MONITORING A PARKING PERMIT OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20150015709A1
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Stefan, Frederic, Gussen, Uwe, Arndt Dr habil, Christoph
• Granted Patent: US 9,584,776 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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: G08G 1/09626 where the origin of the information is within the own vehicle, e.g. a local storage device, digital map
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

With a method according to the invention for monitoring a parking permit of a motor vehicle, it is determined whether the motor vehicle is in a parking situation in which a parking authorization pass is necessary for a parking permit, and on the occurrence of such a parking situation the presence of a parking authorization pass is checked for and a first information signal is output to a driver of the motor vehicle in the absence of the parking authorization pass. The invention also relates to a device for monitoring a parking permit of a motor vehicle.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A method, comprising:

detecting that a motor vehicle is in a parking situation in which a parking authorization pass is necessary for a parking permit;

on detecting the parking situation, checking for a parking authorization pass;

if no parking authorization pass is detected, providing a first information signal to a driver of the motor vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the parking situation is determined based at least in part on at least one of location data of the motor vehicle and travel data of the motor vehicle.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein checking for the parking authorization pass includes using a camera directed towards a presentation area of the motor vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising using the camera for at least one of a driver assistance system and a driver monitoring system in a travelling mode of the motor vehicle.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein checking for the parking authorization pass includes checking for at least one of a shape, a brightness, and a color of the parking authorization pass.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

checking for a presentation position of the parking authorization pass; and

outputting to the driver a second information signal upon determining an inadequate presentation position for visibility from outside of the motor vehicle.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

checking whether the parking authorization pass verifies the necessary parking permit for the determined parking situation; and

outputting to the driver a third information signal in the event of an inadequate parking permit.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining that the parking permit is a temporary parking permit;

checking a currently still-available validity time t_P of the parking permit; and

outputting a fourth information signal to the driver if an end time point of the temporary parking permit has been reached or if a warning time that precedes the end time point of the temporary parking permit by a lead time has been reached.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the lead time is an expected period of time t_R for the driver to return to the motor vehicle.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one information signal is transmitted wirelessly.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the lead time is an expected period of time t_R for the driver to return to the motor vehicle.

23. A system comprising a processor and a memory, the processor disposed to execute instructions stored in the memory, the instructions including instructions for:

detecting that a motor vehicle is in a parking situation in which a parking authorization pass is necessary for a parking permit;

on detecting the parking situation, checking for a parking authorization pass;

if no parking authorization pass is detected, providing a first information signal to a driver of the motor vehicle.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the parking situation is determined based at least in part on at least one of location data of the motor vehicle and travel data of the motor vehicle.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein checking for the parking authorization pass includes using a camera directed towards a presentation area of the motor vehicle.

26. The system of claim 25, the instructions further including instructions for using the camera for at least one of a driver assistance system and a driver monitoring system in a travelling mode of the motor vehicle.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein checking for the parking authorization pass includes checking for at least one of a shape, a brightness, and a color of the parking authorization pass.

28. The system of claim 25, the instructions further including instructions for:

checking for a presentation position of the parking authorization pass; and

outputting to the driver a second information signal upon determining an inadequate presentation position for visibility from outside of the motor vehicle.

29. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

checking whether the parking authorization pass verifies the necessary parking permit for the determined parking situation; and

outputting to the driver a third information signal in the event of an inadequate parking permit.

30. The system of claim 23, the instructions further including instructions for:

determining that the parking permit is a temporary parking permit;

checking a currently still-available validity time t_P of the parking permit; and

outputting a fourth information signal to the driver if an end time point of the temporary parking permit has been reached or if a warning time that precedes the end time point of the temporary parking permit by a lead time has been reached.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein at least one information signal is transmitted wirelessly.