Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080211689 | Illegal-parking-management portable terminal, illegal-parking management method and computer program product - An illegal-parking-management portable terminal includes a storage unit, an extracting unit, and a selecting unit. The storage unit stores therein facility information on a facility relevant to illegal parking and an illegal-parking application rule that defines illegal-parking condition for each penalty article. The extracting unit extracts, from the facility information, information on a facility within a predetermined range from a position specified as a vehicle parking position on a map displayed on a display unit. The selecting unit compares the extracted information with the illegal-parking application rule, and selects a penalty article to be applied to illegal parking of a vehicle. | 09-04-2008 |
20080218381 | OCCUPANT EXIT ALERT SYSTEM - A proximity sensor system for a vehicle that is parked includes a first remote sensor that senses objects in a rearward area relative to the vehicle. A park determination module determines the vehicle is parked. A door condition module determines a status of a door of the vehicle. A response module selectively responds to the objects based on door condition module signals and park determination module signals. An indicator responds to response module signals. | 09-11-2008 |
20080231469 | Method for Determining a Parking Spot - A method for determining a parking spot including at least the following steps: measuring a parking spot and outputting a measured length of the parking spot; comparing the determined length to at least one limiting value and determining an indicator signal; outputting the indicator signal to the driver; recording vehicle dynamics signals, during a parking operation; evaluating the parking operation on the basis of the recorded vehicle dynamics signals and outputting an evaluation signal, and changing the at least one limiting value as a function of the evaluation signal and the indicator signal. An adaptive parking spot measurement is created in which an evaluation of the parking spot length is automatically adapted to the driving behavior and the driving skills of the respective driver, resulting in a particularly high degree of acceptance of the PSM system by the driver. | 09-25-2008 |
20080231470 | Vehicle Identification, Tracking and Parking Enforcement System - A system for monitoring and tracking vehicles in parking locations, public roadways and highway entrances and exits and other public vehicle access areas is provided, such as to monitor and track vehicles in parking spaces, public roadways and highways without the need for parking or traffic personnel. The system includes a meter system that generates image data of a vehicle in a parking space, public roadway and highway entrances and exits such as by creating an array of pixel data in a predetermined field of view that includes a vehicle identification tag and facial imaging. An enforcement and tracking system receives the image data and generates a vehicle license number, vehicle tag identification number and facial image from the image data, such as by analyzing the image data to identify the vehicle license number, vehicle tag identification number and facial image based on the expected location of the license tag, identification tag and field of view image data characteristics of the license tag, facial image or other suitable data. From the image data acquired, monitoring of parking spaces is performed and violation citations or notices are generated for errant vehicles in parking locations as well as notification to law enforcement and homeland security agencies of vehicles and facial images identified as being on a watch list. | 09-25-2008 |
20080238722 | Parking Aid for a Vehicle and Parking Aid Method - A parking aid ( | 10-02-2008 |
20080252486 | Method for Determining the Ability to Enter a Parking Space and a Parking Assist Device - Disclosed is a method of determining the ability to enter a parking gap starting from an initial position of a vehicle. The negotiability is determined by way of two characteristic diagrams (y | 10-16-2008 |
20080258934 | Method and Apparatus for Automated Parking Assistance - A method of automated parking assistance. A logic unit reads identification information from a transponder attached to a vehicle and determines the current position of the vehicle by measuring distances between the transponder and multiple stationary sensor devices. A pre-defined parking location is stored by pressing a single button. If the current position of the vehicle is not equal to the pre-defined parking location when the vehicle subsequently approaches, the logic unit determines one or more directions in which the current position of the vehicle must be adjusted to reduce the distance between the current position of the vehicle and the pre-defined parking location. A display device displays one or more guidance signals corresponding to the one or more directions in which the current position of the vehicle must be adjusted. If the current position of the vehicle is equal to the pre-defined parking location, a stop signal is displayed. | 10-23-2008 |
20080258935 | Parking Control System and Method - Provided are a parking control system and method. In particularly, the present invention provides a total parking control system and method which are capable of automatically managing and controlling a whole process from a time when a vehicle enters a parking lot to a time when it goes out of there by using a server incorporating therein a program for a very high speed image recognition technique and parking management. For this, the present invention provides a parking location search unit which manages a parking location of an individual vehicle by recognizing vehicle numbers by photographing vehicles entering a parking space and going out of there as well as parked vehicles, and provides related information upon search. The present invention further provides a parking guiding unit guiding a driver of a vehicle entering the parking lot to an empty place for parking. | 10-23-2008 |
20080266137 | Parking guidance method for vehicle - The present invention provides parking guidance methods for a vehicle, which comprises: calculating an estimated backward track of the vehicle from a current steering angle detected by a steering angle sensor; calculating an estimated parking space from the estimated backward track and a relative angle inputted by a driver through an input means; converting coordinates of the calculated estimated backward track and estimated parking space into image coordinates; synthesizing the converted image coordinates with an image acquired by a camera provided at the rear of the vehicle; and displaying the synthesized image on a monitor of the vehicle. The methods enhances driver's convenience and safety in the event of back-in perpendicular parking. | 10-30-2008 |
20080266138 | APPARATUS FOR MONITORING INDIVIDUAL PARKING POSITIONS - Apparatus for the individual monitoring of parking positions of a parking facility comprises a sensor ( | 10-30-2008 |
20080266139 | Method for detecting parking area by using range sensor - Disclosed is a method for detecting a parking space by using a range sensor, which includes the steps of: (a) collecting, by a parking environment recognition control unit, distance data in a predetermined period by using the range sensor according to a user's selection and mapping the collected distance data on a coordinates system based on a parking space searching vehicle; (b) classifying the collected distance data into short distance data and long distance data; (c) calculating parking-available distance data which is a horizontal movement distance of an interval where the long distance data is collected from when the long distance data starts to be collected; (d) checking if the parking space exists based on the calculated parking-available distance data; (e) stopping the parking space searching vehicle by controlling an active braking apparatus or recommending a driver to stop the parking space searching vehicle by means of a voice and alarm sounds when it has been checked in steps (d) that the parking space exists; and (f) generating the distance data, which has been mapped based on the parking space searching vehicle in step (a) and has been classified into the short distance data and the long distance data in step (b), as a parking environment map. Distance data obtained by a range sensor is mapped on a coordinate system based on own vehicle, and the obtained distance data is classified into short distance data and long distance data, and it is determined if an available parking area exists so as to be provided to a driver. Therefore, an available parking area is further rapidly and accurately detected so as to allow the driver to park his/her vehicle in a convenient manner. | 10-30-2008 |
20080278348 | Determining Asset Location Via Local Triangulation - The present invention is a method for locating an asset in a facility. An example of an asset is a vehicle and an example of a facility is a parking facility. When the user enters the facility with the asset, the user receives a base and code from a base/code booth. The code may be stored on a removable card. The user secures the asset by entering the code. While the user is away from the facility, the present invention monitors the base for movement detected by the motion sensor. When the user returns to the facility, a locator panel displays the location of the asset. The present invention determines the location of the asset by triangulation using the locators. The user then returns to the asset, deactivates the motion sensor, returns the base and code to a base/code booth, pays for the storage services, and exits the facility. | 11-13-2008 |
20080284617 | BACK WARNING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VEHICLE - A back warning system and method for a vehicle are provided. The system includes an electronic system and a plurality of sensor units. When the vehicle is backed, the electronic system transmits a sensor drive message and then generates a warning based on a received warning level. The sensor units are driven when receiving the sensor drive message, sense a distance from a rear obstacle, and transmit a warning level corresponding to the sensed distance to the electronic system. | 11-20-2008 |
20080291054 | Parking system employing rem techniques - The system described is an integrated parking management system which makes use of patented vehicle detectors to collect and transmit data, essentially in near real time, as to all events happening as to single or multiple parking spaces (e.g. current and historic use, length of time of occupancy of current occupant) to a central clearing device for which patent application has been made which serves as a logic core and repository, making use of proprietary software, analyzing, displaying and distributing the data so developed as to a parking plant and all of its components to allow all parties (including prospective users) who are concerned with the various aspects of a parking plant and its components (e.g. determination as to availability of spaces, maintenance and repair of meters, collection of revenues and enforcement of parking regulations) not only to access and make passive use of the information developed, in near real time, to permit them to identify what's happening to the plant and its components as to their own particular interest in such plant and so maximize the efficient use both of the resources of the plant and their own resources directed to the particular aspect of their interface with the plant and its components but also to access and make active use of such information for whatever purpose and in whatever fashion using whatever means of access they may wish. While others have made claim to certain of the individual functions described, e.g. vehicle detection, nobody has identified or patented | 11-27-2008 |
20080316056 | Vehicle Garage Parking and Stopping Guide - A multi-sensory parking guidance system using visual, auditory and tactile feel indicators to guide a driver into an optimal position to park a vehicle. The invention also indicates the appropriate stopping position within a parking space. | 12-25-2008 |
20090027231 | PARKING INFORMATION SENSING DEVICE AND PROVIDING METHOD THEREOF - A parking information sensing device is disclosed. Each parking space in a parking lot is disposed with a parking information sensing device for detecting whether there is a car on the parking space. By means of a driving control circuit, the parking information sensing device drives a light emitting unit to emit a light and a reflecting element of the parking space is on a pathway of the light. The light is reflected by the reflecting element and then the reflected light passes an light sensing unit that detects the reflected light and generates a first sensing signal sent to the driving control circuit. Thus the driving control circuit judges there is no vehicle on the parking space. On the other hand, the judges there is a car on the parking space according to other sensing signal. Moreover, the parking information sensing device further includes a first transmitting/receiving unit that forms a wireless mesh network among parking information sensing devices. | 01-29-2009 |
20090040068 | Parking Assist Device and a Method for Electric Power Transmission and Reception Between a Vehicle and a Ground Apparatus - A parking assist device has a touch display ( | 02-12-2009 |
20090079589 | Parking guidance apparatus and method - A parking guidance system having an anchor for suspending a marking object and an applicator which allows the use of an extension arm or pole to install the system without a ladder. The anchor is connected to a garage ceiling with an adhesive and the filament is connected to the marking object by movable hook. Also, a cleaning attachment is provided to prepare the ceiling for the adhesive. | 03-26-2009 |
20090085771 | AUTO-PARKING DEVICE - An auto-parking device installed on a vehicle comprises a vehicle status sensing unit for detecting a state of a vehicle, an image acquisition unit for capturing vehicle outside image, a range sensing unit for measuring the space, a processing unit for receiving states of the vehicle from the vehicle status sensing unit, receiving environmental states from the image acquisition unit and range sensing unit, calculating a parking path based on parallel parking or back-in parking and then controlling the vehicle steering, throttle and brake via a driving control unit to automatically park the car into the space as per the planned parking path. | 04-02-2009 |
20090085772 | System And Method Of Image-Based Space Detection - Disclosed is a system and method of image-based space detection. The system includes an image selection module, a 3-layer detection mechanism and an optimization module. At least one image processing area that may affect space-status judgment is selected from plural image processing areas. The 3-layer detection mechanism having an observation layer, a labeling layer, and a semantic layer observes the information about the selected image processing area, associates with a local classification model, and adjacent local constraint model and a global semantics model to completely describe the probability distribution of the links among the three layers, and provide global label constraint information. The optimization module analyzes the probability distribution and global label constraint information, and generates an image-based optimized space detection result. | 04-02-2009 |
20090085773 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING VEHICLE PARKING INFORMATION USING NAVIGATION SATELLITE - Provided is a system and method for providing vehicle parking information using a navigation satellite. The system includes: a monitoring unit for photographing an image of a vehicle parking space and transmitting the image to a parking space checking unit; the parking space checking unit for checking a vacant parking space based on the transmitted vehicle parking space image and transmitting vacant parking space acquisition information to a location information computing unit; and the location information computing unit for creating and transmitting location information of the vacant parking space, which is vehicle parking information, to a navigation satellite based on own location information acquired based on navigation information transmitted from an external navigation satellite and the transmitted vacant parking space acquisition information. | 04-02-2009 |
20090091475 | PARKING ASSIST DEVICE - A parking assist device includes a monitor ( | 04-09-2009 |
20090109062 | PARKING COUNT CONTROL SYSTEM USING PARKING MANAGEMENT SERVER AND METHOD THEREOF - Provided is a parking count control system using a parking management server which is a parking management control system using a driver terminal unit, the system including: a mobile driver terminal unit capable of performing voice communication or/and wireless Internet; a parking management server receiving parking information about an identifier (ID) of a parking area and a parking time from the driver terminal unit when the parking management server has an access to the driver terminal unit to perform settlement and counting a parking time according to a parking area to notify the driver terminal unit of a parking completion message; a parking terminal unit installed in the parking area or in a plurality of parking areas, receiving parking-related information transmitted from the parking management server to count and display a parking remaining time; and a settlement server connected to the parking management server and processing and authenticating parking-related small amount or credit settlement by request of the parking management server. | 04-30-2009 |
20090121899 | PARKING ASSISTANCE DEVICE - To provide a parking assistance device for accurately detecting obstacles in the periphery of a parking zone; for detecting a parking space in which a vehicle can be parked without coming into contact with the obstacles; and for satisfactorily assisting a driving operation. The parking assistance device detects a stationary object present in the periphery of a vehicle, and assists in parking the vehicle. The parking assistance device comprises surface shape detection means ( | 05-14-2009 |
20090128364 | Parking device - A parking device is for supporting a parking procedure, in which sensors record a vehicle environment and an evaluation unit ascertains an alignment of the parking space with the aid of the parking space environment. | 05-21-2009 |
20090135025 | TIME MONITORING SYSTEM - A system, a method, and service that monitors the time a space is occupied. The time period for occupation of the space may be prepaid or the fees may accumulate while the space is occupied. The system detects when an occupant enters the space and starts a timer. The system further provides a user interface whereby a user may prepay for an allotted period of time or may accumulate time in the space and then be billed later. Identifying information about the occupant may be acquired by an imaging device. The imaging device may further poll the space to determine if and when the occupant departs from the space. Identifying information may also be acquired through a user interface in which a user may enter identifying information, such as a credit card, a license number, a VIN, a driver's license, etc. The fact that the space has been occupied, the identifying information, and any prepaid amounts are transmitted via a communication device to a control station. The control station may monitor events in the space such that when an occupant departs the space, the timer is reset. Alternatively, the control station may issue fees for use of the space, may issue penalties or even call for removal of the occupant from the space if occupation of the space exceeds the amount of time purchased or poses an abuse of the privilege of using the space. | 05-28-2009 |
20090146842 | Method and system for recognizing target parking location of vehicle - Disclosed is a method and a system for recognizing a target parking location of a vehicle. The system includes a scanning laser radar for detecting range data reflected and directed from a rear surface of the vehicle; a preprocessing unit for preprocessing the range data to extract effective clusters; a corner recognition unit for extracting obstacle corners from the effective clusters; and a parking location setting unit for recognizing a main reference corner, which is closest to a subjective vehicle and has an adjacent space satisfying an available parking space condition, and a sub reference corner, which exists toward the adjacent space in a direction opposite to a vehicle width direction from the main reference corner, and corresponds to a point on a closest effective cluster within a distance between a vehicle width and a vehicle length, from the obstacle corners to set a target parking location. | 06-11-2009 |
20090146843 | Residential garage parking position indicator - A residential garage can be either attached or detached from a residence and normally includes a paneled, roll-up door that can be opened and closed either manually or via mechanical means utilizing a motor and drive system. A pendant (soft target) suspended from a cord is movable in a vertical direction from a raised position (garage door closed) to a lowered position (garage door open) via direct linkage and travel reduction of the cord to the top of the garage door, suspended from the garage ceiling with guides. When the garage door is raised and the pendant is lowered, a driver in a vehicle can park in the garage utilizing the pendant to properly and precisely align the vehicle inside the garage by stopping the vehicle at the point when the vehicle windshield first contacts the pendant. | 06-11-2009 |
20090153362 | POSITION REGISTRATION DEVICE, ROUTE SEARCH DEVICE, POSITION REGISTRATION METHOD, POSITION REGISTRATION PROGRAM, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - A position registering apparatus includes an acquiring unit that acquires traveling state information concerning a mobile object; a position identifying unit that identifies a current position of the mobile object based on the traveling state information and map information; a parking determining unit that determines whether the mobile object is parked when the current position is identified not be on a road; and a registering unit that registers a point of deviation from the road by the mobile object as an entrance point to a parking lot when the current position that has been identified to be on the road is identified to be not on the road and the mobile object is determined to be parked. The registering unit further registers the current position identified upon the parking determining unit determining that the mobile object is parked, as a parking lot position correlated with the entrance point. | 06-18-2009 |
20090167564 | PARKING GUIDANCE DEVICE AND METHOD THEREOF - A parking guidance device storing the information of length and width of a car is disclosed, which comprises: a central controller, a distance detector electrically connecting to said central controller for detecting the distances from obstacles, an image detector electrically connecting to said central controller for detecting the shape of a parking space, a two-axis rotating detector electrically connecting to said central controller for detecting the direction of said car, a human-machine operation interface electrically connecting to said central controller for inputting signals, and a car controller area network bus interface electrically connecting to said central controller for controlling wheel, engine and braking system, wherein said central controller integrates the information of distances and shape of said parking space, compares the same to the information of length and width of said car to gain a parking track, and makes the moving track of said car correspond with said parking track by controlling wheel, engine and braking system through the car controller area network bus interface. | 07-02-2009 |
20090167565 | Navigation apparatus and computer program - A vehicle guidance device is configured such that, in a case where a vehicle is parked in an on-street parking zone, the vehicle guidance device specifies a parking meter from among the parking meters for the on-street parking zone in which the vehicle is parked, then provides guidance to the position where the specified parking meter is installed. In a case where an on-street parking zone is located in the vicinity of the vehicle's current position while the vehicle is in motion, the vehicle guidance device provides guidance to the position of a parking meter for the on-street parking zone. | 07-02-2009 |
20090174574 | PARKING ASSIST APPARATUS AND METHOD - It is an object of the present invention to provide a parking assisting apparatus which can selectively determine an appropriate target parking position, which can be used for parking assisting, with an appropriate priority, by appropriately using obstacle detecting means and parking space detecting means in a coordinated fashion. The present invention is a parking assisting apparatus for assisting parking a vehicle, comprising the obstacle detecting means for detecting an obstacle near the vehicle; and parking section line detecting means for detecting a parking section line painted on the ground; wherein if the parking section line is detected by the parking section line detecting means, the apparatus calculates the target parking position based on the detected parking section line. | 07-09-2009 |
20090201175 | VEHICLE POSITIONING GUIDE AND METHOD - In accordance with the present invention, there are provided three bars of light to help a user maneuver a vehicle into a space accessed by a garage door that is controlled by an electric door opener. The three bars of light are powered by an electric garage door opener using one of the two electric lamp outputs of the garage door opener. A simple screw-in plug base and triple tap adapter allows one outlet to power the three bars of light. When a vehicle approaches the garage and signals for the garage door to open the three bars of light are activated. The driver of the vehicle need only keep the center bar of light centered between the outside bars of light to properly align the vehicle. | 08-13-2009 |
20090207044 | Parking lot congested state determination device, parking lot congested state determination method, and computer program - In a case where it is determined that a vehicle is in an unparked state within a parking lot for at least a specified time, the parking lot where the vehicle is currently located is determined to be in a congested state, and information that pertains to the parking lot that is determined to be in a congested state is transmitted to a probe center as probe information. The probe center, based on the received probe information, creates parking lot guidance information to provide guidance on the parking lot that is in a congested state, then distributes the created parking lot guidance information to vehicles that are located in the vicinity of the parking lot that is determined to be in a congested state. A navigation device in a vehicle to which the parking lot guidance information is distributed provides guidance that pertains to the parking lot that is in a congested state. | 08-20-2009 |
20090207045 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING TARGET PARKING POSITION BY USING TWO REFERENCE POINTS, AND PARKING ASSIST SYSTEM USING THE SAME - Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for detecting a target parking position by using two reference points, and a parking assist system using the same. The apparatus includes: a first unit for receiving an input image obtained by photographing a parking space and the two reference points in the input image; a second unit for detecting a target pattern of parking slot markings by using each of the two reference points; and a third unit for detecting the target parking position by using the detected target patterns. | 08-20-2009 |
20090212974 | Parking aid notification by vibration - A vehicle parking aid system may employ a seat, a steering wheel, and at least one or more sensors disposed about the periphery of the vehicle to detect objects outside of the vehicle. Additionally, indicators, which may be vibratory, may be disposed in a component such as a seat and/or the steering wheel of the vehicle and are associated with the sensor(s). The vehicle component may communicate with a driver of the vehicle via the at least one indicator, which may vibrate when the at least one sensor detects an object near the vehicle and sensor. The indicators may be selectively orientated in the seat and steering wheel and activated by the sensors in a manner that indicates a location of the detected object relative to the vehicle. | 08-27-2009 |
