Defining travel paths in parking areas

• US 9,273,976 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2015
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Davidson, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US14/711,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20150241230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 292 Days
• Field of Search: 701/438, 701/450, 701/533, 188/79.54
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3856 Data obtained from user input
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3867 Geometry of map features, e.g. shape points, polygons or for simplified maps
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3878 Hierarchical structures, e.g. layering
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/586 of parking space

Abstract

Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for defining travel paths in parking areas. In one embodiment, travel paths in parking areas are defined by automatically, semi-automatically, and/or manually.

Claims

1. A method for defining travel paths in parking areas, the method comprising:

automatically identifying a parking area based at least in part on an estimated color value of a captured image of the parking area;

for the parking area in which there is at least one travel path for the parking area that is not represented on a digital map, receiving input, by one or more processors, defining one or more travel paths in the parking area; and

updating, via the one or more processors, the digital map to comprise a representation of the one or more travel paths defined in the parking area.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically identifying one or more street network connection points for the parking area, the one or more street network connection points providing the ability to enter the parking area from a street network, exit the parking area to the street network, or both.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more travel paths defined by the user in the parking area connect the one or more street network connection points.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the input is received from a user operating a computing entity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the parking area is associated with the estimated color value and a configurable threshold.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein automatically identifying the parking area comprises identifying pixels in the image that are within the configurable threshold from the estimated color value.

7. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

automatically identify a parking area based at least in part on an estimated color value of a captured image of the parking area;

for the parking area in which there is at least one travel path for the parking area that is not represented on a digital map, receive input defining one or more travel paths in the parking area; and

update the digital map to comprise a representation of the one or more travel paths defined in the parking area.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to automatically identify one or more street network connection points for the parking area, the one or more street network connection points providing the ability to enter the parking area from a street network, exit the parking area to the street network, or both.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the one or more travel paths defined by the user in the parking area connect the one or more street network connection points.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the input is received from a user operating a computing entity.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the parking area is associated with the estimated color value and a configurable threshold.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein automatically identifying the parking area comprises identifying pixels in the image that are within the configurable threshold from the estimated color value.

13. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to automatically identify a parking area based at least in part on an estimated color value of a captured image of the parking area;

an executable portion configured to, for the parking area in which there is at least one travel path for the parking area that is not represented on a digital map, receive input defining one or more travel paths in the parking area; and

an executable portion configured to update the digital map to comprise a representation of the one or more travel paths defined in the parking area.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising an executable portion configured to automatically identify one or more street network connection points for the parking area, the one or more street network connection points providing the ability to enter the parking area from a street network, exit the parking area to the street network, or both.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the one or more travel paths defined by the user in the parking area connect the one or more street network connection points.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the input is received from a user operating a computing entity.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the parking area is associated with the estimated color value and a configurable threshold.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein automatically identifying the parking area comprises identifying pixels in the image that are within the configurable threshold from the estimated color value.