INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE FOR PAYING PARKING FEES AND INFORMATION PROCESSING PROCESSES

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an information processing device for paying parking fees for a vehicle, which includes a circuit arrangement designed to obtain vehicle condition information from the vehicle, obtain parking information, including parking provider information and parking space information, obtain user profile information of a user, and determine, based on the vehicle condition information, the user profile information, and the parking information, whether automatic payment for parking the vehicle can be made.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to an information processing device for the payment of parking fees and an information processing method for the payment of parking fees. TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

[0002] Common parking payment systems typically process payment after the vehicle is parked, either by paying a parking attendant, a parking meter, or using a mobile application. In parking garages or underground parking facilities with dedicated barriers, a ticketing system or license plate recognition is used to grant access to the parking space.

[0003] Furthermore, advanced infotainment systems can be integrated into vehicles. Such systems may be capable of establishing mobile communications, may include a GPS system, and various sensors that monitor the vehicle's condition. In some cases, vehicles are connected to the internet, either by directly embedding such a module in the vehicle or by using a mobile device, such as a smartphone belonging to the driver or other vehicle occupants.

[0004] Although techniques exist for providing electronic processing of parking fee payments by means of a circuit arrangement executed on the vehicle or on a user's mobile communication device, it is generally desirable to improve existing techniques or to facilitate the process of automatic parking detection and electronic payment of parking fees using built-in features of a vehicle or a mobile device connected to the vehicle. SUMMARY

[0005] According to a first aspect of the disclosure, an information processing device for paying parking fees for a vehicle is provided, which includes a circuit arrangement designed to obtain vehicle condition information from the vehicle, obtain parking information, including parking provider information and parking space information, obtain user profile information of a user, and determine, based on the vehicle condition information, the user profile information, and the parking information, whether automatic payment for parking the vehicle can be made.

[0006] According to a second aspect of the disclosure, an information processing procedure for paying parking fees for a vehicle is provided, including obtaining vehicle condition information from the vehicle, obtaining parking information, including parking provider information and parking space information, obtaining user profile information of a user, and determining, based on the vehicle condition information, the user profile information, and the parking information, whether automatic payment for parking the vehicle can be carried out.

[0007] Further aspects are listed in the dependent claims, the drawings and the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Exemplary embodiments are explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the following applies: Fig. Figure 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of the Information processing device comprising a circuit arrangement, as disclosed herein; Fig. Figure 2 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of the information processing method according to the present disclosure; and Fig. Figure 3 shows a block diagram of a general-purpose computer used in an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXECUTION FORMS

[0009] Before a detailed description of the embodiments with reference to Fig. General explanations are given when section 1 is provided.

[0010] As mentioned earlier, parking and paying for parking can be a tedious process for both drivers and parking lot operators or providers to ensure that parking is paid for correctly and that no rules, such as parking limits, are violated.

[0011] Typical processes for paying parking fees usually involved payment after the vehicle was parked, for example by paying an employee on site at the parking provider, paying at a parking meter such as a parking clock, or using a mobile app connected to the parking provider (i.e., either private or municipal).

[0012] Electronic payment for services such as parking within individual applications on mobile devices has now become a widespread feature.

[0013] It was recognized that searching for the respective application on the device and checking whether electronic payment is possible can be tedious, as many different applications for paying parking fees (i.e., from different cities, different providers, and so on) can be stored on a mobile device.

[0014] Furthermore, it was recognized that an area can have more than one parking provider, such as a municipal provider alongside providers of private parking facilities, like underground garage operators, all of which may have individual applications for electronic payment of parking fees. Therefore, searching for and optionally registering with an individual parking provider's payment app after initiating a parking process can be a cumbersome and even dangerous process, especially in heavy traffic, since existing procedures require the user to actively confirm a parking process or select a parking space on a mobile device.

[0015] Thus, some embodiments relate to an information processing device for paying parking fees for a vehicle, wherein the device includes a circuit arrangement designed to: Receiving vehicle condition information from the vehicle; Receipt of parking information, including parking provider information and parking lot information; Obtaining user profile information from a user; and Determine, based on vehicle condition information, user profile information, and parking information, whether automatic payment for parking the vehicle can be carried out.

