Prevention of damage from natural disasters and towing operations for parked vehicles

Abstract

A method in which: a) a motor vehicle is parked; b) identification data of the motor vehicle and location data of the parked motor vehicle are transmitted to a host computer located outside the motor vehicle; c) the host computer uses the location data of the parked motor vehicle to check whether the parked motor vehicle is located in a danger zone; d) the host computer sends a message to the parked motor vehicle if the parked motor vehicle is located in a danger zone; characterized in that e) upon receipt of the message from the host computer, the parked motor vehicle sends a message to a mobile communication device of a driver of the parked motor vehicle; f) the driver transmits instructions to the parked motor vehicle using the mobile communication device, the instructions enabling third parties to access and use the parked motor vehicle.

Description

The present invention relates to methods and devices with which the risk of elementary damage in a permanently parked vehicle can be reduced and with which it is possible to avoid the vehicle having to be towed.Parking a vehicle in the public space is also possible over a longer period of time in marked areas (for example during longer absences due to vacation or service travel or during longer non-use of the vehicle). In these cases, the vehicle owner usually does not pass the parked vehicle regularly (e.g. daily or several times a week). The owner of the vehicle thus does not experience a timely situation when the vehicle is damaged due to adverse weather conditions (e.g. flood, storm, hagel) or possibly towed due to a temporary stop / parking violation (e.g. due to construction sites, trains, sports or large events). This problem is more acute in city-scale cars with a tensed parking situation, where generally only a few parking spaces are available, so that the vehicle often cannot be parked in the immediate vicinity of the home.From US 2006 / 0 015 398 A1 a parking area management system is known, which comprises a first barrier arranged at a vehicle or pedestrian entrance to a parking area; a first customer terminal in the vicinity of the vehicle or pedestrian entrance of the parking area; a first loop detector in the vicinity of the vehicle or pedestrian entrance of the parking area; a first electrical eye in the vicinity of the vehicle or pedestrian entrance of the parking area and a control system which is communicatively connected to the first customer terminal. The system uses a card reader which reads identification information from a card usually carried by a person, for example a driver's license or credit card or a personal identification card carried by a user. The identification information is recorded when a vehicle enters the parking area. The person can then leave the parking space at foot and return to the parking space using the same map. Later, the same map is used to leave the parking lot with the vehicle and confirm that the same person is traveling with the vehicle.CN 109 272 770 A provides a private parking space management method based on image recognition technology. In the method, a parking space management server is provided in a communal parking space management center, a parking space information table is prepared, and the home management personnel stores personal information of owners, vehicle identifiers, and the number of own parking spaces in the parking space information table in advance. A license plate number recognition device is disposed at an entrance of each parking lot and is for collecting and recognizing license plates of a vehicle entering the parking lot and transmitting the recognized license plates and the number of the parking lot to the parking space management server. The parking space management server accesses the parking space information table according to the received collected data, and judges whether or not the vehicles parked in the private parking spaces are the owner's vehicles. If it is determined that the vehicles are not the owners' vehicles, this is immediately communicated to the home management personnel to cause removal of the vehicles so that contention between the owners or between the owners and external vehicle owners may be avoided.WO 2008 / 058 424 A1 discloses a method for paying tolls or parking fees, in which a multifunctional vehicle telephone system includes information of a base station with which the vehicle telephone accesses a mobile telephone network as an agreement permit. When the vehicle enters the coverage area of the base station and the vehicle telephone automatically accesses the base station, the base station transmits information that the vehicle telephone has accessed the base station to a pay station. After the payment station checks that the information is correct, it debits money from the account to which the car telephone corresponds and sends information about the debited amount to the car telephone via the base station. The multi-functional vehicle telephone system, in addition to providing a communication function of a normal vehicle telephone, provides functions for authenticating vehicle identity, protecting against theft, finding the vehicle, navigation, etc. It can be used for paying toll or parking fees and for supporting traffic managers to detect wrong-parkers and illegal vehicles without license plates.WO 2019 / 233 766 A1 describes a motor vehicle and a method which, in the event of a risk signal being received, lead to an autonomous reparking process of the motor vehicle in order to avoid damage to the motor vehicle.DE 10 2017 120 638 A1 describes a method for autonomously reparking or revolving a vehicle from a parking space when there is a risk that a ticket will be issued for the parked vehicle.US 2012 / 0 062 392 A1 describes a method in which a data center collects information about weather conditions at a parking location of a motor vehicle and sends a corresponding warning to a mobile terminal of the user in the event of a risk of damage to the