Vehicle presence detection system

• US 9,589,465 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2016
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Frogparking Limited
• Original Assignee: Frogparking Limited
• Inventors: Sandbrook, Donald H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Shirley
• Application Number:
  US15/186,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20160300490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 260 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0269 Inferred or constrained positioning, e.g. employing knowledge of the physical or electromagnetic environment, state of motion or other contextual information to infer or constrain a position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0295 Proximity-based methods, e.g. position inferred from reception of particular signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/12 operating with electromagnetic waves operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/01 Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/012 from other sources than vehicle or roadside beacons, e.g. mobile networks
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/142 external to the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/146 where the parking area is a limited parking space, e.g. parking garage, restricted space
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/147 where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A vehicle presence detection system for effectively detecting the presence of a vehicle in a location based upon a measured radio wave signal strength by a receiver. The vehicle presence detection system generally includes a main receiver adapted for receiving a radio wave signal from a transmitter and a control unit in communication with the main receiver that determines a signal strength of the radio wave signal received by the main receiver. The control unit determines that a vehicle is near the transmitter or the main receiver when the signal strength of the radio wave signal is reduced by a threshold loss.

Claims

1. A vehicle presence detection system, comprising:

a plurality of transmitters, wherein each of the plurality of transmitters is associated with a parking space in a group of parking spaces to monitor, wherein the plurality of transmitters are each attached to a parking space in the group of parking spaces so that when a vehicle is parked in the parking space the vehicle substantially covers a transmitter for the parking space;

a main receiver configured to receiving a radio wave signal from each of the plurality of transmitters, wherein the main receiver is positioned above the plurality of transmitters, wherein the main receiver is positioned in a central portion of the plurality of transmitters; and

a control unit in communication with the main receiver, wherein the control unit determines a signal strength of the radio wave signal received by the main receiver, wherein the control unit determines that a vehicle is near a selected transmitter of the plurality of transmitters when the signal strength of the radio wave signal for the selected transmitter is reduced by a threshold loss.

2. The vehicle presence detection system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmitters are each comprised of a Bluetooth device.

3. The vehicle presence detection system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transmitters are each attached to an upper surface of a corresponding parking space.

4. The vehicle presence detection system of claim 1, wherein the control unit determines that the vehicle is present when the vehicle is positioned between one of the plurality of transmitters and the main receiver.

5. The vehicle presence detection system of claim 1, wherein the control unit calculates changes in the signal strength of the radio wave signal over a period of time and averages the changes to provide an average change in the signal strength of the radio wave signal.

6. The vehicle presence detection system of claim 5, wherein the control unit determines that the vehicle is present if a change in the signal strength of the radio wave signal is greater than a multiple of the average change.

7. The vehicle presence detection system of claim 6, wherein the multiple is at least four.

8. The vehicle presence detection system of claim 1, including a visual indicator in communication with the control unit to visually indicate to drivers the availability of parking space within the group of parking spaces.

9. The vehicle presence detection system of claim 8, wherein the visual indicator is comprised of a guidance light.

10. The vehicle presence detection system of claim 9, wherein the main receiver, the control unit and the guidance light are comprised of a single device.

11. A vehicle presence detection system, comprising:

a plurality of transmitters, wherein each of the plurality of transmitters is associated with a parking space in a group of parking spaces to monitor, wherein the plurality of transmitters are each attached to a parking space in the group of parking spaces so that when a vehicle is parked in the parking space the vehicle substantially covers a transmitter for the parking space;

a main receiver configured to receiving a radio wave signal from each of the plurality of transmitters, wherein the main receiver is positioned above the plurality of transmitters;

wherein the main receiver is positioned above a pathway, wherein the pathway is positioned between a first row of parking spaces and a second row of parking spaces of the group of parking spaces, wherein the first row of parking spaces is adjacent a first side of the pathway and wherein the second row of parking spaces is adjacent a second side of the pathway, wherein the first side is opposite of the second side; and

a control unit in communication with the main receiver, wherein the control unit determines a signal strength of the radio wave signal received by the main receiver, wherein the control unit determines that a vehicle is near a selected transmitter of the plurality of transmitters when the signal strength of the radio wave signal for the selected transmitter is reduced by a threshold loss.

12. The vehicle presence detection system of claim 11, wherein the main receiver is positioned in a central portion of the plurality of transmitters.

13. The vehicle presence detection system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of transmitters are each comprised of a Bluetooth device.

14. The vehicle presence detection system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of transmitters are each attached to an upper surface of a corresponding parking space.

15. The vehicle presence detection system of claim 11, wherein the control unit determines that the vehicle is present when the vehicle is positioned between one of the plurality of transmitters and the main receiver.

16. The vehicle presence detection system of claim 11, wherein the control unit calculates changes in the signal strength of the radio wave signal over a period of time and averages the changes to provide an average change in the signal strength of the radio wave signal.

17. The vehicle presence detection system of claim 16, wherein the control unit determines that the vehicle is present if a change in the signal strength of the radio wave signal is greater than a multiple of the average change.

18. The vehicle presence detection system of claim 17, wherein the multiple is at least four.

19. A vehicle presence detection system, comprising:

a plurality of transmitters, wherein each of the plurality of transmitters is associated with a parking space in a group of parking spaces to monitor, wherein the plurality of transmitters are each attached to a parking space in the group of parking spaces so that when a vehicle is parked in the parking space the vehicle substantially covers a transmitter for the parking space;

wherein the plurality of transmitters are each attached to an upper surface of a corresponding parking space;

a main receiver configured to receiving a radio wave signal from each of the plurality of transmitters, wherein the main receiver is positioned above the plurality of transmitters;

wherein the main receiver is positioned above a pathway, wherein the pathway is positioned between a first row of parking spaces and a second row of parking spaces of the group of parking spaces, wherein the first row of parking spaces is adjacent a first side of the pathway and wherein the second row of parking spaces is adjacent a second side of the pathway, wherein the first side is opposite of the second side;

a control unit in communication with the main receiver, wherein the control unit determines a signal strength of the radio wave signal received by the main receiver, wherein the control unit determines that a vehicle is near a selected transmitter of the plurality of transmitters when the signal strength of the radio wave signal for the selected transmitter is reduced by a threshold loss;

wherein the control unit determines that the vehicle is present when the vehicle is positioned between one of the plurality of transmitters and the main receive;

wherein the control unit calculates changes in the signal strength of the radio wave signal over a period of time and averages the changes to provide an average change in the signal strength of the radio wave signal; and

a visual indicator in communication with the control unit to visually indicate to drivers the availability of parking space within the group of parking spaces, wherein the visual indicator is comprised of a guidance light.

20. The vehicle presence detection system of claim 19, wherein the main receiver is positioned in a central portion of the plurality of transmitters.