METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING AN ADJUSTMENT IN PARKING POSITION BASED ON PROXIMATE PARKED VEHICLE INFORMATION

• US 20150070196A1
• Filed: 09/11/2013
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: BEAUREPAIRE, Jerome
• Granted Patent: US 9,443,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/028 Guided parking by providing commands to the driver, e.g. acoustically or optically
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/147 where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 event-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

An approach is provided for causing, at least in part, an initiation of at least one communication session between at least one parking vehicle and one or more proximate parked vehicles. The approach also involves determining at least one measure of space associated with the one or more proximate parked vehicles based, at least in part, on the at least one communication session. The approach further involves processing and/or facilitating the processing of the at least one measure of space to determine, at least in part, at least one adjustment of a parking position of the at least one parking vehicle relative to the one or more proximate parked vehicles.

Claims

1. A method comprising facilitating a processing of and/or processing (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal, the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal based, at least in part, on the following:

an initiation of at least one communication session between at least one parking vehicle and one or more proximate parked vehicles;

at least one determination of at least one measure of space associated with the one or more proximate parked vehicles based, at least in part, on the at least one communication session; and

the processing of the at least one measure of space to determine, at least in part, at least one adjustment of a parking position of the at least one parking vehicle relative to the one or more proximate parked vehicles.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the at least one measure of space includes, at least in part, one or more distances in front and/or behind the one or more proximate parked vehicles, one or more distances on the right and/or left of the one or more proximate parked vehicles, or a combination thereof.

3. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination of the at least one adjustment based, at least in part, on enabling the one or more parked vehicles, the at least one parking vehicle, or a combination thereof to leave a parking space.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination of one or more dimensions associated with the at least one parking vehicle; and

at least one comparison between the at least one measure of space and the one or more dimensions,

wherein the at least one adjustment is based, at least in part, on the comparison.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein the at least one adjustment of the parking position is based, at least in part, on one or more manual adjustments, one or more automated adjustments, or a combination thereof associated with the at least one parking vehicle.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

a processing of one or more sensors associated with the one or more parked vehicles, the at least one parking vehicle, or a combination thereof to determine the at least one measure of space.

7. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

determining contextual information associated with the one or more proximate parked vehicles,

wherein the at least one adjustment is further based, at least in part, on the contextual information.

8. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

a presentation of the at least one adjustment of the parking position on one or more devices associated with the user of the at least one parking vehicle, the at least one parking vehicle, or a combination thereof,

wherein the presentation includes, at least in part, one or more indicators, one or more messages, one or more alerts, or a combination thereof.

9. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination of one or more road conditions, one or more parking conditions, or a combination thereof associated with the one or more proximate parked vehicles,

wherein the at least one adjustment of the parking position is further based, at least in part, on the one or more road conditions, the one or more parking conditions, or a combination thereof.

10. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination of the at least one measure of space based, at least in part, on one or more manual inputs.

11. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

cause, at least in part, an initiation of at least one communication session between at least one parking vehicle and one or more proximate parked vehicles;

determine at least one measure of space associated with the one or more proximate parked vehicles based, at least in part, on the at least one communication session; and

process and/or facilitate the processing of the at least one measure of space to determine, at least in part, at least one adjustment of a parking position of the at least one parking vehicle relative to the one or more proximate parked vehicles.

12. A method of claim 11, wherein the at least one measure of space includes, at least in part, one or more distances in front and/or behind the one or more proximate parked vehicles, one or more distances on the right and/or left of the one or more proximate parked vehicles, or a combination thereof.

13. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine the at least one adjustment based, at least in part, on enabling the one or more parked vehicles, the at least one parking vehicle, or a combination thereof to leave a parking space.

14. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine one or more dimensions associated with the at least one parking vehicle; and

cause, at least in part, at least one comparison between the at least one measure of space and the one or more dimensions,

wherein the at least one adjustment is based, at least in part, on the comparison.

15. A method of claim 11, wherein the at least one adjustment of the parking position is based, at least in part, on one or more manual adjustments, one or more automated adjustments, or a combination thereof associated with the at least one parking vehicle.

16. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

process and/or facilitate a processing of one or more sensors associated with the one or more parked vehicles, the at least one parking vehicle, or a combination thereof to determine the at least one measure of space.

17. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine contextual information associated with the one or more proximate parked vehicles, wherein the at least one adjustment is further based, at least in part, on the contextual information.

18. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause, at least in part, a presentation of the at least one adjustment of the parking position on one or more devices associated with the user of the at least one parking vehicle, the at least one parking vehicle, or a combination thereof,

wherein the presentation includes, at least in part, one or more indicators, one or more messages, one or more alerts, or a combination thereof.

19. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine one or more road conditions, one or more parking conditions, or a combination thereof associated with the one or more proximate parked vehicles,

wherein the at least one adjustment of the parking position is further based, at least in part, on the one or more road conditions, the one or more parking conditions, or a combination thereof.

20. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine the at least one measure of space based, at least in part, on one or more manual inputs.

21-48. -48. (canceled)