Parkroboter

Abstract

Parking robot, comprising: a lifting rail; a wheel clamp arranged on the lifting rail and movable from a first position to a second position along the lifting rail; and a lifting motor operatively connected to the lifting rail, the lifting motor moving the wheel clamp from the first position to the second position, the wheel clamp including: a first side wall; a second side wall spaced from the first side wall; and a clamping wall pivotally mounted on the first side wall and movable from an open position to a closed position, the clamping wall being disposed on the first side wall and the second side wall when in the closed position and biased toward the open position; and a wall actuator operatively connected to the clamping wall to move the clamping wall from the open position to the closed position.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to parking robots. GENERAL STATE OF THE ART

[0002] Urban areas often suffer from a lack of space. High population density often means traffic congestion and limited or expensive parking options. Revenue from parking fees is also limited by the capacity of the parking lot. Larger lots have the opportunity to generate more revenue simply because of their higher capacity than smaller lots.

[0003] US Pat. No. 8,251,349 B2 discloses an apparatus and method for an improved car jack. The jack includes a base, an upright support, a rack, a winch, a lifting frame, a ratchet assembly, a rack pin, and a release handle.

[0004] US Pat. No. 5,174,414 A discloses a lifting platform device for small equipment. The lifting platform device comprises a support frame assembly, a lifting platform assembly, and a drive assembly. The support frame assembly consists of a horizontal lower base and a vertical mast mounted on the base.

[0005] In order to improve the underlying problem of parking on only relatively small parking areas, the present invention proposes parking robots according to claims 1 and 7, wherein preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 shows an example parking robot for angled parking. Fig. 2 shows the exemplary parking robot with a vehicle while the lifting rails are in the first position. Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B shows exemplary components of a wheel clamp of the parking robot. Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B respectively illustrate the wheel clamp engaging a vehicle wheel when the lifting rails are in the first position and a second position, respectively. Fig. 5A-5D show a gripper assembly of the parking robot for gripping the lifting rails. Fig. 6A-6B represent an endless screw and a motor-driven gear for raising the wheel clamp relative to the lifting rail. Fig. 7 shows several vehicles parked by the parking robot. Fig. 8A-8C show different views of a rear brake shoe. Fig. 9 is a flowchart of an example process that may be implemented by the parking robot to park a vehicle. Fig. 10 is a flowchart of an example process that may be implemented by the parking robot to retrieve a parked vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0006] One way to increase parking capacity without changing the size of a parking lot is to vertically tilt the vehicles. Vertical tilting involves raising the front or rear of the vehicle off the ground. This reduces the space occupied by each vehicle.

[0007] One option for vertically angling vehicles is a parking robot that has lifting rails, wheel clamps, and a lifting motor. Each wheel clamp is arranged on one of the lifting rails and is movable from a first position to a second position along the lifting rail. The lifting motor is operatively connected to the individual lifting rails. The lifting motor moves the wheel clamp from the first position to the second position. If the wheel clamps are picking up the wheels of a vehicle while the wheel clamps are in the first position (e.g., close to the ground), the parking robot can move the wheel clamps upward to the second position (e.g., away from the ground) to lift the front or rear of the vehicle.

[0008] The elements shown may take different forms and may include multiple and / or alternative components and functions. The example components shown are not intended to be limiting. Rather, additional or alternative components and / or implementations may be used. Furthermore, the elements shown are not necessarily drawn to scale unless expressly indicated.

[0009] As in Fig. 1, a parking robot 100 for angled parking of vehicles includes a housing 105, lifting rails 110, a gripping assembly 115, wheel clamps 120, a lifting motor 125, a user interface 130, a platform 135, sensors 140 for autonomous driving and a processor 145. Furthermore, Fig. 1 Rear brake shoes 150 which can be used to help hold the vehicle in its position.

[0010] The housing 105 may be formed from a rigid material such as plastic or metal and may structurally support other components of the parking robot 100. For example, the housing 105 may structurally support the gripper assembly 115, which in turn may support the lift rails 110. The lift motor 125 may be disposed inside the housing 105, and the user interface 130 may be disposed on an exterior surface of the housing 105. Other components that may be disposed inside the housing 105 include a pneumatic pump for driving the gripper assembly 115, one or more batteries for supplying electrical power to various electronic components of the parking robot 100, a navigation system for determining the position of the parking robot 100 and planning routes to specific destinations, the processor 145, one or more controllers for controlling a specific operation of the parking robot 100, etc.Additionally, the housing 105 may include a rotation mechanism 155 (e.g., a ball and socket joint and an electric drive motor) for rotating relative to the platform 135, as discussed in more detail below.

[0011] The lifting rails 110 may be formed of a rigid, high-strength material that, when used together, is strong enough to support the weight of a vehicle. Although only two lifting rails 110 are Fig. 1, the parking robot 100 may utilize any number of lifting rails 110. In some cases, the rails operate in conjunction with a latch assembly integrated into the gripping assembly 115 or elsewhere. That is, the rails may include a series of rods 160 with spaces therebetween for receiving a claw, tooth, or tine to keep the lifting rail 110 raised, whether it is supporting the weight of a vehicle. The operation of the lifting rails 110 is described below with reference to Fig. 6A-6B are discussed in more detail.