[0016] A vehicle can be any vehicle typically used for individual mobility, such as cars, minibuses, SUVs, motorcycles, bicycles, scooters, and the like. The vehicle can be legally registered to the user (i.e., so that the user is also the legal owner of the vehicle) or it can be temporarily registered to the user, for example, in MaaS (Mobility as a Service) offerings.

[0017] The circuit arrangement may be based on, include, or be implemented as an integrated circuit arrangement logic, or may be implemented by a CPU (central processing unit), application processor, graphics processing unit (GPU), microcontroller, FPGA (field-programmable gate array), ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit), or the like, or a combination thereof.

[0018] The functionality can be implemented by software executed by a processor such as a microprocessor or the like. The circuit design can be based on, incorporate, or be implemented by typical electronic components to achieve the functionality described herein. The circuit design can be based partly on, incorporate, or be implemented by typical electronic components and integrated circuit logic, or partly on software.

[0019] The circuit arrangement may include data storage capacities for storing data, such as a memory that may be based on semiconductor memory technology (e.g., RAM, EPROM, etc.) or magnetic storage technology (e.g., a hard disk drive) or the like.

[0020] The circuit arrangement can include a data bus for receiving and transmitting data. The circuit arrangement can implement communication protocols for receiving and transmitting data over the data bus. The data bus can be a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus, an I 2 It may be a C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) interface or the like, or be based on it.

[0021] The circuit arrangement may include a network interface for wireless communication with an external computer network, e.g., via a mobile telecommunications network (which may be based on UMTS, LTE, LTE-A, or an NR, 5G system, or the like). The circuit arrangement may also include a wireless interface to support wireless data exchange via a wireless communication protocol (e.g., Bluetooth®, WiFi®, ZigBee®, NFC ("Near Field Communication")).

[0022] The circuit arrangement may also include a receiver for a global satellite navigation system (“GNSS”) such as a GPS receiver (“global positioning system”).

[0023] In some embodiments, each vehicle includes one or more cameras and one or more distance measuring devices (e.g., a radar device, a time-of-flight device, or the like) to obtain environmental data. This environmental data defines the surroundings for the respective vehicle.

[0024] Vehicle status information can include details about the vehicle's operating mode, such as speed, orientation, ignition status, and the like. It can also indicate vehicle occupancy. Furthermore, vehicle status information can provide a global location using GPS or environmental data obtained from the vehicle's sensors, as described above.

[0025] The vehicle status information may be or include information indicating that a vehicle is being placed in a parking mode, or that a parking mode has been stopped / ended.

[0026] Parking information can be information related to the parking space or lot, including parking provider information and lot information. Parking provider information may include details about the parking lot's administrator and payment recipient, while lot information may include details about the type of parking space, such as an open or covered / uncovered area, an underground parking garage, a multi-story car park, and so on. Parking information may also include details indicating that parking is free for specific users, such as building residents, company employees, and the like.

[0027] The parking provider information may also include information indicating whether electronic payment is possible for the parking space provided by the administrator or parking provider. The parking information and the parking provider information may also include information on parking fees, opening hours, free hours, and mandatory charges, and may be communicated to the information processing device via communication networks as described above.

[0028] User profile information can be information linked to or associated with a user. The user can be the driver of the vehicle or a passenger. User profile information can include details such as the user's name, address, date of birth, employer, electronic ID, and similar information. It can also include information linked to a payment service associated with the user, or a bank account or credit card registered to the user. Furthermore, user profile information can indicate that a user has a registered profile with an electronic payment provider for paying parking fees, or a profile registered with a parking fee payment application. The user profile may be linked to the parking provider.

[0029] User profile information can also include information that links the vehicle to the user. This linking can be based, for example, on an optical scan of the vehicle's license plate and the determination, by the information processing device communicating with the parking provider, that the vehicle's license plate is linked to a user profile. User profile information can also be obtained using an optical scan of a marker, such as a barcode, QR code, or similar identifier, affixed to the vehicle and / or the vehicle's user.

