Automatic parking system

• US 6,085,124 A
• Filed: 08/14/1998
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Otis Elevator Company
• Original Assignee: LG Industrial Systems Co., Ltd (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choi, Dong Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Butler, Michael E.
• Application Number:
  US09/134,353
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 700/217, 700/214, 700/218, 700/215, 414/231, 414/232, 414/234, 414/252, 705/13, 705/404
• US Class Current: 700/217
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 6/422 Automatically operated car-parks
• 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

The present invention provides an automatic parking system in which the computer, the parking ticket issuer, and the parking ticket recognizer are connected in a network such that each unit exchanges information as it needs, and then the system controlling processes of loading and unloading a car, issuing the parking ticket, recognizing the parking ticket, and calculating the fee for ensuring accuracy of the calculation and convenience of the usage. The parking system includes a keyboard, a mouse, a database for storing vehicle number data, which are input from the keyboard, and loading information data, which are received in loading a car, in each respective data field, a display for displaying the information data, a data processor connected to the parking installation controller for processing car loading/unloading information data, a loading/unloading control processor for controlling operation of the parking installation controller, a calculating processor for calculating and displaying a parking fee, a parking ticket issuer for issuing the parking ticket, and a parking ticket recognizer for scanning the parking ticket in unloading operation.

Claims

1. Automatic parking system comprising a parking apparatus having pallets used for loading a plurality of cars, a first motor for moving the pallets laterally, a first motor drive for providing a driving signal to the motor, a first sensor for sensing the presence of the car on the pallets, a first encoding means for detecting a position of the pallets by calculating a number of revolutions of the motor, at least one lift which is able to move vertically for loading the car on the pallets and unloading the car out of the pallets, a second sensor for sensing the presence of the car on the lift, a third sensor for sensing the presence of the lift on a respective floor, a second motor for moving the lift vertically, a second motor drive for driving the second motor, a second encoding means for detecting a position of the lift by calculating a number of revolutions of the second motor;

and

a parking controller connected to the first and second motor drives for outputting position control signals to each of them, for receiving feedbacks of a pallet position detect signal and a lift position detect signal from the first and second encoding means, for determining a present operating status of the parking apparatus on the basis of the position control signal, the position detect signal, and a sensing signal from the first and second sensors, for storing an identifier of each pallet and a vehicle number of a car loaded on the respective pallet, for receiving information of the presence or absence of a car on each pallet from the first sensor, and for storing the information, further comprising;

a keyboard;

a mouse for supporting a user to select a specific region on a screen by clicking thereon;

database means for storing each vehicle number which is input with use of the keyboard by user, current date and time data which are received on loading the car, data which have the pallet identifier, and information data about whether the car is parked on the respective pallet, data about a parking fee, data about a configuration of a loading screen, data about a configuration of an unloading screen, and data about a configuration of a calculation screen, in corresponding data fields;

means for displaying information data on the screen;

data processing means connected to the displaying means for selectively outputting loading data, unloading data, and calculation data, which are received from the database means, outputting a parking apparatus status signal, a signal of sensing the presence of the car on each pallet received from the parking controller to be displayed on a corresponding region of the loading screen or the unloading screen displayed by the displaying means, for receiving a signal of sensing the presence of the car on the lift from the controller when the car is loaded on the lift, for creating loading time data containing current date and time data by a timer equipped therein when the user inputs the vehicle number with use of the keyboard, for creating loading serial number data updated for each time of loading, then outputting the loading serial number data to the database means together with the vehicle number data, and for creating and outputting a loading/unloading command signal;

processing means for controlling car loading/unloading, for receiving a command loading/unloading signal and a vehicle number data signal of the car to be loaded or unloaded from the data processing means, in case of loading for receiving the loading command signal and the vehicle number data signal from the data processing means, determining a pallet having priority among the empty pallets depending on the presence data of the car on the pallets stored in the database means, for outputting an identifier signal of the pallet determined by the controller, and at the same time, outputting the identifier signal of the pallet determined and the vehicle number data signal on the displaying means for displaying on the loading screen, in case of unloading for receiving the unloading command signal and the vehicle number data signal from the data processing means and outputting the vehicle number data signal together with the unloading command signal to the controller;