[0012] Each gripping assembly 115 extends from the housing 105 to one of the lift rails 110. In one possible implementation, the gripping assembly 115 may be fixed relative to the housing 105 and may be removably attached to one of the lift rails 110. As mentioned above, one or more gripping assemblies 115 may include latch components (e.g., claws, teeth, or tines) that may extend between the rods 160 of the lift rail 110 to hold the lift rail 110 even though the lift rail 110 at least partially supports the weight of the vehicle. Thus, the gripping assemblies 115 may support a portion of the weight of the vehicle. Additionally, the gripping assemblies 115 may be electrically or pneumatically operated to grip and release the lift rails 110. The gripping assemblies 115 are described below with reference to Fig. 5A-5D are discussed in more detail.

[0013] The wheel clamps 120 are arranged on the lifting rails 110 and, in some cases, can move relative to the lifting rails 110. For example, the wheel clamps 120 can be movable from a first position (on or near the ground) to a second position (away from the ground). As shown in Fig. 1, the wheel clamps 120 are in the second position because the wheel clamps 120 are located near the top of the lifting rails 110. The wheel clamps 120 are described below with reference to Fig. 3A-3B and 4A-4B are discussed in more detail.

[0014] The lift motor 125 may be implemented as an electric DC motor that converts electrical energy into motion, such as rotational motion. For example, the lift motor 125 may include a shaft operatively connected to the lift rails 110 (see Fig. 6A-6B). Rotation of the shaft may cause the lifting rails 110 to move upwardly or downwardly. That is, rotation of the shaft in one direction (e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise) may cause the lifting rails 110 to move upwardly, and rotation of the shaft in the opposite direction may cause the lifting rails 110 to move downwardly. In one possible implementation, rotation of the shaft may cause the wheel clamps 120 to move along the lifting rails 110. In this possible approach, the wheel clamps 120 may move relative to the lifting rails 110 while the lifting rails 110 are stationary. Thus, rotation of the shaft in one direction may move the wheel clamps 120 upwardly to the first position, and rotation of the shaft in the opposite direction may move the wheel clamps 120 downwardly to the second position.The first position may be on or near the ground so that the wheel clamps 120 can accommodate the wheels of the vehicle, and the second position may be spaced from the ground to place the vehicle in an angled parking position.

[0015] In some possible approaches, the lift motor 125 may be located outside the parking robot 100, such as in the ground. For example, as discussed in more detail below, the parking robot 100 may place the lift rails 110 in predetermined areas in the ground, where the lift motor 125 can raise the wheel clamps 120 from the first position to the second position. Thus, the parking robot 100 does not have to wait until the vehicle has been fully angled before proceeding to pick up the next vehicle waiting for angled parking.

[0016] The user interface 130 is implemented using circuits, chips, or other electronic components that can display information to a user and receive user input. For example, the user interface 130 can include an electronic display screen. Further, the user interface 130 can include buttons for receiving user input. The buttons can be located near the display screen. In one possible approach, the buttons can be context-sensitive soft keys, so that user input can be based on the information displayed on the display screen at the time the button is pressed. Further, in some implementations, the user interface 130 can include a touch-sensitive display screen that can both display information to the user and receive user input, for example, via virtual buttons.In some possible approaches, the user interface 130 may be equipped for wireless communication. For example, the user interface 130 may include various chips or circuits for wirelessly communicating with a user's mobile device according to any number of wireless communication protocols. Examples of such protocols may include Bluetooth®, Bluetooth® Tow Energy, Wi-Fi, Near Field Communication (NFC), etc. The user interface 130 may pair or otherwise communicate with the user's mobile device and receive instructions sent from the user's mobile device. These instructions may include instructions for the parking robot 100 to retrieve the vehicle from a parking area, tow the vehicle to the parking space, and park the user's vehicle in an angled position in the parking space.Other instructions may include instructions for the parking robot 100 to retrieve the vehicle from the parking space and tow the vehicle to the parking area to return the vehicle to its owner.

[0017] The platform 135 is formed from a rigid material such as metal or plastic that can support the housing 105 and possibly other components of the parking robot 100. The platform 135 can be rotatably connected to the housing 105 so that, for example, the housing 105 can rotate relative to the platform 135. For example, the platform 135 can define an opening for receiving the rotation mechanism 155 of the housing 105. The electric drive motor of the rotation mechanism 155 can convert electrical energy into motion to rotate the housing 105 relative to the platform 135. Furthermore, the wheels 165 can be arranged on the underside of the platform 135, and the wheels 165 can be driven by the same or a different drive motor than the one integrated into the rotation mechanism 155.In some cases, a pneumatic suspension may be mounted to the platform 135 to assist the parking robot 100 in traveling over certain types of terrain, or while towing or parking a vehicle.

[0018] The autonomous driving sensors 140 are implemented via circuits, chips, or other electronic components that can support the autonomous steering of the parking robot 100. Examples of the autonomous driving sensors 140 include one or more lidar sensors, radar sensors, vision sensors (e.g., cameras), ultrasonic sensors, or the like. The sensors can sense the environment around the parking robot 100 and output signals representing the sensed environment to the processor 145.