vehicle.DE 10 2013 223 028 A1 describes a method for warning against damage to a vehicle due to weather influences. In this case, a position of the vehicle is detected or predicted, wherein an off-board server sends a warning to a mobile terminal in the event of a possibility of damage to the vehicle.DE 10 2015 013 318 A1 describes a method for removing a motor vehicle from a target surface by a third party. Here, a third party can send a request to the motor vehicle in order to cause the latter to leave the target area autonomously. The vehicle owner receives information about this on a mobile terminal.Against this background, the invention has the object of providing methods and devices with which the risk of elemental damage is reduced in parked vehicles, in particular those which are parked for a relatively long period of time, and it is possible to avoid the need for the vehicles to be towed.The object is achieved according to the invention by a method having the features of claim 1 and by devices having the features of claims 5, 6 and 7.The invention relates to a method in which a) a motor vehicle is parked; b) identification data of the motor vehicle and location data of the parked motor vehicle are transmitted to a host computer which is located outside the motor vehicle; c) the host computer checks, on the basis of the location data of the parked motor vehicle, whether the parked motor vehicle is located in a danger zone; d) the host computer transmits a message to the parked motor vehicle if the parked motor vehicle is located in a danger zone; e) the parked motor vehicle, on receipt of the message from the host computer, transmits a message to a mobile communication device of a vehicle driver of the parked motor vehicle.According to the invention, the vehicle driver transmits instructions to the parked motor vehicle by means of the mobile communication device. In another embodiment, the instructions cause third parties to be allowed access to and use the parked motor vehicle. In another example not covered by the invention, the instructions trigger a keyless reparking of the parked motor vehicle to a parking space outside the danger zone.In the method according to the invention, after parking a motor vehicle, identification data of the motor vehicle and the location (the GPS position) of the motor vehicle are transmitted to a host computer (backend) which is located outside the motor vehicle. In one embodiment of the method, the host computer stores the identification data and the location (GPS position) of the parked motor vehicle in a first database.In one embodiment of the method, the identification data of the motor vehicle comprise the motor vehicle license plate. In a further embodiment of the method, the identification data comprise the vehicle identification number (FIN) of the motor vehicle.In one embodiment of the method, the transmission is initiated by the vehicle driver. In another embodiment of the method, the transmission takes place automatically when the motor vehicle is parked. The motor vehicle recognizes that it is parked, for example, by removing the ignition key or a key card of an access system, or by the driver's seat being unoccupied, or by the gear lever of an automatic transmission being in position P and the engine having been shut down.The host computer checks, on the basis of the location data of the motor vehicle, whether the latter is located in a danger zone. In the context of the present application, "danger zone" refers to zones in which parking should not take place, since there is a risk of elemental damage there or the risk that towing of the motor vehicle will be required. In one embodiment, the zones in which parking should not be performed include zones in which stop or parking prohibiteds apply. In a further embodiment, the holding or parking prohibiteds comprise temporary holding or parking prohibiteds, for example due to construction sites, trains, sports or large events. In another embodiment, the zones in which parking should not be performed include zones for which currently unweetner warnings apply, e.g., warnings of flood, storm, or hagel.The check is carried out for the first time after the identification data and the location data of the parked motor vehicle have been received at the host computer. The check is repeated each time the motor vehicle remains parked, each time at least one of the hazardous zones changes. If the check reveals that the parked motor vehicle is located in a danger zone, the host computer transmits a message to the parked motor vehicle.In one embodiment of the method, the danger zones are stored in a second database of the host computer, which is updated periodically. The database is updated regularly by matching with servers providing weather warnings, for example a server of the German Weather Service (DWD), and with servers which provide information about temporary stops or parking prohibitions, for example a server of a road traffic authorities, or geoport data with information about construction sites, trains, sports and large events. In one embodiment of the method, the database is updated daily, in another embodiment hourly, in another embodiment the database is updated in real time.In a further embodiment of the method, the host computer also receives identification data of motor vehicles which are reported by persons legitimate thereto as being parked in a danger zone. When such a message is received, it is checked whether the reported identification data coincide with the identification data of the parked motor vehicle, i.e. whether the reported motor vehicle is stored in the first database. If the check reveals that the reported motor vehicle is stored in the first database, the host computer transmits a message to the corresponding parked motor vehicle.In one embodiment of the method, the persons legitimate for reporting comprise employees of traffic police, ordering offices or road buildings offices.In one embodiment of the method, the identification data comprise the motor vehicle license plate. In another