Controlling use of parking spaces using cameras and smart sensors

• US 8,982,213 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2014
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cloudparc, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cloudparc, Inc.
• Inventors: Nerayoff, Steven David, Wong, Thompson S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dastouri, Mehrdad
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON II, JAMES M
• Application Number:
  US14/187,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20140172519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 387 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/22 Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10004 Still image; Photographic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30236 Traffic on road, railway or crossing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30264 Parking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/292 Multi-camera tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/90 Determination of colour characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/54 of traffic, e.g. cars on the road, trains or boats
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/593 Recognising seat occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/62 : Text, e.g. of license plates, overlay texts or captions on TV images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/625 : License plates
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/224 : of printed characters having additional code marks or containing code marks
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 : Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 : Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/24 : for parking meters
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/00 : Traffic control systems for road vehicles arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00 ; automatic vehicle control B62D
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 : identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 : by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 : with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/056 : with provision for distinguishing direction of travel
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/133 : within the vehicle ; Indicators inside the vehicles or at stops
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 : indicating individual free spaces in parking areas
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/142 : external to the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/143 : inside the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/144 : on portable or mobile units, e.g. personal digital assistant [PDA]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/146 : where the parking area is a limited parking space, e.g. parking garage, restricted space
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/148 : Management of a network of parking areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 : Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 : Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 : Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 : Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 : Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 : Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

Tracking use of a destination location is disclosed. Based on a first vehicle image showing a first vehicle at a first location and on the first location of the first vehicle received based on a sensor located within the first vehicle, it is determined that the first vehicle is occupying the destination location at the first time. Next, based on a second vehicle image showing the first vehicle at a second location and on the second location of the first vehicle received based on the sensor located within the first vehicle, it is determined that the first vehicle has left the destination location at the second time. Finally, it is indicated that the first vehicle began use of the destination location at the first time and that the first vehicle completed use of the destination location at the second time.

Claims

1. A method of tracking use of at least one destination location, the method comprising:

receiving a first vehicle image showing a first vehicle and a first portion of a roadway;

determining, based on the first vehicle image, a first static characteristic of the first vehicle;

receiving a second vehicle image showing the first vehicle and the first portion of the roadway;

determining, based on the first vehicle image and the second vehicle image, a first dynamic characteristic of the first vehicle;

receiving a third vehicle image showing the first vehicle and a second portion of the roadway;

determining, based on the third vehicle image, a second static characteristic of the first vehicle;

receiving a fourth vehicle image showing the first vehicle and the second portion of the roadway;

determining, based on the third vehicle image and the fourth vehicle image, a second dynamic characteristic of the first vehicle;

comparing the second static characteristic to the first static characteristic;

determining, in response to the comparison of the second static characteristic and the first static characteristic, that the second static characteristic is approximately equal to the first static characteristic;

comparing the second dynamic characteristic to the first dynamic characteristic;

determining, in response to the comparison of the second dynamic characteristic and the first dynamic characteristic, that the second dynamic characteristic is approximately equal to the first dynamic characteristic;

determining, in response to the approximate equivalence between the second static characteristic and the first static characteristic and the approximate equivalence between the second dynamic characteristic and the first dynamic characteristic, that the first vehicle is traversing the roadway between the first portion and the second portion;

receiving a fifth vehicle image showing the first vehicle and the at least one destination location;

determining, based on the fifth vehicle image, that the first vehicle is stopped at a first location within the destination location at a first time;

receiving, at the first time, the first location of the first vehicle based on a sensor located within the first vehicle;

determining, based on the fifth vehicle image showing the first vehicle at the first location and on the first location of the first vehicle received based on the sensor located within the first vehicle, that the first vehicle is occupying the at least one destination location at the first time;

receiving a sixth vehicle image showing the first vehicle and the at least one destination location;

determining, based on the sixth vehicle image, that the first vehicle is at a second location outside of the at least one destination location at a second time, the second time being after the first time;

receiving, at the second time, the second location of the first vehicle determined based on the sensor located within the first vehicle;

determining, based on the sixth vehicle image showing the first vehicle at the second location and on the second location of the first vehicle received based on the sensor located within the first vehicle, that the first vehicle has left the destination location at the second time;

indicating that the first vehicle began use of the at least one destination location at the first time; and

indicating that the first vehicle completed use of the at least one destination location at the second time, wherein;

the first static characteristic and the second static characteristic are characteristics of the first vehicle that do not change over time,

the first dynamic characteristic and the second dynamic characteristic are characteristics of the first vehicle that change over time, and

