DETERMINATION OF WHETHER A DRIVER PARKS THEIR VEHICLE IN AN ENCLOSED STRUCTURE

• US 20150213654A1
• Filed: 01/28/2014
• Published: 07/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Krishnamurthy, Vikram, Saito, Daisuke
• Granted Patent: US 9,495,810 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G07C 5/00 Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

In a method for identifying the parking status of a vehicle, navigation data for a vehicle is recorded that includes at least some GPS navigation data originating from communication with GPS satellites. The vehicle is identified as being parked in an enclosed structure for a parking event if the navigation data does not include GPS navigation data associated with the parking event.

Claims

1. A method for identifying the parking status of a vehicle, comprising:

generating, with a GPS unit in communication with GPS satellites, GPS navigation data for a vehicle;

recording navigation data for a-the vehicle, the navigation data including at least the GPS navigation data;

identifying, based on the navigation data, a parking event for the vehicle corresponding in location to a designated address of interest for a user of the vehicle;

associating at least some of the navigation data with the parking event;

identifying whether the navigation data associated with the parking event is GPS navigation data; and

if the navigation data associated with the parking event is not GPS navigation data, identifying the vehicle as being parked in an enclosed structure for the parking event.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the navigation data associated with the parking event is GPS navigation data, identifying the vehicle as not being parked in an enclosed structure for the parking event.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the navigation data associated with the parking event is GPS navigation data, identifying the vehicle as being parked in a structure other than an enclosed structure for the parking event;

identifying a strength of the GPS navigation data associated with the parking event; and

determining a type of the other structure based on the strength of the GPS navigation data associated with the parking event.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, from the navigation data, a terminus of a route traveled by the vehicle;

identifying whether the terminus corresponds in location to the address of interest; and

if the terminus corresponds in location to the address of interest, correlating the terminus to the parking event.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the address of interest based on navigation patterns indicated by the navigation data.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording vehicle condition data for the vehicle, the vehicle condition indicating at least whether the vehicle is powered off;

identifying last recorded navigation data upon the vehicle being powered off; and

associating the last recoded navigation data with the parking event.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording vehicle condition data for the vehicle, the vehicle condition data indicating at least whether the vehicle is powered on;

identifying first recorded navigation data upon the vehicle being powered on; and

associating the first recorded navigation data with the parking event.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a home address for a user of the vehicle; and

designating the home address as the address of interest.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the address of interest based on records associated with a sale or lease of the vehicle.

5. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

10. An apparatus for identifying the parking status of a vehicle, comprising:

a GPS unit configured to generate, via communication with GPS satellites, GPS navigation data for a vehicle; and

at least one processor, the at least one processor configured to execute instructions stored in a memory to;

record navigation data for the vehicle, the navigation data including at least the GPS navigation data;

identify, based on the navigation data, a parking event for the vehicle corresponding in location to a designated address of interest for a user of the vehicle;

associate at least some of the navigation data with the parking event;

identify whether the navigation data associated with the parking event is GPS navigation data; and

if the navigation data associated with the parking event is not GPS navigation data, identify the vehicle as being parked in an enclosed structure for the parking event.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

if the navigation data associated with the parking event is GPS navigation data, identify the vehicle as not being parked in an enclosed structure for the parking event.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

if the navigation data associated with the parking event is GPS navigation data, identify the vehicle as being parked in a structure other than an enclosed structure for the parking event;

identify a strength of the GPS navigation data associated with the parking event; and

determine a type of the other structure based on the strength of the GPS navigation data associated with the parking event.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

identify, from the navigation data, a terminus of a route traveled by the vehicle; and

identify whether the terminus corresponds in location to the address of interest; and

if the terminus corresponds in location to the address of interest, correlate the terminus to the parking event.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

identify the address of interest based on navigation patterns indicated by the navigation data.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

record vehicle condition data for the vehicle, the vehicle condition indicating at least whether the vehicle is powered off;

identify last recorded navigation data upon the vehicle being powered off; and

associate the last recoded navigation data with the parking event.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

record vehicle condition data for the vehicle, the vehicle condition data indicating at least whether the vehicle is powered on;

identify first recorded navigation data upon the vehicle being powered on; and

associate the first recorded navigation data with the parking event.

23. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

identify a home address for a user of the vehicle; and

designate the home address as the address of interest.

24. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

identify the address of interest based on records associated with a sale or lease of the vehicle.

14. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

19. A method for identifying the parking status of a vehicle, comprising:

generating, with a GPS unit in communication with GPS satellites, GPS navigation data for a vehicle;

generating, with vehicle motion sensors, supplemental navigation data for the vehicle;

recording navigation data for the vehicle, the data including the GPS navigation data and the supplemental navigation data;

generating, with vehicle condition sensors, vehicle condition data for the vehicle contemporaneous to the navigation data;

recording the vehicle condition data;

identifying, based at least in part on the vehicle condition data, a parking event for the vehicle corresponding in location to a designated address of interest for a user of the vehicle;

associating at least some of the navigation data with the parking event;

identifying whether the navigation data associated with the parking event is GPS navigation data; and

if the navigation data associated with the parking event is not GPS navigation data, identifying the vehicle as being parked in an enclosed structure for the parking event.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the vehicle condition data indicates at least whether the vehicle is powered off or on, further comprising:

associating at least one of last recorded navigation data upon the vehicle being powered off at the address of interest or first recorded navigation data upon the vehicle being powered on at the address of interest with the parking event.