20090243886 | Arrangement Comprising a Vehicle Component and at Least One Electroacoustic Transducer, Especially an Ultrasonic Transducer - Presented is an apparatus that includes a vehicle component that includes an outer wall that includes an internal face and at least one electro-acoustic transducer disposed on the internal face of the outer wall of the vehicle component. The at least one electro-acoustic transducer includes a pot-type housing and a piezo-electric ceramic body disposed inside the pot-type housing. The pot-type housing includes a base area affixed to the internal face of the outer wall of the vehicle component. | 10-01-2009 |
20090243887 | Method for Providing Assistance During a Parking Maneuver of a Vehicle - A method providing assistance during the parking maneuver of a vehicle into a parking space situated laterally to the vehicle to be parked, an erroneous length of the parking space being detected with the aid of a sensor system of the vehicle while the vehicle drives past the parking space on a curved trajectory. To determine the actual length of the parking space, a trajectory of the vehicle differing from a straight trajectory of the vehicle is additionally detected while driving past the parking space, for example, on the basis of the steering angle of the vehicle, and a correction value for the detected length of the parking space is ascertained therefrom. The actual length of the parking space is determined with a high degree of accuracy without the need for other measured values to be detected, for example, the orientation of parked vehicles or the depth of the parking space. | 10-01-2009 |
20090243888 | PARKING ASSISTANCE DEVICE AND PARKING ASSISTANCE METHOD - A parking assisting apparatus that can reduce a burden of a driver at a preliminary stage of parking. The parking assisting apparatus assists parking of a vehicle and includes an obstacle detector that detects an obstacle near the vehicle and an information outputting mechanism that informs the driver of a parking space adjacent to the obstacle detected by the obstacle detector. | 10-01-2009 |
20090243889 | MONOCULAR MOTION STEREO-BASED FREE PARKING SPACE DETECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD - A monocular motion stereo-based automatic free parking space detection system is disclosed. The system acquires image sequences with a single rearview fisheye camera, three-dimensionally reconstructs the vehicle rearview by using point correspondences, and recovers metric information from a known camera height to estimate the positions of adjacent vehicles thereby detecting the free parking spaces. By using de-rotation-based feature selection and 3D structure mosaicking the degradation of the 3D structure near the epipole is solved and it is not necessary to use the unreliable odometry due to its accuracy depending on road conditions. | 10-01-2009 |
20090251333 | PARKING POSITION SEARCH ASSISTING APPARATUS, METHOD AND PROGRAM - An image-taking control section ( | 10-08-2009 |
20090251334 | PARKING ASSISTING SYSTEM - To provide a parking support device for easily and quickly moving or rotating a target parking frame to an appropriate position. The parking support device includes a target parking position setting unit configured to set a target parking position at which a vehicle is to be parked with a target parking frame superimposed on an actual image displaying an area surrounding the vehicle. The parking support device guides the vehicle to the target parking position set by the target parking position setting unit. The target parking position setting unit moves the target parking frame initially displayed on a touch display to a position indicated by a coordinate point determined by a touch operation. | 10-08-2009 |
20090261988 | System, Access Control Device and Method for Enabling the Exchange and Shared Use of Parking Spaces - This invention describes a new system, device and method for the shared use and exchange of parking spaces, with controlled access between parking supply and demand entities, and specifically between individuals. The parking exchange system includes: i) a central platform to manage the operations resulting from the use of the associated parking spaces in terms of the registered supply and demand, ii) means to control access to the available spaces via the proposed device and its own coding system, and iii) methods and procedures for detecting, notifying and resolving the incidents arising from the irregular use of the managed parking spaces. | 10-22-2009 |
20090267797 | ULTRASONIC OBSTACLE DETECTION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES - The present invention provides a digital ultrasonic obstacle detection system for vehicles, which can tune reference data, which is the basis for the determination of whether an obstacle has been detected. This system executes a parking assist mode or a tuning mode in response to a command from an external master. The system is configured to store reflected wave signal data received from a sensor unit, in memory and transmit the reflected wave signal data to the external master via vehicle communication, at the time of executing the tuning mode. | 10-29-2009 |
20090278709 | PARKING ASSIST APPARATUS AND METHOD - The present invention is aimed at setting an efficient target track of a vehicle and thus improving convenience of the parking assist. According to the present invention, a parking assisting apparatus for assisting parking a vehicle is provided. The parking assisting apparatus comprises detecting means for detecting a positional relationship between an obstacle near the vehicle and a parking section line painted on the ground. The parking assisting apparatus is configured to vary a target track of the vehicle toward a target parking position based on the detected positional relationship between the obstacle and the parking section line. | 11-12-2009 |
20090289813 | PARKING ASSIST SYSTEM - A vehicle parking assist system for assisting a driver of the vehicle in parking such vehicle in a garage located at a preselected global position. The system includes: a global positioning system mounted to the vehicle having stored therein the global position of the garage, for determining actual global position of the vehicle and providing a signal indicating when the vehicle is proximate the location of the garage; a range sensor for detecting a wall of the garage in front of a direction of motion of the vehicle into the garage; and a processor, responsive to the global positioning system provided by the global positioning system indicating when the vehicle is proximate the garage; the range sensor, for indicating when the vehicle has parked in the garage such that front of the vehicle is forward of the wall while enabling a door of the garage to be closed without striking the vehicle. | 11-26-2009 |
20090303079 | System for Parking Management - The present invention relates to a parking management system. The parking management system includes an entrance camera ( | 12-10-2009 |
20090303080 | PARKING ASSIST DEVICE - A parking assist device comprises an image obtaining portion for obtaining a surrounding image of a vehicle, a display controlling portion for displaying the surrounding image and a pair of vehicle width extended lines on a displaying device provided at an interior of the vehicle in such a way that the pair of vehicle width extended lines is superposed on the surrounding image, the vehicle width extended lines serving as indicative lines for notifying a driver of a width of the vehicle and a stall line detecting portion for detecting a pair of stall lines indicating a parking stall, wherein, when the pair of the stall lines is detected, the display controlling portion changes a distance between the vehicle width extended lines corresponding to a distance between the stall lines. | 12-10-2009 |
20090309759 | Car-finder method and aparatus - One of the persistent irritations of daily life is forgetting where you parked your car. In small lot, this is merely annoying. When there are multiple lots a mile or more apart, and it is impractical to park in the same spot every time, finding one's car can become a major waste of time. The car-finder overcomes these difficulties by using an existing GPS-enabled (or otherwise location sensing) device, such as a cell phone, automatically identifying recent parking locations used by the user, allowing the user to select among them, and guiding the user to the parked vehicle. | 12-17-2009 |
20090309760 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR LOCATING, IDENTIFYING AND TRACKING VEHICLES IN A PARKING AREA - A method for use in the management of vehicle parking in a vehicle parking area having a plurality of vehicle parking spaces, the method comprising determining the locations of vacant vehicle parking spaces; and displaying the locations of vacant vehicle parking spaces to people seeking to park vehicles. | 12-17-2009 |
20090309761 | Parking guide system, parking guide method and program - Every time a vehicle is parked in a parking lot, a CPU updates priorities of information stored in a parking lot learning table which is stored in a parking lot DB based on parking lot information related to the parking lot and information of an entrance wait time for each parking lot, a traffic jam in the vicinity of a destination facility, and so on, which are distributed regularly from a road traffic information center or the like. | 12-17-2009 |
20090315737 | COMBINATION RENTAL VEHICLE AND PARKING SPACE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - The object of the present invention is a rental vehicle fleet management system (V) that includes a server (S) connected ( | 12-24-2009 |
20090315738 | Location of a Motor Vehicle in a Car Park - A method for location of a motor vehicle in a parking lot is provided. The method permits recording and display of a parking space of a motor vehicle in a parking lot. A video image analysis is carried out so that the number plate of the motor vehicle can be allocated to the relevant parking space of the motor vehicle. | 12-24-2009 |
20090322565 | Method and Device for Providing Assistance During a Parking Maneuver of a Vehicle - A method is described for providing assistance during a parking maneuver of a vehicle, in particular of a motor vehicle, into a parking space, the parking space and a boundary object located in the area of the parking space being detected by a sensor array while the vehicle is driving by the parking space. To further simplify the parking maneuver, a boundary object type is assigned to the detected boundary object, and parking information relating to the feasibility of a parking maneuver into the parking space is generated as a function of the assigned boundary object type and as a function of the position of the boundary object in the area of the parking space. Furthermore, a device is described, in particular for implementing the above-mentioned method, for providing assistance during a parking maneuver of a vehicle, in particular of a motor vehicle, into a parking space, having a sensor array for detecting a parking space and a boundary object located in the area of the parking space while the vehicle is driving by the parking space, having an analyzer unit connected to the sensor array, and having a memory unit. | 12-31-2009 |
20100001881 | METHOD OF ADJUSTING DISPLAY DEVICE FOR VEHICLE AND DISPLAY DEVICE FOR VEHICLE - A vehicular display device adjustment method including an imaging step of taking an image of the periphery of a vehicle by imaging element, an image storing step of temporarily storing in an image storing element peripheral image data based on the peripheral image of the vehicle taken by the imaging element, a setting step of setting an adjustment mode for adjusting the display state of display element, a display control step of giving priority to the peripheral image based on the peripheral image data stored in the memory over the peripheral image taken in the imaging step in accordance with the adjustment mode set and displaying on the display element the peripheral image based on the peripheral image data stored in the memory, and an adjustment step of adjusting the display state of the display element based on the peripheral image. | 01-07-2010 |
20100007525 | REAL TIME DETECTION OF PARKING SPACE AVAILABILITY - Methods, systems, and apparatuses for determining parking availability are described. A sensor system is configured to monitor a plurality of parking spaces. The sensor system includes at least one sensor element that generates a sensor data output signal. A parking availability determiner receives the sensor data output signal and generates parking availability information. The parking availability determiner is configured to determine from the received sensor data output signal at least one parking space of the plurality of parking spaces that is occupied, and to include an indication in the parking availability information that the determined at least one parking space is occupied. If one or more further parking space are included in the plurality of parking spaces other than the determined at least one parking space, an indication is included in the parking availability information that the further parking spaces are available for parking. | 01-14-2010 |
20100013670 | Parking apparatus - In a parking apparatus for a vehicle, a parking space is measured and a parking trajectory into the parking space is determined by using this apparatus. A driving space for the vehicle is captured by a camera, both the parking trajectory and a turning point situated on the parking trajectory being superimposed on the camera image. | 01-21-2010 |
20100019934 | PARKING ASSISTANCE APPARATUS AND PARKING ASSISTANCE METHOD - A target parking position serving as a parking target of a vehicle is set, and a parking start position from which the vehicle can start to reach the target parking position while maintaining a predetermined steering angle is set. Then, a vehicle mark V indicating a current position, a target parking frame F | 01-28-2010 |
20100019935 | PARKING ASSISTANCE DEVICE - A parking assistance device includes a guiding unit to perform guidance of a vehicle to a parking initial position from which the vehicle can be parked into a parking space located adjacent to and on a far side of an object existing around the vehicle with respect to a running direction of the vehicle; an obstacle detecting unit to detect an obstacle around the vehicle in response to a reflected wave of a wave emitted from the vehicle in a predetermined direction; and a timing setting unit configured to set a timing to start the guidance in response to a detection result of the obstacle detecting unit, which is related to an obstacle existing in a predetermined distance from the object in the parking space. | 01-28-2010 |
20100026521 | SPACE MONITORING DETECTOR - Disclosed is an inventory control system or parking space detector including an inductive loop technology that is either embedded in the concrete or located atop the concrete, or any other feasible method of setting an inductive loop. By monitoring the change in inductance of the magnetic field that is generated by the loop as cars of various sizes and weights enter the looped area, a determination of whether or not the inventory is controlled or the parking spaces are all full is made when the inductance value reaches a certain predetermined level. This predetermined level will be determined by calibration in the initial installation in order to determine the exact inductance values when a group of parking spaces are full. | 02-04-2010 |
20100026522 | Parking Payment System Using A Cell Phone Or Other Mobile Device - A system for parking enforcement is provided that includes an enforcement device having a display to display a graphical user interface (GUI) that identifies a plurality of parking spaces and indicia associated with each of the plurality of parking spaces, the indicia indicating whether a parking fee has been paid for the associated parking space. | 02-04-2010 |
20100033348 | PARKING ASSISTANCE DEVICE AND PARKING ASSISTANCE METHOD - A parking assisting device includes an ambient area detecting unit that detects an obstacle or a parking frame in an ambient area surrounding a vehicle, and a guiding unit guides the vehicle to a parking initial position from which parking of the vehicle to a parking space, adjacent to the detected obstacle, or the detected parking frame is permissible. In the parking assisting device, a guidance mode in which the guiding unit guides the vehicle to the parking initial position is set up based on a distance between the vehicle and the detected obstacle or the detected parking frame in a vehicle width direction of the vehicle. | 02-11-2010 |
20100039292 | Method and Device for Outputting Parking Instructions - In a method and a corresponding device for outputting parking instructions to a driver of a vehicle, the parking process is divided into a multiplicity of sections each having a constant specified steering angle, and there being situated between each two sections a stopping point that is to be approached after a corresponding stop instruction within a stopping path. A respective tolerance band is defined for the stopping path and/or for the steering angle, a corresponding stop instruction, corresponding to a specified stopping path, and/or a corresponding specified steering angle being defined for each section, taking into account the respective tolerance band. | 02-18-2010 |
20100052946 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PARKING TIME ESTIMATIONS - The invention provides a system for parking time estimations, the system comprising at least one device able to sense at least momentary location and respective time; and an application server to receive from a plurality of the devices time series of location points and to calculate, based on the received time series of location points, duration of searches for parking spots. The invention provides a method for parking time estimations, the method comprising detecting beginning of searching for a parking spot by a user of a device able to sense at least momentary location and respective time; detecting time of parking; and calculating at least estimated duration of searching for a parking spot. | 03-04-2010 |
20100052947 | CAMERA WITH BUILT-IN LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION FUNCTION - A camera with a built-in license plate recognition function includes a license plate information base, a general purpose input/output (GPIO) port, an image-capturing module, a license plate image processor, a communication module, an audio-capturing module, and a processor. In the camera, the image-capturing module captures a license plate image when determining a vehicle enters/exits from a vehicle access control site; next, the license plate image processor segments and recognizes the image with a conventional image processing technique and compares the image with that in the license plate information base; and then the GPIO port controls the entrance/exit of the vehicle through a collapsible door, a sensor, and an alarm. Furthermore, remote control software may be installed on an external equipment, and the external equipment is connected to the communication module in a wired/wireless manner for achieving remote monitoring. | 03-04-2010 |
20100060485 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING PARKING INFORMATION - A method and apparatus, where the apparatus includes: a transmitting/receiving unit for receiving location information of other vehicles existing in a limited area by communicating with the other terminals via a mesh network; a controller for identifying an available parking space by analyzing the location information of the other terminals; and a display unit for displaying the available parking space. | 03-11-2010 |
20100060486 | PARKING ASSIST APPARATUS - A parking assist apparatus has a camera for capturing an image of a mark from a vehicle, wherein the mark is fixed to a parking area with a predetermined positional relation to the parking area and has a predetermined figure, and the vehicle is supposed to park in the parking area. The parking assist apparatus further has a vehicle-position detecting device for detecting a position of the vehicle based on the image of the mark captured by the camera and outputting a position data of the vehicle, a vehicle position data-storing device for storing the position data of the vehicle, a data acquisition device for acquiring attribute data of the parking area and the vicinities of the parking area; and a vehicle guide device for guiding the vehicle in moving out of the parking area, based on the position data of the vehicle in the parking area stored in the vehicle position data-storing device and the attribute data of the parking area and the vicinities of the parking area given by the data acquisition device. | 03-11-2010 |
20100079307 | PARKING ASSIST DEVICE - A parking assist device detecting a parking stall line from an image, which is captured by a capturing portion; setting a parking target position on the basis of the parking stall line; and assisting the vehicle to travel to the parking target position; the parking assist device includes a vehicle detecting portion for detecting a movement of the vehicle, a memorizing portion for memorizing the movement detected by the vehicle detecting portion, as a vehicle moving trajectory, a temporary parking target position estimating portion for assuming a temporary parking target position on the basis of variations of the vehicle moving trajectory, which has been memorized by the memorizing portion, and a parking stall line searching area setting portion for setting a parking stall line searching area, within which a parking stall line is searched on the basis of the temporary parking target position. | 04-01-2010 |
20100085214 | Parking Place Confirmation System and Method Thereof - Disclosed is a system and method for checking a parking position that enables a parking lot user to conveniently check a position of a vehicle that he/she has parked using his/her mobile communication terminal. When a customer with a mobile communication terminal having a built-in Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) reader chip moves his/her vehicle close to an RFID tag for checking a parking position installed at a parking stall, the position information regarding the parking stall stored in the RFID tag is transmitted to a parking management server, and the parking management server transmits it again to the mobile communication terminal in text or graphic format. | 04-08-2010 |
20100090865 | Systems and Methods for Recording Parking Space Information - A system and method for recording data associated with a parking space. The data may be received a portable electronic device, such as a cell phone. The data may be received from a computer readable medium associated with the parking space, such as a bar code. The data may also be received from a wireless signal associated with the parking space, such as a Bluetooth wireless signal. The data may contain such information as the location of the parking space within the parking area. Other information may be included in the data, such as parking rate information for the parking space. A feature may included wherein the data may be transmitted to a server wherein the data may be stored in a storage device. The system and method may also allow payment for the parking space using the personal electronic device and the server. | 04-15-2010 |
20100109911 | VEHICLE LOCATION BASED PARTICULATE MATTER FILTER REGENERATION - A regeneration control system for a vehicle comprises a regeneration control module and a disabling module. The regeneration control module selectively initiates a regeneration of a particulate matter filter of the vehicle. The disabling module selectively disables the regeneration control module based on a location of the vehicle provided by a global positioning system (GPS). | 05-06-2010 |
20100117862 | PARKING SENSOR/OBSERVATION SYSTEM ADD-ON FOR A VEHICLE - A parking sensor and observation system for a vehicle, including: an elongated housing, wherein the housing has a front side with first to third openings and a back side with an elongated opening, the first and third openings are adjacent to opposite ends of the housing, the second opening is located at a center portion of the housing; a first parking sensor disposed within the housing and having its proximity detector disposed in the first opening; a second parking sensor disposed within the housing and having its proximity detector disposed in the third opening; a camera disposed within the housing and having its lens disposed in the second opening; and a backing plate disposed at the back side of the housing to seal the elongated opening. | 05-13-2010 |
20100117863 | PARKING SYSTEM AND METHODS OF USE AND DOING BUSINESS - A system and related methods of managing parking including arranging payment for parking. The systems and methods may provide communication of information to those using parking as well as others. The system may be configured to provide rental of vehicles, such as bicycles for example, in addition to providing parking and/or storage of such rented vehicles. | 05-13-2010 |
20100123601 | SMALL VEHICLE DETECTION SYSTEM - A small vehicle detector for determining a size of a vehicle entering a particular area and assigning a rate of charge based on the determined size of vehicle including an entrance for a vehicle to enter the area. The small vehicle detector further includes a vehicle size detector system for determining size of the vehicle. The small vehicle detector also includes a ticket dispenser for dispensing a ticket with the assigned rate of charge based on the size determined by the vehicle size detector. | 05-20-2010 |
20100123602 | SMALL VEHICLE DETECTION SYSTEM - A small vehicle detector for determining a size of a vehicle entering a particular area and assigning a rate of charge based on the determined size of vehicle including an entrance for a vehicle to enter the area. The small vehicle detector further includes a vehicle size detector system for determining size of the vehicle. The small vehicle detector also includes a ticket dispenser for dispensing a ticket with the assigned rate of charge based on the size determined by the vehicle size detector. | 05-20-2010 |
20100134321 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RECOGNIZING PARKING AREA - A method and an apparatus for recognizing a parking area are disclosed. The parking area recognizing apparatus includes: a signal transmitter transmitting a signal using a sensor; an echo signal receiver receiving an echo signal for the signal; a multiple signal generator generating a multiple echo signal using the echo signal based on first and second preset thresholds; and a parking area recognizer recognizing a parking area by calculating a round trip time and a duration time for the multiple echo signal and selecting an available echo signal based on at least one of the round trip time and the duration time. Accordingly, a precision in recognition of a parking area is enhanced by reducing a measurement error by processing an echo signal received after it is reflected on an object with a multiple echo signal in recognition of the parking area using a sensor such as an ultrasonic sensor or a radar sensor. | 06-03-2010 |
20100156671 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ASSISTING A PARKING MANEUVER OF A VEHICLE - A device for assisting a parking maneuver of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, into a parking space situated transverse to the vehicle, having a parking space measuring device with a sensor system, and an evaluation unit, connected to the sensor system, for determining a parking trajectory of the vehicle into the parking space. For precise parking assistance, a selection device connected to the evaluation unit is provided for selecting a parking trajectory from a number of different parking trajectories determined by the evaluation unit. Also described is a method for assisting a parking maneuver of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, into a parking space situated transverse to the vehicle by use of such a device. | 06-24-2010 |
20100156672 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTO VALET PARKING - Provided are a system and a method for auto valet parking. In the system and method, a parking slot of a target vehicle among a plurality of slots formed in a parking place is determined based on situation information on the parking place and a movement path based on information on current location of the target vehicle and information on the parking slot is determined. The target vehicle is automatically parked in the determined parking slot by moving along the movement path. | 06-24-2010 |