[0019] The processor 145 is implemented via circuits, chips, or other electronic components programmed to perform specific operations of the parking robot 100. The processor 145 may be programmed to receive various user inputs, such as user inputs provided via the user interface 130, for example, instructing the parking robot 100 to park a specific vehicle, retrieve a specific vehicle, etc. The processor 145 may further be programmed to receive signals output by the navigation system representing the current position of the parking robot 100, a destination of the parking robot 100, a route from the current position to the destination, etc. The processor 145 may further be programmed to receive signals output by the sensors 140 for autonomous driving.The processor 145 may be programmed to output command signals to various components of the parking robot 100 according to user inputs, signals from the navigation system, signals from the sensors 140 for autonomous driving, etc. For example, the processor 145 may issue command signals that instruct the drive motor to rotate the housing 105 relative to the platform 135, instruct it or another drive motor to rotate the wheels 165 to move the parking robot 100 in a particular direction, instruct the lift motor 125 to move the wheel clamps 120 from the first position to the second position, instruct the lift motor 125 to move the wheel clamps 120 from the second position to the first position, instruct the gripper assembly 115 to grip the lift rails 110, instruct the gripper assembly 115 to release the lift rails 110, etc. Other operations of the processor 145 are described below with reference to FIG. Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 discussed.

[0020] The wheel brake shoes 150 may be formed of a relatively rigid material such as metal or plastic. As described below with respect to Fig. As discussed in more detail in Figures 8A-8C, the wheel brake shoes 150 can accommodate the front or rear wheels of the vehicle and hold the front or rear wheels of the vehicle in position while the vehicle is parked. The wheel brake shoes 150 can allow the vehicle wheels to rotate while positioned in the shoes. In this way, the wheel brake shoes 150 do not prevent the vehicle from angling when the wheel clamps 120 are moved, for example, along the lift rails 110 from the first position to the second position.

[0021] Fig. 2 illustrates the parking robot 100 with a vehicle 170. The vehicle's rear wheels are located in the wheel brake shoes 150, and the vehicle's front wheels are located in the wheel clamps 120. The parking robot 100 has the wheel clamps 120 in the first position so that the vehicle 170 can be manually driven onto the wheel brake shoes 150 and the wheel clamps 120.

[0022] Referring to Fig. 3A-3B, the wheel clamps 120 include a first side wall 175, a second side wall 180, and a clamping wall 185. The first side wall 175 and the second side wall 180 are spaced apart from each other and may be parallel to each other. The first side wall 175 and the second side wall 180 may be attached to the lifting rail 110 in a manner that allows the wheel clamp 120 to move from the first position to the second position and back to the first position. As shown in Fig. 3A-3B, the wheel clamps 120 include further walls 190 that are attached to either the first side wall 175 or the second side wall 180 and to each other and are attached to the lifting rails 110. Examples of how the wheel clamps 120 move relative to the lifting rails 110 are described below with reference to Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B. Furthermore, the wheel clamps 120 include a base 195 with an opening 200 for receiving and at least partially supporting a vehicle wheel.

[0023] The clamping wall 185 is pivotally mounted on the first side wall 175 and movable from an open position to a closed position. The clamping wall 185 is disposed on both the first side wall 175 and the second side wall 180 when in the closed position and is biased toward the open position. For example, a spring 205 may be mounted on or disposed within the second side wall 180 to urge the clamping wall 185 away from the edge of the second side wall 180.

[0024] The wheel clamps 120, as in Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B, include a wall actuator 210 for moving the clamping wall 185 from the open position to the closed position. The wall actuator 210 includes a wall motor 215, a worm gear 220, and a finger 225. The wall motor 215 may include an electric DC motor that rotates according to electrical power. The wall motor 215 may be powered by its own battery (e.g., a battery on or near the wall motor 215) or a battery in the housing 105 of the parking robot 100. The wall motor 215 may have a shaft that rotates either clockwise or counterclockwise according to the received electrical power, and the shaft may be attached to the worm gear 220. The worm gear 220 may be at least partially threaded and may rotate according to the shaft of the motor. The finger 225 may be located at or near the end of the endless screw 220 and may rotate with the endless screw 220.The finger 225 may also engage the clamping wall 185 when the endless screw 220 is rotated. For example, rotating the endless screw 220 may cause the finger 225 to engage the clamping wall 185. Further rotating the endless screw 220 may cause the finger 225 to push the clamping wall 185 into the closed position. Thus, the rotation of the endless screw 220 may overcome the bias of the spring 205 holding the clamping wall 185 in the open position. Rotating the endless screw 220 in the opposite direction may cause the finger 225 to disengage from the clamping wall 185, which may result in the spring 205 pushing the clamping wall 185 back into the open position.

[0025] Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B show the wheel clamps 120 in the first position and the second position, respectively. In Fig. 4A, the vehicle is driven to the wheel clamp 120, and the wheel clamp 120 picks up the vehicle wheel 230. When the vehicle wheel 230 is located in the wheel clamp 120, e.g., between the first sidewall 175 and the second sidewall 180, the wall actuator 210 can close the clamping wall 185. For example, the wall motor 215 can rotate the endless screw 220, which in turn causes the finger 225 to engage the clamping wall 185 and overcome the bias of the spring 205. The wall motor 215 can hold the finger 225 in the rotated position (i.e., engaged with the clamping wall 185) to reduce the likelihood of the vehicle wheel 230 slipping out of the wheel clamp 120 while the wheel clamp 120 is being moved from the first position to the second position. Fig. 4B, the wheel clamp 120 is raised to the second position. The vehicle wheel 230 can be at least partially resting on the ground 195 (see Fig. 3B) of the wheel clamp 120, and at least a portion of the wheel can extend under the floor 195 by means of the opening 200 (see Fig. 3B).

