System and method for implementing an exception to a parking restriction

• US 9,836,975 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2010
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grid Smarter Cities Limited
• Original Assignee: Grid Smarter Cities Limited
• Inventors: Herron, Neil Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan K
• Application Number:
  US13/883,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20130261958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,587 Days
• Field of Search: 701532
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/24 for parking meters
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/143 inside the vehicles

Abstract

An apparatus and method for implementing an exception to a parking restriction, the exception being a parking area defined by one or more coordinates, includes monitoring an area including the parking area; detecting a vehicle in the monitored area; determining whether the detected vehicle is positioned within the parking area; and determining whether the vehicle has permission to park in the parking area. The parking area is not marked on the road.

Claims

1. A method for implementing an exception to a parking restriction, the method comprising the steps of:

defining, by a central data processing system, a parking/loading area by one or more coordinates, the parking/loading area being an exception to a parking restriction on a road, wherein the parking/loading area is not marked on the road, whereby signs and/or markings on the road indicating the parking restriction indicate that the parking restriction applies to the parking/loading area;

transmitting, by said central data processing system to a vehicle, location information indicating the location of the parking/loading area;

monitoring an area of the road including the parking/loading area;

detecting a vehicle parked in the monitored area;

receiving, at said central data processing system by means of a wireless signal, vehicle position information indicating the current position of the vehicle;

determining, by said central data processing system, by means of said position information, whether the detected vehicle is positioned within the parking/loading area; and

determining, by said central data processing system, whether the vehicle has permission to park in the parking/loading area.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of charging an operator or user of the vehicle for permission to park in the parking/loading area.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of issuing a fine or penalty in respect of the vehicle if it is determined that the vehicle does not have permission to park in the parking/loading area.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a fine or penalty issued in respect of the vehicle is annulled if the vehicle is determined to have permission to park in the parking/loading area.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the exception to the parking restriction applies at a predetermined time or times, and/or to predetermined vehicles and/or users, and/or to predetermined classes of users and/or vehicles.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of monitoring the area is performed using a camera.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of determining whether said vehicle has permission to park in the parking/loading area at the time of detecting said vehicle comprises:

determining an identification number of the vehicle from image data captured by the camera; and

checking the identification number against identification numbers stored in a permission table.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the detected vehicle is positioned within said parking/loading area and/or the step of determining whether the detected vehicle has permission to park in the parking/loading area comprises:

receiving, by said central data processing system, data transmitted by the vehicle and/or a device located proximal the detected vehicle, said data including identification information identifying the detected vehicle; and

comparing, by said central data processing system, the identification information with permissions information stored by said data processing system.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said data further comprises:

parking/loading area usage information including a time or times at which the vehicle is parked in the parking/loading area and/or at which the vehicle enters and/or exits the parking/loading area.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the position information is determined by a global navigation satellite system.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving, at said central data processing system, data transmitted by said vehicle, said vehicle having received said data from a kerbside transmitter.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the kerbside transmitter is at least one of a radio-frequency transmitter, a radio-frequency identification tag, a Wi-Fi™

or Bluetooth™

transmitter.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for permission to park a vehicle in said parking/loading area;

checking whether the parking/loading area is available; and

entering identification information of said vehicle in a permission table if the parking/loading area is available.

14. The method according to claim 1, including transmitting, by said central data processing system, permission information indicating whether the vehicle has permission to use the parking/loading area including a time or times at which the vehicle has permission to use the parking/loading area.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the position information is received by said central data processing system from said vehicle and/or from a device located proximal said vehicle.

15. A method for indicating an exception to a parking restriction, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a vehicle, from a central data processing system, location information relating to the location of a parking/loading area, wherein the parking/loading area is defined by one or more coordinates and is an exception to a parking restriction on a road, wherein the parking/loading area is not marked on the road, wherein signs and/or markings on the road indicating the parking restriction indicate that the parking restriction applies to said parking/loading area;

receiving, at the vehicle by means of a wireless signal, vehicle position information indicating the current position of the vehicle; and

indicating the location of the parking/loading area and the vehicle position on a display in said vehicle.

22. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal from a kerbside transmitter when the vehicle is within or proximal to the parking/loading area; and

alerting a driver of the vehicle when the vehicle is positioned within the parking/loading area, based on said signal.

16. An apparatus for implementing an exception to a parking restriction, the apparatus comprising:

a data processing system, operable to define at least one parking/loading area by one or more coordinates, the parking/loading area being an exception to a parking restriction on a road, wherein the parking/loading area is not marked on the road, wherein signs and/or markings on the road indicating the parking restriction indicate that the parking restriction applies to said parking/loading area;

at least one transmitter for transmitting, to a vehicle, location information indicating the location of the parking/loading area;

at least one monitoring device for monitoring an area of the road including the parking/loading area;

at least one detection device for detecting a vehicle parked in the monitored area,

wherein said data processing system is configured to receive, by means of a wireless signal, vehicle position information indicating the position of the vehicle;

wherein said data processing system is configured to determine, by means of said position information, whether a detected vehicle is positioned within the parking/loading area, and

wherein said data processing system is configured to determine whether the detected vehicle has permission to park in the parking/loading area.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said apparatus comprises:

at least one data receiving device for receiving data transmitted by a device located proximal the vehicle.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the data receiving device is a GPRS receiver.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said position information comprises data read by the vehicle from a kerbside transmitter.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the kerbside transmitter is a radio-frequency transmitter, an RFID, Wi-Fi™

or Bluetooth™

transmitter.