20100214128 | AUTOMATIC CONTROLLED PRE ALLOTED PARKING SYSTEM - Parking system is useful to manage the multistory parking lot and the system is able to display a current parking situation of the parking lot and efficiently guide drivers to select the parking space from the available parking space in parking lot at the time of entrance. Peoples chose their parking space form the available parking space, which is displayed on information display screen. The selected space coordinated data are disable form the stored database at the entrance computer. Barcode generator is connected with the entrance computer to generate the unique barcode for each parking space on entry card. Barcode reader read the barcode print on the entry card and mach with radio frequency tag signal with RF tag contain with each parking space. Alarm system is attached with this parking system to generate the sound in case of any mismatching of barcode. Existence computer system record the existed vehicle space coordinated data and synchronized the same data into the entrance computer system database. | 08-26-2010 |
20100219985 | ACCESSORY SYSTEM SUITABLE FOR USE IN A VEHICLE - An accessory mounting system suitable for use in an interior cabin of a vehicle includes a first attachment element adhesively attached to an interior surface of a windshield of a vehicle, and a second attachment element adhesively attached to the interior surface of the windshield of the vehicle. The first attachment element accommodates a forward facing camera and an antenna and/or rain sensor. The forward facing camera has a forward field of view through the windshield of the vehicle and in the direction of forward travel of the vehicle. The forward facing camera may capture images for at least one of a collision avoidance system of the vehicle and an automatic headlamp control system of the vehicle. An interior rearview mirror assembly is detachably mounted to the second attachment element by a mounting configuration of the interior rearview mirror assembly. | 09-02-2010 |
20100231416 | PARKING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD - A parking assistance system (PAS) comprising an image capture device, a display device and an image analysis device is provided, wherein the image capture device captures a rear parking image of a car and the image analysis device analyses the parking image to determine an initial line, two side lines and an auxiliary line in the parking image. The image analysis device determines a first reference point according to a specific position on the car, a second reference point according to an interval of the initial line between the two side lines, a third reference point according to an interval of the auxiliary line between the two side lines and a recommended parking path according to these reference points, and transmits the parking image and the recommended parking path to the display device, such that the parking image and the recommended parking path are superimposed to be displayed on the display. | 09-16-2010 |
20100231417 | PARKING ASSIST APPARATUS - A parking assist apparatus includes a target parking position setting portion specifying a target parking position, a trigger establishment determining portion determining whether or not a parking operation is started by a driver for the vehicle based on a shift position of a shift lever provided at the vehicle and a steering displacement of a steering wheel provided at the vehicle, a parking path calculating portion starting a calculation of a path from an own vehicle position of the vehicle to the target parking position in a case where the trigger establishment determining portion determines that the parking operation is started by the driver, and an informing portion informing the driver that it is achievable for the vehicle to be guided to the target parking position in a case where the path from the own vehicle position to the target parking position is generated by the parking path calculating portion. | 09-16-2010 |
20100238051 | PARKING ASSISTANT AND PARKING ASSISTING METHOD - When a parking assistant assists a driver in carrying out a parking operation, the parking assistant takes an image of vehicle surroundings to generate vehicle surroundings images, converts coordinates of the vehicle surroundings images to generate an overhead view image, and sets a parking target area in the overhead view image. On the overhead view image, the parking assistant superposes a parking target area image which denotes the parking target area. Thereby, the parking assistant generates the parking target area image denoting a partial area in the parking target area, where a solid object is not present in the partial area even when another vehicle included in the overhead view image falls in the set parking target area image. Then, the parking assistant displays the overhead view image and the parking target area image. | 09-23-2010 |
20100245127 | Garage parking assistant - The garage parking assistant is an apparatus to help the car driver to park his or her car in a garage equipped with a garage opener which has safety sensors. The garage parking assistant will signal the driver by turning on an LED light when the rear car bumper just passed the safety sensors. At that moment, the driver can apply the brake and car is parked in an optimum position, just inside the garage, safely closest to the garage door. | 09-30-2010 |
20100245128 | AUTOMATIC PARKING STATION SYSTEM FOR CYCLES AND BICYCLES - The invention refers to automatic parking station for cycles or bicycles, comprising at least one interactive workstation ( | 09-30-2010 |
20100253542 | POINT OF INTEREST LOCATION MARKING ON FULL WINDSHIELD HEAD-UP DISPLAY - A substantially transparent windscreen head up display includes one of light emitting particles or microstructures over a predefined region of the windscreen permitting luminescent display while permitting vision through the windscreen. A method to display a graphic identifying a point-of-interest upon the substantially transparent windscreen head up display of a vehicle includes monitoring the point-of-interest, monitoring a GPS digital map device, determining a graphic describing the location of the point-of-interest based upon data from the GPS digital map device for display upon the substantially transparent windscreen head up display, and displaying the graphic upon the substantially transparent windscreen head up display. | 10-07-2010 |
20100253543 | REAR PARKING ASSIST ON FULL REAR-WINDOW HEAD-UP DISPLAY - A substantially transparent head up display includes one of light emitting particles or microstructures over a predefined region of the substantially transparent head up display permitting luminescent display while permitting vision through the substantially transparent head up display. A method to display a graphic upon the substantially transparent head up display of a vehicle illustrating a parking aid includes monitoring a parking mode, determining the graphic illustrating the parking aid for projection upon a view of a parking surface proximate to the vehicle for display upon the substantially transparent head up display based upon the parking mode and displaying the graphic illustrating the parking aid upon the substantially transparent head up display. | 10-07-2010 |
20100259420 | PARKING ASSIST SYSTEM - To provide a parking assist system that can easily perform parking assistance even when a parking area is narrow and small. | 10-14-2010 |
20100265100 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INTELLIGENT LIGHTING - Systems and methods are disclosed for the intelligent lighting of large areas and structures such as parking garages. Ultrasonic distance measuring sensors can be used to obtain occupancy data for the area or structure, such as a parking garage, and to control the intensities of the individual lights in the system for energy conservation. Persons in the area, e.g. parking their cars, can be shown the path to the exit by specific preset intensity level and/or color of light. In parking garage embodiments, persons in the process of parking their cars are shown the empty spots by lights of a specific intensity and/or color. The addition of passive infrared motion detectors enables the system to illuminate the area around a moving person, and alarm if a person is behaving unexpectedly. A controller can communicate with sensors and/or lighting elements by wireless or wire (cable) communication. | 10-21-2010 |
20100271236 | FEASIBLE REGION DETERMINATION FOR AUTONOMOUS PARKING - A method is provided for initiating a parking maneuver for parallel parking a vehicle between a first object and a second object. A target parking space is measured. A determination is made whether the measured target parking space is sufficient to allow an autonomous parallel parking maneuver. A region of feasible starting locations is determined to successfully perform the parallel parking maneuver between the first object and the second object if the available parking space is sufficient. A position of a midpoint of a rear axle is determined in relation to the designated region. A determination is made whether the midpoint of the rear axle is within the designated region. A driver of the vehicle is signaled in response to an instantaneous location of the midpoint of the rear axle vehicle being a feasible starting location to initiate the parallel parking maneuver. | 10-28-2010 |
20100271237 | Parking Angle Determination and Cross Traffic Alert - The subject of the present invention is a vehicle that determines a parking angle while parking and employs the parking angle when using a cross traffic alert system while backing out of a parking space. The parking angle is used to determine areas of interest and areas not of interest within the fields of view of vehicle mounted sensors. The areas of interest are those used to determine if cross traffic alerts need to be issued. | 10-28-2010 |
20100271238 | Cross Traffic Alert with Parking Angle Trajectory - The subject of the present invention is a host vehicle that determines a parking angle while backing out of a parking space and employs this parking angle when using a cross traffic alert system. The parking angle is determined based on the trajectories of the host vehicle and a target vehicle. The parking angle is used to determine areas of interest and areas not of interest within the fields of view of vehicle mounted sensors. The areas of interest are those used to determine if cross traffic alerts need to be issued. | 10-28-2010 |
20100283632 | PARKING ASSIST APPARATUS AND METHOD - A parking assisting apparatus and method that can precisely estimate the orientation of a parking space. A parking assisting apparatus for assisting parking a vehicle includes an obstacle detecting mechanism that detects an obstacle near the vehicle and an orientation information acquiring mechanism that acquires information as to an orientation of the vehicle. The apparatus estimates an orientation of the parking space that may exist near the vehicle based on the detection result of the obstacle detecting mechanism and the orientation information. | 11-11-2010 |
20100283633 | CAMERA SYSTEM FOR USE IN VEHICLE PARKING - A method for assisting in parallel parking includes providing a vehicle with a forward-looking camera and/or a backward-looking camera. The camera is used to capture an image of a parking area including at least one unoccupied parking space and a plurality of parking spaces occupied by other vehicles. A homography of the captured image is created. The homography is used to estimate an image of the parking area from an overhead viewpoint. A portion of the overhead image including the unoccupied parking space is displayed on a display screen within a passenger compartment of the vehicle. | 11-11-2010 |
20100283634 | CONTROL DEVICE FOR A DISPLAY DEVICE OF A PARKING DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR DISPLAYING - A control device for a display device of a parking device has: an interface to a first detection device for detecting a parking space when laterally passing the parking space; an interface to a second detection device for detecting a front and/or rear boundary of a parking space when driving into the parking space; an interface to the display device for representing the dimensions of the parking space on the display device, a display of a front and/or a rear boundary of the parking space that was detected only by the first detection device differing from a representation of a front and/or a rear boundary of the parking space that was detected by the second detection device. | 11-11-2010 |
20100289670 | MOTOR VEHICLE HAVING A PARKING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM - A motor vehicle is equipped with a parking assistance system for monitoring a vehicle environment for the presence of obstructions, a horizontal longitudinal extension of a mobile vehicle part protruding beyond a vehicle body being able to be considered. In order to reliably avoid damage to the mobile vehicle part, a complete pivot area of the mobile vehicle part can be monitored for the presence of an obstruction. Furthermore, a corresponding method is disclosed. | 11-18-2010 |
20100302067 | Dynamic parking place location system - A dynamic parking place location service is disclosed that can assist end users navigating a congested area to find available parking spaces near their location on-demand. An end user initiates a parking information request by contacting an application server and sending location information coincident to the request. Responsive to the request, the application server consults a database of parking space utilization information associated with one or more designated parking spaces and returns one or more candidate parking spaces for the end user at the end user location or projected location. | 12-02-2010 |
20100302068 | Street parking community application and method - Disclosed is a system that facilitates finding on-street parking. A community of users has an application on their mobile communications devices that allows them to inform each other when vacating on-street parking spaces. When a user operates his automobile to vacate an on-street parking space, a message is transmitted wirelessly that indicates the position of the parking space. Another user in the community who is driving around looking for a parking space can specify a desired area. The availability of the parking space vacated by the one user is matched with the desired area of the other user. A message indicating the available parking space in the desired area is transmitted to the other user for display on the wireless communications device of the other user. | 12-02-2010 |
20100302069 | OBJECT CLASSIFICATION METHOD, PARKING ASSISTANCE METHOD, AND PARKING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM - An object classification method in which a vehicle moves toward an object includes: (a) ascertaining a first characteristic quantity from the variation of a first signal received by a distance-measuring sensor; (b) ascertaining an additional characteristic quantity from the variation of a second signal received by the distance-measuring sensor; (c) ascertaining a distance traveled by the vehicle between step (a) and step (b); (d) ascertaining a predictive quantity associated with the distance ascertained in step (c); (e) comparing the predictive quantity with the additional characteristic quantity; and (f) generating an object classification signal. | 12-02-2010 |
20100309024 | PARKING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD USING LIGHTING SYSTEM - A system and a method for detecting availability of a parking space in a parking facility are provided. A first method has the steps of providing a lighting system having at least one visible-light source for illumination of at least part of the parking space. Providing an available space time-of-flight trace. Providing an availability threshold value. Illuminating the at least part of the parking space using the at least one visible-light source. Emitting a status visible-light signal from the visible-light source in the predetermined direction toward the predetermined target in the parking space. Capturing a status reflection trace at the visible-light source. Determining a time-of-flight difference value by comparing the status reflection trace to the available space time-of-flight trace. Comparing the time-of-flight difference value with the availability threshold value and determining a status of the parking space to be one of available and not available. Another method has the steps of providing a lighting system having at least one visible-light source for illumination of at least part of the parking space. Providing a camera. Providing an available space region value. Providing an availability threshold value. Illuminating the at least part of the parking space using the at least one visible-light source. Emitting visible light from the visible-light source in the predetermined direction to the predetermined target in the parking space. Capturing a reflection of the emitted visible light at the camera and determining a status region value. Determining a region difference value by comparing the status region value to the available space region value. Comparing the region difference value with the availability threshold value and determining a status of the parking space to be one of available and not available. | 12-09-2010 |
20100321211 | Composite-image parking-assistant system - The present invention discloses a composite-image parking-assistant system, which is installed in a vehicle. When a driver drives his vehicle to passes at least one parking space, the system of the present invention uses camera devices to capture images involving the parking space. A processing unit converts the images into bird's eye view images and integrates the bird's eye view images into a composite bird's eye view surrounding map via the common characteristics thereof. A display device presents the surrounding map to the driver. The processing unit adjusts the coverage the vision field of the surrounding map according the relative position of the vehicle and the parking space to make the magnification of the vision field inverse proportional to the relative position. Thereby, the driver can park his vehicle efficiently and avoid collision. | 12-23-2010 |
20100328103 | Image enhanced parking enforcement system - An image-enhanced parking enforcement system utilizes cameras or other imaging modality to capture, record and/or report instances of parking infractions corresponding to a controlled parking space. In one embodiment, a metering device monitors allotted times for lawful utilization of the parking space and identifies instances of meter expiration; at least one detector monitors utilization status of the parking space; and the cameras or other imaging modality captures images corresponding to the parking space when the meter has expired and the space is occupied. | 12-30-2010 |
20100328104 | Parking system employing remote asset management techniques - The system described is an integrated parking management system which makes use of patented vehicle detectors to collect and transmit data, essentially in near real time, as to all events happening as to single or multiple parking spaces (e.g. current and historic use, length of time of occupancy of current occupant) to a central clearing device for which patent application has been made which serves as a logic core and repository, making use of proprietary software, analyzing, displaying and distributing the data so developed as to a parking plant and all of its components to allow all parties (including prospective users) who are concerned with the various aspects of a parking plant and its components (e.g. determination as to availability of spaces, maintenance and repair of meters, collection of revenues and enforcement of parking regulations) not only to access and make passive use of the information developed, in near real time, to permit them to identify what's happening to the plant and its components as to their own particular interest in such plant and so maximize the efficient use both of the resources of the plant and their own resources directed to the particular aspect of their interface with the plant and its components but also to access and make active use of such information for whatever purpose and in whatever fashion using whatever means of access they may wish. While others have made claim to certain of the individual functions described, e.g. vehicle detection, nobody has identified or patented | 12-30-2010 |
20110006916 | Assistance in Parking a Vehicle Between Front and Rear Objects - A method for assisting in parking a vehicle in a parking space between front and rear objects includes determining a length of the parking space and the location of the vehicle relative to the parking space from signals produced by sensors located on the vehicle, determining a first distance between a rear surface of the vehicle and the rear object from a signal produced by a distance sensor on the vehicle directed rearward toward the rear object or the vehicle location estimation relative to the rear object, determining a second distance between a front surface of the vehicle and the front object from the current first distance and the length of the parking space or the vehicle location estimation relative to the front object, and warning the vehicle operator to change between forward and reverse drive when the first and second distances become equal to or less than a reference distance from a respective one of the objects. | 01-13-2011 |
20110006917 | Parking aid system - A parking aid system is disclosed. The parking aid system includes: a parking space borderline recognition section configured to recognize two borderlines of the parking space based on a captured image, which is captured by an imaging device mounted to the vehicle, the two borderlines respectively being two parts of the parking space boundary opposite to each other in a width direction of the parking space; a displacement calculation section configured to calculate displacement of the vehicle in the width direction with respect to the two borderlines based on positions of the two borderlines in the captured image and an imaging range of the imaging device; and a notifier configured to notify the displacement calculated by the displacement calculation section. | 01-13-2011 |
20110037620 | System and Method For Deterring Vehicle Theft And Managing Vehicle Parking - At the control apparatus which is at a location external to a vehicle, a communication link is established with a transponder at the vehicle. The vehicle is located in the immediate vicinity of the location. A continued presence of the vehicle in the vicinity of the location via the communication link is monitored. | 02-17-2011 |
20110043380 | METHOD FOR OPERATING A DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM WHEN PARKING A VEHICLE IN A PARKING SPACE - The invention describes a method for the operation of a driving assistance system when parking a vehicle ( | 02-24-2011 |
20110057813 | Vehicle Park Assist System and Method for Parking a Vehicle Using Such System - A method for parking a vehicle in a parking spot comprises scanning objects to determine if a feasible parking space is available, the neighboring objects including at least one object either in front of or behind the vehicle and at least one object alongside the vehicle; determine whether there is a sufficient slot length in which to park the vehicle and to determine a height of the object alongside which the vehicle is to be parked in order to park the vehicle at a lateral distance from the object alongside the vehicle dependent upon the particular height of such object relative to a height of a bottom of a door; and parking the vehicle in the space wherein the vehicle is parked at the lateral distance from the object vehicle based upon the detected height of such object relative to the height of the bottom of the door. | 03-10-2011 |
20110057814 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RECOGNIZING OBSTACLE IN PARKING - Disclosed are a system and method for recognizing an obstacle at the time of parking. The inventive system includes: at least one lateral side ultrasonic sensor for sensing lateral distance data between a user's vehicle and an obstacle positioned adjacent to a lateral side of the user's vehicle; a first course calculation unit for calculating lateral position data and a first course on the basis of the lateral distance data; at least one rear side ultrasonic sensor for sensing rear distance data indicating a distance between the user's vehicle and an obstacle positioned behind the rear side of the user's vehicle; a second course calculation unit for extracting rear position data for the obstacle positioned behind the user's vehicle on the basis of the rear distance data, and for extracting and calculating a final target parking position and a final course on the basis of the rear position data; and a control unit which receives information for the first course from the first course calculation unit so as to control the steering wheel of the user's vehicle, thereby moving the user's vehicle forward or backward along the first course, and receives information for the final target parking position and the final course from the second course calculation unit so as to control the steering wheel, thereby moving the user's vehicle is moved along the final course and automatically parked at the final target parking position. | 03-10-2011 |
20110057815 | PARKING METER COMMUNICATIONS FOR REMOTE PAYMENT WITH UPDATED DISPLAY - A parking meter receives data indicative of a remote payment being completed and displays an amount of time purchased by the remote payment for a parking session. The parking meter determines an amount of time remaining in the parking session and powers down at least a portion of a meter communication subsystem subsequent to receiving the data indicative of the remote payment being completed. The parking meter wakes up the powered down portion of the communication subsystem upon determining that the amount of time remaining is below a threshold time, and can receive an indication of additional time being paid for remotely, and can update the displayed time remaining to reflect the additional time. | 03-10-2011 |
20110063131 | Vehicle Park Assist System and Method for Parking a Vehicle Using Such System - A park assist system for parking a vehicle in a target parking space includes a first sensing system which determines whether there is a sufficient slot length in a target parking space in which to park the vehicle. A second sensing system determines whether an obstacle is located in a predetermined clearance zone on a side of the vehicle opposite the target parking space. A decision regarding whether to recommend parking the vehicle in the target parking space sensed by the first sensing system is dependent upon a determination that an obstacle located in the clearance zone may be avoided by executing a first steering trajectory provided by the park assist system in order to avoid the obstacle before executing a second steering trajectory provided by the park assist system in order to park the vehicle into the target parking space. | 03-17-2011 |
20110063132 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING INFORMATION - A navigation device and a method of determining parking information are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method includes receiving, at a server, journey information from a plurality of navigation devices, the journey information indicating one or more journeys made by each navigation device and determining, by the server from the journey information, parking information indicating a geographical location of one or more parking areas. | 03-17-2011 |
20110063133 | Gen II meter system with multiple processors, multilple detection sensor types, fault tolerance methods, power sharing and multiple user interface methods - A parking space monitoring system, with multiple microprocessors for handling various parking space management conditions, including at least one of the following conditions: (1) Space Occupancy (vehicle detection); (2) Parking Meter Status; (3) Display of Parking Policy to Motorists; (3) Motorist User Interactions; (4) Maintenance User Interactions; (5) Radio Communications with a Central management system and Network; and (6) Coordination of the operation between various ones of the microprocessors. | 03-17-2011 |