the steps of receiving, determining, and indicating are performed by one or more processors.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor located within the first vehicle is in communication with a Global Positioning System receiver, and the first location and the second location of the first vehicle are received by the sensor from the Global Positioning System receiver.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first location of the first vehicle based on the sensor located within the first vehicle comprises receiving the first location of the first vehicle from the sensor located within the first vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor located within the first vehicle is in communication with other sensors located within other vehicles.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving the first location of the first vehicle based on the sensor located within the first vehicle comprises receiving the first location of the first vehicle based on a status of the first vehicle sensed by at least one of the other sensors located within the other vehicles.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the sensor located within the first vehicle and the other sensors located within the other vehicles form a short range wireless mesh network between the vehicles.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving the first location of the first vehicle based on the sensor located within the first vehicle comprises receiving the first location of the first vehicle from the other sensors located in the other vehicles.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor located within the first vehicle is configured to communicate with parking equipment.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a first unique identifier of the first vehicle based on the fifth or sixth vehicle image; and

indicating the first unique identifier of the first vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, at the first time, a second unique identifier of the first vehicle based on the sensor located within the first vehicle, the second unique identifier being different from the first unique identifier; and

indicating the second unique identifier of the first vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first location of the first vehicle based on the sensor located within the first vehicle comprises receiving, via a cellular data connection, the first location of the first vehicle.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the first time, a first dynamic characteristic of the first vehicle based on the sensor located with the first vehicle; and

receiving, at the second time, a second dynamic characteristic of the first vehicle based on the sensor located with the first vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first dynamic characteristic is an indication that that the first vehicle is stopped, and the second dynamic characteristic is an indication that the first vehicle is moving.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first static characteristic and the second static characteristic of the first vehicle are one or more of a vehicle make, a vehicle model, a vehicle year, a vehicle color, a vehicle outline, a vehicle size, and a vehicle dimension.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a description of one or more restrictions for use of the destination location;

determining that the use of the destination location by the first vehicle from the first time to the second time violates at least one of the one or more restrictions; and

indicating the at least one of the one or more restrictions violated by the first vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein indicating the at least one of the one or more restrictions violated by the first vehicle comprises:

automatically identifying a mailing address associated with the first vehicle without user interaction; and

automatically generating a citation requesting payment of a fee associated with the at least one of the one or more restrictions without user interaction.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein indicating the at least one of the one or more restrictions violated by the first vehicle comprises:

identifying an enforcement officer to issue a citation for the first vehicle based on the location of the destination location; and

notifying the identified enforcement officer that the first vehicle is at the destination location.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a cost for the first vehicle to occupy the destination location from the first time to the second time; and

charging the cost to an account associated with the first vehicle.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a cost for the first vehicle to occupy the destination location from the first time to the second time; and

receiving payment for the cost from the sensor located within the first vehicle.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a cost for the first vehicle to occupy the destination location from the first time to the second time; and

receiving payment information for the cost from a third-party pay-by-phone parking payment system, the third-party pay-by-phone parking payment system being in communication with the sensor located within the first vehicle.

21. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing data to a third-party pay-by-phone parking payment system subsequent to the second time, the data comprising the first unique identifier of the first vehicle, the first time, and the second time.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting retention of the fifth vehicle image and the sixth vehicle image.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one destination location is a multi-vehicle destination location comprising a plurality of directly adjacent destination locations.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle image, the second vehicle image, the third vehicle image, and the fourth vehicle image are captured by the same camera.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle image and the second vehicle image are captured by a first camera having a first field of view, and the third vehicle image and the fourth vehicle image are captured by a second, different camera having a second, different field of view.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the roadway and the second portion of the roadway are the same portion of the roadway.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the first dynamic characteristic and the second dynamic characteristic are one or more of a vehicle speed of travel, a lane identifier, and a vehicle direction of travel.

30. The method of claim 9, wherein the first unique identifier of the first vehicle is a license plate number, a one-dimensional bar code, or a matrix bar code associated with the first vehicle.

24. A system for tracking use of at least one destination location, the system comprising one or more processors connected to at least one storage device, the system being configured to:

receive a first vehicle image showing a first vehicle and a first portion of a roadway;

determine, based on the first vehicle image, a first static characteristic of the first vehicle;

receive a second vehicle image showing the first vehicle and the first portion of the roadway;

determine, based on the first vehicle image and the second vehicle image, a first dynamic characteristic of the first vehicle;

receive a third vehicle image showing the first vehicle and a second portion of the roadway;

determine, based on the third vehicle image, a second static characteristic of the first vehicle;

receive a fourth vehicle image showing the first vehicle and the second portion of the roadway;

