Computer-Implemented System And Method For Directing Users To Available Parking Spaces

• US 20140176349A1
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conduent Business Services, LLC (Conduent, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Smullin, Sylvia, Krivacic, Robert T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,064,417 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3685 the POI's being parking facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/142 external to the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/147 where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method for directing motorists to available parking spaces. Availability of a plurality of parking spaces is determined. A street location of a dynamic parking sign comprising identifiers is determined. A direction of each of the available parking spaces from the street location is determined and the available parking spaces are grouped by direction. Parking factors are applied to the grouped available parking spaces and at least one of the groups of parking spaces that satisfy the parking factors is selected. The direction of the selected groups of parking spaces is displayed on a dynamic street sign.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for directing motorists to available parking spaces, comprising:

an availability module to determine availability of a plurality of parking spaces;

a location identification module to identify a street location of a dynamic parking sign comprising identifiers for at least one street;

a direction determination module to determine a direction of each of the available parking spaces from the street location and to group the parking spaces by direction;

a parking factor module to apply parking factors to the grouped available parking spaces and to select at least one of the groups of parking spaces that satisfy the parking factors; and

a display module to display on a dynamic parking sign, the direction of the selected groups of parking spaces.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic parking sign displays a duration that at least one of the parking spaces in the selected group is available.

3. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a duration determination module to determine the duration based on one of a maximum amount of time available, a minimum amount of time available, and an average amount of time available for the available parking spaces.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the duration is displayed as at least one of a qualitative determination and a quantitative determination of an amount of available parking spaces for at least one of the directions.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic parking sign displays an indication of cost of the available parking spaces.

6. A system according to claim 5, further comprising:

a cost determination module to determine the cost based on one of a maximum cost, a minimum cost, and an average cost of the available parking spaces.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic street sign displays at least two streams of parking information on the dynamic parking sign and each of the streams provides different information regarding the available parking spaces.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic street sign displays a distance of the available parking spaces from the dynamic street signs.

9. A system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a distance determination module to determine the distance based on one of a maximum distance, a minimum distance, and an average distance of the available parking spaces.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the available spaces comprise one or more of on-street parking spaces, spaces in a parking lot, and spaces in a parking garage.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the available parking spaces for which the direction is displayed are selected based on one of a cost, availability, and location of the corresponding available parking spaces.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic parking sign displays an indication of whether one or more of the displayed available parking spaces is an EV charging station.

13. A computer-implemented method for directing motorists to available parking spaces, comprising:

determining availability of a plurality of parking spaces;

identifying a street location of a dynamic parking sign comprising identifiers for at least one street;

determining a direction of each of the available parking spaces from the street location and grouping the parking spaces by direction;

applying parking factors to the grouped available parking spaces and selecting at least one of the groups of parking spaces that satisfy the parking factors;

displaying on a dynamic parking sign, the direction of the selected groups of parking spaces.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

displaying a duration that at least one of the parking spaces in the selected group is available.

15. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

determining the duration based on one of a maximum amount of time available, a minimum amount of time available, and an average amount of time available for the available parking spaces.

16. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

displaying at least one of a qualitative determination and a quantitative determination of an amount of available parking spaces for at least one of the directions.

17. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

displaying an indication of cost of the available parking spaces.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

determining the cost based on one of a maximum cost, a minimum cost, and an average cost of the available parking spaces.

19. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

displaying at least two streams of parking information on the dynamic parking sign, wherein each of the streams provides different information regarding the available parking spaces.

20. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

displaying a distance of the available parking spaces from the dynamic street signs.

21. A method according to claim 20, further comprising:

determining the distance based on one of a maximum distance, a minimum distance, and an average distance of the available parking spaces.

22. A method according to claim 13, wherein the available spaces comprise one or more of on-street parking spaces, spaces in a parking lot, and spaces in a parking garage.

23. A method according to claim 13, wherein the available parking spaces for which the direction is displayed are selected based on one of a cost, availability, and location of the corresponding available parking spaces.

24. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

displaying an indication of whether one or more of the displayed available parking spaces is an EV charging station.