20110063134 | System and a Method for an Automatic Parking Meter - The present invention is a new and innovative device for regulating parking permits in parking zones in which parking is permitted for short time spans. Embodiments of the present invention enable users to purchase reusable electronic parking devices which display the amount of time remaining for free parking. For instance, in parking zones which allow fifteen minutes of free parking, the device displays 15 min when turned on and counts back the minutes until the time is over. A delaying mechanism inhibits the reactivation of the device for a predetermined time period. Thus, the device ensures that the parking permit is only used for the predetermined time period once since users cannot activate the device sequentially. According to embodiments of the present invention the proposed system and method may be embedded into other time parking devices. | 03-17-2011 |
20110068953 | Vehicle Park Assist System and Method for Parking a Vehicle Using Such System - A park assist system for parking a vehicle in a target parking space includes a first sensing system which determines whether there is a sufficient slot length in a target parking space in which to park the vehicle. A second sensing system determines whether an obstacle is located in a predetermined clearance zone on a side of the vehicle opposite the target parking space. A decision regarding whether to recommend parking the vehicle in the target parking space sensed by the first sensing system is dependent upon a determination that the clearance zone is free of obstacles. | 03-24-2011 |
20110074604 | AUTOMATIC PARALLEL PARKING DEVICE - An automatic parallel parking device includes an ultrasonic positioning module and a central controlling unit. The ultrasonic positioning module includes a plurality of ultrasonic sensor units disposed at different locations of the vehicle, and a computation unit. Each of the ultrasonic sensor units detects a distance to each of the first obstacle and the second obstacle. The computation unit has a pre-established space positioning matrix and pre-established approximate coordinate data, and estimates a first actual coordinate position of the first obstacle and a second actual coordinate position of the second obstacle based on the distances detected by the ultrasonic sensor units. The central controlling unit is coupled to the ultrasonic positioning module. The central controlling unit has a pre-established parking path algorithm and a pre-established minimal parking space. | 03-31-2011 |
20110074605 | THE COMBINED LOOP TYPE AUTO-MOBILE SENSOR USING LOOP COIL AND PARKING INFORMATION SYSTEM THE SAME - Provided are a loop type automobile sensing device formed integrally with a small loop coil, which has the automobile sensing sensitivity of a related art loop type automobile sensing device using a large loop coil, so as to greatly facilitate installing and maintaining of the loop type automobile sensing device and to expand the application scope of the loop type automobile sensing device, and a parking information system using the loop type automobile sensing device. In addition, the loop type automobile sensing device integrally formed with the loop coil is provided in plurality as automobile sensors to detect the presence and moving state of an automobile according to a signal from the automobile sensors, to control operations of a plurality of cameras, warning lamps, and display devices installed to a parking lot, and to notify parking information and automobile movement information. | 03-31-2011 |
20110080304 | Vehicle Park Assist System and Method for Parking a Vehicle Using Such System - A method for parking a vehicle in a parking spot comprises the steps of: providing a vehicle having a sensing system and a park assist system, the sensing system including a sensor which provides an input signal; scanning neighboring objects to determine if a feasible target parking space is available; determining whether there is a sufficient slot length in which to park the vehicle and calculating a trajectory path to guide the vehicle into the space; starting a parking maneuver; deactivating the assist system by a driver/passenger action; storing the parking information determined above; and requesting a driver command to resume the parking maneuver, wherein if the driver selects to resume the parking maneuver the assist system uses the stored parking information to guide the vehicle into the space. | 04-07-2011 |
20110080305 | Vehicle Park Assist System and Method for Parking a Vehicle Using Such System - A park assist system for parking a vehicle in a target parking space includes a sensing system. The sensing system determines whether there is a sufficient slot length in a target parking space too small to complete a parking maneuver in a single maneuver, but large enough to complete a parking maneuver in more than one maneuver. During each of the more than one parking maneuvers, the driver is prompted to execute a calculated steering trajectory. | 04-07-2011 |
20110095910 | PARKING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM AND PARKING ASSISTANCE METHOD - A parking assistance system for a vehicle includes multiple on-board cameras ( | 04-28-2011 |
20110102196 | PARKING SUPPORT DEVICE - A parking support device capable of reliably supporting a parking driving operation by a driver, comprising an image acquisition portion for acquiring an image peripheral to a vehicle captured by a vehicle-mounted image pickup device; an image display portion for displaying the peripheral image; and an indicator output portion for superimposedly displaying an indicator, comprising a pair of left and right vehicle width extension lines extending rearwards of the vehicle, on the peripheral image in order to guide a driver during a parking operation by the driver. The parking support device supports parallel parking, comprising a first turning step, in which the vehicle is reversed while being turned and driven into a parking area, and a second turning step, in which the vehicle is aligned in a parallel direction while being turned in a direction opposite to that in the first turning step. The indicator output portion superimposedly displays, during the second turning step, only the vehicle width extension line that is on an outside of the turn. | 05-05-2011 |
20110102197 | AUTOMATED PARKING GUIDANCE AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - A signalling means ( | 05-05-2011 |
20110109480 | NAVIGATION DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING PARKING PLACE AVAILABILITY - Embodiments of the present invention relate to a device including a processor, a location determining device to determine a geographical location of the device and a communication device to wirelessly transmit data. In at least one embodiment, the processor is arranged to determine when the device is located in a vehicle which has vacated a parking place and, in response, to transmit a message via the communication device indicating a location of the parking place. | 05-12-2011 |
20110121994 | Method For Detecting Objects Having a Low Height - A method for detecting objects having a low height, using a system for obstacle detection in vehicles, the system for obstacle detection including distance sensors for ascertaining the distance from objects and an arrangement for evaluation. | 05-26-2011 |
20110133957 | VEHICLE PARKING LOCATOR SYSTEM AND METHOD USING CONNECTED VEHICLES - A vehicle parking locator system and method are provided. The system includes a database storing data pertaining to the vehicle parking locations including available parking locations, and a communication link for communicating with vehicles and other sources. The communication link receives parking location information including information pertaining to availability of parking locations and further provides vehicles with parking location information to assist in locating a parking location. The system further includes a processor for processing the stored data in the database and providing parking location information to vehicles. | 06-09-2011 |
20110133958 | VEHICLE DETECTION - A vehicle detection unit (VDU) is embedded beneath each of a plurality of parking spaces. Each VDU has a sensor which detects magnetic field fluctuations caused by the arrival and departure of a vehicle in the parking space. The VDU runs a vehicle detection algorithm to distinguish magnetic fluctuations caused by vehicles from “exceptional” magnetic fluctuations from other sources. The VDU also stores parameters which define notifiable vehicle space occupancy events. A processor of the VDU processes the sensor signal to determine occupancy status of the vehicle space, and compare the occupancy status of the vehicle space with the parameters in order to determine whether a notifiable event has occurred, such as a vehicle going into violation of parking restrictions. As necessary, the VDU initiates radio communications with a supervisory device, either a transient portable device such as a Parking Officer's PDA or a fixed radio node mounted within range. | 06-09-2011 |
20110133959 | UNOCCUPIED PARKING AREA NOTIFICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR NOTIFYING INFORMATION ON UNOCCUPIED PARKING AREA - A data generation unit generates parking schedule data, which includes information on an expected arrival time of a vehicle at a parking lot, for each vehicle being due to arrive at the parking lot. An arrival time calculation unit calculates an expected arrival time of a first vehicle at a parking lot. An unoccupied state calculation unit calculates a predicted value of an unoccupied state of the parking lot at the expected arrival time of the first vehicle, according to a number of expected parked vehicles, each having an expected arrival time before the expected arrival time of the first vehicle, and a present number of unoccupied parking cells in the parking lot. A notification unit provides a notification to a user of the first vehicle according to the calculated predicted value. | 06-09-2011 |
20110140920 | Vehicle Safety Device - A vehicle safety system that provides an improved line of sight for oncoming traffic as the vehicle is backed out of a parking space. A set of rear side looking cameras input video information to a display used by the vehicle driver. The cameras are positioned on the rear side portion of the vehicle and are directed generally to traffic coming from the rear left or right side of the vehicle. The camera is automatically activated when the transmission is placed in reverse. The camera video is input to a driver display that allows the driver to view oncoming traffic before the vehicle backs into the traffic lane. The system can also be used to monitor blind spots when a turn signal is activated prior to a lane change. | 06-16-2011 |
20110140921 | Method and device for assisting the driver of a motor vehicle - In a method for assisting a driver of a motor vehicle during a parking process, the surroundings of the vehicle are recorded during travel, and with the aid of the surroundings pattern recorded, it is ascertained whether there is a parking space and whether the parking space is a parallel parking space or a perpendicular parking space. Before the beginning of the parking process, the driver of the vehicle may indicate whether the parking space is a parallel parking space or a perpendicular parking space, or a parking space is recognized as a perpendicular parking space if, on at least one side of the parking space, an object is detected, and no additional non-moving object is detected in the area of the possible parking space. | 06-16-2011 |
20110140922 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING PARKING SPACES FOR A COMMUNITY OF USERS - A mobile communications device includes a locator unit to receive and process information regarding a current location for the mobile communications device, a parking status determination unit to determine a parking status for the device based on at least changes in the current location, and a communication unit to forward the parking status to a parking community processor. A method includes determining a parking status of a vehicle associated with a person as a function of movement of a personal mobile communications device. | 06-16-2011 |
20110148662 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR NOTIFICATION OF PARKING-RELATED INFORMATION - Devices, systems and methods for notifying vehicle owners of parking-related conditions are described. Particularly, devices, systems, and methods for identifying and presenting at the appropriate time relevant parking information to an owner are disclosed. Present embodiments can accomplish this presentation using a common handheld device, providing an easy and accessible means for identifying relevant parking information. | 06-23-2011 |
20110148663 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A PARKING PROCESS OF A VEHICLE - The invention relates to a method and a device for assisting a parking process of a vehicle ( | 06-23-2011 |
20110156928 | PARKING-ASSISTANT SYSTEM - A parking-assistant system for “multi-manoeuvre parking”, which is designed for generating, before the parking manoeuvre is started, a predetermined path, via the simulation of a manoeuvre of exit from a parking space. The control effected by the system, during the real parking manoeuvre, limits itself to comparing the effective position of the vehicle with respect to the predetermined path. Said control has somewhat low computational requirements so that the system is quite reliable. | 06-30-2011 |
20110163894 | PARKING ARRANGEMENT WITH AN AUTOMATIC VEHICLE DETECTION SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR PUTTING INTO OPERATION AND MANAGING A PARKING ARRANGEMENT - A parking arrangement with parking places for vehicles and with an automatic vehicle detection system which comprises a central computer system and a wirelessly operating parking sensor module for determining the presence or absence of a vehicle in the parking place, which parking sensor module comprises at least one vehicle sensor, which provides measuring values which are representative of the presence or absence of a vehicle, provided with calibration means for determining the quiescent value, representing the absence of a vehicle, of the measuring values from the vehicle sensor, which calibration means by a self-organizing map method divide the measuring values into clusters of mutually close values, wherein the cluster having the largest number of measuring values is selected as representative of the quiescent value of the measuring values at a parking place, wherein each time an adjusted quiescent value is determined, and wherein a measuring value which differs from the quiescent value by more than a predetermined threshold value indicates that a vehicle is situated in the parking place. | 07-07-2011 |
20110181441 | PARKING GUIDANCE SYSTEM - The present application discloses a parking guidance system. The parking guidance system is mounted on a vehicle and includes a camera, a display device with a display correction system, a parking mode selection apparatus, a parking area selection apparatus, a first turning guidance apparatus, and a second turning guidance apparatus. The camera is mounted at the rear of the vehicle to capture the image showing environment behind the vehicle. The display device with a display correction system is coupled to the camera and is configured to display an image corrected by the display correction system. The parking mode selection apparatus is coupled to the display device. The parking mode selection apparatus displays a predicted parking area on the display device. The parking area selection apparatus is coupled to the display device. The parking area selection apparatus displays a parking guidance area on the display device. The first turning guidance apparatus is coupled to the display device. The first turning guidance apparatus displays an arc on the display device. The second turning guidance apparatus is coupled to the display device. The second turning guidance apparatus displays on the display device a parking track with distance indication. | 07-28-2011 |
20110199232 | RACK DRIVE-ON ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS - An apparatus is provided for guiding a vehicle onto a service lift having a pair of runways for receiving the wheels of the vehicle. In one embodiment, a light beam is directed toward the vehicle along the lift center line between the runways, to provide a visual reference to guide an operator of the vehicle to drive the vehicle wheels onto the runways. In another embodiment, cameras of a machine vision wheel alignment system provide a visual display of the vehicle and the runways. In other embodiments, runway and vehicle targets are viewed by image sensors of a machine vision wheel alignment system. Image signals from the image sensors are processed to determine respective positions of the runways and to monitor a position of the vehicle relative to the runways, and a visual reference is displayed to guide an operator of the vehicle. | 08-18-2011 |
20110199233 | Wireless Monitor Voice Indication Parking Indicator - A wireless monitor voice indication parking indicator includes a transmitting part and a receiving part. The transmitting part includes a camera, an ultrasonic transmitting circuit, an ultrasonic receiving circuit, a power circuit, a voice indication circuit, a video superimposed circuit, a wireless transmitting circuit and a Single-chip Microcomputer (SCM) processor. The receiving part includes a power circuit, a wireless receiving circuit, an audio separation circuit, a control magnification output circuit, an alarm and a monitor. The power circuit supplies necessary stable voltage. | 08-18-2011 |
20110199234 | Laser guided parking apparatus and method - This abstract describes an apparatus and method for accurately parking a vehicle within an enclosed space such as a garage. The apparatus uses a compact diode laser and is mounted directly to a ceiling or to a device mounted to the ceiling such as a garage door opener unit. When mounted above the vehicle the bright red laser lines are projected from the laser downward and aligned onto a specific surface for the driver to see such as the top surface of a vehicle dashboard. These lines intersect each other forming an ‘X’ (or ‘cross’). This ‘X’ can be aligned with either an existing dashboard feature or with a ‘target’ which is adhered to the dashboard. When a vehicle enters into a garage the first projected laser line that the driver will see will be the longitudinal line. The longitudinal line enables the driver to adjust the vehicle to the right or left as the vehicle continues into the garage. The second projected laser line appears laterally as the driver pulls forward to a stop. When this lateral line and longitudinal line align with the target or other specific location on the dashboard, the driver stops the vehicle. At this point the driver has positioned his vehicle exactly where he wants it to be within the garage. | 08-18-2011 |
20110199235 | CONTROLLABLE SIGN FOR USE WITH ALTERNATE SIDE STREET PARKING - A method for dynamically changing information conveyed by a street sign to alert drivers that parking is permitted as a result of an official vehicle approaching and/or passing the sign and transmitting a control signal to cause updating of the sign. | 08-18-2011 |
20110199236 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PARKING A MOTOR VEHICLE - A method for turning at least one steerable wheel of a motor vehicle during parking on a longitudinal inclination of a roadway, having the following steps: activating a parking brake of the motor vehicle, ascertaining the inclination angle of the vehicle inclination that is effected by the longitudinal inclination of a roadway, turning the steerable wheel to achieve a wheel angle as a function of at least one specifiable and/or ascertained parameter. It is provided that the setting of the magnitude of the wheel angle take place as a function of at least one surroundings situation of the motor vehicle, ascertained using at least one sensor. Furthermore, a device for turning at least one steerable wheel of a motor vehicle during parking on a longitudinal roadway inclination, particularly for executing the method, which cooperates with a parking brake, an inclination angle sensor and a steering device of the motor vehicle, a surroundings recording device being provided having at least one sensor for recording the immediate surroundings of the motor vehicle. | 08-18-2011 |
20110205087 | Gen II meter system - Apparatus for controlling and monitoring vehicle parking meter systems wherein a plurality of programmable single space parking meters enable the resetting of time upon a vehicle departure and the occurrence of any other operational parameter; multiple low power microprocessors for monitoring and initiating changes in the logic for all the devices monitoring the parking meter spaces; a plurality of specialized microprocessors for monitoring the system to assure reliable operation thereof; a master operational microprocessor connected to each of the additional low power microprocessors for monitoring of and control of any changes in the logic to establish new operating parameters for the low power microprocessors; a centralized operational controller accessible to parking personnel to monitor and control the space monitoring units from a remote location; a pass-through radio frequency communication device for passing messages from the centralized operational controller to and from each space monitoring unit by way of the internet; and a power supply comprising a rechargeable battery receiving a charge from any combination of high energy density-low current battery and/or a solar panel mounted onto the power supply. | 08-25-2011 |
20110205088 | PARK ASSIST SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system and method of parking assist includes a detection device located in a rear portion of a vehicle. The detection device acquires data representative of a viewable area behind the vehicle. The detection device is in communication with a park assist controller. A first viewable area that includes an area where a tow device is located when attached to the rear portion of the vehicle is monitored, where the first viewable area is associated with a first field of view (FOV). If the tow device is detected within the first viewable area, the park assist controller switches between the first FOV to a second field of view (FOV) associated with a second viewable area, where the second viewable area does not include the area where the tow device is located. Feedback is provided to a display indicating if an obstacle is located within the second FOV. | 08-25-2011 |
20110210868 | PARKING ASSISTANCE APPARATUS - A parking assistance apparatus includes: a generation unit that generates an overhead-view image as seen from a predetermined viewpoint, in accordance with an image captured by at least one image capturing apparatus mounted in a vehicle; and an output unit that superimposes, in the same coordinate system as the overhead-view image generated by the generation unit, an image of the vehicle on the overhead-view image and a predetermined figure at a position a predetermined distance away from the vehicle on the overhead-view image, and outputs the resulting overhead-view image to a display apparatus. | 09-01-2011 |
20110210869 | Intruder, theft and vandalism deterrent management system for controlling a parking area - A parking area control and management system employs a card reader, which reads identification information from a card commonly carried by a person, such as a driver's license or credit card or other identity card carried by a user that is issued by an entity other than a parking area management entity. A record is made of the identification information upon entrance of a vehicle into the parking area. The person may subsequently leave the parking area on foot and regain entry to the parking area by presenting the same card. Later, the same card is used to exit the parking area, via the vehicle, and to validate that the same person is leaving with the vehicle. The parking area control and management system also includes sensors, such as loop detectors and electric eyes, to determine if a second vehicle or a pedestrian follows behind a vehicle entering into, or exiting from, the parking area. The parking area control and management system can be used to manage existing loop detectors and electric eyes, that normally control door and gate safety access systems, and to integrate those devices into an alarm system, such that an alert is issued whenever an abnormal or unauthorized event occurs during operations. | 09-01-2011 |
20110241898 | Method And System For Locating An Available Vehicle Parking Space - A method and system of the invention locates an available vehicle parking space. In the method, parked information indicative of a parked condition is stored in a first vehicle. The first vehicle may detect a change in condition from the parked condition to a vacating condition. The first vehicle then communicates the change in condition from the first vehicle to a neighboring searching vehicle and the searching vehicle detects the change. | 10-06-2011 |
20110260887 | VEHICLE PARK ASSIST WITH STEERING CENTERING - A park assist system for parking a vehicle in a parking space makes steering control inputs and prompts the vehicle driver to make necessary brake and/or gear shift actions to execute a desired steering trajectory. After the vehicle is properly parked, the park assist system actuates the steering system to place it in a centered condition. | 10-27-2011 |
20110273310 | PARKING ASSIST APPARATUS - There is provided a parking assist apparatus capable of allowing an automatic steering control to be started smoothly, without requiring any special operation after confirmation of a parking target location. The parking assist apparatus includes a parking target position setting section for setting a parking target position, a guiding path calculating section for calculating a guiding path to the parking target position, a reporting information outputting section for reporting to the driver upon successful establishment of a guiding path that an automatic steering is now possible, a non-holding state determining section for determining whether there is established a non-holding state of the driver not holding a steering device, and a guiding start determining section configured to allow guiding by the automatic steering to be started, provided the guiding path has been established AND the non-holding state has been realized. | 11-10-2011 |
20110298639 | PARKING ASSIST APPARATUS - A parking assist apparatus includes a parking target position setting section for setting a parking target position when a vehicle is to be parked by reversing, a parking pathway determining section for determining possibility/impossibility of direct parking for parking the vehicle to the parking target position without turnaround, and a report outputting section for effecting reporting to allow a driver engaged in parking to recognize the possibility/impossibility of the direct parking based on the result of determination by the parking pathway determining section. | 12-08-2011 |
20110304477 | PARKING SUPPORT DEVICE - To provide a parking support device for easily and quickly moving or rotating a target parking frame to an appropriate position. The parking support device includes a target parking position setting unit configured to set a target parking position at which a vehicle is to be parked with a target parking frame superimposed on an actual image displaying an area surrounding the vehicle. The parking support device guides the vehicle to the target parking position set by the target parking position setting unit. The target parking position setting unit moves the target parking frame initially displayed on a touch display to a position indicated by a coordinate point determined by a touch operation. | 12-15-2011 |
20110309953 | Systems And Methods For Monitoring Vehicle Parking - Embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to systems and methods of monitoring vehicle parking. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a vehicle parking monitoring system that includes a parking space sensor enabled to detect the presence of at least one vehicle in a first parking space of a first parking area and a parking area transceiver in communication with the parking space sensor, the parking area transceiver configured to receive information from the parking space sensor and transmit the information to a gateway. The parking area transceiver is also configured to receive information from the gateway. The gateway is connected to a wide area network and configured to receive information from the parking area transceiver and transmit the information to the wide area network, the gateway is also configured to receive information from the wide area network and transmit the information to the parking area transceiver. Other aspects, features, and embodiments are also claimed and described. | 12-22-2011 |
