A disability parking space protection device

Abstract

A disability parking space protection device 99 near a parking space designated for disabled persons comprises a housing (e.g. bollard 11), scanning means 3, a light source 2 and a processor which use

Description

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a disability parking space protection device, in particular for placement to prevent unauthorised persons parking in disabled parking spaces; more particularly but not exclusively a device to draw attention to this infraction. Background In many societies across the world there is an increasing number of people who require mobility in their lives, as well as an increasingly large proportion of people who are enabled, despite infirmity or old age, to stay mobile. It is of great importance therefore for state bodies and the like to facilitate mobility for such people, and accordingly it is common in many locations and societies for designated areas and facilities to be set aside for people in possession of an appropriate permit, for example disabled parking. However despite the importance of enabling mobility there are individuals who take advantage of these designated areas, despite not having permission or an appropriate permit. Prior Art KR 102 099 397 (KIM) discloses a device and a method for managing a street parking lot by using a bollard installed at a boundary of a street parking window. Provided are a method and a device for street parking management. The parking management device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: a radar sensor transmitting a radar signal to a street parking zone and receiving a radar signal reflected from a vehicle occupying the street parking zone; a camera transmitting an image obtained from the imaging of the vehicle; a warning module outputting a warning signal such that the vehicle moves from the street parking zone; a communication unit processing signal transmission and reception by interworking with a dedicated loT network; and a control unit generating a license plate image of the vehicle by analyzing the image received from the camera and extracting number information of the vehicle by removing the shadow of the license plate image and normalizing the brightness of the license plate image. After the extraction, the control unit transmits the number information to an external server through the dedicated loT network and receives a search result on the number information from the external server. In a case in which the vehicle occupies the street parking zone without authorization, the control unit operates the warning module. WO 2018 194 417 (SONG) discloses a method for managing a disabled parking area may include: a step in which a disabled parking management device installed in a disabled parking area senses whether a vehicle enters a disabled parking space in the disabled parking area; a step in which the disabled parking management device receives vehicle information; a step in which the disabled parking management device transmits the vehicle information to a disabled parking management server; a step in which the disabled parking management device receives determination result information about the entrance of the disabled vehicle from the disabled parking management server; and a step in which the disabled parking management device displays whether a parking situation is a normal parking situation on the basis of the determination result information about the entrance of the disabled vehicle FR 2 770 015 (COUSIN) discloses a system which is intended to control parking in a 'disabled' parking space which comprises a post with a sensor mounted to detect the presence of a vehicle in the reserved space adjacent to the post and a further device which consists of a detector responding to a remote signal to deactivate the parking deterrent device, and the parking deterrent device may consist of both a visible warning sign and an audible warning sign which can be deactivated either by a radar device in the disabled vehicle, or by a.remote control used by the disabled driver. In the absence of deactivation, the device deters the driver from leaving a normal vehicle in the reserved space. Summary of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided a disability parking space protection device, for placement proximate a parking space designated for disability parking, comprising: a housing; a scanning means; a data networking means; and a data processing means; and a light source; wherein the device is arranged to transmit a warning in relation to the processing means processing inputs from the scanning means and the data networking means in relation to a vehicle in the parking space: In this way the device of the present invention may provide a means of identifying unauthorised persons attempting to occupy a disabled parking space and drawing attention to this. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises an elongated bollard housing, so as to resemble and / or incorporate a standard parking bollard as may be found typically in such situations. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a reflective material, so as to draw attention and / or prevent accidental parking damage. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a loudspeaker, which may be used to provide an audible alert that an unauthorised person is parking in the space. In some embodiments of the device such light source may be located on top of the device, and domed, such that light is emitted in a plurality of directions, and / or the light is at the highest point to be more visible. In some embodiments of the device the light source comprises a cylindrical transparent or translucent sleeve at an intermediate height on the housing. In some embodiments of the device the light source comprises a coned reflector, so as to refract or reflect the light effectively in many directions. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a cutout in the housing for the scanning means, so as to protect the scanning means from rainfall and / or accidental damage and / or so as to provide an easy to use downwards facing scanner for a permit for example. In some embodiments of the device the scanning means comprises a card reader, so as to scan locally a machine readable code for example. In some embodiments of the device the scanning means comprises a camera directed towards the parking space, which may be envisaged to provide a means of recognising a number plate for example. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a machine readable code, for example printed, painted or as a sticker, which machine readable code may be such as a QR (quick response) code, so as to digitally direct a user to information, which may include information on how to operate the device. In some embodiments of the device the parking space comprises a pressure sensor, which may be envisaged to be embedded within the parking space or below its surface, so as to recognise when the parking space is in use and reactivate the device from a standby mode, for example. A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the Figures in which: Brief Description of Figures Figure 1 shows an isometric view of a first embodiment of the device according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a detail isometric view of the embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 shows an exploded isometric detail view of the embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 shows a detail side view of a second embodiment of the device according to the present invention; and Figure 6 shows a representative flow-chart for operation of embodiments of the device such as