[0026] Fig. 5A-5D illustrate an exemplary gripper assembly 115 that may be integrated into the parking robot 100 to grip and release the lift rail. As described below with respect to Fig. 7, the parking robot 100 can grasp a pair of lifting rails 110 for use with a particular vehicle 170, park the vehicle 170, and release the lifting rails 110. Thus, a single parking robot 100 can park multiple vehicles 170. The gripper assembly 115, as shown in Fig. 5A-5D, includes an articulated hand 230 and a pneumatic actuator 240. The pneumatic actuator 240 is operatively connected to the articulated hand 230 and moves the hand between an open position and a closed position by converting compressed air into mechanical movement. In the open position (see Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B), the articulated hand 230 is ready to grasp the lifting rail. The parking robot 100 moves the articulated hand 230 to the lifting rail 110 while the articulated hand 230 is in the open position. When the articulated hand 230 is close enough to the lifting rail, the parking robot 100 moves the articulated hand 230 to the closed position (see Fig. 5C) so that the articulated hand 230 can grip the lifting rail. The parking robot 100 can move the articulated hand 230 to the closed position by actuating the pneumatic actuator 240. For example, the parking robot 100 can introduce compressed air into one or more cylinders 245 and cause one or more pistons 250 to push portions of the hand toward the lifting rail. In one possible approach, the pistons 250 can push arms 255 that act on one of the fingers 260 of the articulated hand 230 and cause fingers 260 to close around the lifting rail. The parking robot 100 can move the articulated hand 230 to the open position by depressurizing the cylinder 245 and moving away from the lifting rail. Without air in the cylinder 245, the fingers 260 may be loosely engaged with the lift rail 110, and moving the parking robot 100 away from the lift rails 110 may provide sufficient force to disengage the fingers 260 from the lift rail. Fig. 5D is a side view of an implementation of the gripping assembly 115. As shown, multiple arms 255 can act on the individual fingers 260.

[0027] Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B illustrate one way for the parking robot 100 to move the wheel clamps 120 from the first position to the second position. As shown, the lift rail 110 includes a gear 265 and a continuous screw 270. The gear 265 and the continuous screw 270 may be disposed inside the lift rail. The gear 265 may be operatively connected to the lift motor 125, regardless of whether the lift motor 125 is integrated into the parking robot 100, integrated into the floor, integrated into the lift rails (as shown), or otherwise separate from the parking robot 100 but disposed at a location where it can still engage the gear 265. That is, rotation of the shaft of the lift motor 125 may rotate the gear 265. The endless screw 270 may be threaded to receive a corresponding thread on the gear 265. Thus, the gear 265 is operatively connected to the endless screw 270.Rotation of gear 265 can cause endless screw 270 to move linearly up and down along the lifting rail. That is, rotation of gear 265 in one direction can cause endless screw 270 to move upward, and rotation of gear 265 in the opposite direction can cause endless screw 270 to move downward.

[0028] The endless screw 270 may be attached to the wheel clamp 120. For example, the lifting bar 110 may define a track or other opening so that a portion of the wheel clamp 120 can extend into the interior of the lifting bar. The endless screw 270 may be attached to the portion of the wheel clamp 120 inside the lifting bar. Further, the endless screw 270 may be attached to a fixed shoulder or nut 275 inside the lifting bar. The fixed shoulder 275 may define a threaded hole for receiving the endless screw 270. In some possible implementations, the fixed shoulder 275 may be replaced with a threaded nut that extends through the lifting bar 110 and whose threads engage the threads of the endless screw 270. In some possible approaches, the fixed shoulder 275 or threaded nut may be located at the maximum height of the wheel clamp 120.That is, the fixed shoulder 275 or the threaded nut can define the location of the second position. Thus, the gear 265 can be arranged above the fixed shoulder 275 or the threaded nut, so that the gear 265 does not obstruct the height of the wheel clamp 120 while it is in the second position.

[0029] Accordingly, a linear movement of the endless screw 270 upwards and downwards on the lifting rail 110 can lead to a corresponding movement of the wheel clamp 120. In this way, the rotation of the gear 265 by the lifting motor 125 can cause the wheel clamp 120 to move from the first position ( Fig. 6A) into the second position ( Fig. 6B) moves.

[0030] Fig. Figure 7 shows three vehicles 170 that were parked at an angle by the parking robot 100. The first vehicle 170A and the second vehicle 170B were parked by the parking robot 100. Furthermore, Fig. 7 illustrates an example in which a single parking robot 100 can park multiple vehicles 170. Therefore, the parking robot 100 has released the lift rails 110 for the first vehicle 170A and the second vehicle 170B so that the parking robot 100 can move away to park a third vehicle 170C.

[0031] Fig. 8A-8C illustrate exemplary wheel brake shoes 150 that may be used to secure front or rear wheels (e.g., whichever remains closer to the ground) while the vehicle is in an angled parking position. Fig. 8A is a side view illustrating a curved wheel track 280 and a wall 285. The wheel track 280 can guide the vehicle wheels 230 toward the wall 285, and the curvature of the wheel track 280 can reduce the likelihood of the wheel inadvertently rolling out of the brake shoe 150. The wall 285 can help prevent the wheel from inadvertently rolling out of the rear of the brake shoe 150. In some cases, the brake shoe 150 can define an opening 290 for receiving a locking bar. That is, the locking bar can be inserted into the opening 290 and extend at least partially through a rim or hubcap of the vehicle wheel 230 to further prevent inadvertent movement of the wheel. The locking bar can either be inserted after the vehicle has been parked or can be in a position that allows the vehicle to be parked at an angle (iewhich allows the wheel to rotate in the shoe around the vehicle axis) while the wheel clamp 120 moves from the first position to the second position.

[0032] Fig. 8B illustrates a top view of the brake shoe 150. The track 280 may be formed from rods or rails and, in some cases, may be coated with a high friction material such as high friction tape. Fig. 8BC shows a rear view of the brake shoe 150.