20110316720 | OPTICAL PARKING GUIDE - An optical sensor based parking guidance system using visual indicators to guide a driver into an optimal position to park a vehicle. The optical sensors create a safe parking envelope and provide visual indicators to the driver in the event the vehicle leaves the established safe area. The invention also indicates the appropriate stopping position within a parking space. | 12-29-2011 |
20120013485 | Method for warning a driver of a collision - In a method for warning a driver of a vehicle about a collision with an object in the course a parking operation, the distance of the vehicle to at least one object in the environment of the vehicle is detected, and if a specified minimum distance is undershot, the driver is warned to stop the vehicle or the vehicle is stopped automatically. The specified minimum distance is varied as a function of the type of parking space and the executed parking maneuver. | 01-19-2012 |
20120044091 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING PARKING MANAGEMENT SERVICE, AND CLIENT DEVICE AND SERVER THEREFOR - An apparatus for providing a parking management service includes: a client terminal for providing a user with a parking management service in a parking lot by using communication environment; a first sensor node, installed in a parking area in the parking lot, for sensing whether there is a vehicle in the parking area; a second sensor node, installed at a vehicle movement section in the parking lot, for sensing a vehicle moving in the parking area; and a parking management server for receiving sensing information from the first and second sensor nodes, generating real-time parking lot information, and providing the generated real-time parking lot information to the client terminal. The apparatus further includes a network provided among the client terminal, the first sensor node, the second sensor node and the parking management server for transmitting information for a parking management. | 02-23-2012 |
20120056758 | VEHICLE PARKING SPOT LOCATOR SYSTEM AND METHOD USING CONNECTED VEHICLES - A vehicle parking spot locator system and method are provided. The system includes a database storing data pertaining to the parking spot locations including available parking spot locations, and a communication link for communicating with a vehicle and other sources. The communication link receives parking spot location information including information pertaining to availability of parking spot locations and further provides vehicles with parking spot location information to assist in locating a parking spot location. The system further includes a processor for processing the stored data in the database and providing parking spot location information to vehicles. The processor is configured to predict which open parking spot is closest to a desired destination and will be available when the vehicle arrives at the desired destination. | 03-08-2012 |
20120062393 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING THE OCCUPATION STATE OF A PARKING SPACE - A method for determining the occupation state of a parking space, including the steps of: providing a first detection unit equipped with a frequency modulated continuous wave radar; preparing a decision unit and a second detection unit; transmitting via the radar a communication signal modulated on the basis of a first code, alternatively indicating the parking space or a vehicle; receiving the communication signal with the second detection unit; demodulating the first code with the second detection unit; transmitting the first code to the decision unit via the second detection unit; and determining, with the decision unit, the occupation state on the basis of the first code and the second code, alternatively indicating either a vehicle or the parking space. | 03-15-2012 |
20120062394 | PARKING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM FOR ASSISTING IN A PARKING OPERATION FOR A PLURALITY OF AVAILABLE PARKING SPACES - A parking assistance system is described for assisting in a parking operation of a vehicle when a plurality of parking spaces is present. A method in a parking assistance system includes performing the following: detecting a plurality of parking spaces; selecting one of the detected parking spaces based on a degree of comfort; and assisting in the parking operation into the selected parking space. The degree of comfort includes at least one predefined condition, on the basis of which the detected parking spaces are classifiable according to the presumed driver acceptance. | 03-15-2012 |
20120062395 | PARKING INFORMATION COLLECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD - 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. | 03-15-2012 |
20120062396 | PARKING SUPPORT DEVICE - A parking support device is provided for extracting detection point data corresponding to a corner portion of a parked vehicle | 03-15-2012 |
20120092189 | Estimating Parking Space Occupancy Using Radio-Frequency Identification - An example system configured to determine a status of a parking space includes an RFID reader, and at least one RFID tag positioned at the parking space. The RFID reader interrogates the RFID tag. The RFID reader determines that the parking space is unoccupied when the RFID reader receives a response from the RFID tag. The RFID reader determines that the parking space is occupied when the RFID reader fails to receive the response from the RFID tag. | 04-19-2012 |
20120092190 | Computer-Implemented System And Method For Managing Motor Vehicle Parking Reservatons - A computer-implemented system and method for managing motor vehicle parking reservations is provided. Motor vehicle parking spaces are managed through a server. Smart parking devices physically proximate to the parking spaces are interfaced with the server. Vehicle occupancy sensors physically proximate to the parking spaces are interfaced with the server. Parking availability indicators associated with the parking spaces are interfaced with the server. A motorist reserves a parking space. A reservation request for the parking space is accepted. The request is granted if available over any other reservations. Occupancy of the requested parking space is sensed through the nearest vehicle occupancy sensor. The motorist's or the motor vehicle's identity are verified against the reservation through the nearest smart parking device. Parking availability is indicated through the nearest parking availability indicator based upon the current time, any motor vehicle occupancy, applicable parking regulations, or any unfulfilled reservations for the parking space. | 04-19-2012 |
20120092191 | Computer-Implemented System And Method For Hands-Free Tagging And Reserving Of Parking Spaces - A computer-implemented system and method for tagging a parking space for a motor vehicle through a gesture is provided. Motor vehicle parking spaces are managed through a server. Smart parking devices physically proximate to the parking spaces are interfaced. Vehicle occupancy sensors also physically proximate the parking spaces are interfaced. Parking availability indicators associated with the parking spaces are interfaced. Those parking spaces that are unoccupied based on their respective vehicle occupancy sensors and currently available over any other reservations stored in the server are identified to a driver of a motor vehicle. One of the unoccupied parking spaces is reserved upon a gesture provided by the driver. Occupancy of the reserved unoccupied parking space is sensed through the nearest vehicle occupancy sensor following parking of the motor vehicle. The identity of the motorist is verified against the reservation through the nearest smart parking device. | 04-19-2012 |
20120092192 | Method, System and Apparatus for Controlling an Electrical Device - A system, method and apparatus for controlling an electrical device are provided. At least one image of at least one moving entity is processed to determine when the moving entity (or entities) is at least one of entering and exiting a monitored area, and to determine when the moving entity (or entities) comprises at least one triggering shape. When the moving entity (or entities), comprising at least one triggering shape, is at least one of entering and exiting the monitored area, control of the electrical device is triggered and a counter for counting triggering shapes present in the monitored area is triggered. When the moving entity (or entities), comprising at least one triggering shape, exits the monitored area, the counter decrements by the number of triggering shapes and the electrical device is triggered to a state different from a present state when the counter falls below a threshold number. | 04-19-2012 |
20120098677 | Navigation apparatus, server apparatus and method of collecting parking location information - A navigation apparatus ( | 04-26-2012 |
20120105251 | PARKING ASSIST OVERLAY WITH VARIABLE BRIGHTNESS INTENSITY - A parking assist system overlay that adjusts the color and/or intensity of locus lines at a predetermined steering wheel angle to alert a vehicle operator that static or dynamic locus lines should be followed to ensure the vehicle successfully reaches a target parking space | 05-03-2012 |
20120112929 | SMART SPACING ALLOCATION - A method, system and computer program product for allocating parking spaces for vehicles in a parking area. In one embodiment, the invention provides a system comprising a sensor system for generating output representing measurements of vehicles in the parking area, a marking system for identifying parking spaces in the parking area, and a controller for calculating parking spaces for vehicles. The controller obtains defined measurements for the vehicles in the parking area, and calculates for each of the vehicles, a respective one parking space in the parking area. In an embodiment, the controller allocates a size and a position for each parking space in the parking area, and operates the marking system to mark each parking space to facilitate driving the vehicles into the parking spaces. Embodiments of the invention dynamically allocate parking spaces based on criteria: (1) Determine the minimum space that should be enough for the size of the car that is being currently identified for parking; and (2) Maximize utilization of space by preventing improper fragmentation, where because of allocating fixed size spaces to all cars, big/small/medium, fragments of space would be wasted. | 05-10-2012 |
20120133527 | Vehicle Guidance System - The present invention relates to a method of using the disappearance of a laser projection for the parking of a vehicle. Project a laser beam onto an object inside a garage directly or through a reflector so that the projection is visible to a vehicle driver. The laser beam is set up in such a manner that its path is just blocked by a correctly parked vehicle. When one drives a vehicle to this location, the laser beam is blocked and the earlier visible projection disappears, telling the driver to stop. This set up allows the driver to park the vehicle at the correct location repeatedly. | 05-31-2012 |
20120139757 | SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING PARKING INFORMATION BASED ON DUAL WIRELESS COMMUNICATION AND METHOD THEREOF - A system for providing parking information based on dual wireless communication including a vehicle terminal configured to connect to a server via a first wireless communication network when a parking information request is generated, and configured to connect to the server via a second wireless communication network if a connection via the first wireless communication network is failed, thereby receiving and displaying the parking information on a screen. | 06-07-2012 |
20120161983 | PARKING PILOT METHOD AND DEVICE - A parking pilot method and a device thereof are disclosed. Image detectors capture surrounding images of a vehicle. A speed detector detects speed of the vehicle. A distance detector obtains distance between the vehicle and a barrier. A processor obtains relative coordinates of the vehicle and parking lot and the angle and width of the parking lot with the images, speed and distances. Thereby, the processor creates a preset parking pilot frame and works out a relative position of the preset parking pilot frame and the parking lot. Then, the processor designates the preset parking pilot frame and the parking lot on a display. According to the information on the display, the driver moves the vehicle to an initial position and makes the preset parking pilot frame coincide with the parking lot. Then, the processor instructs the driver to manually park the vehicle, or automatically parks the vehicle. | 06-28-2012 |
20120161984 | PROVIDING GUIDANCE FOR LOCATING STREET PARKING - A facility for providing guidance for locating street parking is described. The facility receives an indication of a geographic location with respect to which provide parking guidance, and determines an effective time for which to provide guidance. The facility then provides parking guidance relating to the indicated location at the effective time for a use. | 06-28-2012 |
20120161985 | PROVIDING GUIDANCE FOR LOCATING STREET PARKING - A facility for providing guidance for locating street parking is described. The facility receives an indication of a geographic location with respect to which provide parking guidance, and determines an effective time for which to provide guidance. The facility then provides parking guidance relating to the indicated location at the effective time for a use. | 06-28-2012 |
20120161986 | PROVIDING GUIDANCE FOR LOCATING STREET PARKING - A facility for providing guidance for locating street parking is described. The facility receives an indication of a geographic location with respect to which provide parking guidance, and determines an effective time for which to provide guidance. The facility then provides parking guidance relating to the indicated location at the effective time for a use. | 06-28-2012 |
20120188100 | TERMINAL, APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING CUSTOMIZED AUTO-VALET PARKING SERVICE - The present invention provides a terminal, apparatus and method for providing a customized auto-valet parking service. The server device includes a service registration management unit for receiving auto-valet parking profile information that includes information about one or more of a user, a vehicle, and a mobile terminal, and a parking map management unit for generating customized parking slots suitable for the user using the auto-valet parking profile information, and providing a parking area map, which includes information about the customized parking slots, to the mobile terminal. The parking map management unit receives information about a final slot selected by the user from among the customized parking slots via the mobile terminal, and provides a route to the final slot. | 07-26-2012 |
20120188101 | FULLY AUTOMATED PARKING SYSTEM - The present invention relates to a parking system, which comprises: (a) plurality of Curb Devices for communication with car device and a host, each Curb Device having its own unique Curb Device ID and is installed close to a corresponding parking space; the Curb device is also provided with a sensor for sensing a physical positioning of a car within the respective parking space; (b) plurality of Car Devices, each Car Device is provided with its own unique Car Device ID, and is positioned at a corresponding car at a location which is visible from the outside; and (c) a Host which is provided with Users Data and Parking Spaces Data, for remotely managing, billing, enforcing and controlling on line and in real time parking of vehicles at each of said parking spaces. The invention also enables a driver of a car which is not provided with a car device to use a cellular alternative, where the driver uses his cellular phone to report to the Host the Curb Device ID, as visually displayed, while his phone number serves as a replacement for the Car Device ID. The invention also relates to a parking enforcement by the system of the present invention, which enforces parking in real time, while providing to the enforcement inspector the exact parking location where a proven violation has occurred. | 07-26-2012 |
20120194354 | Electronic Valet Parking Kiosk System and Method - An electronic valet parking system includes a plurality of portable wireless transmitters each operable to generate and transmit a uniquely-coded wireless signal. The system further includes a transceiver operable to receive the uniquely-coded wireless signal from each of the plurality of portable wireless transmitters, and a microcontroller circuit operable to communicate with the transceiver, receive an indication of the uniquely-coded wireless signal received by the transceiver, and identify a customer key associated with the uniquely-coded wireless signal. A plurality of key storage racks each in communication with the microcontroller circuit and each having a plurality of key holders and associated respective key indicators are provided. Each key holder corresponds to a unique transmitter identifier. A key visual indicator associated with a key holder corresponding to the unique transmitter identifier is activated, and a rack visual indicator of the corresponding key storage rack is also activated. | 08-02-2012 |
20120194355 | PARKING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD - A vehicle parking assistance system is based on presenting a bird's eye view. The display has an input interface such as a touch-input display or a remote input device such as a joystick. In this case, by selecting a desired position on the display (which is presenting an image of an object or location in space for which the driver is wanting to know the range), the user is able to request a distance calculation between the vehicle and that location in space. The distance information can be provided as an audible message and/or as a visual overlay message onto the bird's eye view. | 08-02-2012 |
20120200430 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ASSISTING A DRIVER IN FINDING A PARKING SPOT - A vehicle seeking a parking space receives a signals transmitted from a second vehicle operating in the same area as the first vehicle. The signals indicate the locations of one or more available parking space identified by the second vehicle. The spaces may be identified on the basis of the second vehicle having just vacated a space, or on the basis of an ambient sensor carried by the second vehicle. Each parking space has assigned to it a quality measure of usability as the possible parking space for the first vehicle. The quality measure may depend on a distance or travel time from the first vehicle to the space, and/or a time elapsed since the space was identified, and/or the proximity of other vehicles searching for a parking space. A display screen shows the locations of available parking spaces, their relative quality measures, and a proposed route to reach them. | 08-09-2012 |
20120256766 | INTEGRATION OF GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM AND ACTIVE PARKING ASSIST FUNCTIONALITIES - A vehicle has a global positioning system and an active parking assist system. The global positioning system is configured for providing information designating a present location of the vehicle and for providing information designating configuration of a target parking location proximate to the present location of the vehicle. The active parking assist system is configured to affect maneuvering of the vehicle into the target parking location. The active parking assist system is coupled to the global positioning system for acquiring the present location information therefrom and the target parking location information therefrom. The active parking assist system determines a type of assisted parking functionality to implement for affect maneuvering of the vehicle into the target parking location dependent upon the present location information and the target parking location information. | 10-11-2012 |
20120262305 | Identifying Parking Spots - A method includes receiving a report of an open parking spot and parking data that indicates a geographic location of the open parking spot, the report being generated based at least in part on determined movement of the mobile computing device; starting a timer relating to the open parking spot; receiving one or more requests for reporting of open parking spots; determining whether a time relating to the open parking spot has expired; and based on determining that a time relating to the open parking spot has not expired, providing in response to the one or more requests, data for generating a graphical indication of the open parking spot on a map of an area around the open parking spot for display on the one or more computing devices. | 10-18-2012 |
20120274482 | PARKING LOT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - A parking lot management system comprising a computer host, a handheld device, an entrance sensor, an entrance camera, an entrance stop, an exit sensor, an exit camera, and an exit stop is disclosed. The handheld device interactively transmits data with the entrance sensor and the exit sensor by near-field communication techniques. Each of the entrance camera and the exit camera takes a photo and acquires a license plate number of a vehicle and communicates this information with the computer host. After the computer host confirms and verifies some specific data, the computer host sends instructions to the entrance stop or the exit stop for allowing the vehicle to either enter or exit a parking lot. When exiting the parking lot, the parking fee is paid by the electronic wallet of the handheld device. | 11-01-2012 |
20120280836 | Vehicle Detection System with RFID-Based Location Determination - A vehicle detection and location system includes a plurality of RFID tags positioned along a parking array. The system includes an RFID reader movable in conjunction with a vehicle identification system along the parking array and configured to interrogate the RFID tags. A location of the vehicle can be determined based on an association of the interrogation by the RFID reader with an identifier detected by the vehicle identification system. | 11-08-2012 |
20120286972 | PARKING MANAGEMENT AND BILLING - A parking management system including a server, a plurality of mobile parking management devices mounted in cars, an plurality of parking area parking control devices mounted in a parking areas, and a plurality of portable parking control devices used by parking attendants, all communicating via one or more wireless networks. Upon request, the server provides a mobile parking management device with information pertaining to parking availability and to commercial establishments offering parking payment refunds. Upon request a commercial establishments sends a parking payment refund to the server. Upon request the server bills the account associated with the mobile parking management device according to the parking fee and period of parking. | 11-15-2012 |
20120299749 | PARKING LOT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - A parking lot management system determines a current parking space inventory for one or more parking lots using a parking database. The parking lot management system receives, via a network, a location associated with a parking customer, and identifies a parking lot of the one or more parking lots currently having available parking spaces based on the customer's location. The parking lot management system sends, via the network, at least one of a current occupancy, parking rates, or a location of the identified parking lot to the parking customer. The parking lot management system further receives a parking space reservation inquiry from the parking customer, and identifies a parking space from the identified parking lot based on the parking customer's location. | 11-29-2012 |
20120326893 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR COORDINATING PERMITTED USE OF A PARKING SPACE - Managing shared usage of a set of parking spaces. A system includes a processor, a control circuit, a memory, and a communication interface. One or more software modules are encoded in the memory that execute a parking management application in the processor. When executed the parking management application configures the control circuit to: receive a user input from an owner through the communication interface, concerning a parking space, an availability of the parking space and a user location. The parking management application further configures the control circuit to receive a request from a visitor through the communication interface to park among the set of parking spaces, process the request together with the user input and user location to determine an optimal parking arrangement, assign a parking destination to the visitor based on the optimal parking arrangement; and transmit the assigned parking destination to the visitor. | 12-27-2012 |
20130021171 | PARKING SPACE DETECTION DEVICE AND METHOD THEREOF - A parking space detection device and method thereof, wherein, firstly, store a plurality of border data relating to moved distance of a vehicle, and distance between vehicle and an obstacle for reverse transmission of ultrasonic waves; then determine if said border data satisfy evaluation conditions, such that it is in a first detecting parking space then obstacle state, or in a first detecting obstacle then parking space state. Wherein, in case that any of evaluation conditions is satisfied, start to calculate a first difference between each of said border data and their average, to determine if it is grater than a standard deviation; in case that answer is positive, fetch at least two data points, a first data point and a second data point, corresponding to border data, then calculate their difference to adjust weights of first data point and second data point, in obtaining a highly accurate parking space. | 01-24-2013 |
20130106621 | Method and System for Determining the State of Occupation of a Plurality of Scheduled Areas by Vehicles | 05-02-2013 |
20130120160 | USER-MANAGED PARKING SYSTEM - A server device may receive parking information that identifies a first plurality of parking spots, within a parking structure, that are available for parking, and a second plurality of parking spots, within the parking structure, that are unavailable for parking; store the parking information in association with information identifying the parking structure; receive, from a user device, a request for parking information associated with the parking structure; populate, in response to the request, a visual representation of the parking structure with the parking information, where the visual representation of the parking structure identifies the first plurality of parking spots and the second plurality of parking spots; and transmit the visual representation of the parking structure to the user device to assist a user, of the user device, in locating one of the first plurality of parking spots. | 05-16-2013 |
20130120161 | PARKING ASSISTANCE DEVICE - A parking assistance device generates a display overhead image with which a region to which attention is to be paid at the time of running to park is clearly displayed on a monitor. An overhead image generating portion that generates an overhead image as a display image of surroundings of a vehicle that is displayed on a monitor | 05-16-2013 |
20130127641 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SUPPORTING A DRIVER OF A VEHICLE IN MANOEUVRING THE VEHICLE ON A DRIVING ROUTE AND PORTABLE COMMUNICATION DEVICE - The invention relates to a method for supporting a driver of a vehicle ( | 05-23-2013 |
20130135118 | PARKING METER EXPIRED ALERT - Methods and systems for a complete vehicle ecosystem are provided. Specifically, systems that when taken alone, or together, provide an individual or group of individuals with an intuitive and comfortable vehicular environment. The present disclosure builds on integrating existing technology with new devices, methods, and systems to provide a complete vehicle ecosystem. | 05-30-2013 |
20130141252 | PARKING SPACE FINDER BASED ON PARKING METER DATA - Methods and systems for a complete vehicle ecosystem are provided. Specifically, systems that when taken alone, or together, provide an individual or group of individuals with an intuitive and comfortable vehicular environment. The present disclosure builds on integrating existing technology with new devices, methods, and systems to provide a complete vehicle ecosystem. | 06-06-2013 |
