Parking information collection system and method

• US 8,063,797 B1
• Filed: 07/29/2011
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SelfieParking, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Parkme, LLC
• Inventors: Sonnabend, Eric, Landman, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US13/194,896
• Time in Patent Office: 116 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 340/933, 340/937, 340/992, 34099512-99515, 340/995.22, 340/995.25, 382/103, 382/104
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/582 of traffic signs
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/143 inside the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/144 on portable or mobile units, e.g. personal digital assistant [PDA]
• 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: G08G 1/207 with respect to certain areas, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas with possible alerting when inside or outside boundaries

Abstract

An integrated parking information system is disclosed. The system includes a collection system and a means for collection of parking data, and an information provision system and a method for the provision of parking information, for instance, enabling a driver to know exactly which city parking rules and fines apply for any given street parking space, as well as other associated information. The system can notify members about available parking spots through a GPS application that is integrated with phones & in dash navigation systems. The system can provide alerts to protect members against parking violations.

Claims

1. A method for collecting distributed parking information from two or more data collectors for use in a parking assistance system, the method comprising:

receiving a first offset geocoded parking datum from a first image collection subsystem operated by a first data collector;

storing said first offset geocoded parking datum in a parking information database;

receiving a second offset geocoded parking datum from a second image collection subsystem operated by a second data collector located remotely from the first data collector;

storing said second offset geocoded parking datum in said parking information database; and

processing the first and second offset geocoded parking data to interpret parking information to be provided to the parking assistance system;

wherein said first offset geocoded parking datum is specified to a geolocation more accurate than a geolocation on accuracy of said first image collection subsystem; and

wherein said second offset geocoded parking datum is specified to a geolocation more accurate than a geolocation accuracy of said second image collection subsystem.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image collection subsystem is a standalone camera connected to a GPS-enabled network communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image collection subsystem is a GPS-enabled handheld mobile device having a built-in camera.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image collection subsystem is an automatic parking data collection system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first parking datum is a raw image captured by said first image collection subsystem.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first parking datum is text retrieved from a raw image captured by said first image collection subsystem by means of executing an optical character recognition algorithm.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first parking datum is an indication of an identified street object by means of executing an object recognition algorithm.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first parking datum is an indication of one or more obstructions in a captured image.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

in response to said indication of one or more obstructions in a captured image, publishing a geocoded request to a network of data collectors for recapturing said first parking datum.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein processing comprises the step of:

indexing said first offset geocoded parking datum by category of parking information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein processing comprises the step of:

associating said first offset geocoded parking datum with meta data.

12. A parking information collection system, comprising:

one or more memories for storing program code;

one or more communication links to a parking information database; and

one or more processors, operatively connected to the one or more memories, for executing the stored program code, which when executed causes the system to perform a process comprising the steps of;

receiving a first offset geocoded parking datum from a first image collection subsystem operated by a first data collector;

storing said first offset geocoded parking datum in a parking information database;

receiving a second offset geocoded parking datum from a second image collection subsystem operated by a second data collector located remotely from the first data collector;

storing said second offset geocoded parking datum in said parking information database; and

processing the first and second offset geocoded parking data to interpret parking information to be provided to the parking assistance system;

wherein said first offset geocoded parking datum is specified to a geolocation more accurate than a geolocation accuracy of said first image collection subsystem; and

wherein said second offset geocoded parking datum is specified to a geolocation more accurate than a geolocation accuracy of said second image collection subsystem.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first image collection subsystem is a standalone camera connected to a GPS-enabled network communication device.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first image collection subsystem is a GPS-enabled handheld mobile device having a built-in camera.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the first parking datum is a raw image captured by said first image collection subsystem.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the first parking datum is text retrieved from a raw image captured by said first image collection subsystem by means of executing an optical character recognition algorithm.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the first parking datum is an indication of an identified street object by means of executing an object recognition algorithm.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the first parking datum is an indication of one or more obstructions in a captured image.

19. An automatic data collection system adapted to be connected to a mechanical means for physically moving on a street, comprising:

locating means for capturing a current offset geocode in relation to said mechanical means;

one or more image collection subsystems physically connected to said mechanical means;

one or more memories for storing program code; and

one or more processors, operatively connected to the one or more image collection subsystems, operatively connected to said locating means, and operatively connected to the one or more memories, for executing the stored program code, which when executed causes the system to perform a process comprising the steps of;

receiving an affirmative command to collect parking information;

in response to said command, instructing one or more of said image collection subsystems to capture an image; and

in response to said command, instructing said locating means to capture the current offset geocode of said mechanical means;

wherein said offset geocode is specified to a geolocation more accurate than a geolocation accuracy of said locating means.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said affirmative command is sent periodically by a device programmed to repeat on a programmatic interval.