determine, based on the third vehicle image and the fourth vehicle image, a second dynamic characteristic of the first vehicle;

compare the second static characteristic to the first static characteristic;

determine, in response to the comparison of the second static characteristic and the first static characteristic, that the second static characteristic is approximately equal to the first static characteristic;

compare the second dynamic characteristic to the first dynamic characteristic;

determine, in response to the comparison of the second dynamic characteristic and the first dynamic characteristic, that the second dynamic characteristic is approximately equal to the first dynamic characteristic;

determine, in response to the approximate equivalence between the second static characteristic and the first static characteristic and the approximate equivalence between the second dynamic characteristic and the first dynamic characteristic, that the first vehicle is traversing the roadway between the first portion and the second portion;

receive a fifth vehicle image showing the first vehicle and the at least one destination location;

determine, based on the fifth vehicle image, that the first vehicle is stopped at a first location within the destination location at a first time;

receive, at the first time, the first location of the first vehicle based on a sensor located within the first vehicle;

determine, based on the fifth vehicle image showing the first vehicle at the first location and on the first location of the first vehicle received based on the sensor located within the first vehicle, that the first vehicle is occupying the at least one destination location at the first time;

receive a sixth vehicle image showing the first vehicle and the at least one destination location;

determine, based on the sixth vehicle image, that the first vehicle is at a second location outside of the at least one destination location at a second time, the second time being after the first time;

receive, at the second time, the second location of the first vehicle determined based on the sensor located within the first vehicle;

determine, based on the sixth vehicle image showing the first vehicle at the second location and on the second location of the first vehicle received based on the sensor located within the first vehicle, that the first vehicle has left the destination location at the second time;

indicate that the first vehicle began use of the at least one destination location at the first time; and

indicate that the first vehicle completed use of the at least one destination location at the second time, wherein;

the first static characteristic and the second static characteristic are characteristics of the first vehicle that do not change over time, and

the first dynamic characteristic and the second dynamic characteristic are characteristics of the first vehicle that change over time.

25. A storage device storing a computer program for tracking use of at least one destination location, the computer program comprising one or more code segments that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:

receive a first vehicle image showing a first vehicle and a first portion of a roadway;

determine, based on the first vehicle image, a first static characteristic of the first vehicle;

receive a second vehicle image showing the first vehicle and the first portion of the roadway;

determine, based on the first vehicle image and the second vehicle image, a first dynamic characteristic of the first vehicle;

receive a third vehicle image showing the first vehicle and a second portion of the roadway;

determine, based on the third vehicle image, a second static characteristic of the first vehicle;

receive a fourth vehicle image showing the first vehicle and the second portion of the roadway;

determine, based on the third vehicle image and the fourth vehicle image, a second dynamic characteristic of the first vehicle;

compare the second static characteristic to the first static characteristic;

determine, in response to the comparison of the second static characteristic and the first static characteristic, that the second static characteristic is approximately equal to the first static characteristic;

compare the second dynamic characteristic to the first dynamic characteristic;

determine, in response to the comparison of the second dynamic characteristic and the first dynamic characteristic, that the second dynamic characteristic is approximately equal to the first dynamic characteristic;

determine, in response to the approximate equivalence between the second static characteristic and the first static characteristic and the approximate equivalence between the second dynamic characteristic and the first dynamic characteristic, that the first vehicle is traversing the roadway between the first portion and the second portion;

receive a fifth vehicle image showing the first vehicle and the at least one destination location;

determine, based on the fifth vehicle image, that the first vehicle is stopped at a first location within the destination location at a first time;

receive, at the first time, the first location of the first vehicle based on a sensor located within the first vehicle;

determine, based on the fifth vehicle image showing the first vehicle at the first location and on the first location of the first vehicle received based on the sensor located within the first vehicle, that the first vehicle is occupying the at least one destination location at the first time;

receive a sixth vehicle image showing the first vehicle and the at least one destination location;

determine, based on the sixth vehicle image, that the first vehicle is at a second location outside of the at least one destination location at a second time, the second time being after the first time;

receive, at the second time, the second location of the first vehicle determined based on the sensor located within the first vehicle;

determine, based on the sixth vehicle image showing the first vehicle at the second location and on the second location of the first vehicle received based on the sensor located within the first vehicle, that the first vehicle has left the destination location at the second time;

indicate that the first vehicle began use of the at least one destination location at the first time; and

indicate that the first vehicle completed use of the at least one destination location at the second time, wherein;

the first static characteristic and the second static characteristic are characteristics of the first vehicle that do not change over time, and

the first dynamic characteristic and the second dynamic characteristic are characteristics of the first vehicle that change over time.