Parking management apparatus and system

• US 9,773,414 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2015
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sengled Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. (SengLED USA, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sengled Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. (SengLED USA, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Xia, Sun, Chaoqun, Shen, Jinxiang
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, QUANG
• Application Number:
  US15/027,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20160328970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/142 external to the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A parking management system is provided. The system includes a plurality of first parking management apparatuses configured to detect whether parking spaces are occupied and to adjust a brightness level of lights based on occupancy information of the parking spaces. The system also includes at least one second parking management apparatus configured to detect whether a vehicle passes through one of an entrance and an exit of a parking facility and perform corresponding operations based on a detection result. Further, the system includes a server, where the first parking management apparatuses are cascaded through a first Bluetooth module. The first parking management apparatus is connected to a wireless module of the second parking management apparatus through the first Bluetooth module; the second parking management apparatus communicates with the server through the wireless module; and the plurality of first parking management apparatuses communicate with the server through the second parking management apparatus.

Claims

1. A parking facility management system of a parking facility, comprising:

a plurality of first parking management apparatuses, each comprising a first motion detection module, a first Bluetooth module, and a first lighting module and being installed above a corresponding parking space of the parking facility, the first motion detection module configured to detect whether the corresponding parking space is occupied or unoccupied, to provide occupancy information of the corresponding parking space to the Bluetooth module and the first lighting module;

wherein the first Bluetooth module is configured to send the occupancy information of the corresponding parking space received by the first motion detection module to a server via at least one second parking management apparatus; and

wherein the first lighting module is configured to adjust a brightness level of lights based on the occupancy information of the corresponding parking space, and wherein the first lighting module adjusts the brightness level of lights at a first predetermined brightness level when the corresponding parking space is unoccupied and the first lighting module adjusts the brightness level of lights at a second predetermined brightness level when the corresponding parking space is occupied, and wherein the first predetermined brightness level is smaller than the second predetermined brightness level;

the at least one second parking management apparatus, located at least one of an entrance or an exit of the parking comprising a second motion detection module configured to detect whether a vehicle is entering into the entrance of the parking facility or exiting the exit of the parking facility and perform at least light-brightness adjusting operation and parking fee requesting and confirming operations based on a detection result; and

the server, wherein;

the plurality of first parking management apparatuses are cascaded through a first Bluetooth module;

each of the plurality of first parking management apparatuses is connected to a wireless module of the at least one second parking management apparatus through the corresponding first Bluetooth module;

the at least one second parking management apparatus communicates with the server through the wireless module;

each of the plurality first parking management apparatuses communicates with the server directly through the at least one second parking management apparatus; and

each of the plurality first parking management apparatuses further comprising a map obtaining module configured to obtain a map of the parking facility from the server through the first Bluetooth module and mark its corresponding parking space in the map of the facility.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first lighting module further includes:

a first information receiving submodule configured to receive the occupancy information of the corresponding parking space;

a first lighting assembly;

a first light adjusting submodule configured to, based on the occupancy information of the corresponding parking space, adjust the brightness level of the first lighting assembly, wherein;

if the occupancy information of the corresponding parking space shows that the corresponding parking space is unoccupied, the brightness level of the first lighting assembly is maintained at the first predetermined brightness level;

if the occupancy information of the corresponding parking space shows that the corresponding parking space is occupied, the brightness level of the first lighting assembly is increased to the second predetermined brightness level and is maintained at the second predetermined brightness level for a preset time period; and

if time exceeds the preset time period, the brightness level of the first fighting assembly is decreased to the first predetermined brightness level.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the first Bluetooth module of the corresponding parking space is further configured to, if the parking space is occupied, send the map of the parking facility with the marked parking space to a user device.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein:

the first Bluetooth module is a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) 4.1 module.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one second parking management apparatus further includes:

the second motion detection module configured to detect whether a vehicle is entering into the entrance of the parking facility, and inform the wireless module and a second lighting module if the second module detection module detects that a vehicle is entering into the entrance of the parking facility;

a parking guidance module configured to obtain the map of the parking facility from the server through the wireless module, wherein the occupancy information of each parking space is marked on the map, and the occupancy information of each parking space is one of occupied and unoccupied;

the wireless module configured to, if the vehicle enters into the entrance of the parking facility, send the map including the occupancy information of each parking space of the parking facility to a user device associated with the vehicle; and

the second lighting module configured to, if the vehicle passes through the entrance or the exit of the parking facility, adjust a brightness level of light to at least one of a first predetermined brightness level and a second predetermined brightness level, wherein the first predetermined brightness level of no vehicle passing through the entrance or the exit of the parking facility is smaller than the second predetermined brightness level of the vehicle passing through the entrance or the exit of the parking facility.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein;

the at least one second parking management apparatus further includes a parking fee obtaining module;

the second motion detection module is also configured to detect whether a vehicle is exiting the parking facility, and inform the parking fee obtaining module if the second motion detection module detects that the vehicle is exiting the parking facility; and

the parking fee obtaining module is configured to obtain the parking fee of the vehicle from the server through the wireless module, and send a request for the parking fee of the vehicle to the user device associated with the vehicle though the wireless module.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein:

the wireless module is also configured to receive payment successful information from the user device associated with the vehicle, wherein the payment successful information is information sent by a mobile online payment platform connected to the user device associated with the vehicle after the payment is successfully made.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein:

the first Bluetooth module of each of the plurality first parking management apparatus is a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) 4.1 module.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein:

the first Bluetooth module includes a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) 4.1 module and a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) module.