means for processing calculation for receiving current date and time data, the loading time data, and the fee data from the data processing means, calculating a parking fee to be requested to a customer on the basis of an elapsed time from the loading time and the fee data, then creating and outputting a debit data signal according to the result of the calculation, for receiving a fee payment data of the customer from the data processing means, creating and outputting a credit data signal, for calculating difference between the credit data signal and the debit data signal, and then creating and outputting the result as a balance data signal;

a parking ticket issuer for issuing the parking ticket on the basis of the loading serial number data, the loading date and time data, the vehicle number data, and the identifier data of the pallet used for loading, received from the data processing means; and

a parking ticket recognizer for scanning the parking ticket and outputting the loading serial number data to the data processing means.

2. The automatic parking system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a debit/credit displaying means for receiving the debit data signal, the credit data signal, and the balance data signal from the calculation processing means, and then displaying the signals to the customer.

3. The automatic parking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a debit/credit displaying means is a Liquid Crystal Display of three rows, each displaying the debit data, the credit data, and the balance data.

4. The automatic parking system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a receipt issuer for receiving the debit data signal, the credit data signal, and the balance data signal from the calculation processing means, and then printing the data on a receipt.

5. Automatic parking system comprising a parking apparatus having pallets used for loading a plurality of cars, a first motor for moving the pallets laterally, a first motor drive for providing a driving signal to the motor, a first sensor for sensing the presence of the car on the pallets, a first encoding means for detecting a position of the pallets by calculating a number of revolutions of the motor, at least one lift which is able to move vertically for loading the car on the pallets and unloading the car out of the pallets, a second sensor for sensing the presence of the car on the lift, a third sensor for sensing the presence of the lift on a respective floor, a second motor for moving the lift vertically, a second motor drive for driving the second motor, a second encoding means for detecting a position of the lift by calculating a number of revolutions of the second motor;

a parking controller connected to the first and second motor drives for outputting position control signals to each of them, for receiving feedbacks of a pallet position detect signal and a lift position detect signal from the first and second encoding means, for determining present operation status of the parking apparatus on the basis of the position control signal, the position detect signal, and a sensing signal from the first and second sensors, for storing an identifier of each pallet and a vehicle number of a car loaded on the respective pallet, for receiving information of the presence or absence of a car on each pallet from the first sensor and for storing the information; and

a manipulating unit having

a button unit having a plurality of number and character keys and a plurality of function keys, for selectively inputting the vehicle number and the pallet identifier or canceling the input information, inputting information to perform function of searching a loading position or of unloading a car out of a parking place, and inputting information for resetting the function, by pushing the buttons;

a first displaying means for displaying the presence of the car on each pallet;

a second displaying means for selectively displaying the vehicle number information which is input by the input button unit, the identifier information of the pallet on which the car is loaded, and a present operation status information of the parking apparatus; and

a microprocessor for processing and storing the data input by the input button unit according to a predetermined program, and at the same time, outputting the data to the first and second displaying means so to be displayed, for transmitting the vehicle number information or the pallet identifier information to the controller, for outputting the car presence data on the pallet and the current operating status data of the parking apparatus to the first and second displaying means respectively so to be displayed thereon,

the automatic parking system further comprising;

a keyboard;

a mouse for supporting a user to select a specific region on a screen by clicking thereon;

database means for storing each vehicle number which is input with use of the keyboard by user, current date and time data which are received on loading the car, data which have the pallet identifier and information data about whether the car is parked on the respective pallet, data about a parking fee, data about a configuration of a loading screen, data about a configuration of a unloading screen, and data about a configuration of a calculation screen, in respective data fields;

means for displaying information data on the screen;

data processing means connected to the displaying means for selectively outputting loading data, unloading data, and calculation data received from the database means to the displaying means, outputting a parking apparatus status signal, a signal of sensing the presence of the car on each pallet received from the parking controller to be displayed on a corresponding region of the loading screen or the unloading screen displayed by the displaying means, for receiving a signal of sensing the presence of the car on the lift from the controller when the car is loaded on the lift, for creating loading time data containing current date and time data by a timer equipped therein when the user inputs the vehicle number with use of the keyboard, for creating loading serial number data updated for each time of loading, then outputting the loading serial number data on the database means together with the vehicle number data, and for creating and outputting a loading/unloading command signal;

