Parking lot management system and program

Abstract

To reduce the burden of installing dedicated equipment in a parking lot by utilizing an information processing terminal of a user of the parking lot.SOLUTION: A system 10 for managing a parking lot 20 including a plurality of parking spaces includes a server 50. When a vehicle enters the parking lot, the server receives parking-related information for identifying at least one of a user, a vehicle, and one of the parking spaces as parking-related information at the time of entry from an information processing terminal 90 of the user, and measures an entry time in response to the reception from the information processing terminal. In addition, when the vehicle exits the parking lot, the server receives parking-related information for identifying at least one of the user, the vehicle, and one of the parking spaces as parking-related information at the time of exit from the information processing terminal, and measures an exit time in response to the reception from the information processing terminal. Furthermore, when the parking-related information at the time of exit matches the parking-related information at the time of entry, the server calculates a parking duration on the basis of the entry time and the exit time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention provides a technology for managing a plurality of parking lots using an information processing terminal of a user who selects one of the parking lots to use. and / or a technology for managing the parking lot using an information processing terminal of a user who uses the parking lot. Regarding. [Background technology]

[0002] Parking lots with multiple parking spaces (or "car compartments") for vehicles are already widespread. These types of parking lots can be classified into two types based on the method of transporting a vehicle to a target parking space: a system in which the user drives the vehicle to the target parking space, and a mechanical system in which the vehicle is transported to the target parking space mechanically by mechanically moving a pallet or cage.

[0003] In addition, the parking lot may be rented to the user free of charge or for a fee. Paid parking lots can be classified into monthly parking lots and hourly parking lots (including daily parking lots) based on the length of time the parking lot is rented to the user.

[0004] Hourly parking lots can be classified by their management method into manned parking lots, where a person is permanently present on-site to manage and monitor the lot, and unmanned parking lots, where such a person is not permanently present but is dispatched to the lot sporadically.

[0005] In addition, hourly parking lots can be classified according to the payment method for parking fees into prepaid parking lots, where the user pays a parking fee corresponding to the length of the planned parking time when entering the lot, and deferred payment parking lots, where the user pays a parking fee corresponding to the length of the actual parking time when leaving the lot.

[0006] Several prior art documents were found that disclose some of the types of parking lots described above.

[0007] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that makes it possible to completely automate the entry and exit process for a parking lot using a GPS, computer, and communication device installed in a vehicle, without installing dedicated equipment in the parking lot, and without requiring the user to operate their own mobile terminal or any equipment in the lot.

[0008] Specifically, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that measures the current location of a vehicle using a GPS-type positioning function installed in the vehicle in which the user is riding, rather than in the user's communication device, and when the vehicle's location transitions from a state in which it does not match any parking lot location to a state in which it matches one of the parking lot locations, automatically detects the user's entry into the parking lot, while when the vehicle's subsequent location transitions from a state in which it matches the parking lot location to a state in which it does not match, automatically detects the user's exit from the parking lot.

[0009] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a technology that does not require the installation of dedicated equipment within the parking lot, and does not require the user to operate their own mobile terminal or any on-site equipment, but rather acquires the user's location information and behavior information using a GPS and acceleration sensor installed in the user's mobile terminal, and uses this information to detect the user's entry and exit from the parking lot where the user is currently staying, thereby making it possible to completely automate the entry and exit process for the parking lot.

[0010] Specifically, Patent Document 2 discloses a parking lot management system that manages multiple parking lots, and has a reception means that receives reservations for use of each parking lot from users, and a determination means that determines the parking lot that the user will actually use based on location information of the information communication terminal carried by the user and behavioral information of the user received from the information communication terminal, and also determines when the user will start and end use of the parking lot.

[0011] More specifically, Patent Document 2 discloses a technology that uses the acceleration sensor to determine whether the user is walking or in a vehicle, and when the user transitions from a state of entering a parking lot to a state of walking, it is determined that the user has entered the parking lot, and conversely, when the user transitions from a state of walking in a parking lot to a state of getting into the vehicle and leaving the parking lot, it is determined that the user has left the parking lot. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0012] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-202542 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-256380 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-250734 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0013] Theoretically, the technology described in Patent Document 1 makes it possible to completely automate the entry and exit process for a parking lot. However, in order to adopt the technology described in Patent Document 1, the vehicle must be equipped with a positioning device (positioning function) such as a GPS, a computer (signal processing function), and a communication device (communication function) for communicating with an external server, that is, the vehicle must be highly functional (for example, intelligent).

[0014] In contrast to this, the technology described in Patent Document 2 uses a user's mobile terminal equipped with signal processing, communication, positioning, and behavior detection functions instead of installing special equipment in the vehicle. Nowadays, mobile terminals equipped with such functions are widespread, and the technology described in Patent Document 2 makes it possible to fully automate the entry and exit process for a parking lot without requiring the vehicle to have high functionality (for example, intelligence).

[0015] However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 only focuses on the relationship between the location information of the mobile terminal and the location information of the parking lot, and attempts to identify the parking lot into which the user entered, which poses a practical problem in that the system is likely to malfunction.

[0016] Furthermore, the technology described in Patent Document 2 attempts to identify the parking lot into which the user entered by focusing on user behavioral information in addition to the location information of the mobile device. However, despite limitations in the positioning accuracy of mobile devices, the user behavioral information being focused on is not specific to the parking lot, and so there remains a practical problem in that the system is highly likely to malfunction.

[0017] Furthermore, neither Patent Document 1 nor Patent Document 2 discloses focusing on the unique behavior of a vehicle as it travels through a parking lot in order to identify the parking lot into which the user entered.

[0018] Incidentally, a prepaid hourly parking system is already known as a parking lot management system. In this management system, the user is granted the right to use the parking lot on the condition that, at the entry stage when the user enters the parking lot to park their vehicle, the user specifies the valid parking time in hours, which is the time period during which the user wishes to park the vehicle, and pays in advance the parking fee equivalent to the length of the valid parking time.

[0019] Patent Document 3 describes a conventional example of a prepaid parking lot. This parking lot is equipped with dedicated equipment: a fee settlement device that allows users to prepay parking fees, and an exit gate management device that opens the exit gate and allows users to exit the parking lot on the condition that it is confirmed at the time of exit that the regular parking fee has been paid at the time of entry.

[0020] When entering the parking lot, a user who uses the parking lot predicts the length of time required to continuously park a vehicle in the parking lot as an effective parking time, and pays a parking fee commensurate with the length of the effective parking time.

[0021] Furthermore, users of this parking lot can enter and exit the parking lot any number of times, i.e., re-enter, within the valid parking time.

[0022] Incidentally, when operating a parking lot, regardless of whether it is operated as a prepaid hourly parking system or not, measuring or estimating the parking lot's operating status, i.e., availability, in real time and informing other potential users is advantageous to the parking lot manager and land owner in that it contributes to improving the parking lot's utilization rate and increasing revenue, and is also advantageous to users in that it makes it easier for users to find parking when and where they need it, since vacant parking spaces can be provided to users in the vicinity in a timely manner.

[0023] While it is desirable for such parking information to be highly accurate, there may be uncertain factors among the multiple factors that must be considered to measure or estimate parking availability.

[0024] For example, as mentioned above, a user of the prepaid parking lot described in Patent Document 3 can enter and exit the parking lot any number of times, i.e., re-enter, within the valid parking time. In this case, the user may or may not actually re-enter the parking lot.

[0025] In this case, if the parking lot manager estimates the parking lot availability based on the assumption that the possibility of the user re-entering the parking lot is 0%, the parking lot may be full even when the user actually tries to re-enter, which may cause inconvenience to the user.On the other hand, if the parking lot manager estimates the parking lot availability based on the assumption that the possibility of the user re-entering the parking lot is 100%, the utilization rate of the parking lot may decrease if the user does not actually re-enter.

[0026] In this way, when a prepaid parking lot is operated in a manner that allows re-entry within the valid parking time, the accuracy of estimating parking space availability will vary depending on how the parking lot manager handles the uncertain factor of the probability that the user will actually re-enter the parking lot, which will affect both the parking lot's occupancy rate and user convenience.

[0027] Therefore, when operating a prepaid parking lot that allows re-entry within the valid parking time, it is desirable to provide parking lot guidance that improves both the parking lot's utilization rate and user convenience.

[0028] Furthermore, when constructing the prepaid parking lot described in Patent Document 3, it is necessary to install a fee settlement device that allows users to prepay parking fees, and an exit gate device that monitors the time when users leave the parking lot and checks whether the valid parking time has expired. Therefore, constructing this parking lot requires a large capital investment.

[0029] In response to this, it would be desirable to limit the installation or use of dedicated equipment for each parking space, while referring to information (such as information that can infer the user's behavior) that can be obtained from the user's information processing terminal (e.g., a mobile terminal), to comprehensively estimate the parking space availability by focusing on multiple users individually rather than on multiple parking spaces individually, and to provide parking space guidance that notifies other potential users of the results in advance.

[0030] Based on the above findings, the present invention provides a technology for managing a plurality of parking lots using an information processing terminal of a user who selects and uses one of the plurality of parking lots. and / or a technology for managing the parking lot using an information processing terminal of a user who uses the parking lot. In particular, the present invention aims to provide a technology that makes it possible to reduce the need to install dedicated equipment in parking lots. [Means for solving the problem]

[0031] In order to solve the problem, according to one aspect of the present invention, Manage parking lots with multiple parking spaces A parking lot management system, a server capable of communicating with an information processing terminal of a user of the parking lot; The server is a receiving unit at the time of parking entry that receives, from the information processing terminal, parking-related information at the time of parking entry, parking-related information for identifying at least one of the user, the vehicle, and any one of the plurality of vehicle compartments that the user wishes to use when the user enters the parking lot together with his or her vehicle; a warehousing time measurement unit that measures the warehousing time in response to reception from the information processing terminal when the vehicle is warehousing; an exit receiving unit that receives parking-related information for identifying at least one of the user, the vehicle, and any vehicle compartment from the information processing terminal as exit-time parking-related information when the user exits the parking lot together with his / her vehicle; a departure time measurement unit that measures the departure time in response to reception from the information processing terminal when the vehicle leaves the warehouse; a parking time calculation unit that calculates the length of parking time based on the entry time and the exit time when the exit parking-related information matches the entry parking-related information at the time of exit; A parking lot management system including:

[0032] The present invention provides the following aspects. Each aspect is divided into paragraphs, each numbered, and described by citing the numbers of other paragraphs as necessary. This is to facilitate understanding of some of the technical features and combinations thereof that may be employed by the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the technical features and combinations thereof that may be employed by the present invention to the following aspects. In other words, it should be understood that technical features that are not described in the following aspects but are described in this specification may be appropriately extracted and employed as technical features of the present invention.

[0033] Furthermore, describing each paragraph in a format that refers to the number of other paragraphs does not necessarily mean that the technical features described in each paragraph cannot be separated and made independent from the technical features described in other paragraphs, and it should be interpreted that the technical features described in each paragraph can be made independent as appropriate depending on their nature.

[0034] (1) A method for managing a plurality of parking lots using an information processing terminal of a user who selects and uses one of the parking lots, comprising: a step in which the information processing terminal acquires a current position of the vehicle using a position acquisition unit of the information processing terminal while the user is riding in the vehicle together with the information processing terminal; a step in which the information processing terminal acquires dynamic behavior of the vehicle using a dynamic behavior acquisition unit of the information processing terminal while the vehicle is in the riding state, and determines, based on the acquired results, whether or not the vehicle exhibits a unique dynamic behavior that does not appear when the vehicle is traveling on a normal road but appears when the vehicle is traveling in an arbitrary parking lot; a parking lot identification step in which the information processing terminal identifies, on condition that the vehicle is determined to exhibit the unique dynamic behavior, one of the plurality of parking lots corresponding to the current position of the vehicle as a parking lot selected by the user; A parking lot management method including:

[0035] (2) A method for managing a plurality of parking lots using an information processing terminal of a user who selects and uses one of the parking lots, comprising: a position acquisition step of acquiring a current position of the vehicle by using a position acquisition unit of the information processing terminal while the user is riding in the vehicle together with the information processing terminal; a high-frequency turning state determination step in which the information processing terminal determines, in the riding state, whether or not there is a possibility that the vehicle is in a high-frequency turning state in which the vehicle is turning more frequently than when the vehicle is traveling on a normal road, based on the state quantity of the rotational motion of the vehicle acquired using the rotational motion state quantity acquisition unit of the information processing terminal; a parking lot identification step in which the information processing terminal identifies, on condition that it determines that the vehicle is likely to be in the high-frequency turning state, one of the plurality of parking lots corresponding to the current position of the vehicle as a parking lot selected by the user; A parking lot management method including:

[0036] (3) Furthermore, a vehicle interior installation state determination step of determining whether or not the information processing terminal is not carried by a user and is in an interior installation state in which the information processing terminal is fixedly installed in a passenger compartment of the vehicle, by using a proximity sensor of the information processing terminal in the vehicle interior installation state, The parking lot management method described in (1) or (2) in which the parking lot identification process identifies one of the multiple parking lots that corresponds to the current location of the vehicle as the parking lot selected by the user, on the condition that it is determined that the vehicle may be in the high-frequency turning state and that the information processing terminal may be in the vehicle-mounted state.

[0037] (4) A method for managing a plurality of parking lots using an information processing terminal of a user who selects and uses one of the parking lots, comprising: a position acquisition step of acquiring a current position of the vehicle by using a position acquisition unit of the information processing terminal while the user is riding in the vehicle together with the information processing terminal; a high-frequency acceleration / deceleration state determination step in which the information processing terminal determines whether or not there is a possibility that the vehicle is in a high-frequency acceleration / deceleration state in which the vehicle accelerates and decelerates more frequently than when the vehicle is traveling on a normal road, based on the acceleration and / or vibration state of the vehicle acquired using an acceleration acquisition unit and / or a vibration acquisition unit of the information processing terminal while the vehicle is in the riding state; a parking lot identification step in which the information processing terminal identifies, on condition that it determines that the vehicle may be in the high-frequency acceleration / deceleration state, one of the plurality of parking lots corresponding to the current position of the vehicle as a parking lot selected by the user; A parking lot management method including:

[0038] (5) Furthermore, a vehicle interior installation state determination step of determining whether or not the information processing terminal is not carried by a user and is in an interior installation state in which the information processing terminal is fixedly installed in a passenger compartment of the vehicle, by using a proximity sensor of the information processing terminal in the vehicle interior installation state, The parking lot management method described in paragraph (4) above, wherein the parking lot identification process identifies one of the plurality of parking lots that corresponds to the current location of the vehicle as the parking lot selected by the user, on the condition that it is determined that the vehicle may be in the high-frequency acceleration / deceleration state and that the information processing terminal may be in the vehicle interior state.

[0039] (6) A method for managing a plurality of parking lots using a portable information processing terminal of a user who selects and uses one of the parking lots, comprising: an entry determination step in which, in a parking entry stage in which the user enters the vehicle into one of the parking lots, the information processing terminal determines whether the current position of the vehicle acquired by the position acquisition unit of the portable information terminal has transitioned from a state in which the vehicle is outside all of the spatial areas corresponding to the lots of the plurality of parking lots to a state in which the vehicle is within any of the spatial areas corresponding to the lots of any of the parking lots, while the user is in a riding state in the vehicle together with the information processing terminal; and a high-frequency turning state determination step in which the information processing terminal determines whether or not there is a possibility that the vehicle is in a high-frequency turning state in which the vehicle is turning more frequently than when the vehicle is traveling on a normal road, based on the rotational motion state quantity of the vehicle acquired using the rotational motion state quantity acquisition unit of the information processing terminal in the storage stage while the vehicle is in the riding state; an entrance parking lot identification step in which, when a plurality of conditions including a condition that the current position of the vehicle has entered any spatial region corresponding to any parking lot and a condition that the vehicle is likely to be in the high-frequency turning state are all simultaneously satisfied during the entrance stage, the information processing terminal identifies one of the parking lots as a parking lot into which the user has entered while getting in the vehicle; A parking lot management method including:

[0040] (7) Instead of or in addition to the high-frequency turning state determination step, a high-frequency acceleration / deceleration state determination step in which the information processing terminal determines, in the storage stage and in the on-board state, whether or not there is a possibility that the vehicle is in a high-frequency acceleration / deceleration state in which the vehicle accelerates and decelerates more frequently than when the vehicle is traveling on a normal road, based on low-frequency components of the acceleration of the vehicle acquired using an acceleration acquisition unit of the information processing terminal; The parking lot management method according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of conditions includes a condition that the vehicle may be in the high frequency acceleration / deceleration state.