20130176147 | MANAGING PARKING SPACE AVAILABILITY - A method, system or computer usable program product for a data processing system to anticipate parking space availability including receiving from the first user a request for a parking space for a first vehicle, obtaining location tracking data of a set of users, each of the set of users associated with one of a set of vehicles, each vehicle located at one of a set of parking spaces, predicting a set of departure times based on the location tracking data for a subset of the set of users away from and associated with vehicles located in parking spaces, determining a subset of departure times that are within an acceptable period of time, and sending to the first user a subset of parking spaces with vehicles associated with users having the subset of departure times. | 07-11-2013 |
20130222157 | PARKING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM - A parking assistance system includes a usage status acquisition unit configured to acquire usage status information indicating a usage status at a plurality of parking positions in a parking lot, a moving vehicle information acquisition unit configured to acquire a position of a vehicle moving in the parking lot, a control unit configured to select a parking position for the vehicle in accordance with the usage status information and the position of the vehicle, and transmit guidance image information for guiding the vehicle to the selected parking position, and a projection unit configured to project a guidance image based on the guidance image information onto an inside of the parking lot to present the parking position to the vehicle. | 08-29-2013 |
20130249711 | Method, System, Apparatus to determine and manage parking space(s) availability in a parking lot using electro-piezo bumps - The current invention is a method, system, apparatus to determine which spaces in a parking lot are available and communicate this to end users looking to park. This method uses sensors designed based on the electromagnetic piezoelectric framework described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/197,776. These sensors, henceforth referred to as electro-piezo sensors, use electromagnetic and piezoelectric mechanisms to convert the stress and vibration from the motion of vehicles into electric signals. These electric signals are routed to a decision engine that has inbuilt intelligence to interpret them, manage the parking space availability and interface with any peripheral systems to show the space availability in a parking lot. An example of a peripheral system is a mobile device that tells a driver which specific spaces are available and allows them to reserve a space to park their car as they drive into the parking lot. | 09-26-2013 |
20130257632 | Street Parking Availability Estimation - A system and method for estimating street parking availability for a user is disclosed. The system comprises a communication module and a parking probability generator. The communication module receives data describing a set of traces for a group of vehicles associated with a group of users. The parking probability generator assigns the set of traces to one or more street segments based at least in part on street segment data describing the one or more street segments. The parking probability generator generates one or more parking probabilities for the one or more street segments based at least in part on one or more user densities in the one or more street segments. | 10-03-2013 |
20130265174 | PARKING RESOURCE MANAGEMENT - Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems for parking based route navigation and/or parking resource management are disclosed to facilitate navigation to parking spots associated with a destination and/or management of respective parking spots. Navigation may be provided to a parking spot based upon parking criteria (e.g., such as distance to a destination and/or costs associated with the parking spot). Additionally, navigation (e.g., instructions, alternate transport, such as public transit) from the parking spot to the destination may be provided. Parking spots may be reserved by a parking management system based upon reservations received through a parking based route navigation system. Travelers may be re-routed based upon parking factors (e.g., traffic around a parking location, parking density, etc.). Accordingly, travelers may be routed to a destination in a more efficient manner and/or a management system may price and/or allocate parking spots in a desired manner. | 10-10-2013 |
20130265175 | PARKING CONTROL APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING AN ALARM THEREOF - The present invention relates to a vehicle alarm control technique. More particularly, the present invention relates to a parking control apparatus and a method for providing an alarm accurately as detecting a collision risk of a vehicle with an obstacle in advance during all the time while the vehicle moves under parking control. | 10-10-2013 |
20130285841 | SOLAR CHARGED AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE - An automotive vehicle having at least one solar panel, a battery rechargeable by the at least one solar panel, and a computer system including one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs. The program(s) generate a list of parking locations, determine which of the one or more parking location provide sun exposure, and recommending at least one parking location to a vehicle operator. | 10-31-2013 |
20130307704 | PARKING RESTRICTION INFORMATION - Parking restrictions are provided by an app and generates a display, which can be on the screen of a mobile smartphone, a tablet, a computer, or on a handheld or vehicle built-in navigation system screen. The app can obtain parking restrictions for current location from a database that is updated either from a centralized service or by user input. The provided parking restriction information can be used to set reminder alarms when the driver decides to park. | 11-21-2013 |
20130335239 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING PARKING SPACES FOR A COMMUNITY OF USERS - A mobile communications device includes a locator unit to receive and process information regarding a current location for the mobile communications device, a parking status determination unit to determine a parking status for the device based on at least changes in the current location, and a communication unit to forward the parking status to a parking community processor. A method includes determining a parking status of a vehicle associated with a person as a function of movement of a personal mobile communications device. | 12-19-2013 |
20130335240 | PROCESS AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING A PARTICULAR STATE OF A SPECIFIC PARKING SPACE - The present invention concerns a process and a system for detecting a particular state of a specific parking space among a plurality of parking spaces, a particular state being one of empty or occupied. Each parking space is equipped with at least one detector for measuring a value of at least one parameter, said parameter being variable according to the presence or absence of a vehicle. | 12-19-2013 |
20140022095 | METHOD FOR MAKING A PARKING ARRANGEMENT EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC VEHICLE DETECTION SYSTEM READY FOR OPERATION, AND PARKING ARRANGEMENT FOR USE OF THE METHOD - Parking arrangement and method for making a parking arrangement equipped with an automatic vehicle detection system ready for operation, which parking arrangement comprises a central computer with a database and at least a number of parking places identifiable by a location code, which parking places are each provided with at least one wirelessly operating parking sensor module, which is connected with the central computer via a UHF radio link and which is provided with an identification code, which parking sensor module comprises at least one vehicle sensor which in operation provides measuring values representative of the presence or absence of a vehicle in the respective parking place, wherein use is made of parking sensor modules which have an RFID identification circuit in which the identification code is stored, which identification code is wirelessly readable. | 01-23-2014 |
20140055287 | Vehicle Laser Parking Indicator Apparatus - In one embodiment, the present invention includes an apparatus to assist in parking a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a housing coupled to the vehicle and at least one laser coupled to the housing. The laser emanates light that impinges on a surface peripheral to the vehicle. The light indicates a target on the surface and a proximity to a boundary. | 02-27-2014 |
20140062726 | PARKING METHOD AND SYSTEM - A parking system including a database having (a) a number of parking spaces in a zone, (b) a ratio having a number of vehicles using a certain parking service from a pre-defined general population divided by a number of vehicles of the pre-defined general population, and (c) a number of vehicles using the parking service and which are currently parking in the zone, and a calculator configured to calculate from the database an estimation of available parking spaces within the zone, thereby enabling a user to obtain information regarding availability of parking spaces in given locations, compared with other locations. | 03-06-2014 |
20140062727 | PARKING METHOD AND SYSTEM - A parking system including a database having (a) a number of parking spaces in a zone, (b) a ratio having a number of vehicles using a certain parking service from a pre-defined general population divided by a number of vehicles of the pre-defined general population, and (c) a number of vehicles using the parking service and which are currently parking in the zone, and a calculator configured to calculate from the database an estimation of available parking spaces within the zone, thereby enabling a user to obtain information regarding availability of parking spaces in given locations, compared with other locations. | 03-06-2014 |
20140077973 | Method of Guiding Parking Space and Related Device - A method of guiding a parking space for an electronic device on a vehicle is disclosed. The method includes obtaining location information of the parking space; calculating a destination position according to the location information; determining a movement of the vehicle via at least one sensor of the electronic device to generate a determination result; and generating a guiding indication for guiding the vehicle to the destination position according to the determination result and the destination position. | 03-20-2014 |
20140085109 | Computer-Implemented System And Method For Managing Interchangeable Parking Spaces - A computer-implemented system and method for managing interchangeable parking spaces is provided. A parking pool that includes a plurality of parking spaces, which are each interchangeably reservable by motorists, is formed. The parking spaces in the parking pool that are currently-occupied by other vehicles and any reservations by motorists to park their vehicles in the parking pool are identified. The number of the parking spaces in the parking pool free of the currently-occupied parking spaces and the parking spaces in the parking pool that will be used to fulfill the reservations, plus the time available for parking in the parking pool, are displayed. | 03-27-2014 |
20140085110 | AUTHORIZATION OF SERVICE USING VEHICLE INFORMATION AND/OR USER INFORMATION - Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are provided for authorizing an action using vehicle identification information (e.g., supplied by a vehicle) and user identification information (e.g., supplied by a mobile device associated with a user of the vehicle). Such an action may relate to, among other things, refueling the vehicle, parking the vehicle, using a fee-based road segment, and/or other vehicle-centric actions, for example. Moreover, in one embodiment, as part of the authorization, a payment transaction may be initiated by an authorization system configured to authorize the action. | 03-27-2014 |
20140085111 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PROVIDING ASSISTANCE DURING A PARKING MANEUVER OF A VEHICLE - A method for providing assistance during a parking maneuver of a motor vehicle into a parking space. The parking space and a boundary object located in the area of the parking space being detected by a sensor array while the vehicle is driving by the parking space. To simplify the parking maneuver, a boundary object type is assigned to the detected boundary object, and parking information relating to the feasibility of a parking maneuver into the parking space is generated. Furthermore, a device for providing assistance during a parking maneuver of a motor vehicle, into a parking space, having a sensor array for detecting a parking space and a boundary object located in the area of the parking space while the vehicle is driving by the parking space, having an analyzer unit connected to the sensor array, and having a memory unit. | 03-27-2014 |
20140085112 | VEHICULAR INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Disclosed is a method and system that receives sensor information from each of a plurality of sensors. Each sensor in the plurality is associated with a vehicle. The sensor information includes location coordinates of each vehicle in the plurality. The sensor information associated with each vehicle in the plurality then is translated to parking statistics information. In one embodiment, the translation is based on an aggregate of sensor information corresponding to the plurality of vehicles. The system then communicates parking statistics information to the vehicle. | 03-27-2014 |
20140085113 | METHOD FOR SUPPORTING A DRIVER USING A PORTABLE DEVICE IN A VEHICLE - The invention relates to a method for supporting a driver of a motor vehicle ( | 03-27-2014 |
20140097971 | METHOD FOR DETECTING A PARKING SPACE, PARKING ASSIST SYSTEM AND MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING A PARKING ASSIST SYSTEM - The invention relates to a method for detecting a parking space ( | 04-10-2014 |
20140132423 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PARKING POSITION DISPLAY OF VEHICLE - Disclosed is an apparatus and a method for parking position display of a vehicle. The apparatus includes a processor configured to detect objects around a vehicle by analyzing sensor values obtained by a distance sensor that is installed in the vehicle and surrounding images captured by imaging devices that are disposed in the vehicle. The processor is also configured to locate the detected objects based on the sensor values and the surrounding images. Additionally, the processor is configured to control display elements corresponding to the detected objects to be output on the surrounding images based on the positions of the detected objects. | 05-15-2014 |
20140132424 | PARKING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM, METHOD FOR OPERATING A PARKING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM, COMPUTER PROGRAM, COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM AND MOTOR VEHICLE - A parking assistance system is provided for a motor vehicle, with a sensor device which is configured to measure a distance of the motor vehicle from an object and an intrinsic speed of the motor vehicle, with a warning device, which is configured to compare the measured distance with a distance threshold value and to output a warning signal if the measured distance drops below the distance threshold value. The warning device is configured to adapt the distance threshold value taking the measured intrinsic speed into account. Furthermore, a method is provided for operating a parking assistance system, a computer program, a computer-readable medium and a motor vehicle. | 05-15-2014 |
20140139359 | PARKING GUIDANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD BASED ON VEHICLE HUMAN OCCUPANCY - A system and methods that account for vehicle human occupancy in parking management systems. Human throughput to an event is optimized by utilizing a smart parking guidance system based on the human occupancy of the vehicles to be parked. | 05-22-2014 |
20140139360 | Sensor Module for Ground and System Providing a Pluraty of These - The invention relates to a sensor module | 05-22-2014 |
20140145862 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTIMATION OF AVAILABLE PARKING SPACE THROUGH INTERSECTION TRAFFIC COUNTING - A method and structure for estimating parking occupancy within an area of interest can include the use of at least two image capture devices and a processor (e.g., a computer) which form at least part of a network. A method for estimating the parking occupancy within the area of interest can include the use of vehicle entry and exit data from the area of interest, as well as an estimated transit time for vehicles transiting through the area of interest without parking. | 05-29-2014 |
20140152472 | OBJECT LOCATION CONFIRMATION SYSTEM - An object location confirmation system for use in an area is provided. The area includes a first zone and a second zone. The object location confirmation system includes a first retrieving device, a second retrieving device, and a data processing apparatus. The first retrieving device is disposed on a path of the area to retrieve a first datum of an object. The second retrieving device is disposed in a boundary region of the second zone. The data processing apparatus is configured to receive the first datum and identify the first datum so as to generate a piece of identification information related to the object. The data processing apparatus determines and records that the object is located in the first zone when the data processing apparatus receives the identification information related to the object and has not received a second datum of the object retrieved from the second retrieving device. | 06-05-2014 |
20140176348 | LOCATION BASED PARKING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - A method to provide an active parking system includes receiving, at a portable computerized device, parking preferences of a user for a parking facility of a retail store, determining, within a parking space index server, an availability status of each of a plurality of parking spaces of the parking facility, identifying, within a computerized device, a preferred parking location for the user based upon the parking preferences and the availability statuses, and displaying, at a computerized display, directions for the user to navigate to the preferred parking location. | 06-26-2014 |
20140176349 | Computer-Implemented System And Method For Directing Users To Available Parking Spaces - A computer-implemented system and method for directing motorists to available parking spaces. Availability of a plurality of parking spaces is determined. A street location of a dynamic parking sign comprising identifiers is determined. A direction of each of the available parking spaces from the street location is determined and the available parking spaces are grouped by direction. Parking factors are applied to the grouped available parking spaces and at least one of the groups of parking spaces that satisfy the parking factors is selected. The direction of the selected groups of parking spaces is displayed on a dynamic street sign. | 06-26-2014 |
20140184428 | INTERACTIVE MANAGEMENT OF A PARKED VEHICLE - The present disclosure relates to computer-implemented systems and methods for interactive management of a parked vehicle. An example method may include receiving a first communication, at a server comprising one or more processors, indicating that the parked vehicle is considered an obstruction. The method may further include notifying, by the server, one or more users associated with the parked vehicle of the first communication. Additionally, the method may include generating, by the server, a predetermined response to the first communication associated with the obstruction. | 07-03-2014 |
20140197968 | Vehicle Proximity Detection and Indication Devices and Methods - A vehicle proximity sensor includes an indicator having a plurality of light sources arranged in series along a path. The light sources are in sequential groups, with each group featuring multiple light sources arranged to illuminate in a same common illumination colour that differs from the illumination colour of each other group. Considering the area being monitored to be divided into segments and subsegments, the latest color to be illuminated provides indication of the current segment reached by the vehicle, and a count of the light sources illuminated in said latest color provides indication of how far the vehicle has reached into the current segment. The sensor is mounted at bumper height, and linked by a flexible connector to a strip on which the light sources are mounted, which may be oriented to reach upward from the sensor location into the windshield site line of the vehicle. | 07-17-2014 |
20140232562 | SMART SPACING ALLOCATION - A method, system and computer program product for allocating parking spaces for vehicles in a parking area. In one embodiment, the invention provides a system comprising a sensor system for generating output representing measurements of vehicles in the parking area, a marking system for identifying parking spaces in the parking area, and a controller for calculating parking spaces for vehicles. The controller obtains defined measurements for the vehicles in the parking area, and calculates for each of the vehicles, a respective one parking space in the parking area. Embodiments of the invention dynamically allocate parking spaces based on: (1) Determining the minimum space that should be enough for the size of the car that is being currently identified for parking; and (2) Maximizing utilization of space by preventing improper fragmentation, where because of allocating fixed size spaces to all cars, big/small/medium, fragments of space would be wasted. | 08-21-2014 |
20140247161 | DRIVER ASSISTANCE DEVICE HAVING A PLURALITY OF ULTRASOUND SENSORS AND VEHICLE HAVING SUCH A DRIVER ASSISTANCE DEVICE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A DRIVER ASSISTANCE DEVICE - The invention relates to a driver assistance device ( | 09-04-2014 |
20140247162 | ESTIMATING PARKING SPACE OCCUPANCY USING RADIO-FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION - An example system configured to determine a status of a parking space includes an RFID reader, and at least one RFID tag positioned at the parking space. The RFID reader interrogates the RFID tag. The RFID reader determines that the parking space is unoccupied when the RFID reader receives a response from the RFID tag. The RFID reader determines that the parking space is occupied when the RFID reader fails to receive the response from the RFID tag. | 09-04-2014 |
20140253346 | SYSTEM TO ALIGN A VEHICLE WITHIN A PARKING LOCATION USING THERMAL TARGETS - A system to align a vehicle in a parking location includes a plurality of heat generating devices, such as infrared LEDs, arranged in a surface of the parking location to produce a distinctive thermal pattern. A multiple zone temperature sensor is mounted to view the heat generating devices and is configured to output thermal data for each of the zones. A controller is configured to receive the thermal data and determine a thermal map of the plurality of heat generating devices. A display provides a graphic indication of the thermal map and a thermal alignment target. The system may be used to align a vehicle having a capture resonator of a wireless power transfer system to a parking location having a source resonator of a wireless power transfer system. | 09-11-2014 |
20140266800 | CROWD-SOURCED PARKING ADVISORY - Architecture that employs crowd-sourced parking-related information to compute the probability of finding parking spots at specific road segments, parking lots, and/or in larger geographic areas. The crowd-sourced parking-related information can be obtained from geolocation (geographical location) traces. This approach utilizes a method of mining location traces to compute the probability of finding parking spots at specific road segments, parking lots, and/or in larger geographic areas. The location traces can be mined to classify parking areas as public, private, and semi-private (e.g., only for company employees in certain area that also include public parking areas). The location traces can be mined to infer the times and dates (e.g., hours of the day and the days of the week) during which a vehicle is allowed to park at a given location. | 09-18-2014 |
20140266801 | Digital Parking Management, Enforcement, and Notification - Systems, methods, and computer program products for digital parking management, enforcement, and notification are provided. In one embodiment, a parking operations system is provided. The parking operations system is configured to receive parking vendor data from a plurality of parking meter vendors, process the received parking vendor data to generate aggregated parking data, receive a request for parking data from a parking operator, and send the requested parking data and associated views for displaying the parking data to the parking operator. In another embodiment, the parking operations system is configured to receive a parking location request from an application and to send probable parking locations, in response to the parking location request, to the application. | 09-18-2014 |
20140266802 | PROVIDING PARKING AVAILABILITY INFORMATION AND PARKING ALERTS - A device may receive map data that identifies a parking facility located in a particular geographic area; identify the parking facility based on the map data; receive parking data that identifies an available or an unavailable parking space located in the parking facility; combine the map data and the parking data to form combined data; and provide the combined data for display. The combined data may cause a map of the particular geographic area to be displayed. The map may have a representation of the parking facility, a representation of a number of available or unavailable parking spaces in the parking facility, or a representation of an entrance of the parking facility. | 09-18-2014 |
20140266803 | TWO-DIMENSIONAL AND THREE-DIMENSIONAL SLIDING WINDOW-BASED METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DETECTING VEHICLES - Provided is a method and system for efficient localization in still images. According to one exemplary method, a sliding window-based 2-D (Dimensional) space search is performed to detect a parked vehicle in a video frame acquired from a fixed parking occupancy video camera including a field of view associated with a parking region. | 09-18-2014 |
20140266804 | PARKING TRACKING SYSTEM - An example embodiment includes a method including tracking vehicles entering and exiting a parking area based on radio frequency identification (RFID) signals received from RFID tags included in the vehicles associated with the parking area. The method also includes determining parking area information associated with the parking area based on the RFID signals. The method further includes providing, via a network, the parking area information to at least one of a parking administrator of the parking area and a user registered to park in the parking area. | 09-18-2014 |
20140266805 | PERSONALIZED PARKING ASSISTANT - An in-vehicle parking system and method for displaying and analyzing parking information. | 09-18-2014 |
20140285361 | PERSONALIZED PARKING ASSISTANT - An in-vehicle parking system and method for displaying an analyzing parking information. | 09-25-2014 |
20140285362 | APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING AVAILABLE PARKING SPACE AND METHOD THEREOF - Provided is an apparatus for determining an available parking space. The apparatus includes: an ROI setter setting an ROI for a parking space based on an entrance region of a searched parking space when searching for the corresponding parking space for parking a vehicle; a sensed value processor extracting sensed values measured in the set ROI from sensed values measured by an ultrasonic wave sensor and projecting the extracted sensed values upon an end of the corresponding parking space; a weight applier identifying a shape of the parking space and an output direction of the ultrasonic wave sensor and applying a weight to the projected sensed values according to the shape of the parking space and the output direction of the ultrasonic wave sensor; and a space occupancy determiner determining whether the corresponding parking space is occupied based on the applied weight to the projected sensed values. | 09-25-2014 |
20140292541 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC VACANT PARKING PLACE LOCATOR - An Automatic-vacant-parking-place locator (AVPPL) system and method in which a community member may get (manually or automatically) information on a vacant parking place in an area he/she is searching for a parking place. Further an AVPPL community member may provide information on vacant parking place in different areas, he/she is driving through, to other AVPPL community members and/or to an AVPPL mutual database. | 10-02-2014 |