[0030] Determining whether automated parking payment is possible is based on received vehicle status information, user profile information, and parking information. The circuit configuration can determine that the vehicle is in a parked state, as described above. Additionally, the vehicle's location or (global) positioning data can determine, for example, that the vehicle is in a parking space billed by a parking provider. Information about the parking space's location or coordinates may be included in the parking information.If the vehicle status information indicates that the user is in a parking lot and is expected to park, the circuit arrangement can determine, based on user information that can be provided for automated payment, whether the user has a registered account linked to the parking provider.

[0031] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, automatic payment for parking is determined when, based on vehicle state information, it is determined that the vehicle is parked. The vehicle state information can indicate a parking state of the vehicle, for example, through a detection result from the vehicle's sensors, or by the fact that the ignition is off, a gear is in park, the vehicle is in a resting position, or a combination of several parameters. For example, based on spatial data of the vehicle, which is acquired, for example, by means of vehicle cameras, it can be determined that a vehicle is positioned in a parking space next to a road.If it is clearly determined that the vehicle is in a parked state, the parking costs are accumulated or calculated; or more generally, a parking process begins, and automated payment of parking fees can be processed. The circuitry can provide the user with a prompt, either via the vehicle's infotainment system or a user device, that parking has started. The circuitry can also provide the user with a prompt that automatic payment for parking is being processed.

[0032] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, automatic payment for parking is determined when it is determined, based on the parking information, that parking the vehicle is subject to a fee. The parking information regarding parking fees can, for example, be included in the parking provider information, as explained above. The determination of whether parking is subject to a fee can result in the system determining whether parking is free or whether fees are charged per parking time of the vehicle.

[0033] In some embodiments, parking information is obtained based on the vehicle's position information. This parking information can be automatically communicated to the vehicle, for example, when the circuitry determines that the vehicle is in a parking space. The position information can be contained in the vehicle's state information or obtained, for example, from GPS data from a user device present in the vehicle.

[0034] In some embodiments, the position information is obtained based on at least one of the following: global position information, wireless communication, and image information. The vehicle's global position information can be GPS data from the vehicle itself or from a user device present in the vehicle. The vehicle's live position, i.e., the position information, can be included in the vehicle status information.

[0035] Wireless communication can be established using a mobile telecommunications system based on UMTS, LTE, LTE-A, or an NR, 5G system, or similar technology. Wireless communication can also be based on wireless communication protocols such as Bluetooth®, WiFi®, or ZigBee®. Location information can also be obtained using NFC. For example, a user might have an NFC device, such as a card, that transmits information allowing the user to enter a specific parking space. When the user approaches a parking space, an NFC connection is established between the parking facility (i.e., the parking provider) and the user's NFC device, and the location information can be obtained. Similarly, infrared (IR) detection can be used to obtain location information.

[0036] Position information can also be obtained using image data. This image data can be acquired and processed so that, for example, the vehicle's license plate can be recognized by a camera or other imaging device installed in the parking lot, either after the vehicle enters the parking area. Position information can also be obtained after a signal from the parking lot or parking provider indicating that the vehicle's license plate has been detected by the camera. Furthermore, position information can be obtained from the image data by detecting a QR code or barcode visible on or inside the vehicle, which can be read, for example, by a camera in the parking lot.

[0037] The position information can be used to open a dedicated barrier in a parking lot.

[0038] In some implementations, the parking provider information is obtained based on the parking space information. As described above, the parking provider information can include details identifying the parking space administrator. Therefore, the parking space information specifies a parking space, and from this information, the parking provider information, which also includes the parking provider's account information, can be derived. The parking space information can be obtained from map data, such as navigation maps.

[0039] In some implementations, parking provider information is obtained from a database containing information for associated parking lots. This information can be stored in a central database or in cloud storage. The database might contain a list of parking lot addresses and a corresponding list of their respective providers. The associated parking lots could be determined, for example, from map data.