[0033] Fig. 9 is a flowchart of an example process 900 that may be performed by the parking robot 100. The process 900 may begin after the parking robot 100 is powered on and may continue as long as the parking robot 100 is able to park vehicles.

[0034] At decision block 905, the parking robot 100 waits for a request to park a vehicle. The request may be received via the user interface 130. For example, the request may be received via user input provided directly to the user interface 130 or via wireless communication with, for example, a user's mobile device. The processor 145 may process the received user input to determine whether the user input includes a request for the parking robot 100 to park the vehicle. Information included in the request may include the location of the vehicle (e.g., the parking area defined by GPS coordinates), a description of the vehicle, or the like. If the request is received, the process 900 may proceed to block 910.If no request has been received, process 900 may continue executing block 905 until a request is received.

[0035] At block 910, the parking robot 100 is dispatched to the parking area to retrieve the vehicle. The parking robot 100 may navigate to the parking area according to the location defined by the parking request received at block 905. For example, the navigation system, the autonomous driving sensors 140, the wheels 165, the drive motor, and the processor 145 may cooperate to navigate the parking robot 100 to the assigned parking area to retrieve the vehicle.

[0036] At decision block 915, the parking robot 100 determines whether it needs to bring lifting rails 110 to the vehicle. For example, the processor 145 may determine whether the gripper assembly 115 is currently carrying lifting rails 110. The decision may be made via sensors monitoring the position of the articulated hand 230, the position of the piston 250, the amount of air in the cylinder 245, etc. Alternatively, the decision may be derived from the last command that the processor 145 issued to the gripper assembly 115. For example, if the last command was to supply compressed air to the cylinder 245, the processor 145 may determine that the gripper assembly 115 is in the closed position and therefore already carrying lifting rails 110. For example, if the last command was to release compressed air from cylinder 245, processor 145 may determine that gripper assembly 115 is in the open position and therefore is not supporting lift rails 110.If the parking robot 100 needs to pick up lifting rails 110, the process 900 may continue with block 920. Otherwise, the process 900 may continue with block 925.

[0037] At block 920, the parking robot 100 retrieves lifting rails 110. For example, using signals received from the autonomous driving sensors 140, the processor 145 may issue command signals to various components of the parking robot 100, such as the navigation system, the drive motor, etc., that cause the parking robot 100 to navigate to a location where available lifting rails 110 are stored. The processor 145 may issue signals to the gripping assembly 115 to grasp available lifting rails 110. The process 900 may continue to block 925 after the parking robot 100 retrieves the lifting rails 110.

[0038] At block 925, the parking robot 100 locates the vehicle associated with the parking request received at block 905 and attaches the wheel clamps 120 to the front or rear wheels 230 of the vehicle 170. Attaching the wheel clamps 120 may include the processor 145 issuing commands to the lift motor 125 to move the wheel clamps 120 to the first position and issuing commands to the wall motor 215 to move the clamping wall 185 to the open position. When the wheel clamp 120 is in the first position and the clamping wall 185 is in the open position, the vehicle may be manually or autonomously driven onto the wheel clamps 120. To complete the attachment of the wheel clamps 120, the processor 145 may issue commands to the wheel motor to move the clamping wall 185 to the closed position.

[0039] At block 930, the parking robot 100 pulls the vehicle to its assigned parking space (e.g., the location where the vehicle will be parked in an angled position). Pulling the vehicle may involve the processor 145 issuing command signals to move the wheel clamps 120 from the first position to the second position and issuing command signals to drive the wheels 165 of the parking robot 100. Instead of the second position, the processor 145 may also issue a command signal to cause the lift motor 125 to move the wheel clamps 120 to a pulling position (e.g., between the first position and the second position). Another possible approach is to leave the wheel clamps 120 in the first position and have the parking robot 100 lift the vehicle using its pneumatic suspension.Towing the vehicle may thus include the processor 145 outputting control signals that cause the pneumatic suspension to at least partially raise the vehicle.

[0040] At block 935, the parking robot 100 places the vehicle into the wheel brake shoes 150 at the assigned parking space. For example, if the front wheels 230 of the vehicle 170 are in the wheel clamps 120, the parking robot 100 may position the vehicle so that the rear wheels are in the wheel brake shoes 150. Conversely, if the rear wheels 230 of the vehicle 170 are in the wheel clamps 120, the parking robot 100 may position the vehicle so that the front wheels are in the wheel brake shoes 150. The processor 145 may issue commands to the drive motor that drives the wheels of the parking robot 100 to position the vehicle accordingly.

[0041] At decision block 940, the parking robot 100 determines whether the wheel brake shoes 150 have been applied to the wheels 230 of the vehicle 170. The processor 145 may make this determination based on sensors inside the wheel brake shoes 150, sensors on the parking robot 100, user input confirming that the wheel brake shoes 150 have been applied, etc. If the processor 145 determines that the wheel brake shoes 150 have been applied, the process 900 may continue to block 945. Otherwise, the process 900 may return to block 935.

[0042] At block 945, the parking robot 100 places the lifting rails 110 on the ground. For example, the parking robot 100 may use the autonomous driving sensors 140 to locate specific slots in the ground for receiving the lifting rails 110, and the processor 145 may output control signals to navigate the parking robot 100 to the slots. In some cases, the slots may be located near the lifting motors 125, which may drive the gear 265 and endless screw 270 in the lifting rail.