20140292542 | METHOD FOR CLASSIFYING PARKING SCENARIOS FOR A SYSTEM FOR PARKING A MOTOR VEHICLE - A method for classifying parking scenarios for an assistance system for parking a motor vehicle wherein a predetermined number of parking scenarios are defined, each parking scenario is described by a predetermined number of typical parking scenario criteria, and the criteria are based at least on parking space-specific parameters. The method includes determination of data from the environment of the motor vehicle by means of an environment sensor system in the motor vehicle, determination of the parking space-specific parameters from the environment data, examining the criteria of each parking scenario on the basis of the parking space-specific parameters, and classifying each parking scenario on the basis of the examined criteria. | 10-02-2014 |
20140300494 | LOCATION BASED FEATURE USAGE PREDICTION FOR CONTEXTUAL HMI - A vehicle system having a controller configured to receive a sensor input. The controller may generate a feature score based at least in part on the sensor input and a location data within a database. The controller may associate the feature score to a selectable option. The controller may instruct a user interface device to display the selectable option in response to the feature score. | 10-09-2014 |
20140313058 | REAL-TIME PARKING ASSISTANT APPLICATION - A method for communicating parking space availability for a parking facility. A vehicle-based communication link is established between a remote infrastructure and a user interface device. A parking facility is selected utilizing the user interface device. The selected parking facility is communicated to the remote infrastructure from the user interface device via the vehicle-based communication link. Parking space availability within the selected parking facility is determined by the remote infrastructure. The parking space availability of the selected parking facility is communicated from the remote infrastructure to the user interface device. The parking space availability is determined by the remote infrastructure as a function of crowd sourcing data obtained for the selected parking facility, historical parking data of the selected parking facility, parking availability data of parking facilities proximate to the selected parking facility, and direct parking space sensing by a respective parking facility. | 10-23-2014 |
20140313059 | PARK ASSIST OBJECT DISTANCE MEASUREMENT CLOCK CONTROL - A method of determining an object distance from a vehicle includes sending a first transmission signal during a first burst period from a first transmitter, listening for a first reflection signal during a first listen period in a receiver, and sending a second transmission signal during a second burst period from a second transmitter. The second transmission signal is sent based on a time when the first transmission signal is sent. | 10-23-2014 |
20140313060 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING PARKING INFORMATION - A navigation device and a method of determining parking information are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method includes receiving, at a server, journey information from a plurality of navigation devices, the journey information indicating one or more journeys made by each navigation device and determining, by the server from the journey information, parking information indicating a geographical location of one or more parking areas. | 10-23-2014 |
20140320318 | USING LIGHTING AND OTHER STREETSIDE DEVICES TO INDICATE PARKING SPACE AVAILABILITY AND NAVIGATION INFORMATION - A method for directing a vehicle to a parking space within an environment is disclosed. The method includes selecting a parking space from a collection of parking spaces within the environment, further selecting one or more lighting devices within the environment based at least on a location of the selected parking space, and sending a signal to the one or more lighting devices to generate a lighting pattern visible to a driver of the vehicle, where the lighting pattern directs the driver to navigate the vehicle toward the parking space. In addition, the vehicle may be navigated using radio navigation algorithms based on beacon signals broadcasted from streetside devices, such as lighting devices or parking meters. | 10-30-2014 |
20140320319 | Method and Apparatus for Parking Lot Metering - A method and apparatus for parking lot metering. The present invention allows multi-space meters to separately manage and control premium parking spaces, such as those for charging electric vehicles or those which supply electric power for engine block heaters in both pay-by-space and pay-an-display systems. Such premium spaces can be managed together over large areas (e.g., a city or region), or may be managed over smaller areas (e.g., the domain of an individual kiosk), or individually per parking space. Management includes pricing, time limits, hours, seasons of operation, and restrictions by vehicle type, and alternative pricing and restrictions for non-premium hours. | 10-30-2014 |
20140333455 | PARKING GUIDANCE METHOD FOR VEHICLE USING AROUND VIEW MONITOR - There is provided a parking guidance method for a vehicle, of displaying a guidance line for guidance of perpendicular, parallel parking in an AVM synthetic image to provide parking guidance. The method includes entering a parking support mode, displaying parking type information in the parking support mode to select a parking type, displaying a parking reference region or a parking reference line with regard to a parking target space in which the vehicle is to be parked depending on the parking type, displaying a parking alignment reference line when the vehicle travels at a relatively low speed and a steering angle thereof is changed by a threshold value or more, and guiding the vehicle to be aligned such that the parking alignment reference line coincides with a parking section line based on the parking reference region or the parking reference line. | 11-13-2014 |
20140340240 | DISTRIBUTED REMOTE SENSING SYSTEM COMPONENT INTERFACE - A distributed remote sensing system including at least one gateway, at least one sensing device and a communication interface providing radio frequency communication through a shared frequency scheme between each sensing device and one of the at least one gateway and between each sensing device and another of the at least one gateway through a different frequency scheme. | 11-20-2014 |
20140340241 | ALLOCATING AN AREA TO A VEHICLE - A method of directing a vehicle ( | 11-20-2014 |
20140340242 | Method for Providing Parking Information on Free Parking Spaces - A method is provided for providing parking information regarding free parking spaces within at least one city block. The method provides for detecting information regarding available, free parking spaces, wherein a knowledge database with historical data is generated from the detected information. The historical data for specified city blocks and/or specified times or periods of time respectively comprise statistical data regarding free parking spaces. From the historical data and current information that are detected by vehicles in traffic for a first given point in time for a single or a plurality of selected city blocks, a probability distribution of free parking spaces to be expected for the single or the plurality of city blocks is determined. A visualization of the probability distribution is generated that represents the parking information regarding free parking spaces within the single or the plurality of city blocks. | 11-20-2014 |
20140347195 | ENHANCED ALIGNMENT METHOD FOR PARK ASSIST - A method of parking a running vehicle includes measuring a length of a parked vehicle that is proximate to a desired parking location, and estimating the width of the parked vehicle based on a regression equation. The running vehicle is parked based on the estimated width. | 11-27-2014 |
20140347196 | System and Method for Recognizing a Parking Place That is Potentially Becoming Free - A mobile system is provided for a vehicle for recognizing a parking place that is potentially becoming free, along with a method for recognizing a parking place that is potentially becoming free. The system includes at least one sensor for detecting a signal that is typical for a parking place that is potentially becoming free, an evaluation unit for assessing whether a signal received by the sensor signifies a parking place that is potentially becoming free, and an optical and/or acoustic indicator unit for indicating a parking place that is potentially becoming free. With the system and method, parking places that are becoming free can be detected automatically when travelling through a specific road section. | 11-27-2014 |
20140354452 | PARKING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM - It is an object of the present invention to provide in real time, to a user, an overhead view video in which a parking space is displayed on a display screen, even if a vehicle is moved. A parking assistance system ( | 12-04-2014 |
20140354453 | Implementing Location Based Actions | 12-04-2014 |
20140375476 | VEHICLE ALERT SYSTEM - A system of a vehicle may provide a parking assist function and/or an alert function. The system includes a sensor, a control and a display. The sensor is disposed at a vehicle and is operable to, at least in part, determine a geographical location of the vehicle. The control may be responsive to an output of the sensor and at least one of (i) a database and (ii) a communication from a remote server. Responsive to an input, the control may display parking information pertaining to parking spaces at or near the current geographical location of the vehicle. The system may be part of a plurality of networked vehicles equipped with respective sensors and controls. The control of the equipped vehicle may be operable to communicate information pertaining to a determination of an event or break-in to other nearby vehicles of the plurality of networked vehicles. | 12-25-2014 |
20150009047 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE PARKING SPACES MANAGEMENT USING IMAGE PROCESSING - The subject matter discloses a method for vehicle parking spaces management using image processing, comprising: obtaining one or more images of a plurality of parking spaces; segmenting the image of the one or more images to represent a parking space per segmented image; detecting parked vehicles in the segmented image using image processing; obtaining data from one or more additional sources related to the occupancy status of the plurality of parking spaces; and evaluating the occupancy status of the parking space of the plurality of parking spaces based on the parking vehicle detection and the obtained data from the one or more additional sources. | 01-08-2015 |
20150009048 | IMAGE ASSISTED PARKING SPACE AVAILABILITY SEARCHING AND RESERVATION METHOD AND SYSTEM - An image assisted parking space availability searching and reservation method and system. An image capturing unit can be deployed onsite (e.g., parking lot, street side parking, etc.) to monitor parking spaces/spots. A parking space detection and reservation module can be configured in association with a mobile communications device to assist in the detection and selection of particular spaces. A destination street(s) can be located via a web browser installed associated with the mobile communications device. An IP address of the image-capturing unit monitoring the parking space can be obtained and a snapshot image/video of the street can be displayed. The captured video can be processed in real-time to report parking availability with respect to the street(s) and a parking space reserved. | 01-08-2015 |
20150009049 | DIRECTIONAL SPEED AND DISTANCE SENSOR - A method of using a directional sensor for the purposes of detecting the presence of a vehicle or an object within a zone of interest on a roadway or in a parking space. The method comprises the following steps: transmitting a microwave transmit pulse of less than 5 feet; radiating the transmitted pulse by a directional antenna system; receiving received pulses by an adjustable receive window; integrating or combining signals from multiple received pulses; amplifying and filtering the integrated receive signal; digitizing the combined signal; comparing the digitized signal to at least one preset or dynamically computed threshold values to determine the presence or absence of an object in the field of view of the sensor; and providing at least one pulse generator with rise and fall times of less than 3 ns each and capable of generating pulses less than 10 ns in duration. | 01-08-2015 |
20150029041 | DEVICE, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CAPTURING MOTOR VEHICLE BEHAVIOR - A novel fixed communication device includes a locator unit to receive and process information regarding current location, a sensing unit to determine parking status based on proximity of driver to fixed device and a wireless communication unit for information transfer to and from any mobile communications device. The system includes the fixed communications device which is coupled with a software program on a mobile communications device to gather and transmit parking information. A method includes logging parking behavior and parking location of a vehicle as determined by the fixed communications device, with data gathered to be stored in a central server for social communication purposes. | 01-29-2015 |
20150054661 | PARKING CONTROL APPARATUS, PARKING CONTROL METHOD AND PARKING CONTROL SYSTEM - The present invention relates to a parking control technology. In particular, the present invention relates to a parking control apparatus, a parking control method, and a parking control system which may search a plurality of parking space around a vehicle and allocate identification information to each of the searched parking spaces. | 02-26-2015 |
20150061897 | AID FOR INDUCTIVE BATTERY CHARGING OF A MOTOR VEHICLE - A method for assisting with the positioning of a motor vehicle for inductive charging of a battery of the motor vehicle comprises reading a number plate associated with the motor vehicle using the number plate information to produce a location on the vehicle of a vehicle inductive coupling point (VICP) with reference to at least one reference point on the motor vehicle, comparing a predicted current position of the VICP to a fixed inductive coupling point (ICP) located in or on a road surface upon which the motor vehicle is to be positioned, and providing feedback to one of the driver and the motor vehicle indicative of the required action required to produce alignment of the VICP with the ICP. The method may further comprise energising the ICP to charge the battery of the motor vehicle when the VICP is predicted to be aligned with the ICP. | 03-05-2015 |
20150070196 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING AN ADJUSTMENT IN PARKING POSITION BASED ON PROXIMATE PARKED VEHICLE INFORMATION - An approach is provided for causing, at least in part, an initiation of at least one communication session between at least one parking vehicle and one or more proximate parked vehicles. The approach also involves determining at least one measure of space associated with the one or more proximate parked vehicles based, at least in part, on the at least one communication session. The approach further involves processing and/or facilitating the processing of the at least one measure of space to determine, at least in part, at least one adjustment of a parking position of the at least one parking vehicle relative to the one or more proximate parked vehicles. | 03-12-2015 |
20150091741 | Computer-Implemented System And Method For Providing Management Of Motor Vehicle Parking Spaces During Scheduled Street Sweeping - A system and method for managing a multiplicity of motor vehicle parking spaces through a server is provided. Smart parking devices and vehicle occupancy sensors that are each physically proximate to and which correspond to at least one of the parking spaces is interfaced with the server. Parking availability indicators that are each associated with at least one of the parking spaces is interfaced with the server. Street sweeping activity affecting the parking spaces is planned and comprising times and dates over which street sweeping of the parking spaces will occur. Any requests for reserving the use of the parking spaces during the street sweeping activity is denied. The parking availability indicators are activated associated with the parking spaces affected by the street sweeping activity. Occupancy of each of the parking spaces by a motor vehicle is sensed through the nearest vehicle occupancy sensor. | 04-02-2015 |
20150097704 | METHOD AND APPARATUS OF DETERMINING POSITION OF OBSTACLE, AND PARKING ASSIST METHOD AND SYSTEM - The present invention relates to a method of determining a position of an obstacle, an apparatus of determining a position of an obstacle, a parking assist method, and a parking assist system, and more particularly, to a technology of determining a position of an obstacle by comparing propagation distances a direct signal and an indirect signal. | 04-09-2015 |
20150097705 | PARKING ASSISTANCE DEVICE - Provided is a parking assistance device capable of setting a parking target position without placing a burden on a driver. The parking assistance device includes: a ground object detection unit configured to detect a ground object that defines a parking stall in a predetermined detection region set in advance on a lateral side of a vehicle; a parking stall calculation unit configured to, based on the ground object detected by the ground object detection unit, calculate a parking stall that exists in the detection region; and a target parking stall setting unit configured to, among the parking stalls calculated by the parking stall calculation unit, sets a parking stall in a width direction of the vehicle in a view from a driver's seat of the vehicle as a target parking stall. | 04-09-2015 |
20150102946 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENFORCING PARKING RULES - A method and system for enforcing parking rules are provided. The method includes receiving, from at least one source, a captured visual content showing a suspected vehicle and at least one potential sign of an illegally parked vehicle; identifying the at least one potential sign of an illegally parked vehicle in the captured visual content; determining whether the suspected vehicle is parked illegally respective of the at least one potential sign of an illegally parked vehicle and at least one parking rule; and upon determining that the suspected vehicle is parked illegally, sending a potential citation. | 04-16-2015 |
20150116134 | METHODS, SYSTEMS AND PROCESSOR-READABLE MEDIA FOR PARKING OCCUPANCY DETECTION UTILIZING LASER SCANNING - Parking occupancy detection methods, systems and processor-readable media. A laser device unit includes a laser range finder, and a programmable pan-tilt unit is deployable on site to monitor one or more parking spaces. A laser emitting and receiving unit associated with the laser range finder determines the distance of an object by estimating a time difference between an emitted laser and a received laser. The laser range finder is controllable by the programmable pan-tilt unit and scans the parking spaces. A signal-processing unit can convert the measured distance profile to a parking occupancy data to provide continuous parking space estimation data for use in parking occupancy detection. | 04-30-2015 |
20150123818 | DRIVER BEHAVIOUR BASED PARKING AVAILABILITY PREDICTION SYSTEM AND METHOD - An in-vehicle parking system and method for displaying and analyzing parking information. | 05-07-2015 |
20150130638 | PREDICTION OF FREE PARKING SPACES IN A PARKING AREA - Embodiments of the present invention disclose a computer implemented method, computer program product, and system for management of parking spaces in a parking area. Identifying an individual entering a parking area and a vehicle in the parking area that corresponds to the identified individual. Determining a distance between the identified individual and the identified vehicle in the parking area. Determining whether the identified individual is moving toward the identified vehicle. Responsive to determining that the identified individual is moving toward the identified vehicle, determining whether the determined distance is less than an associated distance threshold condition. In another embodiment, detecting a parking ticket entering the parking area and identifying an individual and a vehicle in the parking area that correspond to the detected parking ticket. | 05-14-2015 |
20150130639 | VEHICLE ULTRASONIC PARKING ASSISTANCE APPARATUS INCLUDING CHARGE PUMPING CIRCUIT AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME - Provided are a vehicle ultrasonic parking assistance apparatus including a charge pumping circuit and a method of operating the same. The vehicle ultrasonic parking assistance apparatus changes a transmission output voltage in a voltage driving scheme without using a transformer. By using the charge pumping circuit instead of the transformer so as to boost a voltage, the manufacturing cost is reduced, and a signal is input to the ultrasonic converter at the same voltage as a voltage of when the transformer is used. Also, the charge pumping circuit is provided at a region in which the variable current source was provided, and thus, the manufacturing cost is not additionally expended. Furthermore, since only a conversion of energy by the ultrasonic converter is considered, designing is simplified. | 05-14-2015 |
20150130640 | PARKING AREA DETECTING APPARATUS AND METHOD THEREOF - A parking area detecting method includes generating a top view image by capturing images of surroundings of a vehicle, detecting a first directional parking line from the top view image, detecting a second directional parking line having a direction different from a direction of the first directional parking line from the top view image, and detecting a parking area by combining the first directional parking line and the second directional parking line. | 05-14-2015 |
20150130641 | LOW-COST AND LOW-POWER SMART PARKING SYSTEM UTILIZING A WIRELESS MESH NETWORK - The disclosure generally relates to a low-cost and low-power smart parking system, and in particular, to forming a multi-hop wireless mesh network that can be used to estimate an occupancy map at a parking facility. The mesh network may be formed according to messages that are broadcasted from wireless identity transceivers corresponding to vehicles parked at the parking facility and include unique identifiers assigned to the broadcasting wireless identity transceivers and unique identifiers in any messages that the broadcasting wireless identity transceivers receive, whereby an occupancy map at the parking facility can be estimated according to the formed mesh network and a known physical layout associated with the parking facility. Furthermore, the broadcasted messages can be used to provide various other parking functions (e.g., contacting vehicle owners, directing drivers to available spaces, assisting with locating parked vehicles, etc.). | 05-14-2015 |
20150130642 | SYSTEM AND DEVICE FOR PARKING MANAGEMENT - The present disclosure provides a system for parking management comprises at least one locating device configured to broadcast a location information to an electronic device and to receive a determined location which is broadcasted by the electronic device; and a management server configured to receive the determined location from the at least one locating device, wherein the management server is configured to provide a vacancy information to the electronic device according to the received determined location, wherein the determined location is determined by the electronic device according to the location information broadcasted by the at least one locating device. | 05-14-2015 |
20150138001 | AUTOMATED PARKING SPACE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITH DYNAMICALLY UPDATABLE DISPLAY DEVICE - An automated system for managing one or more parking spaces, that includes a vehicle identification detector for detecting vehicles in a parking space area, a dynamically updatable display device mounted in the parking space area, and a computer subsystem that dynamically updates the display device with messages or images to be communicated in real time to the operator of the vehicle that is being parked. The system can be dynamically configured to operate either as a reserved parking system, or as a pay-for-parking system. The system includes an optional billing and payment module that integrates with information provided by the system to manage collection and remittance of parking revenues. The system includes an optional event notification module to manage automatic notification and ticketing of vehicles that are not authorized to be parked in the parking space. | 05-21-2015 |
20150294567 | AUTOMATIC REGULATED PARKING SYSTEM AND METHOD - The invention relates to a system, method and equipments for the control, management and administration of regulated vehicles parking, on public and private roads, in an automatic and integrated manner, where the parked vehicles identification, as well as the parked time control and parking permits, including all related parking incidences, are detected and handled without the need of parking meters or permanent parking wardens, and the information is automatically transmitted to a Management Centre, for its processing and administration. The Automatic Regulated Parking System ( | 10-15-2015 |
20150294572 | WARNING AND GUIDANCE SYSTEM TO ASSIST THE PARKING OF A VEHICLE - A guidance system for aligning a vehicle entering or leaving a structure, the structure having a front wall having an inner surface and an outer surface with an opening therein, the guidance system comprising a left photoelectric diffuse sensor operatively arranged to detect lateral movement of the vehicle, providing a left input signal, a right photoelectric diffuse sensor operatively arranged to detect movement of the vehicle, providing a right input signal, a left visual indicator operatively arranged to display an alert when the vehicle deviates from leftwardly alignment, a right visual indicator operatively arranged to display an alert when the vehicle deviates from rightwardly alignment and, a control center operatively arranged to receive the left and right input signals, calculate the leftwardly and rightwardly alignment, and cause the left and right visual indicators to display alerts when the vehicle deviates from leftwardly and/or rightwardly alignment by predetermined amounts. | 10-15-2015 |
20150302750 | PARKING ASSISTANCE FOR A VEHICLE - Parking assistance for a vehicle includes various elements directed to assessing whether a motion or position of a vehicle is conducive to detecting an available parking slot. In one instance, a signal is received, and the signal is used to calculate a movement parameter. For example, the movement parameter might include a distance between the driven vehicle and one or more objects or a passing angle of the driven vehicle relative to the one or more objects. The movement parameter is then compared to a movement parameter threshold, and a notification is transmitted when the movement parameter is violated. | 10-22-2015 |
20150310744 | UNAUTHORIZED VEHICLE DETECTION - A request for a parking space is received from a requesting vehicle. Data is received from at least one data-collecting vehicle related to at least one parking space. Based at least in part on the received data, a parking availability map is generated indicating a parking space appropriate for the requesting vehicle. If the parking space is occupied by an unauthorized vehicle, a message is provided to a parking enforcement authority that the parking space is occupied by an unauthorized vehicle. | 10-29-2015 |
20150348414 | PARKING ZONE RECOGNIZING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - A parking zone recognizing apparatus for recognizing a parking zone based on transmission/reception signals which are transmitted and received through an ultrasonic sensor installed in a vehicle, comprises an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to recognize a surrounding target of a parking zone as a high object and determine an available parking zone in the case of a double echo condition that a distance of a second echo signal is twice a distance of a first echo signal, the first echo signal and the second echo signal being determined among echo signals responding to the transmission signal transmitted through the ultrasonic sensor. | 12-03-2015 |