[0040] In some embodiments, the circuitry of the information processing device is further designed to perform automatic payment based on user profile information and parking provider information. The user profile information may include data enabling automatic payment of parking fees and may contain sensitive information about the user, such as name, address, date of birth, bank account information, credit card information, billing information, employer, and the like.

[0041] User profile information may include details indicating that parking fees are being charged to a third party, such as the user's employer. Parking provider information may include the parking provider's account or billing information, i.e., information on where the parking fees should be transferred.

[0042] User profile information can be retrieved from cloud storage. Cloud storage can belong to a commercial provider or be a user's private cloud storage, such as a cloud from a NAS server in the user's home or workplace.

[0043] Automatic payment can be implemented using a distributed ledger to securely exchange sensitive user data and parking provider information. For example, to register a user for automatic parking fee payment, a decentralized identifier (DID) can be used as a globally unique ID. A DID can be provided by a decentralized public key infrastructure (DPKI) and can be used for self-determined identity (SSI), which may not depend on a centralized authority. A decentralized identifier (DID) resolver can refer to a server (or any other information system) that retrieves a DID response document in response to a DID verification. A DID wallet can refer to an application that can store DID-based credentials, for example.A certificate of entitlement may refer to proof of status, rights, membership, and the like, which is endorsed by an issuer, such as a payment provider or a parking provider.

[0044] Automatic payment can also be carried out in escrow.

[0045] For example, a user might also use a vehicle in a MaaS (Mobility as a Service) context, meaning that the user does not own the vehicle but has rented it for a specific period. If a user uses MaaS, user profile information, including payment information, can be associated with the vehicle, and this data can be shared with a parking provider. The circuit configuration can also stipulate that billing for parking is provided to the MaaS or car rental provider, for example, in designated parking spaces or parking garages connected to the MaaS or car rental provider.

[0046] In some implementations, the user profile information includes user payment information associated with the parking provider information. This user payment information may be linked to an electronic wallet that can store the user's bank account or credit card information. Alternatively, it may be linked to a web-based payment platform or payment processor. The user payment information may be associated with the parking provider, thus creating a user account on a platform operated by the parking provider.

[0047] In some embodiments, the circuitry is further designed to detect when a vehicle's parking has ended based on vehicle state information and to initiate automatic payment based on this detection. For example, vehicle state information indicating that a parking state is ending could come from a vehicle sensor indicating that the ignition is on, that the vehicle is moving, or from the vehicle's cameras indicating that the vehicle is leaving the parking space. The circuitry can also detect that parking has stopped when the vehicle, for example, leaves the geotagged parking space. In this embodiment, automatic payment can be performed, for example, using the associated user profile information and parking provider information, as described above.The circuit arrangement can provide the user with a prompt indicating that parking has ended.

[0048] In some embodiments, the automatic payment of parking fees can therefore be processed fully automatically, without any further user input, action or confirmation.

[0049] Parking information can be displayed on a screen. As explained above, this information includes details indicating that the vehicle is in a parking space recognized by the system. The system can identify the parking space from a database or list of parking spaces, which may be made available globally or locally. The parking information displayed on the screen may also include parking costs, such as an hourly rate, parking space opening hours, the name of the parking provider, and user profile or account information used for billing.The information can be displayed on a display device in the vehicle, such as a virtual windscreen, an infotainment device, or on a user display device, such as a smartphone or a tablet PC.

[0050] The present disclosure further provides an information processing procedure for the payment of parking fees for a vehicle, including obtaining vehicle condition information from the vehicle, obtaining parking information, including parking provider information and parking space information, obtaining user profile information of a user, and determining, based on the vehicle condition information, the user profile information, and the parking information, whether automatic payment for parking the vehicle can be carried out, as discussed above.

