in the close parking space influences the first value of the at least one parameter in a non negligible way and;

means for determining the state of the parking space based on the comparison between the first value and the stored reference value and the comparison of the first value to the second value.

10. The system for detecting a particular state according to claim 9, wherein the detectors comprise time synchronization means.

11. The system for detecting a particular state according to claim 9, further comprising repeaters for transferring the the measurements of the detectors to the processing unit.

12. The system for detecting a particular state according to claim 11, wherein the repeaters comprise time synchronization means.

13. The system for detecting a particular state according to claim 10, wherein the time synchronization means comprises a clock.

14. The system for detecting a particular state according to claim 10, wherein the time synchronization means comprises reception means for receiving synchronization signals.

15. The system for detecting a particular state according to claim 12, wherein the time synchronization means comprises a clock.

16. The system for detecting a particular state according to claim 12, wherein the time synchronization means comprises reception means for receiving synchronization signals.