Concepts for defining travel paths in parking areas

• US 8,655,593 B1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Davidson, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US13/795,290
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• Field of Search: 701/533, 318/443, 318/444, 188/79.54, 404/4, 404/17, 404/36, 404/72
• US Class Current: 701/533
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• 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 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/144 on portable or mobile units, e.g. personal digital assistant [PDA]
• 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

Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for defining travel paths in parking areas. In one embodiment, travel paths in parking areas can be defined by connecting street networking connection points within the parking areas. In another embodiment, such defined travel paths can be merged with actual paths traveled by vehicles in the parking areas.

Claims

1. A method for defining travel paths in parking areas, the method comprising:

identifying, via one or more processors, a parking area in which there is at least one travel path for the parking area that is not represented on a digital map;

identifying, via the one or more processors, one or more street network connection points for the parking area, the one or more street network connection points providing the ability to at least enter the parking area from or exit the parking area to a street network; and

defining, via the one or more processors, one or more travel paths in the parking area by connecting the one or more street network connection points in the parking area.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a known obstruction in the parking area; and

removing travel paths defined in the parking area that overlap with the known obstructions.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein removing the travel paths defined in the parking area that overlap with the known obstructions further comprises removing travel paths defined in the parking area that are within a configurable distance of the known obstructions.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising representing the travel paths defined in the parking area in the digital map.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the travel paths in the parking area by connecting the one or more street network connection points in the parking area further comprises defining travel paths in the parking area using one selected from the group consisting of a grid, a lattice, and a matrix.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein travel paths of the grid, lattice, or matrix are defined at a configurable distance from one another.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising, before defining the one or more travel paths in the parking area, identifying a known obstruction in the parking area so as to not define travel paths that (a) overlap with the known obstruction or (b) are within a configurable distance of the known obstruction.

8. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

identify a parking area in which there is at least one travel path for the parking area that is not represented on a digital map;

identify one or more street network connection points for the parking area, the one or more street network connection points providing the ability to at least enter the parking area from or exit the parking area to a street network; and

define one or more travel paths in the parking area by connecting the one or more street network connection points in the parking area.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

Identify a known obstruction in the parking area; and

remove travel paths defined in the parking area that overlap with the known obstruction.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein removing the travel paths defined in the parking area that overlap with the known obstruction further comprises removing travel paths defined in the parking area that are within a configurable distance of the known obstruction.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to represent the travel paths defined in the parking area in the digital map.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein defining the travel paths in the parking area by connecting the one or more street network connection points in the parking area further comprises defining travel paths in the parking area using one selected from the group consisting of a grid, a lattice, and a matrix.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein travel paths of the grid, lattice, or matrix are defined at a configurable distance from one another.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to, before defining the one or more travel paths in the parking area, identify a known obstruction in the parking area so as to not define travel paths that (a) overlap with the known obstruction or (b) are within a configurable distance of the known obstruction.

15. A computer program product for defining travel paths in parking areas, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to identify a parking area in which there is at least one travel path for the parking area that is not represented on a digital map;

an executable portion configured to identify one or more street network connection points for the parking area, the one or more street network connection points providing the ability to at least enter the parking area from or exit the parking area to a street network; and

an executable portion configured to define one or more travel paths in the parking area by connecting the one or more street network connection points in the parking area.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising:

an executable portion configured to identify a known obstruction in the parking area; and

an executable portion configured to remove travel paths defined in the parking area that overlap with the known obstruction.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein removing the travel paths defined in the parking area that overlap with the known obstruction further comprises removing travel paths defined in the parking area that are within a configurable distance of the known obstruction.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 an executable portion configured to represent the travel paths defined in the parking area in the digital map.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein defining the travel paths in the parking area by connecting the one or more street network connection points in the parking area further comprises defining travel paths in the parking area using one selected from the group consisting of a grid, a lattice, and a matrix.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein travel paths of the grid, lattice, or matrix are defined at a configurable distance from one another.

21. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising an executable portion configured to, before defining the one or more travel paths in the parking area, identify a known obstruction in the parking area so as to not define travel paths that (a) overlap with the known obstruction or (b) are within a configurable distance of the known obstruction.