embodiment, the identification data includes the chassis number, i.e., the vehicle identification number (FIN). In another embodiment, the identification data includes a QR code or the like mounted on the motor vehicle.In one embodiment, the message transmitted to the parked motor vehicle includes the reason why the parking position of the motor vehicle should not be parked. Examples include unweetner warnings (e.g., from floods, storms, hagels, avalanches, or men, etc.) and temporary stop or parking hazards (e.g., due to construction sites, trains, sports or large events).If the parked motor vehicle receives a corresponding message from the host computer, it transmits a message to a mobile communication device of the vehicle driver located outside the vehicle. In one embodiment, the mobile communication device is a mobile telephone, in particular a smartphone. In another embodiment, the mobile communication device is a tablet or laptop computer.In one embodiment of the method, the message is transmitted via a notification function ("notifications") of a software application ("vehicle app") installed on the mobile communication device of the vehicle driver. In another embodiment of the method, the message is transmitted via a call to the mobile communication device of the vehicle driver.In one embodiment, the message comprises the information that the motor vehicle is parked in a danger zone. In a further embodiment, the message comprises the request to remove or repark the motor vehicle. Examples of messages sent to the mobile communication device are: "Their vehicle is in a zone for which a construction site has been announced. Please park your vehicle around" or "attention, flood risk! Please charge your vehicle by!".According to the invention, the vehicle driver can send instructions to the parked motor vehicle after receiving the message via the mobile communication device. According to the invention, the third-party instructions enable access to the parked motor vehicle and use thereof, so that they can remove or repark the vehicle from the danger zone.In one embodiment of the method, the third party comprises persons authorized by the vehicle owner for vehicle use. In a further embodiment, the third party devices comprise service personnel or city operators who are ordered to repark parked motor vehicles. After suitable identification of the third party by the motor vehicle, access to the motor vehicle and its use are enabled, so that the third party can repark the vehicle.In an example not included in the invention, the instructions trigger a keyless re-parking maneuver of the parked motor vehicle, as a result of which the parked motor vehicle is re-parked in a parking space outside the danger zone. In one specific embodiment, the sensorless re-parking maneuver is a piloted re-parking maneuver, i.e., the vehicle driver controls the motor vehicle by remote control via the mobile communication device. In another example not encompassed by the invention, the keyless re-parking maneuver takes place via an autonomous driving process of the motor vehicle. The technical requirements for a keyless reparking maneuver of a motor vehicle are known in principle to the person skilled in the art. Such a reparking maneuver can take place according to the prior art.In one embodiment of the method, the vehicle driver is offered action options together with the message, which the driver can select or reject. It can thus be proposed, for example, to remove the motor vehicle from the current parking position and, if appropriate, to re-park it outside the danger zone; to remove the motor vehicle from the current parking position by third parties authorized for this and to have it re-park it outside the danger zone; or to trigger an automatic, sensorless re-parking process in order to remove the motor vehicle from the current parking position and to re-park it outside the danger zone.If the motor vehicle is removed from the parking position, corresponding information is transmitted to the host computer and the data of the motor vehicle are deleted from the first database. In one embodiment of the method, the transmission takes place automatically as soon as the GPS position of the motor vehicle changes.The invention also relates to a motor vehicle which can be used in the method according to the invention. The motor vehicle comprises a device for determining the position of the motor vehicle and a communication device which is configured to transmit the determined position and identification data of the motor vehicle to a host computer located outside the vehicle and to receive data from the host computer, and is configured to transmit data to a mobile communication device of a vehicle driver located outside the vehicle and to receive instructions of the vehicle driver from the mobile communication device. In one embodiment, the device for determining the position of the motor vehicle comprises a GPS sensor. In a further embodiment, the device for position determination comprises a navigation system. In one embodiment, the communication device of the motor vehicle communicates with the host computer and the mobile communication device by means of mobile radio.In one embodiment, the motor vehicle comprises a device which is configured to identify a person authorized to use the motor vehicle and, after positive identification, to enable access to the motor vehicle and use of the motor vehicle. In one embodiment, the device has access to a database with identification data of persons authorized to use the motor vehicle. In a further embodiment, the identification takes place by means of data exchange between the communication device of the motor vehicle and a mobile communication device of the authorized person.In a further embodiment, the motor vehicle comprises a device which is configured to automatically repark the motor vehicle after transmission of a corresponding instruction of the vehicle driver. In one specific embodiment, the device includes means for detecting the surroundings of the motor vehicle, a navigation system for ascertaining a current position of the motor vehicle and for calculating the route to an alternative parking space, and means for controlling the drive and steering of the motor vehicle.The invention also relates to a host computer (backend) which can be used in the method according to the invention. The host computer is located outside a motor vehicle. The host computer has a first database for storing identification data and position data of at least one parked motor vehicle and a second database for storing hazardous zones. In one embodiment, the host computer is configured to periodically update the data about the danger zones. In one embodiment, the host computer is configured to access current weather data and unweetment warnings. In one embodiment, the host computer is configured to retrieve current data about stop and park prohibition zones, in particular data about temporary stop and park prohibition zones.According to the invention, the host computer is configured to receive position data and identification data of at least one parked motor vehicle and to store them in the first database, and is configured to check whether the at least one parked motor vehicle is located in a danger zone, and is configured to transmit information to the at least one parked motor vehicle if it is located in a danger zone.In one embodiment, the host computer is also configured to receive identification data of motor vehicles from persons legitimate thereto, which are parked in a danger zone and to check whether the received identification data match identification data stored in the first database. If so, the host computer sends information to the corresponding parked motor vehicle. In a further embodiment, the host computer has a database with identification data of persons authorized to report motor vehicles parked in a danger zone.The invention also relates to a system for reducing the risk of elementary damage to parked vehicles and for avoiding the need to tow the parked vehicles. The system comprises a host computer according to the invention, at least one motor vehicle according to the invention and at least one mobile communication device of a vehicle driver of the at least one motor vehicle according to the invention. In one embodiment, the system comprises a multiplicity of motor vehicles according to the invention and mobile communication devices of the vehicle drivers of the motor vehicles according to the invention.The proposed methods and devices make it possible to avoid elemental damage to parked motor vehicles and towing processes and to save the costs associated therewith. In addition, the installation of construction sites and holding or parking prohibition zones caused by the handling, and the performance of sports or large events, are facilitated. This avoids unnecessary costs and time delays. Further advantages and embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the description.It is understood that the features mentioned above can be used not only in the respectively specified combination, but also in other combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

A method comprising: a) parking a motor vehicle; b) transmitting identification data of the motor vehicle and location data of the parked motor vehicle to a host computer located outside the motor vehicle; c) checking the host computer whether the parked motor vehicle is in a danger zone based on the location data of the parked motor vehicle; d) the host computer transmits a message to the parked motor vehicle if the parked motor vehicle is in a danger zone; characterized in that e) the parked motor vehicle, on receipt of the message from the host computer, transmits a message to a mobile communication device of a vehicle driver of the parked motor vehicle. f) the vehicle driver transmits instructions to the parked motor vehicle by means of the mobile communication device, the instructions causing third parties to access the parked motor vehicle and use it.Method according to claim 1, wherein the host computer stores the identification data of the motor vehicle and location data of the parked motor vehicle in a first database.Method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the hazardous zones are stored in a second database of the host computer, which database is updated periodically.Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the host computer also receives identification data of motor vehicles which are reported by persons legitimate thereto as being parked in a danger zone and, when such a message is received, checks whether the identification data of the parked motor vehicle match the reported identification data.Motor vehicle which is configured to be used in the method according to one of Claims 1 to 4, comprising a device for determining the position of the motor vehicle and a communication device which is configured to transmit the determined position and identification data of the motor vehicle to a host computer located outside the motor vehicle and to receive data from the host computer, and configured to transmit data to a mobile communication device of a vehicle driver located outside the vehicle and to receive instructions from the mobile communication device of the vehicle driver.Host computer configured to be used in the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a first database for storing identification data and position data of at least one parked motor vehicle and a second database for storing hazardous zones, wherein the host computer is configured to receive position data and identification data of at least one parked motor vehicle and to store them in the first database, and configured to check whether the at least one parked motor vehicle is in a hazardous zone, and configured to send information to the at least one parked motor vehicle if it is in a hazardous zone.A system comprising a host computer according to claim 6, at least one motor vehicle according to claim 5, and at least one mobile communication device of a vehicle driver of the at least one motor vehicle.