[0051] The information processing procedure may further include determining that automatic payment for parking is made when, based on vehicle status information, it is determined that the vehicle is parked. The information processing procedure may further include determining that automatic payment for parking is made when, based on parking information, it is determined that parking the vehicle is subject to a fee. Obtaining the parking information may be based on the vehicle's position information, and furthermore, obtaining the parking provider information may be based on the parking information. The procedure may further include making an automatic payment based on user profile information and parking provider information.The information processing procedure may also involve associating user profile information, including user payment information, with parking provider information. Furthermore, the information processing procedure may involve detecting when a vehicle has ended its parking session based on vehicle status information and processing an automatic payment based on this detection.

[0052] The methods described herein are also implemented in some embodiments as a computer program that causes a computer and / or processor to perform the method when executed on the computer and / or processor. In some embodiments, a non-volatile, computer-readable recording medium is also provided in which a computer program product is stored that, when executed by a processor, such as the processor described above, causes the methods described herein to be performed.

[0053] Again with reference to Fig. Figure 1 shows an embodiment of an information processing device 100 which includes a circuit arrangement 10.

[0054] The circuit arrangement 10 receives vehicle status data from a vehicle 1. This vehicle status data indicates, for example, whether the vehicle is in a driving or parked state. If the circuit arrangement 10 determines that the vehicle 1 is parked, a positioning unit 4 acquires position data, such as GPS data, from the vehicle 1 and transmits map data containing parking information.

[0055] The map data, including parking information, is stored in a database 5, which may also include a database of parking providers 3.

[0056] The circuit arrangement 10 requests information about parking provider 3 from the database 5 after a determination by the positioning unit 4 that the vehicle 1 is in the immediate vicinity of or at a parking space specified by the position data or map data stored in the database 5.

[0057] Circuitry 10 can retrieve information about parking provider 3 from the database and transmit it to user 2 of vehicle 1. User 2 transmits user profile information, indicating payment or account details, to circuitry 10, which then shares this information with parking provider 3.

[0058] The parking provider 3 transmits parking information, such as parking fees, to the circuit arrangement 10, which is then received by the user 2.

[0059] If the circuit arrangement 10 connects the parking provider 3 and the user 2, a user profile can be created, and data such as payment or account information can be shared directly between the parking provider 3 and the user 2. Fig. Figure 1 also represents an embodiment in which the user data or user account information 2-1, 2-2, 2-3 is not transmitted directly to the information processing device, but via a man-in-the-middle unit 2 (dashed arrows).

[0060] In Fig. Figure 2 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of an information processing method 200. First, vehicle status information is obtained at point 21. At point 22, parking information is then obtained, including parking provider information and parking space information. At point 23, user profile information is obtained from a user. At point 24, it is determined whether automated payment for parking can be carried out at point 25.

[0061] Fig. Figure 3 schematically illustrates an embodiment of a universal computer 150. The computer 150 can be implemented in such a way that it can basically function as any type of mobile device, for example a smartphone (e.g. the smartphone 100 from Fig. 5), smart glasses (e.g. the Smart Glasses 110 from Fig. 5), a head-mounted display, a smartwatch, a mobile phone, a mobile tablet, a notebook, a terminal device, or the like. The computer has components 151 to 161 that can form a circuit arrangement, such as any of the imaging sensor 10, pixel array 11, TDC bank 12, histogram block unit 13, emitter VCSEL array IC 14, and / or histogram block 15, as described herein.

[0062] Embodiments that use software, firmware, programs or the like to perform the procedures described herein may be installed on the computer 150, which is then configured to be suitable for the specific embodiment.

[0063] The computer 130 has a CPU 151 (central processing unit) that can execute various types of procedures and processes as described herein, for example according to programs stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 152, stored in a memory 157 and loaded into a random access memory (RAM) 153, stored on a medium 160 that can be inserted into a respective drive 159, etc.

[0064] The CPU 151, the ROM 152, and the RAM 153 are connected to a bus 161, which in turn is connected to an input / output interface 154. The number of CPUs, memories, and storage devices is only an example, and the person skilled in the art will understand that the computer 150 can be appropriately designed and configured to meet specific requirements that arise when it functions as a base station or as a user device (terminal device).

[0065] Several components are connected to the input / output interface 154: an input 155, an output 156, the storage 157, a communication interface 158 and the drive 159, into which the medium 160 (Compact Disc, Digital Video Disc, Compact Flash memory or the like) can be inserted.

