Route computation for navigation system using data exchanged with ticket vending machines
First Claim
1. A method for assisting a driver to locate a parking space, comprising:
- identifying a user-selected destination, with a first navigation system of a first vehicle;
acquiring parking availability information from a first space allocation device associated with a first parking zone, while a driver of the first vehicle is being guided by the first navigation system towards the user-selected destination, with a communication device which is integral with or associated with the first navigation system, the parking availability information including second parking availability information for at least one second parking zone associated with a respective second space allocation device that is spaced from the first space allocation device, wherein the second parking availability information for the at least one second parking zone is acquired from the respective second space allocation device by at least one communication device integral with or associated with a second navigation system of a respective second vehicle when the communication device of the second vehicle is in communication range of the second space allocation device but not within communication range of the first space allocation device, the second parking availability information being communicated to the first space allocation device by the at least one second navigation system of the respective second vehicle when the second vehicle communication device is in communication range of the first space allocation device but not in communication range of the second space allocation device; and
selecting, with a processor, one of the at least one second parking zones based on the user-selected destination and acquired parking availability information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for assisting a driver to locate a parking space includes identifying a user-selected destination with a navigation system of a first vehicle. While the driver of the first vehicle is being guided by the navigation system towards the selected destination, parking availability information is acquired from a first space allocation device (e.g., ticket vending machine), associated with a first parking zone. The parking availability information includes parking availability information for at least one second parking zone associated with a respective second, space allocation device, remote from the first space allocation device. The second parking availability information for the second parking zone(s) is communicated to the first space allocation device by at a respective second navigation system of at least one second vehicle. A parking zone is selected, based on the user-selected destination and acquired parking availability information transmitted from the first space allocation device.
11 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for assisting a driver to locate a parking space, comprising:
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identifying a user-selected destination, with a first navigation system of a first vehicle; acquiring parking availability information from a first space allocation device associated with a first parking zone, while a driver of the first vehicle is being guided by the first navigation system towards the user-selected destination, with a communication device which is integral with or associated with the first navigation system, the parking availability information including second parking availability information for at least one second parking zone associated with a respective second space allocation device that is spaced from the first space allocation device, wherein the second parking availability information for the at least one second parking zone is acquired from the respective second space allocation device by at least one communication device integral with or associated with a second navigation system of a respective second vehicle when the communication device of the second vehicle is in communication range of the second space allocation device but not within communication range of the first space allocation device, the second parking availability information being communicated to the first space allocation device by the at least one second navigation system of the respective second vehicle when the second vehicle communication device is in communication range of the first space allocation device but not in communication range of the second space allocation device; and selecting, with a processor, one of the at least one second parking zones based on the user-selected destination and acquired parking availability information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A navigation system for a first vehicle comprising:
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a navigation component which identifies a route for the first vehicle to a user-selected destination; a parking availability information component which acquires parking availability information from a first space allocation device associated with a first parking zone, the parking availability information including second parking availability information for at least one second parking zone associated with a respective second space allocation device that is spaced from the first space allocation device, wherein the second parking availability information for the at least one second parking zone is acquired from the second space allocation device by at least one second navigation system of a respective second vehicle traveling in an opposite direction to the first vehicle and communicated to the first space allocation device by the at least one second navigation system when in communication range of the first space allocation device; a parking space location component which identifies a parking zone to park, based on the acquired parking availability information and the user-selected destination; and wherein the navigation component is configured for identifying a route to the identified parking zone; and a processor which implements the navigation component, parking availability information component, and parking space location component. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A ticket vending machine comprising:
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a mechanism for authorizing use of parking spaces in an associated first parking zone to vehicles for a predetermined time period; memory which stores for a plurality of the parking spaces, information on the time at which one of the parking spaces in the first zone is allocated and the length of time allocated; a parking space computation component which generates first parking availability information for the first parking zone based on the stored information on the time when one of the parking spaces in the first zone is allocated, the length of time allocated, and the current time; a first communication device which receives second parking availability information from a first passing vehicle for at least one second parking zone and transmits the second parking availability information to a second passing vehicle; an acquisition component which acquires the second parking availability information from the first communication device for the at least one second parking zone and stores it in memory, the second parking availability information for the at least one second parking zone having been communicated to the first communication device of the ticket vending machine by a second communication device of the first passing vehicle; and the first communication device configured for transmitting the first and second parking availability information to a second communication device of the second passing vehicle, when the second vehicle is within communication range of the first communication device, for enabling identifying a route to a parking zone based at least in part on the second parking availability information; and a processor which implements the acquisition component and parking space computation component.
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Specification