System for Controlling Vehicle Use of Parking Spaces by Use of Cameras

• US 20140039987A1
• Filed: 11/27/2012
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cloudparc, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cloudparc, Inc.
• Inventors: Nerayoff, Steven David, Wong, Thompson S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,698,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/22 Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10004 Still image; Photographic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30236 Traffic on road, railway or crossing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30264 Parking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/292 Multi-camera tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/90 Determination of colour characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/54 of traffic, e.g. cars on the road, trains or boats
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/593 Recognising seat occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/62 : Text, e.g. of license plates, overlay texts or captions on TV images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/625 : License plates
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/224 : of printed characters having additional code marks or containing code marks
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 : Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 : Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• 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 17/24 : for parking meters
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/00 : Traffic control systems for road vehicles arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00 ; automatic vehicle control B62D
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 : identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 : by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 : with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/056 : with provision for distinguishing direction of travel
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/133 : within the vehicle ; Indicators inside the vehicles or at stops
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 : indicating individual free spaces in parking areas
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/142 : external to the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/143 : inside the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/144 : on portable or mobile units, e.g. personal digital assistant [PDA]
• 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 1/148 : Management of a network of parking areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 : Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 : Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 : Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 : Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 : Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 : Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

An apparatus for tracking the use of at least one destination location, the apparatus including multiple cameras and one or more processors configured to identify a vehicle by use of identification images captured by an identification camera, such as by processing of images of license plates, determine characteristics of the vehicle visible in the identification images, and determine usage of a destination location, such as a parking spot, based on a camera monitoring the destination location capturing images of the vehicle having characteristics corresponding to those determined for the identification images.

Claims

1. A method of tracking use of at least one destination location and parking violations within the at least one destination location, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of vehicle images captured by a plurality of cameras,

wherein the plurality of cameras include;

a first identification camera having a first field of view,

a first destination camera having a second field of view, the second field of viewing being different from the first field of view and partially overlapping with the first field of view, and

a second destination camera having a third field of view, the second destination camera being different from the first destination camera, the third field of viewing being different from the first and second fields of view, and the third field of view including at least one destination location;

wherein the plurality of vehicle images include;

a first identification image captured by the first identification camera at a first time showing a first vehicle at a first location,

a first destination image captured by the first destination camera at a second time showing the first vehicle at a second location, the second time being after the first time, the second location being different from the first location,

a second destination image captured by the second destination camera at a third time showing the first vehicle at a third location, the third time being after the second time, and the third location being outside the at least one destination location,

a third destination image captured by the second destination camera at a fourth time showing the first vehicle at a fourth location, the fourth time being after the third time, and the fourth location being within the at least one destination location, and

a fourth destination image captured by the second destination camera at a fifth time showing the first vehicle at a fifth location, the fifth time being after the fourth time, the fifth location being outside of the at least one destination location, and the fifth location different from the third location,

determining a first unique identifier and a first characteristic of the first vehicle based on the first identification image;

determining a second characteristic of the first vehicle based on first destination image;

determining that the first vehicle is present in the second field of view based on a comparison of the second characteristic to the first characteristic of the first vehicle;

determining a third characteristic of the first vehicle based on the second destination image;

determining that the first vehicle is present in the third field of view based on a comparison of the third characteristic to the second characteristic;

determining that the first vehicle is occupying the at least one destination location based on the third destination image;

determining that the first vehicle is violating a parking regulation within the at least one destination location based on the third destination image;

determining that the first vehicle has left the at least one destination location based on the fourth destination image;

indicating that the first vehicle began use of the at least one destination location at the fourth time;

indicating that the first vehicle completed use of the at least one destination location at the fifth time; and

indicating the first unique identifier of the first vehicle, an identifier of the at least one destination location, and a type of the parking violation within the at least one destination location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the indication of the fourth time and the indication of the fifth time in association with the first unique identifier of the first vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a cost for the first vehicle to occupy the at least one destination location from the fourth time to the fifth time; and

charge the cost to an account associated with the first vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first unique identifier of the first vehicle comprises:

identifying an error in performing an automated machine-based determination of the first unique identifier of the first vehicle based on the first identification image;

requesting assistance from a human operator for determining the first unique identifier of the first vehicle;

providing the first identification image to a human operator;

receiving an identification of the first vehicle; and

determining the first unique identifier of the first vehicle based on the received identification.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein determining that the first vehicle is occupying the at least one destination location includes determining that a portion of the third destination image corresponding to the first vehicle is within a portion of the third destination image corresponding to the at least one destination location.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a user interface for specifying a path for vehicle travel,

wherein determining the second characteristic of the first vehicle comprises determining that the first vehicle is within the path for vehicle travel in a portion of the first destination image corresponding to the vehicle path.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining an electronic contact address associated with the first vehicle;

determining a rate for use of the at least one destination location beginning at the fourth time; and

sending a notification to the electronic contact address requesting confirmation of payment of the determined rate before the fifth time.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining payment information for the at least one destination location from a third-party pay-by-phone parking payment system, the payment information specifying a period of time for which payment was received by the third-party pay-by-phone parking payment system for use of the at least one destination location by the first vehicle; and

determining that the use of the at least one destination location by the first vehicle from the fourth time to the fifth time is outside of the period of time received from the third-party pay-by-phone parking payment system.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving data from a third-party pay-by-phone parking payment system, the data comprising the first unique identifier of the first vehicle, an identifier of the at least one destination location, and a period of time for which payment was received by the third-party pay-by-phone parking payment system for use of the at least one destination location by the first vehicle; and

determining that the use of the at least one destination location by the first vehicle from the fourth time to the fifth time is outside of the period of time received from the third-party pay-by-phone parking payment system.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing data to a third-party pay-by-phone parking payment system subsequent to the fifth time, the data comprising the first unique identifier of the first vehicle, the fourth time, and the fifth time.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing, in response to the determination that the use of the at least one destination location by the first vehicle from the fourth time to the fifth time is outside of the period of time received from the third-party pay-by-phone parking payment system, data to the third-party pay-by-phone parking payment system, the data comprising the first unique identifier of the first vehicle, the period of time received from the third-party pay-by-space parking payment system, the identifier of the at least one destination location, the fourth time, and the fifth time.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining payment information for the at least one destination location from a third-party pay-by-space parking payment system, the payment information specifying a period of time for which payment was received by the third-party pay-by-space parking payment system for use of the at least one destination location; and

determining that the use of the at least one destination location by the first vehicle from the fourth time to the fifth time is outside of the period of time received from the third-party pay-by-space parking payment system.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing data to a third-party pay-by-space parking payment system subsequent to the fifth time, the data comprising the first unique identifier of the first vehicle, the fourth time, and the fifth time.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing, in response to the determination that the use of the at least one destination location by the first vehicle from the fourth time to the fifth time is outside of the period of time received from the third-party pay-by-space parking payment system, data to the third-party pay-by-space parking payment system, the data comprising the first unique identifier of the first vehicle, the period of time received from the third-party pay-by-space parking payment system, the identifier of the at least one destination location, the fourth time, and the fifth time.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein a portion of the third destination image corresponds to an image of a display ticket located in or on the first vehicle, the display ticket indicating a period of time for which payment was received by a third-party pay-and-display parking payment system, the method further comprising:

determining the period of time for which payment was received by the third-party pay-and-display parking payment system based on the portion of the third destination image corresponding to the image of the display ticket; and

determining that the use of the at least one destination location by the first vehicle from the fourth time to the fifth time is outside of the period of time for which payment was received by the third-party pay-and-display parking payment system.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

providing, in response to the determination that the use of the at least one destination location by the first vehicle from the fourth time to the fifth time is outside of the period of time received from the third-party pay-and-display parking payment system, data to the third-party pay-and-display parking payment system subsequent to the fifth time, the data comprising first unique identifier of the first vehicle, the fourth time, the fifth time, and the period of time for which payment was received by the third-party pay-and-display parking payment system.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, subsequent to the fifth time, payment information for the at least one destination location from a third-party curbside parking meter payment system, the payment information specifying a period of time for which payment was received by the third-party curbside parking meter payment system for use of the at least one destination location; and

indicate that the use of the at least one destination location by the first vehicle from the fourth time to the fifth time is outside of the period of time received from the third-party curbside parking meter payment system.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