20150348415 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING PARKING SPACES FOR A COMMUNITY OF USERS - A mobile communications device includes a locator unit to receive and process information regarding a current location for the mobile communications device, a parking status determination unit to determine a parking status for the device based on at least changes in the current location, and a communication unit to forward the parking status to a parking community processor. A method includes determining a parking status of a vehicle associated with a person as a function of movement of a personal mobile communications device. | 12-03-2015 |
20150371540 | VEHICULAR INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Disclosed is a method and system that receives sensor information from each of a plurality of sensors. Each sensor in the plurality is associated with a vehicle. The sensor information includes location coordinates of each vehicle in the plurality. The sensor information associated with each vehicle in the plurality then is translated to parking statistics information. In one embodiment, the translation is based on an aggregate of sensor information corresponding to the plurality of vehicles. The system then communicates parking statistics information to the vehicle. | 12-24-2015 |
20150371541 | Method and System for Locating Vacant Parking Places - Disclosed are methods and systems for determining a route for a vehicle where the probability for locating a vacant parking place is greatest. In response to a user's request for a vacant parking place, the system of the invention generates a route map and/or a heat map of the route with the highest probability of locating a vacant parking place. | 12-24-2015 |
20150379873 | DIRECTIONAL PARKING AVAILABILITY VISUALIZATION SYSTEM - An in-vehicle system and method for presenting an abstraction of available parking spaces proximate the vehicle, including information conveying the quantity and heading of the available spaces. The available parking information is presented in a format that can be understood at a glance, for use in making navigation decisions while cruising for an available parking space. | 12-31-2015 |
20160012726 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LEGAL PARKING | 01-14-2016 |
20160019789 | SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING PARKING INFORMATION - A system for providing parking information includes: a wireless terminal configured to detect a current position of a vehicle and wirelessly perform data communication; and a server configured to receive a driving destination of the vehicle from the wireless terminal and control information about parking lots around the driving destination, in which the server may update and store the information on the parking lots in real time and respond to a request of the wireless terminal to transmit at least one of parking available information and parking fee information at the parking lots or parking service information provided by shops or service providers associated with the parking lots to the wireless terminal in real time. | 01-21-2016 |
20160019790 | PARKING SERVICE - A vehicle system includes a communication interface and a processing device. The processing device determines a proximity of a host vehicle to a target location. When the proximity to the target location is less than a predetermined value, the processing device commands the communication interface to transmit the target location to a parking server. In response, the processing device receives a message identifying at least one parking zone from the parking server. | 01-21-2016 |
20160027302 | SMART SPACING ALLOCATION - A method, system and computer program product for allocating parking spaces for vehicles in a parking area. In one embodiment, the invention provides a system comprising a sensor system for generating output representing measurements of vehicles in the parking area, a marking system for identifying parking spaces in the parking area, and a controller for calculating parking spaces for vehicles. The controller obtains defined measurements for the vehicles in the parking area, and calculates for each of the vehicles, a respective one parking space in the parking area. Embodiments of the invention dynamically allocate parking spaces based on: (1) Determining the minimum space that should be enough for the size of the car that is being currently identified for parking; and (2) Maximizing utilization of space by preventing improper fragmentation, where because of allocating fixed size spaces to all cars, big/small/medium, fragments of space would be wasted. | 01-28-2016 |
20160046285 | Wearable Device And Method Of Controlling The Same - Provided is a wearable device including: a biological-signal sensing unit that senses a biological signal of a user; a vehicle-state sensing unit that senses a state where a vehicle that the user gets in is moved; and a controller that determines a parking mode and a parking direction using a result of the sensing by the vehicle-state sensing unit, when the vehicle is parked, and that measures a level of user tension for the parking mode and the parking direction that are determined using the biological signal that is sensed while the vehicle is being parked, in which the controller selects the parking mode and the parking direction that the user prefers, based on the measured level of user tension, and provides the user with information relating to a parking lot where the vehicle is able to be parked in the parking mode and the parking direction that are selected. | 02-18-2016 |
20160049077 | Traffic Management System - A traffic management system for effectively guiding traffic. The traffic management system generally includes a gateway device in communication with a telecommunications network, a plurality of parking sensors in wireless communication with the gateway device, a management server in communication with the parking sensors via the telecommunications network, and at least one traffic management device in wireless communication with the gateway device. The management server determines the availability of parking spaces in a parking lot and identifies which traffic management device to activate to indicate the availability of the parking spaces within a zone. | 02-18-2016 |
20160055748 | Method And System For Vehicle Locating And Sequencing - There is a system for RFID tag-based vehicle locating and sequencing at a site comprising a first vehicle or movable asset, having at least one tag, and a plurality of other vehicles in the site having tags and reference tags located within the site, whereby the communication between the first vehicle and other ATs and RTs allow locating (in one of a parking spot, a virtual parking spot or a boundary) and sequencing of the first asset. | 02-25-2016 |
20160055749 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE PARKING - A request to identify a parking spot is received. A response to the request, including an identification of at least one available parking spot, is provided. A parking spot selected from the response is identified. Data relating to the selected spot are collected. A user profile based on the collected data is updated. | 02-25-2016 |
20160063861 | DEVICE AND METHOD OF DETECTING PARKING SPACE - A device for detecting a parking space includes: a signal pre-processing unit configured to filter ultrasonic signals emitted from ultrasonic sensors attached to a vehicle, and reflected and returned from a corner section of an obstacle; a corner estimating unit configured to extract a crossing point of a plurality of circles having a plurality of measurement distances, which are collected from the reflection signals according to a movement of the vehicle as radiuses, estimate a reflection angle between a first line for bisecting a detection region within the detection region of the ultrasonic sensor, which has an attachment position of the ultrasonic sensor as a reference point, and a second line for connecting the reference point and the crossing point, and estimate the corner section based on the estimated reflection angle; and a parking space detecting unit configured to detect a parking space according to the estimated corner section. | 03-03-2016 |
20160063862 | PARKING SPACE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method of optimizing the use of parking spots in a contiguous parking zone includes dividing a parking zone into a plurality of component parking slots; evaluating the size of a dynamic parking spot required by a specific vehicle having known parking spot size requirements, as a function of the component parking slots, and evaluating the availability in the parking zone of the dynamic parking spot. | 03-03-2016 |
20160063863 | System And Method For Providing Distributed On-Street Valet Parking With The Aid Of A Digital Computer - A computer-implemented system and method for providing multi-locational curbside valet parking service is provided. A multiplicity of motor vehicle parking spaces are managed by a server. A plurality of smart parking devices and vehicle occupancy sensors are interfaced with the server. Use of a plurality of the parking spaces is reserved for a valet service. A reservation request for the use of the plurality of the parking spaces is accepted for use by the valet service for a period of time. Occupancy of the reserved parking spaces by a motor vehicle is sensed through the vehicle occupancy sensor. A valet drop-off location of at least one of the parking spaces that is reserved for the use of the valet service and is not occupied by a motor vehicle is identified. The valet drop-off location and a location of a lock box are provided to the motorist through a user interface. | 03-03-2016 |
20160078765 | DEVICE, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FINDING A PARKED VEHICLE - Disclosed is a device for finding a parked vehicle, which is used for being installed in the vehicle and cooperated with a mobile communication terminal of user and includes a signal receiving module, a microprocessor and a location prompt module. The signal receiving module is remote wireless communication module, which is used for receiving a request signal sent by the mobile communication terminal in a way of sending text message or dialing; the microprocessor is connected with the signal receiving module and the location prompt module for sending a control signal to the location prompt module according to the request signal; and the location prompt module is provided for sending out a prompt signal according to the control signal so as to prompt the user where the parked vehicle is. In addition, there are further disclosed a system and a method for finding parked vehicle. | 03-17-2016 |
20160078766 | PARKING ASSIST SYSTEM - A parking assist system includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to set at least one candidate position that is a candidate for a target position of a moving path of a vehicle on the basis of at least one of a detected obstacle or a detected parking boundary, rank each of the at least one candidate position on the basis of the candidate position and a position and orientation of the host vehicle, and determine one of the ranked at least one candidate position as the target position. | 03-17-2016 |
20160086488 | PREDICTION OF FREE PARKING SPACES IN A PARKING AREA - Embodiments of the present invention disclose a computer implemented method, computer program product, and system for management of parking spaces in a parking area. Identifying an individual entering a parking area and a vehicle in the parking area that corresponds to the identified individual. Determining a distance between the identified individual and the identified vehicle in the parking area. Determining whether the identified individual is moving toward the identified vehicle. Responsive to determining that the identified individual is moving toward the identified vehicle, determining whether the determined distance is less than an associated distance threshold condition. In another embodiment, detecting a parking ticket entering the parking area and identifying an individual and a vehicle in the parking area that correspond to the detected parking ticket. | 03-24-2016 |
20160098928 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETECTING PRESENCE OF VEHICLE IN PARKING SPACE - A method for notifying a user of the status of a parking space. The method comprises transmitting a pulse from a transceiver assigned to a parking space and for each pulse receiving by transceiver a corresponding echo created by said pulse being reflecting back from a object occupying said parking space. The method further comprises measuring corresponding echo time by a processing unit. The method further comprises comparing said corresponding echo time to a predefined range of echo times by a processing unit to determine occupancy of said parking space. The method further comprises using said occupancy of parking space to determine the parking space status by a processing unit, together with information on time of day and parking space permission. The method further comprises notifying a user of said parking space status by visual indication from at least one light emitting diode array. | 04-07-2016 |
20160098929 | EASY PARKING FINDER - A driver uses a mobile phone application to transmit a request to a central processor for information on available parking spaces, accommodating a specific size car, close to her present location or a future location. | 04-07-2016 |
20160111000 | VEHICLE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND VEHICLE MANAGEMENT METHOD - A vehicle management system for managing vehicles used by users has a usage managing unit that accepts a user's request for using the vehicle and to set a return space among parking spaces as a planned return space when the user's request is accepted, the return space being a space to which the vehicle is to be returned by the user after the vehicle is used by the user, a return determining unit that determines whether or not the vehicle is returned to the planned return space set by the usage managing unit when the vehicle is actually used and returned by the user, a return permitting unit that permits a return of the vehicle in a case where the return determining unit determines that the vehicle is returned to the planned return space, and a notification unit. | 04-21-2016 |
20160111002 | Method for Locating Parking Spaces - A computer-implemented method for locating open parking spaces. The method includes the steps of receiving, at a server database, location information from a user via a wireless transmission over a network, transmitting parking rules for an area within a particular radius of the location from the server to the user, transmitting the location of open parking spaces for an area within a particular radius of the location, and displaying a map showing the location of the open parking space. Once parked, the user may upload to the database the changed condition of the occupied parking space. The server also communicates to the user a notification when the parking time limit of the occupied space is a particular amount of time from being reached so that a user knows to vacate the space. | 04-21-2016 |
20160111003 | INFORMATION NOTIFICATION METHOD, INFORMATION NOTIFICATION SYSTEM, AND RECORDING MEDIUM FOR USER WHO PARKS VEHICLE - An information notification method includes obtaining a parking time limit during which a user is allowed to continuously park a vehicle at a parking lot, measuring a travel time required for the user to move from the parking lot to a destination, obtaining a round trip time required for the user to make a round trip between the destination and the parking lot, calculating a remaining time during which the user is allowed to stay at the destination by subtracting, from the parking time limit, the round trip time and an elapsed time measured from when the user has reached the destination, determining whether the remaining time is less than or equal to a threshold value preset to zero or greater, and notifying the user that the remaining time is short if it is determined that the remaining time is less than or equal to the threshold value. | 04-21-2016 |
20160111004 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DYNAMIC MANAGEMENT OF URBAN MOBILITY - A method and its implementation device to supervise the parking of vehicles in a geographic domain. The instantaneous occupancy status of the parking area of the geographic domain is obtained at a time t. The instantaneous turnover rate of parking in the parking area is obtained at the time t. The future occupancy rate is computed at a time (t+Δt) and its probability from the instantaneous occupancy status and the instantaneous turnover rate at the time t. The future occupancy rate or the future occupancy probability is provided if either is below or above a predefined threshold. The device and method guides motorists to available parking spaces and optimizes the enforcement of the parking area, particularly by on-street parking enforcement officers. | 04-21-2016 |
20160117925 | Intelligent Parking Space Identification and Notification - An approach is provided in which an intelligent parking system receives a request from a driver of a vehicle for a parking space. The intelligent parking system identifies available parking spaces and selects a preferred parking space from the available parking spaces based upon comparing dynamic parking space properties corresponding to the available parking spaces to factors such as driver skill data corresponding to the driver or vehicle properties corresponding to the vehicle. In turn, the intelligent parking system notifies the driver of the preferred parking space. | 04-28-2016 |
20160117926 | Intelligent Parking Space Identification and Notification - An approach is provided in which an intelligent parking system receives a request from a driver of a vehicle for a parking space. The intelligent parking system identifies available parking spaces and selects a preferred parking space from the available parking spaces based upon comparing dynamic parking space properties corresponding to the available parking spaces to factors such as driver skill data corresponding to the driver or vehicle properties corresponding to the vehicle. In turn, the intelligent parking system notifies the driver of the preferred parking space. | 04-28-2016 |
20160117927 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ASSISTING A VEHICLE PARKING PROCESS - A method of operating a parking assistance system involves operating a first sensor onboard a parking vehicle to obtain a first distance measurement to a parked vehicle, and transmitting a first wireless signal which activates a second sensor onboard the parked vehicle. The second sensor obtains a second distance measurement to the parking vehicle and transmits the result via a second wireless signal. The second wireless signal is received by the parking vehicle which then determines an inter-vehicle distance based on the first and second distance measurements, and uses the inter-vehicle distance to perform a parking maneuver. The transmission of the second distance measurement by the parked vehicle may be contingent upon existence of a condition (such as a sufficient state-or-charge of a vehicle battery or prior consent of an operator) of the parked vehicle when the parked vehicle receives the first wireless signal. | 04-28-2016 |
20160125737 | PARKING INFORMATION UPDATING METHOD AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE PERFORMING THE SAME - A parking information updating method is disclosed. The parking information updating method is used to analyze the behavior model of a user according to the relative movement between an electronic device carried by the user and a parking space, to determine whether the parking space is occupied or not. | 05-05-2016 |
20160133133 | Vehicle-Parking Services - Embodiments provided herein are related to providing vehicle-parking services and, more particularly, to methods, systems, computer-readable medium, services, and/or apparatuses that facilitate valet parking and/or self-parking or some aspects thereof. | 05-12-2016 |
20160140845 | PARKING IDENTIFICATION AND AVAILABILITY PREDICTION - A system includes a model generating component to generate a prediction tree model based on training data and an input component to receive input data including a destination in a geographical area. A computation component identifies at least one parking venue or at least one parking space near the destination in the geographical area and to generate at least one parking prediction corresponding to the at least one parking venue or the at least one parking space based at least in part on applying the input data to the prediction tree model. A presentation component presents the at least one parking venue or the at least one parking space and to present the at least one parking prediction to a user. | 05-19-2016 |
20160140846 | System and Method for Parking Management Based on Location Tracking - In a parking facility, a plurality of beacons are placed near the entrance and pinch points on a path to a venue. If the motorist has pre-loaded the parking application (app) and pre-registered his smartphone, vehicle, and license plate information, along with a valid credit card, then the motorist will be instructed to enter a fast-access parking entrance lane. If the pinch point has a gate, then when the registered customer's phone approaches and sees the beacon, the phone gets the unique ID of the beacon(s) and sends the beacon ID up to the parking management server. The number of beacons along the designated path will increase with proximity to the entrance. Remote processing indicates the exact location of the motorist and then the gate can open. The motorist might need to press “open to enter” button on his phone, but in some fast-access applications this can be optional. | 05-19-2016 |
20160148509 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR POWER MANAGEMENT OF A SYSTEM OF INDICATOR LIGHT DEVICES - Indicator light devices are useful in many applications for indicating properties of physical spaces respectively associated therewith and in physical proximity thereto. The indicator light devices are network-enabled and self-powered, and capable of participating in coordinated power-managed operation to provide a sufficient service life and lower installation and replacement costs. The indicator light devices may be used with or without associated sensors. The various embodiments described herein use various power management techniques singly or in combination to greatly increase the service life of self-power indicator light devices without diminishing their effectiveness in the application. These techniques include operating only the indicator light devices associated with the physical spaces having properties of interest, operating the indicator light devices with synchronized flashing, operating the indicator light devices in accordance with the detection of specific conditions, relevant time operation, in-vicinity activation, and ambient light responsiveness. | 05-26-2016 |
20160148514 | PARKING SPACE DETECTOR - Provided is a parking space detector designed so as not to erroneously detect an inter-vehicle distance as a parking space, the inter-vehicle distance being the distance between oncoming vehicles continuously passing by. The invention is provided with a parking space presence determination part for determining whether or not a parking space for a vehicle is present. The parking space presence determination part is designed so as to determine whether or not oncoming vehicles are stationary on the basis of the vehicle speed and the relative speed of the oncoming vehicles, therefore preventing the space (inter-vehicle distance) between two other oncoming vehicles being erroneously detected as a parking space, the oncoming vehicles being vehicles traveling toward the vehicle and continuously passing by. | 05-26-2016 |
20160155331 | device and method for operating a parking lot | 06-02-2016 |
20160155332 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AVOIDANCE OF PARKING VIOLATIONS | 06-02-2016 |
20160163196 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AIDING ON-STREET PARKING OCCUPANCY DETECTION FROM A MOVING DEVICE - Systems and methods for aiding on-street parking occupancy detection from a moving device, such as, for example, an automotive vehicle, a bicycle, etc. An optimized route(s) can be pre-selected for scheduling the moving device from one street block to another. A display device displays where the moving device is at the time on the optimized route and selects, for example, the street block, and a recording device that records parking occupancy data. In some embodiments, a GPS module can be provided, which communicates with the recording device to assist in determining the location of the parking occupancy data. | 06-09-2016 |
20160163197 | PARKING OCCUPANCY ESTIMATION - Methods, systems and computer program product for determining parking occupancy. In some embodiments, the parking occupancy is determined based on at least one distance between a parking location of a user and a destination of the user. In some embodiments, the parking occupancy is determined based on one or more parking instances in a paid parking lot and is based on the distance from the paid parking lot. In some embodiments, the parking occupancy is determined based on at least one route of a vehicle while searching for parking. In some embodiments, the parking occupancy is determined based on a parking curve. The parking occupancy can be used to compute an estimated arrival time which includes an estimated searching for parking time. The parking occupancy information can be used to rank parking areas. | 06-09-2016 |
20160171891 | DYNAMICALLY MANAGING PARKING SPACE UTILIZATION | 06-16-2016 |
20160189546 | INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An information processing device ( | 06-30-2016 |
20160375898 | COMMUNICATION DEVICE, CONTROL DEVICE, AND SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE - A communication device having a wireless receiver configured to receive first signals from a vehicle and a wireless transmitter wherein the communication device transmits second signals containing information about a state of the vehicle to an external information device on the basis of the first signals via the wireless transmitter. | 12-29-2016 |
20160379495 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR TRACKING A VEHICLES POSITION USING A PLURALITY OF LIGHT SENSORS - Methods and systems are provided herein for tracking vehicles' locations within a parking area. A vehicle identifier may be assigned to a vehicle entering the parking area. A plurality of light sensors may be employed in the parking area to guide the vehicle to an unoccupied parking spot and/or to determine where the vehicle is ultimately parked. In some embodiments, the plurality of light sensors may each be configured to receive and retransmit locally, e.g., to neighboring light sensors, the vehicle identifier on detection of physical presence of the vehicle. In this manner, the vehicle identifier “travels” with the vehicle among the plurality of light sensors to the vehicle's fmal parking spot. A driver later reclaiming a vehicle may provide a vehicle identifier to a parking kiosk, which may provide output indicative of the vehicle's location in the parking area. | 12-29-2016 |
20170236417 | SENSOR APPARATUS, METHOD FOR ASCERTAINING A PARKING POSITION, AND METHOD FOR CREATING A DIGITAL PARKING AREA MAP | 08-17-2017 |
20170236418 | DETERMINING A PARKING POSITION BASED ON VISUAL AND NON-VISUAL FACTORS | 08-17-2017 |
20180023312 | ENHANCED VISUAL SAFETY INDICATORS FOR PARKING SPACES | 01-25-2018 |
20180025238 | Method and System for the Automatic Detection of Parking Zones | 01-25-2018 |
20180025640 | Using Virtual Data To Test And Train Parking Space Detection Systems | 01-25-2018 |
20180025641 | PARKING DETECTION AND GUIDANCE SYSTEM | 01-25-2018 |
20190147742 | PARKING DYNAMIC REGULATION METHOD, ASSOCIATED PAYMENT TERMINAL AND PARKING REGULATION SYSTEM | 05-16-2019 |
20220136847 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR IDENTIFYING SAFE PARKING SPACES - A method comprises determining a plurality of available parking spaces within a threshold distance of a destination; determining an initial utility score for each of the available parking spaces based on a distance between each of the available parking spaces and the destination; determining a safety score associated with each of the available parking spaces based on crime data and a distance between each of the parking spaces and a major street, an entrance to a parking facility in which each available parking space is located, or an entrance to a point of interest; determining an adjusted utility score for each of the available parking spaces based on the initial utility score and the safety score associated with each of the available parking spaces; and selecting a parking space among the plurality of available parking spaces based on the adjusted utility score for the parking space. | 05-05-2022 |