Virtual parking lots
First Claim
1. A parking facility management system, comprising:
- an entrance camera positioned to view a vehicle as the vehicle enters a parking facility;
an exit camera positioned to view the vehicle as the vehicle exits the parking facility; and
a central control computer networked with the entrance camera and the exit camera, wherein the central control computer includes a database of parking parameters for the parking facility, the parking parameters including parameters for a first class of vehicles and a second class of vehicles, wherein the parameters for each of the first and second classes of vehicles includes a total number of class spots, a number of used class spots and a number of remaining class spots, wherein the central control computer is configured to;
determine the classification of the vehicle as the vehicle enters the parking facility and as the vehicle exits the parking facility;
increase the number of used class spots for the first class of vehicles and decrease the number of remaining class spots for the first class of vehicles when the vehicle entering the facility is determined to belong to the first class of vehicles;
increase the number of used class spots for the second class of vehicles and decrease the number of remaining class spots for the second class of vehicles when the vehicle entering the facility is determined to belong to the second class of vehicles;
decrease the number of used class spots for the first class of vehicles and increase the number of remaining class spots for the first class of vehicles when the vehicle exiting the facility is determined to belong to the first class of vehicles; and
decrease the number of used class spots for the second class of vehicles and increase the number of remaining class spots for the second class of vehicles when the vehicle exiting the facility is determined to belong to the second class of vehicles.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A central computing system is configured to monitor quotas for multiple different classifications of vehicles that park in a parking facility. License plate reading (LPR) cameras read the license information of each vehicle entering and exiting a parking facility. The vehicle images or identifications are communicated to the central computing system which updates its database and monitors each virtual lot in the parking facility according to quotas, prices and other parameters for each corresponding class of vehicles. Control gates can be provided at entrances and exits to the parking facility. A parking kiosk can be provided to the parking facility that is networked with the central computing system.
14 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A parking facility management system, comprising:
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an entrance camera positioned to view a vehicle as the vehicle enters a parking facility; an exit camera positioned to view the vehicle as the vehicle exits the parking facility; and a central control computer networked with the entrance camera and the exit camera, wherein the central control computer includes a database of parking parameters for the parking facility, the parking parameters including parameters for a first class of vehicles and a second class of vehicles, wherein the parameters for each of the first and second classes of vehicles includes a total number of class spots, a number of used class spots and a number of remaining class spots, wherein the central control computer is configured to; determine the classification of the vehicle as the vehicle enters the parking facility and as the vehicle exits the parking facility; increase the number of used class spots for the first class of vehicles and decrease the number of remaining class spots for the first class of vehicles when the vehicle entering the facility is determined to belong to the first class of vehicles; increase the number of used class spots for the second class of vehicles and decrease the number of remaining class spots for the second class of vehicles when the vehicle entering the facility is determined to belong to the second class of vehicles; decrease the number of used class spots for the first class of vehicles and increase the number of remaining class spots for the first class of vehicles when the vehicle exiting the facility is determined to belong to the first class of vehicles; and decrease the number of used class spots for the second class of vehicles and increase the number of remaining class spots for the second class of vehicles when the vehicle exiting the facility is determined to belong to the second class of vehicles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of managing a parking facility, the method comprising:
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obtaining an image of at least a portion of a vehicle entering the parking facility; relaying an image data for the portion of the vehicle entering the parking facility to a central control computer; obtaining an image of at least a portion of the vehicle exiting the parking facility; relaying an image data for the portion of the vehicle exiting the parking facility to a central control computer; determining by the central control computer the classification of the vehicle as the vehicle enters the parking facility; storing in memory of the central control computer parking parameters for at least a first and a second class of vehicle, the parking parameters including a total number of class spots, a number of used class spots and a number of remaining class spots; increasing the number of used class spots for the first class of vehicles and decreasing the number of remaining class spots for the first class of vehicles when the vehicle entering the facility is determined to belong to the first class of vehicles; increasing the number of used class spots for the second class of vehicles and decreasing the number of remaining class spots for the second class of vehicles when the vehicle entering the facility is determined to belong to the second class of vehicles; decreasing the number of used class spots for the first class of vehicles and increasing the number of remaining class spots for the first class of vehicles when the vehicle exiting the facility is determined to belong to the first class of vehicles; and decreasing the number of used class spots for the second class of vehicles and increasing the number of remaining class spots for the second class of vehicles when the vehicle exiting the facility is determined to belong to the second class of vehicles. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of managing a parking facility, the method comprising:
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determining by a central control computer a classification of a vehicle as the vehicle enters the parking facility; storing in memory of the central control computer a plurality of parking parameters for at least a first and a second class of vehicle, the parking parameters including a total number of class spots, a number of used class spots and a number of remaining class spots; increasing the number of used class spots for the first class of vehicles and decreasing the number of remaining class spots for the first class of vehicles when the vehicle entering the facility is determined to belong to the first class of vehicles; increasing the number of used class spots for the second class of vehicles and decreasing the number of remaining class spots for the second class of vehicles when the vehicle entering the facility is determined to belong to the second class of vehicles; decreasing the number of used class spots for the first class of vehicles and increasing the number of remaining class spots for the first class of vehicles when the vehicle exiting the facility is determined to belong to the first class of vehicles; and decreasing the number of used class spots for the second class of vehicles and increasing the number of remaining class spots for the second class of vehicles when the vehicle exiting the facility is determined to belong to the second class of vehicles. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification