PORTABLE OCCUPANCY DETECTION METHODS, SYSTEMS AND PROCESSOR-READABLE MEDIA

• US 20150085129A1
• Filed: 09/26/2013
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conduent Business Services, LLC (Conduent, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Mihalyov, Kenneth J., Wang, Yao Rong, Darst, Matthew T., Cummins, David P., Frings, Johannes M., Chastain, Vincent Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 9,953,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/150
• 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: 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

Abstract

Methods, systems and processor-readable media for portable parking occupancy detection. One or more cameras can be provided on a portable mast for capturing video on parking of a street. Optional attachments to the portable mast can include stabilization base and/or a set of guy ropes for further stabilizing the mast. A power unit can be utilized for delivering power to the system. A video capturing/processing unit either captures and records the video from the camera(s) for offline processing of parking occupancy or processes the videos on-site. Optionally, a wireless communication unit for transmitting either video or processed parking occupancy data to a central location can be employed.

Claims

1. A street location parking prediction method, comprising:

identifying a first street location where real-time parking occupancy data is not available, the first street location including one or more parking spaces and at least one parking meter enabled to record financial transactions associated with parking on the first street location;

enabling operation of a portable parking occupancy detection unit at the first street location and, for a period of time, recording video of the one or more parking spaces at the first street location to identify its parking occupancy data;

identifying a second street location where real-time parking occupancy data is not available, the second street location including one or more parking spaces and at least one parking meter enabled to record financial transactions associated with parking on the first street location;

enabling operation of a portable parking occupancy detection unit at the second street location and, for a period of time, recording video of the one or more parking spaces at the second street location to identify its parking occupancy data;

obtaining parking meter transaction data corresponding to each parking meter at the first and second street locations;

correlating the parking occupancy data and the parking meter transaction data for each respective street location; and

in response to a request for parking occupancy information for at least one of the first street location and the second street location, providing an indication of at least one of a parking space status and a parking violation status.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said portable parking occupancy detection unit at said first street location and/or said second street location comprises:

a telescopic mast;

at least one camera on said telescopic mast;

a stabilization base for said telescopic mast;

a power generating device; and

a video recording device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said parking occupancy detection unit determines a number of parking vehicles and a number of available parking spaces of said street block at a given time, said street block including the first street location and/or the second street location.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said correlating the parking occupancy data and the parking meter transaction data further comprise data indicative of hourly, daily, weekly or monthly parking trends.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said parking occupancy detection unit determines a number of parking vehicles and a number of available parking spaces of said street block at a given time, said street block including the first street location and/or the second street location.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein said correlating the parking occupancy data and the parking meter transaction data further comprise data indicative of hourly, daily, weekly or monthly parking trends.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said correlating the parking occupancy data and the parking meter transaction data further comprise data indicative of hourly, daily, weekly or monthly parking trends.

8. A street location parking prediction system, said system comprising:

a computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, said computer-usable medium capable of communicating with the processor, said computer program code comprising instructions executable by said processor and configured for;

identifying a first street location where real-time parking occupancy data is not available, the first street location including one or more parking spaces and at least one parking meter enabled to record financial transactions associated with parking on the first street location;

enabling operation of a portable parking occupancy detection unit at the first street location and, for a period of time, recording video of the one or more parking spaces at the first street location to identify its parking occupancy data;

identifying a second street location where real-time parking occupancy data is not available, the second street location including one or more parking spaces and at least one parking meter enabled to record financial transactions associated with parking on the first street location;

enabling operation of a portable parking occupancy detection unit at the second street location and, for a period of time, recording video of the one or more parking spaces at the second street location to identify its parking occupancy data;

obtaining parking meter transaction data corresponding to each parking meter at the first and second street locations;

correlating the parking occupancy data and the parking meter transaction data for each respective street location; and

in response to a request for parking occupancy information for at least one of the first street location and the second street location, providing an indication of at least one of a parking space status and a parking violation status.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said portable parking occupancy detection unit at said first street location and/or said second street location comprises;

a telescopic mast;

at least one camera on said telescopic mast;

a stabilization base for said telescopic mast;

a power generating device; and

a video recording device.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said parking occupancy detection unit determines a number of parking vehicles and a number of available parking spaces of said street block at a given time, said street block including the first street location and/or the second street location.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein said correlating the parking occupancy data and the parking meter transaction data further comprise data indicative of hourly, daily, weekly or monthly parking trends.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said parking occupancy detection unit determines a number of parking vehicles and a number of available parking spaces of said street block at a given time, said street block including the first street location and/or the second street location.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein said correlating the parking occupancy data and the parking meter transaction data further comprise data indicative of hourly, daily, weekly or monthly parking trends.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said correlating the parking occupancy data and the parking meter transaction data further comprise data indicative of hourly, daily, weekly or monthly parking trends.

15. A processor-readable medium storing code representing instructions to cause a process for street location parking prediction, said code comprising code to:

identify a first street location where real-time parking occupancy data is not available, the first street location including one or more parking spaces and at least one parking meter enabled to record financial transactions associated with parking on the first street location;

enable operation of a portable parking occupancy detection unit at the first street location and, for a period of time, recording video of the one or more parking spaces at the first street location to identify its parking occupancy data;

identify a second street location where real-time parking occupancy data is not available, the second street location including one or more parking spaces and at least one parking meter enabled to record financial transactions associated with parking on the first street location;

enable operation of a portable parking occupancy detection unit at the second street location and, for a period of time, recording video of the one or more parking spaces at the second street location to identify its parking occupancy data;

obtain parking meter transaction data corresponding to each parking meter at the first and second street locations;

correlate the parking occupancy data and the parking meter transaction data for each respective street location; and

in response to a request for parking occupancy information for at least one of the first street location and the second street location, provide an indication of at least one of a parking space status and a parking violation status.

16. The processor-readable medium of claim 15 wherein said portable parking occupancy detection unit at said first street location and/or said second street location comprises:

a telescopic mast;

at least one camera on said telescopic mast;

a stabilization base for said telescopic mast;

a power generating device; and

a video recording device.

17. The processor-readable medium of claim 15 wherein said parking occupancy detection unit determines a number of parking vehicles and a number of available parking spaces of said street block at a given time, said street block including the first street location and/or the second street location.

18. The processor-readable medium of claim 15 wherein said correlating the parking occupancy data and the parking meter transaction data further comprise data indicative of hourly, daily, weekly or monthly parking trends.

19. The processor-readable medium of claim 16 wherein said parking occupancy detection unit determines a number of parking vehicles and a number of available parking spaces of said street block at a given time, said street block including the first street location and/or the second street location.

20. The processor-readable medium of claim 19 wherein said correlating the parking occupancy data and the parking meter transaction data further comprise data indicative of hourly, daily, weekly or monthly parking trends.