Night detection of parked vehicles

• US 9,475,429 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2015
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ChengDu HaiCun IP Technology LLC, Guobiao Zhang
• Original Assignee: ChengDu HaiCun IP Technology LLC, Guobiao Zhang
• Inventors: Shih, Andrew T., Shih, Allison P., Zhang, Guobiao
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US14/636,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20160257251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/932.2, 348/148, 348/149, 705/13
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/002 for parking purposes, e.g. for warning the driver that his vehicle has contacted or is about to contact an obstacle warning arrangements in garages E04H6/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/106 using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/586 of parking space

Abstract

To detect parked vehicles at night, the present invention discloses night-detection device and method. The night-detection device comprises a moving-vehicle sensor and a parked-vehicle sensor. It uses the light beam from a passing-by vehicle to detect parked vehicles.

Claims

1. A night-detection device for parked vehicles, comprising:

a parked-vehicle sensor for determining whether a parking space in a parking area is occupied by a parked vehicle; and

a moving-vehicle sensor for sensing a moving vehicle within a pre-determined range of said parking area;

wherein said parked-vehicle sensor captures at least an image of said parking area when said moving-vehicle sensor detects said moving vehicle.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said moving-vehicle sensor is an audio sensor, an optical sensor, or an electromagnetic sensor.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said moving-vehicle sensor is located at the same location as said parked-vehicle sensor.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said moving-vehicle sensor is located at a different location from said parked-vehicle sensor.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said moving-vehicle sensor communicates with said parked-vehicle sensor using a wireless means.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said parked-vehicle sensor comprises an optical detector, a processor and a memory.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said optical detector comprises at least a camera.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said camera captures images of said parking area more frequently at night than during the day.

9. The system according to claim 6, wherein said memory stores a parked vehicle detection algorithm.

10. The system according to claim 6, wherein said memory stores a passing-by vehicle detection algorithm.