that shown in Figure 1. Detailed Description of Figures With reference to the figures there is shown embodiments of a disability parking space protection device 99,199, for placement proximate a parking space designated for disability parking, generally comprising: a housing; a scanning means 3,44; a data networking means; and a data processing means; and a light source 2; wherein the device is arranged to transmit a warning in relation to the processing means processing inputs from the scanning means and the data networking means in relation to a vehicle in the parking space. With reference to the first pictured embodiment the embodiment comprises an elongated cylindrical housing 11, providing a bollard as known in the art. It may be envisaged that the housing is formed in a rigid and weatherproof plastic such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or aluminium or stainless steel, or the like, so as to provide a robust device with longevity and able to withstand parking scrapes. Such bollard may be envisaged to be located at the end of a parking space in use, for example centrally. The housing comprises a cutout 10 at an intermediate heigh, envisaged to be at a standard interaction height for user inputs, and a base 12 for insertion or connection to the ground. A camera scanning means 3 is arranged in the cutout, which comprises a horizontal top plane, and a diagonal lower plane. The camera scanning means is located on the lower plane and comprises a transparent covering screen 5 which comprises hydrophilic coating so as to ensure that water droplets are not liable to compromise the scanning effectiveness. A loudspeaker 4 is arranged above the scanning means 3 safely within the cutout, which may be envisaged to produce acoustic amplification and / or direction. This camera scanning means is directed in use towards the parking space, and comprises an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera which may be envisaged to combine with the data processing means to compare a recognised and scanned number plate to a dataset obtained from the data networking means. In this way the device may be envisaged to recognise the vehicle in the parking space and assess whether the vehicle is in possession of a valid permit, or disability permit. The device of the present invention comprises wireless network capability, for example a transceiver, so as to allow for installation in more remote, unwired, locations. The scanning means is further supplemented by a local scanning means 44 for scanning permits, keyfobs, badges and / or access keys. Such local scanning means is located in the top plane of the cutout, facing downwards at the sloped plane, so as to avoid false positive scans,. । In this way the user will locate their permit or access key into the cutout and under the local scanning means, for example where the vehicle is not in possession of a permit, however the user is in possession of a permit or access key. I Above the cutout the device comprises two spacers 87,89 and a reflective annular band 8, so as to draw attention in low light conditions to the device when the user is parking in the parking space. The device further comprises a transparent or translucent annular cylindrical section 7 which contains a warning light source, which light source comprises a ring of light emitting diodes which are supplemented by a depending funnel light refractor, so as to provide effective 360 degree illumination. Such warning light source provides a means of providing a highly visible warning should the data processing means identify the vehicle and / or user as being without a valid permit, thereby alerting bystanders to the infraction. In addition or the alternative the device comprises one or more loudspeaker so as to allow for an audible warning that the vehicle is not allowed in the parking space. The pictured embodiment further comprises a domed top end 1, which domed surface comprises a transparent cover 6 over an identification light source. This identification light source may be used to provide a signal that the parking space is unoccupied, to facilitate recognition of available parking spaces, for example in a bank of the devices or parking spaces. On the side of the housing, proximate the cutout, is a machine readable code 9, such as a QR (quick response) code, such that the user may scan the code for further information on the device and / or how to use it. With reference to the second embodiment, the embodiment 199 comprises an aftermarket fitted embodiment, for securement on an existing pole or bollard 100. The embodiment comprises a support and securement portion 31, housing 30, providing a machine readable code 9, topmost light source 36, loudspeaker 34, and local bar code scanner 33 for scanning permits. As shown in Figure 5, the embodiments each comprise two scanning means B,C which are used to scan a user’s permission status A, which may be a vehicle and / or permit or access key. The scanning means provides scanned data to a processing means D which is equipped with wirelessly received information to allow an alert at an alert means E being one or more of a light source and / or loudspeaker. Further embodiments may comprise portable units with internal rechargeable battery power sources. Still further embodiments may comprise one or more of a photovoltaic or haptic vehicular energy harvesting means and an allied rechargeable battery, enabling easy and fast installation in a plurality of locations. The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of protection as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A disability parking space protection device, for placement proximate a parking space designated for disability parking, comprising: a housing; a scanning means; a data networking means; and a data processing means; and a light source; wherein the device is arranged to transmit a warning in relation to the processing means processing inputs from the scanning means and the data networking means in relation to a vehicle in the parking space.

2. A disability parking space protection device according to claim 1 comprising an elongated bollard housing.

3. A disability parking space protection device according to claim 1 or 2 comprising a reflective material.

4. A disability parking space protection device according to any preceding claim comprising a loudspeaker.

5. A disability parking space protection device according to any preceding claim wherein the light source is located on top of the device.

6. A disability parking space protection device according to claim 5 wherein the light source is domed.

7. A disability parking space protection device according to any preceding claim wherein the light source comprises a cylindrical transparent or translucent sleeve at an intermediate height on the housing.

8. A disability parking space protection device according to any preceding claim wherein the light source comprises a coned reflector.

9. A disability parking space protection device according to any preceding claim comprising a cutout in the housing for the scanning means.

10. A disability parking space protection device according to any preceding claim wherein the scanning means comprises a card reader.

11. A disability parking space protection device according to any preceding claim wherein the scanning means comprises a camera directed towards the parking space.5 12. A disability parking space protection device according to any preceding claimcomprising a machine readable code.

13. A disability parking space protection device according to any preceding claim wherein the parking space comprises a pressure sensor.

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