processing means for controlling car loading/unloading, for receiving a loading/unloading command signal and a vehicle number data signal of the car to be loading/unloading from the data processing means, in case of loading for receiving the loading command signal and the vehicle number data signal from the data processing means, determining a pallet having priority among the empty pallets depending on the presence data of the car on the pallets stored in the database means, for outputting a identifier signal of the pallet determined by the controller, and at the same time, outputting the identifier signal of the pallet determined and the vehicle number data on the displaying means for displaying on the loading screen, in case of unloading for receiving the unloading command signal and the vehicle number data signal from the data processing means and outputting the vehicle number data signal together with the unloading command signal to the controller;

means for processing calculation for receiving current date and time data, the loading time data, and the fee data from the data processing means, calculating a parking fee to be requested to a customer on the basis of an elapsed time from the loading time and the fee data, then creating and outputting a debit data signal according to the result of the calculation, for receiving a fee payment data of the customer from the data processing means, creating and outputting a credit data signal, for calculating difference between the credit data and the debit data, and then creating and outputting the result as a balance data signal;

a parking ticket issuer for issuing a parking ticket on the basis of the loading serial number data, the loading date and time data, the vehicle number data, and the identifier data of the pallet used for loading, received from the data processing means; and

a parking ticket recognizer for scanning the parking ticket and outputting the loading serial number data to the data processing means.

6. The automatic parking system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a debit/credit displaying means for receiving the debit data signal, the credit data signal, and the balance data signal from the calculation processing means, and then displaying the signals to a customer.

7. The automatic parking system as claimed in claim 5, wherein a debit/credit displaying means is a liquid crystal display of three rows, each displaying the debit data, the credit data, and the balance data.

8. The automatic parking system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a receipt issuer for receiving the debit data signal, the credit data signal, and the balance data signal from the calculation processing means, and then printing the data on a receipt.

9. Automatic parking system comprising

a parking apparatus having a plurality of loading/unloading means for loading/unloading cars, a driving means for driving the loading/unloading means, and a control means for controlling the driving means;

a keyboard;

a mouse for supporting a user to select a specific region on a screen by clicking thereon;

database means for storing each vehicle number which is input with use of the keyboard by user, current date and time data which are received on loading the car, data which have the pallet identifier and information about whether the car is parked on the respective pallet, data about a parking fee, data about a configuration of a loading screen, data about a configuration of a unloading screen, and data about a configuration of a calculation screen, in corresponding data fields;

means for displaying information data on the screen;

means for processing data connected to the displaying means for selectively outputting loading data, unloading data, and calculation data, which are received from the database means, outputting a parking apparatus status signal, a signal of sensing the presence of the car on each pallet received from the parking controller to be displayed on a corresponding region of the loading screen or the unloading screen displayed by the displaying means, for receiving a signal of sensing the presence of the car on the lift from the controller when the car is loaded on the lift, for creating loading time data containing current date and time data by a timer equipped therein when the user inputs the vehicle number with use of the keyboard, for creating loading serial number data updated for each time of loading, then outputting the loading serial number data to the database means together with the vehicle number data, and for creating and outputting a loading/unloading command signal;

processing means for controlling car loading/unloading, for receiving a command loading/unloading signal and a vehicle number data signal of the car to be loaded or unloaded from the data processing means, in case of loading for receiving the loading command signal and the vehicle number data signal from the data processing means, determining a pallet having priority among the empty pallets depending on the presence data of the car on the pallets stored in the database means, for outputting a identifier signal of the pallet determined by the controller, and at the same time, outputting the identifier signal of the pallet determined and the vehicle number data to the displaying means for displaying on the loading screen, in case of unloading for receiving the unloading command signal and the vehicle number data signal from the data processing means, outputting the vehicle number data signal together with the unloading command signal to the controller;

means for processing calculation for receiving current date and time data, the loading time data, and the fee data from the data processing means, calculating a parking fee to be requested to a customer on the basis of an elapsed time from the loading time and the fee data, then creating and outputting a debit data signal according to the result of the calculation, for receiving a fee payment data of the customer from the data processing means, creating and outputting a credit data signal, for calculating difference between the credit data signal and the debit data signal, and then creating and outputting the result as a balance data signal.