Parking aid device
First Claim
1. An electronic parking-aid device for guiding a motorist when parking a vehicle in a parking bay, the device comprising:
- a housing adapted to be fixed to a wall at an end of the parking bay and containing therein means for connecting to a source of electric power,transmitter means for transmitting a first signal towards an approaching vehicle so as to reflect a second signal from an approaching surface of the vehicle,receiver means for receiving the second signal,computing means coupled to the transmitting and receiving means and responsive to the first and second signals for computing the distance of the approaching surface of the vehicle from the wall,logic means coupled to the computing means for comparing the computed distance with a first predetermined threshold and generating a first output signal if the computed distance is less than the first threshold, andfirst indication means coupled to the logic means and responsive to the first output signal for indicating to the motorist to stop.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic parking-aid device for guiding a motorist when parking a vehicle in a parking bay. The device includes a transmitter and receiver which respectively transmits a signal towards the front of an approaching vehicle and receives the signal reflected thereby. A computing apparatus coupled to the transmitter and receiver for computing the distance from the front of the vehicle to the device and a logic apparatus coupled to the computing apparatus compares the computed distance with a predetermined threshold so as to generate an output signal if the computed distance is less than the threshold. The logic apparatus compares the computed distance to two different thresholds so as to generate corresponding output signals if the computed distance is less than the lower threshold, or lies between the two thresholds, or is greater than the larger threshold. Red, amber and green indication lamps are connected to the logic apparatus and are responsive to the respective output signals so as to advise a motorist when he is safe to proceed, when he should proceed with caution, and when he should stop, respectively. Also a parking management system wherein each parking bay is provided with a parking-aid device for monitoring whether a respective parking bay is occupied or vacant.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An electronic parking-aid device for guiding a motorist when parking a vehicle in a parking bay, the device comprising:
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a housing adapted to be fixed to a wall at an end of the parking bay and containing therein means for connecting to a source of electric power, transmitter means for transmitting a first signal towards an approaching vehicle so as to reflect a second signal from an approaching surface of the vehicle, receiver means for receiving the second signal, computing means coupled to the transmitting and receiving means and responsive to the first and second signals for computing the distance of the approaching surface of the vehicle from the wall, logic means coupled to the computing means for comparing the computed distance with a first predetermined threshold and generating a first output signal if the computed distance is less than the first threshold, and first indication means coupled to the logic means and responsive to the first output signal for indicating to the motorist to stop. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An integrated parking management system comprising:
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a plurality of parking bays each having at an extremity thereof a respective parking-aid device, including; a housing adapted to be fixed at said extremity and containing therein means for connecting to a source of electric power, transmitter means for transmitting a first signal towards an approaching vehicle so as to reflect a second signal from an approaching surface of the vehicle, receiver means for receiving the second signal, computing means coupled to the transmitting and receiving means and responsive to the first and second signals for computing the distance of the approaching surface of the vehicle from said extremity, logic means coupled to the computing means for comparing the computed distance with a first predetermined threshold and a second predetermined threshold much greater than the first threshold and generating a first output signal if the computed distance is less than the first threshold and a second output signal if the computed distance is greater than the second threshold, and first indication means coupled to the logic means and responsive to the first output signal for indicating to the motorist to stop; the system further comprising; monitoring means coupled to each of the parking-aid devices and responsive to the second output signals for monitoring which of said parking bays are vacant, timing means coupled to each of the parking-aid devices and responsive to the first output signals for measuring elapsed time intervals during which the respective bays have been occupied, and reset means coupled to each of the parking-aid devices and responsive to the second output signals for resetting the respective timing means. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification