PARKING TRACKING SYSTEM

• US 20140266804A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kamran Asadpour
• Original Assignee: Kamran Asadpour
• Inventors: ASADPOUR, Kamran
• Application Number:
  US13/841,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20140266804A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/143 inside the vehicles
• 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

An example embodiment includes a method including tracking vehicles entering and exiting a parking area based on radio frequency identification (RFID) signals received from RFID tags included in the vehicles associated with the parking area. The method also includes determining parking area information associated with the parking area based on the RFID signals. The method further includes providing, via a network, the parking area information to at least one of a parking administrator of the parking area and a user registered to park in the parking area.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

tracking vehicles entering and exiting a parking area based on radio frequency identification (RFID) signals received from RFID tags included in the vehicles associated with the parking area;

determining parking area information associated with the parking area based on the RFID signals; and

providing, via a network, the parking area information to at least one of a parking administrator of the parking area and a user registered to park in the parking area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the parking area information includes at least one of:

an identity of the user;

a map of the parking area;

a floor plan of the parking area;

use of a reserved parking space in the parking area;

availability of a parking space in the parking area;

a location of an available parking space;

an identification associated with one or more of the vehicles;

a number of available parking spaces;

a time of ingress into the parking area by the one or more vehicles;

a time of egress from the parking area by the one or more vehicles;

authorization of the one or more vehicles to park in the parking area;

an amount of time that the one or more vehicles have been in the parking area;

an amount of time that the one or more vehicles are authorized to park in the parking area;

an expiration of the time that the one or more vehicles are authorized to park in the parking area;

an expiration of authorization of the one or more vehicles to park in the parking area;

a location of the one or more vehicles in the parking area;

ingress of the one or more vehicles to the parking area;

egress of the one or more vehicles from the parking area;

movement of the one or more vehicles within the parking area;

a location of the one or more vehicles moving within the parking area; and

a location of a specific vehicle within the parking area.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the specific vehicle is the user'"'"'s vehicle.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the specific vehicle is a friend of the user'"'"'s vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying, based on the parking area information, a parking enforcement agent of an unauthorized vehicle parked in the parking area.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user RFID signal that includes a unique identifier assigned to at least one of the user and a vehicle associated with the user; and

determining the information associated with the parking area based on the unique identifier.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving global positioning satellite (GPS) data associated with one or more of the vehicles located in the parking area; and

including the GPS data in the information associated with the parking area.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the information via at least one of an Internet webpage and a mobile device application.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking, based on the RFID signals, at least one of ingress to the parking area by the vehicles, egress from the parking area by the vehicles, and movement of the vehicles within the parking area; and

determining the information based on at least one of the ingress, the egress, and the movement.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying, via the network, the user of an expiration time of a temporary parking authorization for parking in the parking area.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising extending the expiration time based on a payment submitted by the user via the network.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining occupancy of a particular parking space of the parking area based on input from an occupancy sensor.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising reserving a parking space for the user in response to a reservation request from the user.

14. A system comprising:

a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader configured to receive RFID signals from RFID tags included in vehicles entering and exiting a parking area; and

a tracking unit communicatively coupled to the RFID reader and configured to;

determine parking area information associated with the parking area based on the RFID signals; and

provide, via a network, the parking area information to at least one of a parking administrator of the parking area and a user registered to park in the parking area

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the parking area information includes at least one of:

an identity of the user;

a map of the parking area;

a floor plan of the parking area;

use of a reserved parking space in the parking area;

availability of a parking space in the parking area;

a location of an available parking space;

a number of available parking spaces;

a time of ingress into the parking area by a vehicle;

an identification associated with one or more of the vehicles;

a time of egress from the parking area by the vehicle;

authorization of the vehicle to park in the parking area;

an amount of time that the vehicle has been in the parking area;

an amount of time that the vehicle is authorized to park in the parking area;

an expiration of the time that the vehicle is authorized to park in the parking area;

an expiration of authorization of the vehicle to park in the parking area;

a location of the vehicle in the parking area;

ingress of the vehicle to the parking area;

egress of the vehicle from the parking area;

movement of the vehicle within the parking area;

a location of the one or more vehicles moving within the parking area; and

a location of a specific vehicle within the parking area.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the specific vehicle is the user'"'"'s vehicle.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the specific vehicle is a friend of the user'"'"'s vehicle.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising a notification unit communicatively coupled to the tracking unit and configured to notify a parking enforcement agent of an unauthorized vehicle parked in the parking area.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the RFID signals include unique identifiers assigned to at least one of the user and a vehicle associated with the user; and

determining the parking area information based on the unique identifier.

20. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiving unit configured to receiving GPS data associated with one or more of the vehicles located in the parking area; and

to include the GPS data in the parking area information.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the tracking unit provides the information via at least one of an Internet webpage and a mobile device application.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the tracking unit is further configured to track, based on the RFID signals, at least one of ingress to the parking area by the vehicles, egress from the parking area by the vehicles, and movement of the vehicles within the parking area;

and

determine the information based on at least one of the ingress, the egress, and the movement.

23. The system of claim 14, further comprising a notifying unit configured to notify the user of an expiration time of a temporary parking authorization for parking in the parking area via the network.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the tracking unit is configured to extend the expiration time based on a payment submitted by the user via the network.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the tracking unit is further configured to determine occupancy of a particular parking space of the parking area based on input from an occupancy sensor.

26. The system of claim 14, further comprising reserving a parking space for the user in response to a reservation request from the user