[0041] (8) Furthermore, and an in-vehicle installation state determination step in which the information processing terminal, in the in-vehicle state, determines, by using a proximity sensor of the information processing terminal, whether or not there is a possibility that the information processing terminal is not carried by the user and is in an in-vehicle installation state in which the information processing terminal is fixedly installed inside the vehicle during the in-vehicle state, The parking lot management method according to (6) or (7), wherein the plurality of conditions further includes a condition that the information processing terminal may be placed inside the vehicle.

[0042] (9) Furthermore, a step in which the information processing terminal determines whether or not the information processing terminal is fixedly held within the vehicle by using a proximity sensor of the information processing terminal in the riding state; The parking lot management method described in (1) above, wherein the parking lot identification process identifies one of the plurality of parking lots that corresponds to the current location of the vehicle as the parking lot selected by the user, on the condition that the vehicle is determined to exhibit the unique dynamic behavior and the information processing terminal is determined to be fixedly held within the vehicle.

[0043] (11) A method for managing a parking lot using an information processing terminal of each user who uses a prepaid hourly parking lot and a management server, comprising: a first transmission step in which the information processing terminal transmits to the management server, at a stage in which the user enters the parking lot, an available parking time desired by the user for the parking lot in association with the user; a second transmission step in which the information processing terminal determines whether the user has exited the parking lot while still in the vehicle, at the stage when the user leaves the parking lot, and transmits boarding / exiting determination data representing the result to the management server in association with the user, and determines whether the user has performed an exit operation on the information processing terminal as an indication of their intention to leave the parking lot, and transmits exit operation determination data representing the result to the management server in association with the user; a management table creation / updating step in which the management server classifies the user's behavior in the parking lot into one of a plurality of predetermined types in real time for each user based on the valid parking time, the getting-in / out discrimination data, and the leaving operation discrimination data received from the information processing terminal, and the entry time, and creates and updates a management table having a data structure that allows access to data representing the user's behavior pattern in the parking lot for each user in accordance with the classification, so that the user's behavior pattern is reflected as time-series time-related information; Including, The plurality of types include a regular exit that is established because the user's exit with the vehicle in the vehicle is performed with the exit operation before the expiration of the valid parking time, and a temporary exit that is established because the user's exit with the vehicle in the vehicle is performed without the exit operation before the expiration of the valid parking time, In the parking lot management method, when the temporary exit is established, the user is granted the right to re-enter the same parking lot as long as the valid parking time has not expired.

[0044] (12) The management table creation and update process a) In the warehousing stage, when the user performs warehousing, a warehousing completion flag is turned ON; b) In the delivery stage, if the regular delivery is established, a regular delivery flag is turned ON; c) In the delivery stage, if the temporary delivery is established, a temporary delivery flag is turned ON; d) When the re-entry authority is granted to the user at the exit stage, the re-entry permission flag is set to ON.

[0045] (13) A method for managing a parking lot using an information processing terminal of each user who uses a prepaid hourly parking lot and a management server, comprising: a first transmission step in which the information processing terminal transmits to the management server, at a stage in which the user enters the parking lot, an available parking time desired by the user for the parking lot in association with the user; a second transmission step in which the information processing terminal determines whether the user has exited the parking lot while still in the vehicle, at the stage when the user leaves the parking lot, and transmits boarding / exiting determination data representing the result to the management server in association with the user, and determines whether the user has performed an exit operation on the information processing terminal as an indication of their intention to leave the parking lot, and transmits exit operation determination data representing the result to the management server in association with the user; a vacancy determination process in which the management server predicts whether the parking lot will be in a full state where there are no vacant spaces in the parking lot, an empty state where there are vacant spaces, or a congested state where there is a possibility that the parking lot will actually be full or empty, by focusing on the time-series behavior patterns of each of the multiple users of the parking lot, rather than on the vacant states of each of the multiple spaces in the parking lot, based on the valid parking time, the getting-in / out discrimination data, and the leaving operation discrimination data received from the information processing terminal, and the entry time; A parking lot management method including:

[0046] (14) The user is granted the authority to re-enter the same parking lot as long as the valid parking time has not expired when the user exits the parking lot with the vehicle in the vehicle during the exit stage. However, if the user performs the exit operation on the information processing terminal when exiting the parking lot with the vehicle in the vehicle during the exit stage, the authority to re-enter the parking lot is lost. The parking lot management method described in paragraph (13) in which the vacancy determination step determines the final determination result by comparing the result of the vacancy determination made in anticipation of the occurrence of the re-entry in the future with the result of the vacancy determination made without anticipating the occurrence of the re-entry in the future.

