Computer-implemented system and method for providing just-in-time loading zone parking

• US 9,213,957 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2012
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conduent Business Services, LLC (Conduent, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Stefik, Mark J., Isaacs, Ellen, Jarvis, Peter, Krivacic, Robert Thomas, Hoover, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, George
• Application Number:
  US13/624,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20140089015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for system and method for providing just-in-time loading zone parking is provided. A next delivery destination for a delivery driver is determined. A just-in-time parking reservation at the next delivery destination is booked. The just-in-time parking reservation includes a parking location and start time. A time of arrival by the delivery driver at the parking location is estimated. An amount of time between the estimated time of arrival and the start time of the just-in-time parking reservation is determined. Parking in the parking location by other drivers is permitted when the estimated time of departure is sufficiently prior to the start time of the just-in-time parking reservation.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method remotely providing just-in-time loading zone parking reservations over a communications network, comprising executing on a processor the steps of:

determining in a computer with a memory a next delivery destination in the memory for a delivery driver;

booking a just-in-time parking reservation for the delivery driver in the memory, comprising the steps of;

selecting a parking location that is physically proximate to the next delivery destination in the memory and designating a start time for the selected parking location in the memory; and

based at least in part on selection of the parking location, remotely updating a driver-discernable parking availability indicator signage that is physically located near the selected parking location to indicate a loading zone that has been reserved for the delivery driver from the computer over a communications network;

continuously remotely ascertaining the delivery driver'"'"'s progress from the computer over the communications network through a navigational system and estimating a time of arrival of the delivery driver at the selected parking location in the memory;

delaying the start time in the memory of the just-in-time parking reservation in the memory based on the estimated time of arrival in the memory;

determining an amount of time in the memory between the estimated time of arrival in the memory and the start time in the memory of the just-in-time parking reservation in the memory for parking in the selected parking location by drivers other than the delivery driver for a short term;

remotely updating the driver-discernable parking availability indicator signage that is physically located near the selected parking location to indicate that the selected parking location is available for parking for the short term from the computer over the communications network;

sensing remotely from the computer over the communications network occupancy of the parking location through an occupancy sensor that is physically located near the selected parking location and storing the occupancy in the memory;

accepting from the computer over the communications network a check-in in the memory to the selected parking location comprising an estimated time of departure when the estimated time of departure in the memory is prior to the delayed start time in the memory of the just-in-time parking reservation in the memory;

sensing remotely from the computer over the communications network vacancy of the parking location through the occupancy sensor that is physically located near the selected parking location; and

remotely updating the driver-discernable parking availability indicator signage that is physically located near the selected parking location to indicate the loading zone that has again been reserved for the delivery driver from the computer over the communications network.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising method steps of:

booking an early parking reservation in the memory at a planned delivery destination by the delivery driver, the early parking reservation in the memory comprising a planned parking location, start time and priority duration;

confirming a check-in in the memory to the early parking reservation in the memory by the delivery driver upon arriving at the planned parking location; and

adjusting the priority duration of the early parking reservation in the memory based on a time of actual arrival in the memory by the delivery driver and an actual delivery period in the memory.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising at least one method step of:

processing the early parking reservation in the memory based on independently reservable parking spaces as tracked in the memory; and

processing the early parking reservation in the memory based on pools of pluralities of parking spaces as tracked in the memory.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising method steps of:

determining a current location of the delivery driver in the memory;

determining a driving route to be taken by the delivery driver in the memory to the next delivery location in the memory; and

estimating the time of arrival in the memory based on time required by the delivery driver to travel from the current location in the memory to the next delivery location in the memory using the driving route in the memory.

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising a method step of:

adjusting the driving route in the memory based on real time traffic, construction and updates that could impact the driving route in the memory as received by the computer over the communications network.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising method steps of:

maintaining parking upgrade requests in the memory for parking availability in the selected parking location by other delivery drivers, each parking upgrade request in the memory comprising the parking location and a chosen start time for the selected parking location in the memory with a parking duration; and

offering parking in the selected parking location to one of the other delivery drivers at the chosen start time in the memory if the delivery driver'"'"'s just-in-time parking reservation in the memory is canceled or rescheduled clear of the other delivery driver'"'"'s parking duration.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising method steps of:

maintaining parking upgrade requests in the memory for parking upgrades by other delivery drivers, each parking upgrade request in the memory comprising the selected parking location with a parking duration and a different start time;

estimating a separate time of arrival in the memory by one of the other delivery drivers at the selected parking location; and

offering parking in the selected parking location to the other delivery driver at the different start time when the other delivery driver'"'"'s estimated separate time of arrival in the memory and the parking duration in the parking upgrade request allow the selected parking location to be free prior to the start time in the memory.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising method steps of:

including a parking duration in the just-in-time parking reservation in the memory;

confirming a check-in in the memory to the just-in-time parking reservation in the memory by the delivery driver upon arriving at the selected parking location; and

remotely updating the driver-discernable parking availability indicator signage that is physically located near the selected parking location to indicate that the selected parking location is available for parking for the short term from the computer over the communications network when the delivery driver leaves the selected parking location prior to expiry of the parking duration.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising at least one method step of:

processing the just-in-time parking reservation in the memory based on independently-reservable parking spaces as tracked in the memory; and

processing the just-in-time parking reservation in the memory based on pools of pluralities of parking spaces as tracked in the memory.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a method step of:

reserving a plurality of physically adjacent parking spaces at the selected parking location for the delivery driver.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising at least one method step of:

dissuading parking in the selected parking location by other drivers by indicating unavailability proximal to the selected parking location; and

preventing parking in the selected parking location by other drivers by physically deploying an obstruction to the selected parking location.