[0066] The input 155 can be a pointing device (mouse, graphics board or the like), a keyboard, a microphone, a camera, a touchscreen, an eye tracking unit, etc.

[0067] The 156 output can include a display (liquid crystal display, cathode ray tube display, light-emitting diode display, etc.; e.g., contained in a touchscreen), a speaker, etc.

[0068] Storage 157 can include a hard drive, a solid-state drive, a flash drive, and the like.

[0069] The communication interface 158 can be configured to communicate, for example, via a local area network (LAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), a mobile telecommunications system (GSM, UMTS, LTE, NR, etc.), Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), infrared, etc.

[0070] It should be noted that the above description only concerns an exemplary configuration of the Computer 150. Alternative configurations can be implemented with additional or different sensors, storage devices, interfaces, or the like. For example, the Communication Interface 158 can support radio access technologies other than the mentioned UMTS, LTE, and NR.

[0071] It should be recognized that the embodiments describe methods with an exemplary sequence of process steps. However, the specific sequence of process steps is given only for illustrative purposes and should not be interpreted as binding. For example, the sequence of 21, 22, and 23 in the embodiment of Fig. 2 can be exchanged. Other changes to the sequence of process steps may be apparent to a person skilled in the art.

[0072] The method can also be implemented as a computer program that causes a computer and / or processor to perform the method when executed on the computer and / or processor. In some embodiments, a non-volatile, computer-readable recording medium is also provided in which a computer program product is stored that, when executed by a processor, such as the processor described above, causes the described method to be performed.

[0073] All units and entities described in this specification and claimed in the attached claims may, unless otherwise specified, be implemented as integrated circuit logic, for example on a chip, and functionality provided by such units and entities may, unless otherwise specified, be implemented by software.

[0074] Insofar as the embodiments of the disclosure described above are implemented at least partially using a software-controlled data processing device, it is understood that a computer program providing such software control and a transmission, storage or other medium through which such a computer program is provided are provided as aspects of the present disclosure.

[0075] It should be noted that the present technology can also be designed as described below. (1) An information processing device for the payment of parking fees for a vehicle, comprising a circuit arrangement designed to: Receiving vehicle condition information from the vehicle; Receipt of parking information, including parking provider information and parking lot information; Obtaining user profile information from a user; and Determine, based on vehicle condition information, user profile information, and parking information, whether automatic payment for parking the vehicle can be carried out. (2) The information processing device according to (1), wherein the automatic payment for parking is determined when, based on the vehicle condition information, it is determined that the vehicle is parked. (3) The information processing device according to one of (1) and (2), wherein the automatic payment for parking is determined when it is determined, based on the parking information, that parking the vehicle is subject to a charge. (4) The information processing device according to one of (1) to (3), wherein the parking information is obtained based on position information of the vehicle. (5) The information processing device according to (4) wherein the position information is obtained based on at least one of the following: global position information, wireless communication and image information. (6) The information processing device according to one of (1) to (5), wherein the parking provider information is obtained based on the parking information. (7) The information processing device according to (1) to (6), wherein the parking provider information is obtained based on a database, the database containing parking provider information for associated parking spaces. (8) The information processing device according to (1) to (7), wherein the circuit arrangement is further designed to carry out automatic payment based on the user profile information and the parking provider information. (9) The information processing device according to any of (1) to (8), wherein the user profile information includes user payment information associated with the parking provider information. (10) The information processing device according to (8), wherein the circuit arrangement is further designed to detect the termination of the parking of the vehicle based on the vehicle state information and to carry out an automatic payment based on the detection of the termination of the parking. (11) An information processing system for the payment of parking fees for a vehicle, comprising: - Receiving vehicle condition information from the vehicle; - Obtaining parking information, including parking provider and parking lot information; - Obtaining user profile information from a user; and - Determine, based on vehicle condition information, user profile information and parking information, whether automatic payment for parking the vehicle can be carried out. (12) The information processing procedure according to (11) wherein the determination of automatic payment for parking is carried out when, based on the vehicle condition information, it is determined that the vehicle is parked. (13) The information processing procedure according to one of (11) and (12), wherein the determination of automatic payment for parking is carried out when it is determined, based on the parking information, that parking the vehicle is subject to a charge. (14) The information processing procedure according to one of (11) to (13), wherein obtaining the parking information is based on position information of the vehicle. (15) The information processing method according to (14) wherein the obtaining of position information is based on at least one of the following: global position information, wireless communication and image information. (16) The information processing procedure according to (11) to (15), wherein the obtaining of the parking provider information is based on the parking information. (17) The information processing procedure according to (11) to (16), wherein the obtaining of the parking provider information is based on a database, the database containing parking provider information for associated parking spaces. (18) The information processing procedure according to paragraphs (11) to (17), wherein the procedure further includes carrying out an automatic payment based on the user profile information and the parking provider information. (19) The information processing procedure according to one of (11) to (18), wherein the user profile information includes user payment information associated with the parking provider information. (20) The information processing procedure according to (18), wherein the procedure further includes detecting the termination of the parking of the vehicle based on the vehicle condition information and carrying out an automatic payment based on the detection of the termination of the parking. (21) A computer program comprising program code which, when executed on a computer, causes a computer to perform the procedure described in any of (11) to (20). (22) A non-volatile, computer-readable recording medium containing a computer program product which, when executed by a processor, causes the procedure described in (11) to (20) to be carried out.

