User assistance system for an interactive facility

• US 6,642,855 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William F Budnovitch Revocable Trust
• Original Assignee: William F Budnovitch Revocable Trust
• Inventors: Budnovitch, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huang, Sihong
• Application Number:
  US10/177,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20020163444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 340/933, 340/988-990, 340/992, 340/993, 340/995, 340/691.6, 340/435
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/48 for parking purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas

Abstract

An interactive system for a facility, such as a parking facility, a warehouse or some other type of facility, includes a user interface for detecting empty parking spaces, moving vehicles and personnel. The user interface can be associated with a “smart” light fixture or other component mounted in the parking structure. A control subsystem includes a system processor which interacts with a user interface. The user interface communicates directly with a user and with a smart card whereby parking transactions are automatically recorded and debited to an account. A key fob transmitter transmits signals to a smart fixture for summoning emergency assistance. The system processor utilizes GPS coordinates for guiding users, locating parking spaces, and identifying smart light fixtures receiving emergency assistance signals. The system can provide various information about the presence, absence and movement of vehicles and individuals within various structures. The system can either be installed as an original manufacturer component in other equipment or retrofit.

Claims

1. In combination with a parking garage with multiple parking spaces on multiple levels, the improvement of a parking assistance system, which comprises:

a station associated with a plurality of parking spaces on multiple levels and including a light fixture, said light fixture being adapted to illuminate a portion of said parking garage and to receive data input and transfer data output;

a vehicle detector associated with said light fixture and directed towards at least one parking space for determining the presence or absence of a vehicle therein;

an input device connected to said vehicle detector and adapted for providing a signal to said light fixture, said signal identifying the occupied/unoccupied status of the parking space;

a system processor connected to said light fixture and adapted to receive data input signals therefrom, said system processor storing three-dimensional GPS coordinates associated with said parking spaces and storing the occupied/unoccupied status of same;

an external communications transmitter associated with said system processor and adapted for transmitting parking space status signals including GPS coordinates associated therewith;

a vehicle-mounted GPS navigation system;

a vehicle-mounted receiver adapted to receive signals corresponding to the vehicle position with respect to unoccupied parking spaces within the parking garage;

a display mounted in the dash of said vehicle for graphically displaying the vehicle position with respect to said unoccupied parking spaces; and

said system being adapted to display the location of available parking spaces with respect to said vehicle utilizing their respective GPS coordinates.

2. The parking assistance system according to claim 1, which includes:

a personal data assistant adapted to receive information from said system processor.

3. The parking assistance system according to claim 1, which includes:

said communications link between said transmitter and said receiver comprising a radio frequency (RF) connection.

4. The parking assistance system according to claim 1, which includes:

said communications link between said transmitter and said receiver comprising a worldwide web or intranet network connection.

5. The parking assistance system according to claim 1, which includes:

said receiver including a personal computer.

6. In combination with a parking garage with multiple parking spaces on multiple levels, the improvement parking assistance system, which comprises:

a station associated with a plurality of parking spaces on multiple levels and including a light fixture, said light fixture being adapted to illuminate a portion of said parking garage and to receive input signals identifying the occupied/unoccupied status of individual parking spaces, store said data and output said data;

a wireless vehicle detector associated with said light fixture and directed towards at least one parking space for determining the presence or absence of a vehicle therein;

a signal producing device connected to said vehicle detector and adapted for providing an input signal to said light fixture, said input signal identifying the occupied/unoccupied status of a parking space;

a motion sensor associated with said light fixture and adapted for providing input corresponding to motion in the vicinity of said light fixture, said motion sensor being adapted to detect movement of a vehicle or a person;

a system processor connected to said light fixture and adapted to receive data input signals therefrom, said system processor storing three-dimensional GPS coordinates associated with said parking spaces, the occupied/unoccupied status of same and the corresponding movement of vehicles and/or people in the vicinity of same;

an external communications transmitter associated with said system processor and adapted for transmitting parking space status signals including GPS coordinates associated therewith;

a receiver associated with a parking garage user and adapted to receive signals from said transmitter, said receiver including output adapted for communicating parking space status information to the user; and

an emergency assistance communications device associated with said receiver and adapted for said user to summon emergency assistance in response to a predetermined output signal therefrom.