[0043] At block 950, the parking robot 100 releases the lift rails 110 and navigates away from the lift rails 110. Releasing the lift rails 110 may include the processor 145 issuing signals to the gripper assembly 115 to release the lift rails 110. After the gripper assembly 115 releases the rail, the parking robot 100 may move away from the lift rail. That is, the processor 145 may issue signals to the drive motor that controls the wheels 165 of the parking robot 100. Further, in some possible implementations, the parking robot 100 may communicate with the lift motor 125. For example, the processor 145 may instruct the user interface 130 to wirelessly transmit signals to the lift motor 125 indicating that the lift rails 110 have been released and instruct the lift motor 125 to begin moving the wheel clamps 120 from the first position (or the pull position) to the second position.

[0044] At block 955, the parking robot 100 waits for confirmation that the vehicle has been raised into the angled parking position. The confirmation from the parking robot 100 may be based on signals received from sensors monitoring the lift motor 125, the position of the vehicle 170, the position of the wheel clamps 120, etc. Alternatively or additionally, the confirmation may be based on signals from sensors on the parking robot 100 or on a user input provided to the parking robot 100 confirming that the vehicle is in the angled parking position. After processing these signals, the processor 145 may determine whether the confirmation has been received.

[0045] At decision block 960, the parking robot 100 determines whether additional vehicles are waiting for angled parking. For example, the processor 145 may make this determination based on whether additional parking requests (see block 905) have been received. If yes, the process 900 may continue to block 910. If no, the process 900 may continue to block 965.

[0046] At decision block 965, the parking robot 100 determines whether a vehicle handover request is outstanding for the parking robot 100. Vehicle handover requests are discussed below with respect to block 1005. Briefly, if the processor 145 determines that one or more vehicle handover requests have been received, the process 900 ends and the process 1000 begins for that parking robot 100. If there are no outstanding vehicle handover requests for the parking robot 100, the process 900 may continue to block 970.

[0047] At block 970, the parking robot 100 enters a standby mode. The standby mode may be a low-power mode in which certain components are turned off, at least until the parking robot 100 is ready to park a vehicle or retrieve a parked vehicle. The standby mode may be controlled according to signals output by the processor 145, for example, to turn off certain components. The process 900 may continue to block 960.

[0048] Fig. 10 is a process flow diagram of an exemplary process 1000 that may be performed by the parking robot 100 to retrieve a parked vehicle. The process 1000 may begin after the parking robot 100 is powered on and may continue as long as the parking robot 100 is able to retrieve parked vehicles.

[0049] At decision block 1005, the parking robot 100 waits for a request to retrieve a parked vehicle. The request may be received via the user interface 130. For example, the request may be received via user input provided directly to the user interface 130 or via wireless communication with, for example, a user's mobile device. The processor 145 may process the received user input to determine whether the user input includes a request for the parking robot 100 to retrieve the parked vehicle. Information included in the request may include the location of the parked vehicle (e.g., the parking space defined by GPS coordinates), a description of the vehicle 170, or the like. If the request is received, the process 1000 may proceed to block 1010.If no request has been received, process 1000 may continue executing block 1005 until a request is received.

[0050] At block 1010, the parking robot 100 is dispatched to the parking space where the vehicle is parked. The parking robot 100 may navigate to the parking area according to the location defined by the pickup request received at block 1005. For example, the navigation system, the autonomous driving sensors 140, the wheels 165, the drive motor, and the processor 145 may cooperate to navigate the parking robot 100 to the assigned parking space to retrieve the parked vehicle.

[0051] At decision block 1015, the parking robot 100 determines whether it is currently supporting lift rails 110. For example, the processor 145 may determine whether the gripper assembly 115 is currently supporting lift rails 110. The decision may be made via sensors monitoring the position of the articulated hand 230, the position of the piston 250, the amount of air in the cylinder 245, etc. Alternatively, the decision may be derived from the last command that the processor 145 issued to the gripper assembly 115. For example, if the last command was to supply compressed air to the cylinder 245, the processor 145 may determine that the gripper assembly 115 is in the closed position and is therefore supporting lift rails 110. For example, if the last command was to release compressed air from cylinder 245, processor 145 may determine that gripper assembly 115 is in the open position and therefore is not supporting lift rails 110.If the parking robot 100 is carrying lifting rails 110, the process 1000 may continue with block 1020. Otherwise, the process 1000 may continue with block 1025.

[0052] At block 1020, the parking robot 100 moves the lifting rails 110 to a designated storage area. For example, the processor 145 may output signals that navigate the parking robot 100 to the designated storage area for the lifting rails 110. Once the parking robot 100 has arrived at the designated storage area, the processor 145 may output signals to the gripper assembly 115 to release the lifting rails 110. If the parking robot 100 is no longer carrying any lifting rails 110, the process 1010 may proceed to block 1015 to confirm that the parking robot 100 is no longer carrying any lifting rails 110.

[0053] At block 1025, the parking robot 100 navigates to the parking space where the parked vehicle is located. For example, the processor 145 may output signals that navigate the parking robot 100 to the parking space identified in the pickup request.

[0054] At block 1030, the parking robot 100 finds the parking space and grasps the lifting rails 110. Grasping the lifting rails 110 may include the processor 145 issuing signals to the gripper assembly 115 to move to the closed position around the lifting rails 110. In some possible approaches, the processor 145 may wirelessly communicate with the lifting motor 125 via the user interface 130, for example, by instructing the lifting motor 125 to lower the wheel clamps 120 to a position between the first and second positions (e.g., the pull position).

