Method and apparatus for presenting and managing information in an automated parking structure

• US 6,502,011 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2001
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robotic Technology Administrat
• Original Assignee: Gerhard Haag
• Inventors: Haag, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H.
• Application Number:
  US09/812,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20020018704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 700/213, 700/217, 414/227, 414/231, 414/232, 414/233, 414/234-264, 340/932.2, 345/810, 345/905, 345/700
• US Class Current: 700/217
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 6/422 Automatically operated car-parks

Abstract

A method and system for monitoring and controlling an automated parking system using a graphical user interface is described. The described method includes the step of displaying a graphical representation of a floor of an automated parking garage. The method also includes the step of displaying a number of objects in relation to the floor. The method further includes the step of displaying a plurality of control objects. A system for implementing the steps of the method is also described.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring and controlling an automated parking system using a graphical user interface, comprising:

displaying a graphical representation of a floor of an automated parking garage;

displaying a plurality of objects in relation to the floor, thereby representing the state of the floor, the plurality of objects representing an entry/exit station (EES);

a module for transporting a vehicle along an x-axis, a module for transporting a vehicle along a y-axis, a module for transporting a vehicle along a z-axis, and a plurality of storage racks; and

displaying a plurality of control objects, each control object associated with controlling an aspect of the automated parking system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of control objects includes an automatic control object, the method further comprising:

receiving a user selection of the automatic control object, representing a command to operate the automated parking system according to predefined parameters; and

controlling associated physical components of the automated parking system according to the predefined parameters.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of control objects includes a manual control object, the method further comprising:

receiving a user selection of the manual control object, representing a command to operate the automated parking system manually; and

controlling associated physical components of the automated parking system according to manual instructions received from the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of control objects includes a halt-all control object, the method further comprising:

receiving a user selection of the halt-all control object, representing a command to halt the operation of every component of the automated parking garage; and

transmitting a signal to every component of the automated parking garage, thereby halting the operation of every component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of control objects includes an emergency stop control object, the method further comprising:

receiving a user selection of the emergency stop control object, representing a command to immediately stop the operation of every component of the automated parking garage; and

transmitting a signal to every component of the automated parking garage, thereby immediately stopping the operation of every component.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of control objects includes a diagnostic control object, the method further comprising:

receiving a user selection of the diagnostic control object, representing display diagnostic information related to at least one component of the automated parking garage; and

displaying diagnostic information related to the at least one component of the automated parking garage.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of control objects includes an traffic flow control object associated with an entry/exit station, the method further comprising:

receiving a user selection of the traffic flow control object, representing a command to manually toggle the traffic flow direction of the associated entry/exit station; and

processing the user command to toggle the traffic flow direction of the associated entry/exit station; and

redisplaying the traffic flow control object to indicate the toggled the traffic flow direction of the associated entry/exit station.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of control objects includes a vehicle object and a slot object, the method further comprising:

receiving a user selection of the vehicle object and the slot object, representing a user command to manually store the selected vehicle in the selected slot; and

controlling the components of the automated parking garage to store the selected vehicle in the selected slot.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of control objects includes a vehicle object and an EES object, the method further comprising:

receiving a user selection of the vehicle object and the EES object, representing a user command to manually retrieve the selected vehicle to the EES; and

controlling the components of the automated parking garage to retrieve the selected vehicle to the selected EES.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying an alert, and wherein the plurality of control objects includes a object representing the identified alert.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the alert represents a safety precaution.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the alert represents a maintenance need.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input from at least one EES sensor;

determining a driver instruction based on the received input; and

displaying the instruction to the driver of a vehicle in the associated EES.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of control objects includes a vehicle object and a slot object, the apparatus further comprising:

means for receiving a user selection of the vehicle object and the slot object, representing a user command to manually store the selected vehicle in the selected slot; and

means for controlling the components of the automated parking garage to store the selected vehicle in the selected slot.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

means for receiving input from at least one EES sensor;

means for determining a driver instruction based on the received input; and

means for displaying the instruction to the driver of a vehicle in the associated EES.