10. The system according to claim 5, wherein the second lighting module further includes:

a second information receiving submodule configured to receive vehicle-entry and exit information at the entrance or exit of the parking facility;

a second light adjusting submodule configured to maintain the brightness level of a second lighting assembly at the first predetermined brightness level if no vehicle enters into the entrance of the parking facility or exits the exit of the parking facility;

the second light adjusting submodule also configured to adjust the brightness level of the second lighting assembly to the second predetermined brightness level if the vehicle passes through one of the entrance and the exit of the parking facility and maintain the second predetermined brightness level for a preset time period, wherein the brightness level of the second lighting assembly is decreased to the first predetermined brightness level if time exceeds the preset time period; and

the second lighting assembly configured to provide the first predetermined brightness level if no vehicle passes through one of the entrance and the exit of the parking facility, and provide the second predetermined brightness level for the preset time period if the vehicle passes through one of the entrance and the exit of the parking facility, wherein the brightness level of the second lighting assembly is decreased to the first predetermined brightness level if time exceeds the preset time period, and the first predetermined brightness level is lower than the second predetermined brightness level.

11. A parking facility management method of a parking facility comprising a plurality of first parking management apparatus, at least one second parking management apparatus, and a server, comprising:

detecting, by each of the plurality of first parking management apparatus, whether a corresponding parking space is occupied;

wherein each of the plurality of parking management lighting module and being installed above the corresponding parking space of the parking facility, the first motion detection module configured to detect whether the corresponding parking space is occupied or unoccupied, to provide occupancy information of the corresponding parking space to the first Bluetooth module and the first lighting module;

wherein the first Bluetooth module is configured to send the occupancy information of the corresponding parking space received by the first motion detection module to the server via the at least one second parking management apparatus, and wherein the first lighting module is configured to adjust a brightness level of lights based on the occupancy information of the corresponding parking space, and wherein the first lighting module adjust the brightness level of lights at a first predetermined brightness level when the corresponding parking space is unoccupied and the first lighting module adjusts the brightness level of lights at a second predetermined brightness level when the corresponding parking space is occupied, and wherein the first predetermined brightness level is smaller than the second predetermined brightness level;

sending, by the first Bluetooth module of each of the plurality of first parking management apparatus, the occupancy information of the corresponding parking space received by the first motion detection module to the server via the at least one second parking management apparatus;

based on the occupancy information of the corresponding parking space, adjusting, by the first lghting module, a brightness level of lights over the corresponding parking space;

wherein the first lighting module adjusts the brightness level of light at a first predetermined brightness level when the corresponding parking space is unoccupied and the first lighting module adjusts the brightness level of light at a second predetermined brightness level when the corresponding parking space is occupied, and wherein the first predetermined brightness level is smaller than the second predetermined brightness level; and

detecting, by a second motion detection module of the at least one second parking management apparatus, located at least one of an entrance or an exit of the parking facility, whether a vehicle is passing through one of the entrance and the exit of a parking facility to perform at least light-brightness adjusting operation and parking fee requesting and confirming operations based on a detection result;

wherein;

the plurality of first parking management apparatuses are cascaded through the first Bluetooth module;

each of the plurality of first parking management apparatuses is connected to a wireless module of the at least one second parking management apparatus through the corresponding first Bluetooth module;

the at least one second parking management apparatus communicates with the server through the wireless module;

each of the plurality first parking management apparatuses communicates with the server directly through the at least one second parking management apparatus; and

each of the plurality first parking management apparatuses further comprising a map obtaining module configured to obtain a map of the parking facility from the server through the first Bluetooth module and mark its corresponding parking space in the map of the facility.

12. The method according to claim 11, further including:

if the occupancy information of the corresponding parking space shows that the parking space is unoccupied, maintaining the brightness level of light at the first predetermined brightness level;

if the occupancy information of the corresponding parking space shows that the parking space is occupied, increasing the brightness level of light to the second predetermined brightness level and maintaining the brightness level of light at the second predetermined brightness level for a preset time period; and

if time exceeds the preset time period, decreasing the brightness level of light from the predetermined brightness level to the first predetermined brightness level.

13. The method according to claim 11, further including:

if the at least one second parking management apparatus detects that the vehicle is entering the entrance of the parking facility, sending a map obtained from server with occupied parking spaces to a user device associated with the vehicle and increasing the brightness level of light at the entrance.

14. The method according to claim 13, further including:

if the at least one second parking management apparatus detects that a vehicle is exiting the exit of the parking facility, obtaining a parking fee of the vehicle from the server through a wireless module and increasing the brightness level of light from the first predetermined brightness level to the second predetermined brightness level at the exit;

sending a parking fee request to the user device associated with the vehicle through the wireless module; and

receiving a parking fee payment notice and decreasing the brightness level of light from the second predetermined brightness level to the first predetermined brightness level, if the vehicle leaves the parking facility.