providing, in response to the determination that the use of the at least one destination location by the first vehicle from the fourth time to the fifth time is outside of the period of time received from the third-party curbside parking meter parking payment system, data to the third-party curbside parking meter payment system, the data comprising the first unique identifier of the first vehicle, the period of time received from the third-party curbside parking meter payment system, an identifier of the at least one destination location, the fourth time, and the fifth time.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a parking meter image of a curbside parking meter, captured after the fourth time and on or before the fifth time, a portion of the parking meter image corresponding to a portion of the curbside parking meter displaying an expiration flag for use of the at least one destination location;

determining that the expiration flag was displayed by the curbside parking meter based on the received parking meter; and

determining, based on the determination that the expiration flag was displayed by the curbside parking meter, that the use of the at least one destination location by the first vehicle from the fourth time to the fifth time is a parking violation.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first parking meter image of a curbside parking meter, captured at a sixth time on or after the fourth time and on or before the fifth time, a portion of the first parking meter image corresponding to a portion of the curbside parking meter not displaying an expiration flag for use of the at least one destination location;

receiving a second parking meter image of the curbside parking meter, captured at a seventh time after the sixth time and on or before the fifth time, a portion of the second parking meter image corresponding to a portion of the curbside parking meter displaying the expiration flag for use of the at least one destination location;

determining that the expiration flag was not displayed by the curbside parking meter at the sixth time based on the first parking meter image;

determining that the expiration flag was displayed by the curbside parking meter at the seventh time based on the second parking meter image;

determining, based on the determination that the expiration flag was displayed by the curbside parking meter at the seventh time, that the use of the at least one destination location by the first vehicle from the fourth time to the fifth time is a parking violation; and

providing, in response to the determination that the expiration flag was displayed by the curbside parking meter at the seventh time, data to a third-party parking payment system, the data comprising the first unique identifier of the first vehicle, the fourth time, the fifth time, the sixth time, and the seventh time.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining payment information for the at least one destination location from a third-party pay-by-plate parking payment system, the payment information specifying a period of time for which payment was received by the third-party pay-by-plate parking payment system for use of the at least one destination location by the first vehicle, and the first unique identifier of the first vehicle; and

determining that the use of the at least one destination location by the first vehicle from the fourth time to the fifth time is outside of the period of time received from the third-party pay-by-plate parking payment system.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

providing, in response to the determination that the use of the at least one destination location by the first vehicle from the fourth time to the fifth time is outside of the period of time received from the third-party pay-by-plate parking payment system, data to the third-party pay-by-plate parking payment system, the data comprising the first unique identifier of the first vehicle, the period of time received from the third-party pay-by-plate parking payment system, an identifier of the single multi-vehicle destination location, the fourth time, and the fifth time.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of pedestrian images captured by one or more cameras, wherein;

each pedestrian image includes an image of a passenger of the first vehicle; and

the plurality of pedestrian images include;

one or more pedestrian vehicle images including an image of the first vehicle; and

one or more pedestrian payment images including an image of a payment station;

determining a first characteristic of the passenger of the first vehicle based on one or more of the plurality of pedestrian images;

determining a second characteristic of the passenger of the first vehicle based on one or more of the plurality of pedestrian images;

determining that the second characteristic of the passenger of the first vehicle corresponds to the first characteristic of the passenger of the first vehicle;

obtaining information describing a payment received at the payment station from the passenger of the first vehicle; and

associating the payment with the use of the at least one destination location by the first vehicle based on the determination that the second characteristic of the passenger of the first vehicle corresponds to the first characteristic of the passenger of the first vehicle.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the second characteristic of the first vehicle is:

a speed of travel,

a direction of travel,

a position of a vehicle in a vehicle image,

a vehicle color, or

a vehicle size or dimension.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the second characteristic of the first vehicle is a speed of travel or a direction of travel.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein indicating that the type of the parking violation within the at least one destination location comprises indicating a fine associated with the parking violation within the at least one destination location.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the type of the parking violation within the at least one destination location is the first vehicle parking more than a predetermined distance from a curb, the first vehicle parking with its left wheels toward the curb, the first vehicle parking at an angle, or the first vehicle being parked in the at least one destination location for more than a predetermined number of consecutive days.

7. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

20-21. -21. (canceled)

26-27. -27. (canceled)

34. A system for tracking use of at least one destination location and parking violations within the at least one destination location, the system comprising one or more processors connected to at least one storage device, the system being configured to:

receive a plurality of vehicle images captured by a plurality of cameras,

wherein the plurality of cameras include;

a first identification camera having a first field of view,

a first destination camera having a second field of view, the second field of viewing being different from the first field of view and partially overlapping with the first field of view, and

a second destination camera having a third field of view, the second destination camera being different from the first destination camera, the third field of viewing being different from the first and second fields of view, and the third field of view including at least one destination location;

wherein the plurality of vehicle images include;

a first identification image captured by the first identification camera at a first time showing a first vehicle at a first location,

a first destination image captured by the first destination camera at a second time showing the first vehicle at a second location, the second time being after the first time, the second location being different from the first location,

a second destination image captured by the second destination camera at a third time showing the first vehicle at a third location, the third time being after the second time, and the third location being outside the at least one destination location,

a third destination image captured by the second destination camera at a fourth time showing the first vehicle at a fourth location, the fourth time being after the third time, and the fourth location being within the at least one destination location, and

a fourth destination image captured by the second destination camera at a fifth time showing the first vehicle at a fifth location, the fifth time being after the fourth time, the fifth location being outside of the at least one destination location, and the fifth location different from the third location,

determine a first unique identifier and a first characteristic of the first vehicle based on the first identification image;

determine a second characteristic of the first vehicle based on the first destination image;

determine that the first vehicle is present in the second field of view based on a comparison of the second characteristic to the first characteristic of the first vehicle;

determine a third characteristic of the first vehicle based on the second destination image;

determine that the first vehicle is present in the third field of view based on a comparison of the third characteristic to the second characteristic;

determine that the first vehicle is occupying the at least one destination location based on the third destination image;

determine that the first vehicle is violating a parking regulation within the at least one destination location based on the third destination image;

determine that the first vehicle has left the at least one destination location based on the fourth destination image;

indicate that the first vehicle began use of the at least one destination location at the fourth time;

indicate that the first vehicle completed use of the at least one destination location at the fifth time; and

indicate the first unique identifier of the first vehicle, an identifier of the at least one destination location, and a type of the parking violation within the at least one destination location.

35. A storage device storing a computer program for tracking use of at least one destination location and parking violations within the at least one destination location, the computer program comprising one or more code segments that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:

receive a plurality of vehicle images captured by a plurality of cameras,

wherein the plurality of cameras include;

a first identification camera having a first field of view,

a first destination camera having a second field of view, the second field of viewing being different from the first field of view and partially overlapping with the first field of view, and

a second destination camera having a third field of view, the second destination camera being different from the first destination camera, the third field of viewing being different from the first and second fields of view, and the third field of view including at least one destination location;

wherein the plurality of vehicle images include;

a first identification image captured by the first identification camera at a first time showing a first vehicle at a first location,

a first destination image captured by the first destination camera at a second time showing the first vehicle at a second location, the second time being after the first time, the second location being different from the first location,

a second destination image captured by the second destination camera at a third time showing the first vehicle at a third location, the third time being after the second time, and the third location being outside the at least one destination location,

a third destination image captured by the second destination camera at a fourth time showing the first vehicle at a fourth location, the fourth time being after the third time, and the fourth location being within the at least one destination location, and

a fourth destination image captured by the second destination camera at a fifth time showing the first vehicle at a fifth location, the fifth time being after the fourth time, the fifth location being outside of the at least one destination location, and the fifth location different from the third location,

determine a first unique identifier and a first characteristic of the first vehicle based on the first identification image;

determine a second characteristic of the first vehicle based on the first destination image;

determine that the first vehicle is present in the second field of view based on a comparison of the second characteristic to the first characteristic of the first vehicle;

determine a third characteristic of the first vehicle based on the second destination image;

determine that the first vehicle is present in the third field of view based on a comparison of the third characteristic to the second characteristic;

determine that the first vehicle is occupying the at least one destination location based on the third destination image;

determine that the first vehicle is violating a parking regulation within the at least one destination location based on the third destination image;

determine that the first vehicle has left the at least one destination location based on the fourth destination image;

indicate that the first vehicle began use of the at least one destination location at the fourth time;

indicate that the first vehicle completed use of the at least one destination location at the fifth time; and

indicate the first unique identifier of the first vehicle, an identifier of the at least one destination location, and a type of the parking violation within the at least one destination location.