14. An apparatus for monitoring and controlling an automated parking system using a graphical user interface, comprising:

means for displaying a graphical representation of a floor of an automated parking garage;

means for displaying a plurality of objects in relation to the floor, thereby representing the state of the floor, the plurality of objects representing an entry/exit station (EES), a module for transporting a vehicle along an x-axis, a module for transporting a vehicle along a y-axis, a module for transporting a vehicle along a z-axis, and a plurality of storage racks; and

means for displaying a plurality of control objects, each control object associated with controlling an aspect of the automated parking system.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of control objects includes an automatic control object, the apparatus further comprising:

means for receiving a user selection of the automatic control object, representing a command to operate the automated parking system according to predefined parameters; and

means for controlling associated physical components of the automated parking system according to the predefined parameters.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of control objects includes a manual control object, the apparatus further comprising:

means for receiving a user selection of the manual control object, representing a command to operate the automated parking system manually; and

means for controlling associated physical components of the automated parking system according to manual instructions received from the user.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of control objects includes a halt-all control object, the apparatus further comprising:

means for receiving a user selection of the halt-all control object, representing a command to halt the operation of every component of the automated parking garage; and

means for transmitting a signal to every component of the automated parking garage, thereby halting the operation of every component.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of control objects includes an emergency stop control object, the apparatus further comprising:

means for receiving a user selection of the emergency stop control object, representing a command to immediately stop the operation of every component of the automated parking garage; and

means for transmitting a signal to every component of the automated parking garage, thereby immediately stopping the operation of every component.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of control objects includes a diagnostic control object, the apparatus further comprising:

means for receiving a user selection of the diagnostic control object, representing display diagnostic information related to at least one component of the automated parking garage; and

means for displaying diagnostic information related to the at least one component of the automated parking garage.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of control objects includes an traffic flow control object associated with an entry/exit station, the apparatus further comprising:

means for receiving a user selection of the traffic flow control object, representing a command to manually toggle the traffic flow direction of the associated entry/exit station; and

means for processing the user command to toggle the traffic flow direction of the associated entry/exit station; and

means for redisplaying the traffic flow control object to indicate the toggled the traffic flow direction of the associated entry/exit station.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of control objects includes a vehicle object and an EES object, the apparatus further comprising:

means for receiving a user selection of the vehicle object and the EES object, representing a user command to manually retrieve the selected vehicle to the EES; and

means for controlling the components of the automated parking garage to retrieve the selected vehicle to the selected EES.

23. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising means for identifying an alert, and wherein the plurality of control objects includes a object representing the identified alert.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the alert represents a safety precaution.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the alert represents a maintenance need.

27. An apparatus for monitoring and controlling an automated parking system using a graphical user interface, comprising:

a processor;

a memory connected to said processor storing a program to control the operation of said processor;

the processor operative with the program in the memory to;

display a graphical representation of a floor of an automated parking garage;

display a plurality of objects in relation to the floor, thereby representing the state of the floor, the plurality of objects representing an entry/exit station (EES), a module for transporting a vehicle along an x-axis, a module for transporting a vehicle along a y-axis, a module for transporting a vehicle along a z-axis, and a plurality of storage racks; and

display a plurality of control objects, each control object associated with controlling an aspect of the automated parking system.

28. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a method for monitoring and controlling an automated parking system using a graphical user interface, the processing instructions for directing a computer to perform the steps of:

displaying a graphical representation of a floor of an automated parking garage;

displaying a plurality of objects in relation to the floor, thereby representing the state of the floor, the plurality of objects representing an entry/exit station, a module for transporting a vehicle along an x-axis, a module for transporting a vehicle along a y-axis, a module for transporting a vehicle along a z-axis, and a plurality of storage racks; and

displaying a plurality of control objects, each control object associated with controlling an aspect of the automated parking system.