Methods for dense parking of remotely controlled or autonomous vehicles
First Claim
1. A method of moving autonomous vehicles in a parking area wherein the vehicles comprise a plurality of columns, at least two columns are spaced too closely to allow access to a vehicle by a driver, and at least two vehicles are in a tandem arrangement in a column;
- comprising;
computing a set of movements of a plurality of vehicles with a computing device to be executed in a time sequence wherein each movement is determined not to have any vehicle interfere with the motion of any other vehicle,transmitting a plurality of movements from the set of movements to at least two vehicles to be moved, andautonomously moving at least two vehicles in a coordinated manner in accordance with the transmitted movements,a vehicle in a column with a plurality of vehicles is autonomously moved to create a space to allow at least one of a vehicle in a different column to exit the parking area, a vehicle to enter a different column, and a vehicle in a different column to be accessed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of moving autonomous or driverless vehicles being parked or accessed in a parking area is disclosed. The vehicles are parked in columns spaced too closely to allow drivers to enter or exit. The movements of the vehicles are coordinated by a central computer which computes a set of movements, transmits them to the vehicles, and commands and controls the execution. Multiple vehicles are moved sequentially or simultaneously to the computed locations for access, storage or exit. Sensors in the vehicles can transmit relative location information to the central computer to be used in the computations. Vehicles can be shuffled from column to column or from the front to the rear of a column to allow access. Temporary aisles can be formed for exit by vehicles or for access for loading or unloading.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of moving autonomous vehicles in a parking area wherein the vehicles comprise a plurality of columns, at least two columns are spaced too closely to allow access to a vehicle by a driver, and at least two vehicles are in a tandem arrangement in a column;
- comprising;
computing a set of movements of a plurality of vehicles with a computing device to be executed in a time sequence wherein each movement is determined not to have any vehicle interfere with the motion of any other vehicle, transmitting a plurality of movements from the set of movements to at least two vehicles to be moved, and autonomously moving at least two vehicles in a coordinated manner in accordance with the transmitted movements, a vehicle in a column with a plurality of vehicles is autonomously moved to create a space to allow at least one of a vehicle in a different column to exit the parking area, a vehicle to enter a different column, and a vehicle in a different column to be accessed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of accessing a particular vehicle in an array of autonomous vehicles with a plurality of columns of vehicles wherein the columns are spaced too closely to access at least one vehicle in the array and a plurality of vehicles are in a tandem arrangement in at least one column;
- comprising;
receiving a request to access the particular vehicle; computing a set of movements of a plurality of vehicles with a computing device to be executed in a time sequence wherein each movement is determined not to have any vehicle interfere with the motion of any other vehicle; transmitting movements from the set of movements to at least one vehicle to be moved; and executing the movements in the set wherein a plurality of vehicles are autonomously moved in a coordinated sequence determined by the set of movements; a vehicle in a column with a plurality of vehicles is autonomously moved to create a space to allow at least one of a vehicle in a different column to exit the parking area, a vehicle to enter a different column, and a vehicle in a different column to be accessed. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of parking a plurality of autonomous vehicles comprising:
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computing a set of locations in a parking area employing; the dimensions of the vehicles and the dimensions of the parking area; computing a set of movements of the vehicles to be executed in a time sequence wherein each movement is determined not to have any vehicle interfere with the motion of any other vehicle; transmitting a movement from the set of movements to at least one vehicle; and executing the movements in the set of movements wherein a plurality of vehicles are autonomously moved in a coordinated sequence determined by the set of movements; wherein the set of locations designates a plurality of columns of vehicles too closely spaced to discharge a driver from a vehicle; a vehicle in a column with a plurality of vehicles is autonomously moved to create a space to allow at least one of a vehicle in a different column to exit the parking area, a vehicle to enter a different column, and a vehicle in a different column to be accessed. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification