CONTROLLED PARKING OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

• US 20150149265A1
• Filed: 11/27/2013
• Published: 05/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: HUNTZICKER, FRED W., WILLIAMS, PAUL R.
• Application Number:
  US14/091,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20150149265A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/38215 Use of certificates or encrypted proofs of transaction rights
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/141 with means giving the indication of available parking spaces
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/143 inside the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/84 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlled parking of autonomous vehicles are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes sending a request from a vehicle to park within a parking area controlled by a parking control system using a bi-directional trust system employing a digital authentication certificate, receiving at the vehicle a parking space assignment from the parking control system indicating an assigned parking space within the parking area using the bi-directional trust system, and autonomously controlling the vehicle to drive the vehicle to the assigned parking space within the parking area.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

sending a request from a vehicle to park within a parking area controlled by a parking control system using a bi-directional trust system employing a digital authentication certificate;

receiving at the vehicle a parking space assignment from the parking control system indicating an assigned parking space within the parking area using the bi-directional trust system; and

autonomously controlling the vehicle to drive the vehicle to the assigned parking space within the parking area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the request comprises sending a request using a telematics unit of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the parking space assignment comprises receiving the parking space assignment at the telematics unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the request comprises sending vehicle information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein autonomously controlling the vehicle comprises autonomously operating a steering module and a drive module of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein autonomously controlling the vehicle comprises sensing an object or a position marking indicator outside of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 7, further comprising sending payment information to a parking payment system associated with the parking control system.

8. A system, comprising:

a control circuit configured to receive a request from a vehicle to park within a parking area controlled by the system using a bi-directional trust system employing a digital authentication certificate;

a database configured to store the request and to store a configuration of the parking area and the digital authentication certificate; and

a software module configured to determine an optimized parking location for the vehicle within the parking area based on the configuration of the parking area;

the control circuit further configured to send to the vehicle a parking space assignment indicating an assigned parking space within the parking area using the bi-directional trust system.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the control circuit comprises an operable electronic connection to a communications interface for receiving the request from a telematics unit of the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the control circuit is further configured to receive vehicle information from the vehicle and wherein the database is further configured to store the vehicle information.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the software module is further configured to optimize vehicle parking within the parking area based at least in part on a geometric configuration of the parking area.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the control circuit is further configured to send directions to the assigned parking space.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the control circuit is further configured to send object or position marking indicator information to the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a parking payment system configured to receive payment information from the vehicle.

15. A vehicle, comprising:

a telematics unit configured to send a request from the vehicle to park within a parking area controlled by a parking control system using a bi-directional trust system employing a digital authentication certificate;

the telematics unit further configured to receive at the vehicle a parking space assignment from the parking control system indicating an assigned parking space within the parking area using the bi-directional trust system; and

an autonomous vehicle control system configured to controlling the vehicle to drive the vehicle to the assigned parking space within the parking area.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the telematics unit is further configured to send payment information to a parking payment system associated with the parking control system.

17. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the telematics unit is further configured to send vehicle information.

18. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the autonomous vehicle control system comprises a steering module and a drive module.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, further comprising a sensing device for sensing an object or a position marking indicator outside of the vehicle.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the steering module, the drive module, and the sensing device cooperate to enable autonomous movement of the vehicle.