[0055] At block 1035, the parking robot 100 pulls the vehicle away from the wheel brake shoes 150. Pulling the vehicle may include the processor 145 issuing command signals to drive the wheels 165 of the parking robot 100. In some cases, pulling the vehicle may include the processor 145 issuing control signals to the lift motor 125 to move the wheel clamps 120 to a pulling position (e.g., between the first position and the second position). Another possible approach is for the lift motor 125 to lower the wheel clamps 120 to the first position and the parking robot 100 to lift the vehicle with its pneumatic suspension. Pulling the vehicle may thus include the processor 145 issuing control signals that cause the pneumatic suspension to at least partially lift the vehicle.

[0056] At decision block 1040, the parking robot 100 determines whether the wheels have been released from the wheel brake shoes 150. The processor 145 may make this determination based on sensors inside the wheel brake shoes 150, sensors on the parking robot 100, user input confirming that the vehicle has been removed from the wheel brake shoes 150, etc. If the processor 145 determines that the vehicle is free from the wheel brake shoes 150, the process 1000 may continue to block 1045. Otherwise, the process 1000 may return to block 1035.

[0057] At block 1045, the parking robot 100 pulls the vehicle into a pickup area, where, for example, the occupant of the vehicle 170 can enter the vehicle and drive away. Pulling the vehicle into the pickup area may include the processor 145 issuing control signals that cause the parking robot 100 to navigate to the pickup area according to signals from the navigation system, the autonomous driving sensors 140, etc. When the parking robot 100 arrives at the pickup area, the processor 145 may issue control signals to lower the wheel clamps 120 from the second or pulling position to the first position, lower the vehicle by lowering the pneumatic suspension of the parking robot 100, move the clamp wall 185 to the open position, remove the wheel clamps 120 from the wheels 230 of the vehicle 170, etc.

[0058] At block 1050, the parking robot 100 confirms the handover of the vehicle 170 in the pickup area. The processor 145 may confirm the handover according to signals output by the sensors 140 on the parking robot 100, other sensors communicating with the parking robot 100, user input provided to the user interface 130, etc.

[0059] At decision block 1055, the parking robot 100 determines whether a subsequent handover request is pending for the parking robot 100. If the processor 145 determines that one or more vehicle handover requests have been received, the process 1000 continues to block 1010. If there are no pending vehicle handover requests for the parking robot 100, the process 1000 may continue to block 1060.

[0060] At decision block 1060, the parking robot 100 determines whether vehicles are waiting for angled parking. For example, the processor 145 may make this determination based on whether parking requests (see block 905) have been received. If so, the process 1000 may end and the process 900 may begin. If no vehicles are waiting for angled parking, the process 1000 may continue to block 1065.

[0061] At block 1065, the parking robot 100 enters a standby mode. The standby mode may be a low-power mode in which certain components are turned off, at least until the parking robot 100 is ready to park a vehicle or retrieve a parked vehicle. The standby mode may be controlled according to signals issued by the processor 145, for example, to turn off certain components. The process 1000 may continue to block 1055.

[0062] In general, the described computing systems and / or devices may utilize any of a number of computer operating systems, including, but not limited to, versions and / or types of the Ford Sync® application, AppLink / Smart Device Link middleware, the Microsoft Automotive® operating system, the Microsoft Windows® operating system, the Unix operating system (e.g., the Solaris® operating system distributed by Oracle Corporation of Redwood Shores, California), the AIX UNIX operating system distributed by International Business Machines of Armonk, New York, the Linux operating system, the Mac OSX and iOS operating systems distributed by Apple Inc. of Cupertino, California, the BlackBerry operating system distributed by Blackberry, Ltd. of Waterloo, Canada, and the Android operating system developed by Google, Inc. and the Open Handset Alliance, or the QNX® CAR platform for infotainment offered by QNX Software Systems.Examples of computing devices include, without limitation, a vehicle on-board computer, a workstation, a server, a desktop, notebook, laptop, or handheld computer, or other computing system and / or device.

[0063] Computing devices generally include computer-executable instructions, where the instructions are executable by one or more computing devices as listed above. Computer-executable instructions may be compiled from or interpreted from computer programs created using various programming languages and / or techniques, including, without limitation, and either alone or in combination, Java™, C, C++, Visual Basic, Java Script, Perl, etc. Some of these applications may be compiled and executed on a virtual machine, such as the Java Virtual Machine, the Dalvik Virtual Machine, or the like. In general, a processor (e.g., a microprocessor) receives instructions, e.g., from memory, a computer-readable medium, etc., and executes those instructions, thereby performing one or more processes, including one or more of the processes described herein.These instructions and other data may be stored and transmitted using various computer-readable media.

[0064] A computer-readable medium (also called a processor-readable medium) includes any non-transitory (e.g., tangible) medium involved in providing data (e.g., instructions) that can be read by a computer (e.g., by a computer's processor). Such a medium can take many forms, including, but not limited to, non-volatile media and volatile media. Non-volatile media can include, for example, optical disks, magnetic disks, and other persistent storage. Volatile media includes, for example, dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), which typically forms main memory. The instructions can be carried by one or more transmission media, including coaxial cable, copper wire, and fiber optics, including the cables comprising a system bus coupled to a computer's processor.Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, a hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical medium, punched cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with hole patterns, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH EEPROM, any other memory chip, or a continuous tape cartridge or any other medium that a computer can read.

[0065] Databases, data containers, or other data stores described herein may include various types of mechanisms for storing, accessing, and retrieving various types of data, including a hierarchical database, a set of files in a file system, an application database in a proprietary format, a relational database management system (RDBMS), and so on. Each such data store is generally embodied in a computing device employing a computer operating system such as one of those mentioned above and is accessed in one or more different ways over a network. A file system may be accessible from a computer operating system and may contain files stored in various formats. An RDBMS generally uses Structured Query Language (SQL), in addition to a language for creating, storing, manipulating, and executing stored procedures, such as the PL / SQL language mentioned above.

[0066] In some examples, system elements may be implemented as computer-readable instructions (e.g., software) on one or more computing devices (e.g., servers, personal computers, etc.) stored on associated computer-readable media (e.g., disks, memory, etc.). A computer program product may include instructions stored on these computer-readable media to perform the functions described herein.

[0067] With respect to the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc. described herein, it is understood that while the steps of these processes, etc., have been described as occurring in a particular ordered sequence, the processes may be performed if the described steps are performed in a different order than the order described herein. It is further understood that certain steps may be performed concurrently, other steps may be added, or certain steps described herein may be omitted. In other words, the process descriptions herein are illustrative of particular embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the claims.

[0068] Accordingly, it is to be understood that the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many other embodiments and applications than the examples provided will become apparent upon reading. The scope should not be determined by reference to the foregoing description, but instead should be determined by reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled at law, in equity, and otherwise. It is anticipated and contemplated that future developments will occur in the techniques discussed herein, and that the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into these future embodiments. In summary, it is understood that the application is susceptible to modification and variation.

[0069] All terms used in the claims are intended to have their ordinary meaning as understood by persons skilled in the art described herein, unless expressly stated otherwise. In particular, the use of singular articles such as "a," "a," "the," etc., is to be construed to include one or more of the specified elements, unless a claim expressly limits otherwise.

[0070] The abstract is intended to enable the reader to quickly assess the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Furthermore, it will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description that various features may be grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of concise disclosure. This manner of disclosure is not intended to reflect an intent that the claimed embodiments require more features than are recited in each of the individual claims. Rather, as the following claims indicate, inventive subject matter lies in fewer than all of the features of a single disclosed embodiment. The following claims are therefore incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as separately claimed subject matter.

Claims

[1] Parking robot, comprising: a lifting rail; a wheel clamp arranged on the lifting rail and movable from a first position to a second position along the lifting rail; and a lifting motor operatively connected to the lifting rail, the lifting motor moving the wheel clamp from the first position to the second position, the wheel clamp including: a first side wall; a second side wall spaced from the first side wall; and a clamping wall pivotally mounted on the first side wall and movable from an open position to a closed position, the clamping wall being disposed on the first side wall and the second side wall when in the closed position and biased toward the open position; and a wall actuator operatively connected to the clamping wall to move the clamping wall from the open position to the closed position. [2] A parking robot according to claim 1, wherein the lifting rail includes a gear operatively connected to an endless screw, and wherein the lifting motor is operatively connected to the gear and the endless screw is attached to the wheel clamp. [3] The parking robot according to claim 2, wherein the rotation of the lifting motor rotates the gear, and wherein the rotation of the gear moves the endless screw linearly. [4] Parking robot according to claim 1, further comprising: a housing; and a gripping assembly extending from the housing to the lifting rail, the gripping assembly including an articulated hand for gripping and releasing the lifting rail. [5] The parking robot of claim 4, wherein the gripping assembly includes a pneumatic actuator operatively connected to the articulated hand to move the articulated hand between an open position and a closed position. [6] Parking robot according to claim 1, wherein the wall actuator includes: a wall motor; an endless screw operatively connected to the wall motor; and a finger disposed on the endless screw and engageable with the clamping wall, wherein rotation of the endless screw by the wall motor rotates the finger to move the clamping wall from the open position to the closed position. [7] Parking robot, comprising: a housing; a lifting rail; a wheel clamp arranged on the lifting rail and movable from a first position to a second position along the lifting rail; a gripping assembly extending from the housing to the lifting rail, the gripping assembly including an articulated hand for gripping and releasing the lifting rail; and a lifting motor operatively connected to the lifting rail, the lifting motor moving the wheel clamp from the first position to the second position. [8] A parking robot according to claim 7, wherein the lifting rail includes a gear operatively connected to an endless screw, and wherein the lifting motor is operatively connected to the gear and the endless screw is attached to the wheel clamp. [9] The parking robot according to claim 8, wherein the rotation of the lifting motor rotates the gear, and wherein the rotation of the gear moves the endless screw linearly. [10] The parking robot of claim 7, wherein the gripping assembly includes a pneumatic actuator operatively connected to the articulated hand to move the articulated hand between an open position and a closed position. [11] Parking robot according to claim 7, wherein the wheel clamp comprises: a first side wall; a second side wall spaced from the first side wall; and a clamping wall pivotally mounted on the first side wall and movable from an open position to a closed position, the clamping wall being disposed on the first side wall and the second side wall when in the closed position. [12] Parking robot according to claim 11, wherein the clamping wall is biased into the open position. [13] A parking robot according to claim 12, wherein the wheel clamp includes a wall actuator operatively connected to the clamping wall to move the clamping wall from the open position to the closed position. [14] Parking robot according to claim 13, wherein the wall actuator includes: a wall motor; an endless screw operatively connected to the wall motor; and a finger disposed on the endless screw and engageable with the clamping wall, wherein rotation of the endless screw by the wall motor rotates the finger to move the clamping wall from the open position to the closed position.

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