Claims

[1] Information processing device for paying parking fees for a vehicle, comprising a circuit arrangement designed to: Obtaining vehicle status information from the vehicle; Obtaining parking information, including parking provider information and parking lot information; Obtaining user profile information of a user; and Determine whether automatic payment for parking the vehicle can be made based on the vehicle status information, user profile information, and parking information. [2] The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the automatic payment for parking is determined when it is determined that the vehicle is parked based on the vehicle state information. [3] The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the automatic payment for parking is determined when it is determined, based on the parking information, that parking of the vehicle is subject to payment. [4] The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the parking space information is obtained based on position information of the vehicle. [5] The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the position information is obtained based on at least one of: global position information, wireless communication, and image information. [6] The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the parking provider information is obtained based on the parking space information. [7] The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the parking provider information is obtained based on a database, the database including parking provider information for associated parking spaces. [8] The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the circuit arrangement is further configured to perform automatic payment based on the user profile information and the parking provider information. [9] The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the user profile information includes user payment information associated with the parking provider information. [10] The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the circuit arrangement is further configured to detect a completion of parking of the vehicle based on the vehicle state information and to perform an automatic payment based on the detection of the completion of parking. [11] Information processing method for paying parking fees for a vehicle, comprising: - Obtaining vehicle status information from the vehicle; - Obtaining parking information, including parking provider information and parking lot information; - Obtaining user profile information of a user; and - Determine whether automatic payment for parking the vehicle can be made based on the vehicle status information, user profile information and parking information. [12] The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein the determination of automatic payment for parking is performed when it is determined that the vehicle is parked based on the vehicle state information. [13] The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein the determination of automatic payment for parking is performed when it is determined, based on the parking information, that parking of the vehicle is subject to payment. [14] The information processing method according to claim 13, wherein obtaining the parking space information is based on position information of the vehicle. [15] The information processing method according to claim 14, wherein obtaining the position information is based on at least one of: global position information, wireless communication, and image information. [16] The information processing method according to claim 13, wherein obtaining the parking provider information is based on the parking lot information. [17] The information processing method according to claim 16, wherein obtaining the parking provider information is based on a database, the database including parking provider information for associated parking spaces. [18] The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein the method further includes performing automatic payment based on the user profile information and the parking provider information. [19] The information processing method according to claim 18, wherein the user profile information includes user payment information associated with the parking provider information. [20] The information processing method according to claim 18, wherein the method further includes detecting a completion of parking of the vehicle based on the vehicle state information and performing an automatic payment based on the detection of the completion of parking.

Images