Large-area parking-monitoring system

• US 8,698,652 B1
• Filed: 07/26/2013
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guobiao Zhang, Hangzhou Haicun Information Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Guobiao Zhang, Hangzhou Haicun Information Technology Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhang, Guobiao
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US13/951,466
• Time in Patent Office: 263 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 340/937, 340/933, 705/13, 705/418
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/144 on portable or mobile units, e.g. personal digital assistant [PDA]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/147 where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre

Abstract

The present invention discloses a large-area parking-monitoring system. It comprises a plurality of smart-phone-like parking-monitoring devices. Each device monitors multiple parking spaces. The acquired parking occupancy data are transmitted to a parking-management server using cellular communication. The present invention takes advantage of the existing city-wide cellular network and therefore, can monitor parking city-wide at low cost.

Claims

1. A large-area parking-monitoring system comprising:

a first parking-monitoring device comprising a first image-capturing module for capturing first images of a first plurality of parking spaces, a first image processor for processing said first images to generate first parking occupancy data for said first plurality of parking spaces, and a first cellular communication module for transmitting said first parking occupancy data at a first pre-determined interval;

a second parking-monitoring device comprising a second image-capturing module for capturing second images of a second plurality of parking spaces, a second image processor for processing said second images to generate second parking occupancy data for said second plurality of parking spaces, and a second cellular communication module for transmitting said second parking occupancy data at a second pre-determined interval;

wherein said first and second cellular communication modules share the same cellular subscriber identity.

2. The large-area parking-monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said first and second parking-monitoring devices are configured to transmit parking occupancy data alternately.

3. The large-area parking-monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said first and second parking-monitoring devices are configured to transmit parking occupancy data at different times.

4. The large-area parking-monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said first image-capturing module, said first image processor and said first cellular communication module are located in a first housing.

5. The large-area parking-monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said second image-capturing module, said second image processor and said second cellular communication module are located in a second housing.

6. The large-area parking-monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein selected one of said first and second parking-monitoring devices is mounted on a support in a street.

7. The large-area parking-monitoring system according to claim 6, wherein said support provides power to said selected parking-monitoring device.

8. The large-area parking-monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein selected one of said first and second image-capturing modules comprises a plurality of cameras facing different directions.

9. The large-area parking-monitoring system according to claim 1, further comprising a memory for storing a smart-phone operating system.

10. The large-area parking-monitoring system according to claim 9, wherein said memory further stores an image-recognition app.

11. The large-area parking-monitoring system according to claim 1, further comprising a parking-management server for receiving and managing said first and second parking occupancy data.

12. The large-area parking-monitoring system according to claim 11, wherein a motorist retrieves selected one of said first and second parking occupancy data from said parking-management server.