[0047] (15) In the parking lot management method described in paragraph (14), when the vacancy determination step is performed in anticipation of future re-entry, the determination result is the full state, but when the vacancy determination is performed without anticipating future re-entry, the determination result is the empty state, in this case the final determination result is determined to be the congested state.

[0048] (16) The vacancy determination step executes each determination cycle at a predetermined time interval, and in each determination cycle, X1: The number of valid parking cases, which is the number of users whose valid parking time does not expire during each judgment cycle; X2: The number of confirmed exits, which is the number of users whose valid parking time has not expired during each judgment cycle and whose exit with the user in the vehicle is accompanied by the exit operation, and for whom regular exit is established; X3: The number of indefinite exits, which is the number of users who, during each judgment cycle, were granted the right to re-enter the same parking lot because the valid parking time did not expire and the user exited the parking lot with the vehicle in the vehicle without the exit operation, resulting in a temporary exit. The parking lot management method according to any one of (13) to (5), further comprising a first calculation step of calculating:

[0049] (17) The vacancy determination step A parking lot management method according to claim (16), which includes a second calculation step of calculating the maximum number of parking spaces Y1 immediately after each judgment cycle as (X1-X2) taking into account the expected number of re-entries in the future, and calculating the minimum number of parking spaces Y2 immediately after each judgment cycle as (X1-(X2+X3)) without taking into account the expected number of re-entries in the future.

[0050] (18) The vacancy determination step In each determination cycle, when the operation status of the parking lot is determined to be full or empty based on the maximum number of parking spaces Y1, the determination result is full, but when the operation status of the parking lot is determined to be full or empty based on the minimum number of parking spaces Y2, the determination result is empty. In this case, the parking lot management method includes a step of determining the final determination result as congested.

[0051] (19) The vacancy determination step A parking lot management method as described in (17) or (18), which includes a step of, in each judgment cycle, if the judgment result in the previous judgment cycle was full or congested, disregarding this fact, and if the judgment result is vacant when the operation status of the parking lot is judged to be full or vacant based on the minimum number of parking spaces Y2, determining the final judgment result to be congested.

[0052] (31) A method for centrally managing a plurality of parking lots by a management server through communication with a plurality of mobile terminals of a plurality of users, comprising: a storage processing step in which the mobile terminal and the management server support a storage processing for a vehicle of any user to enter any parking lot; a retrieval processing step in which the mobile terminal and the management server support a retrieval process for the vehicle to leave the parking lot; Including, The exit processing is a method including a behavior analysis unit that determines whether the user exited the parking lot as a pedestrian without getting into the vehicle, or got into the vehicle while it was in motion and exited the parking lot, based on the user's own position and changes in that position over time detected by the mobile terminal, and the user's own speed or acceleration detected or estimated by the mobile terminal.

[0053] Throughout this application document, the phrase "its own position detected by the mobile terminal" may be interpreted to mean, for example, its own position detected by the mobile terminal using a signal received from a transmitter (e.g., a satellite) installed outside the parking lot, or it may be interpreted to mean its own position detected by the mobile terminal using a signal received from a transmitter (e.g., a short-range communication transmitter) installed inside the parking lot.

[0054] Furthermore, throughout this application document, the phrase "its own speed or acceleration detected by the mobile terminal" may be interpreted to mean, for example, the speed or acceleration detected using a speed sensor or an acceleration sensor, respectively, if the mobile terminal is equipped with such a sensor.

[0055] Furthermore, throughout this application, the phrase "its own velocity or acceleration estimated by the mobile device" may be interpreted to mean the first time differential value of the position detected by the mobile device (the difference between the previous position value and the current position value) or the second time differential value (the difference between the previous position value and the current position value) when the mobile device does not have a velocity sensor or acceleration sensor. This interpretation also applies to the angular velocity estimation unit and acceleration estimation unit described above.

[0056] (32) The shipping processing step includes: an entry determination step in which, after the user enters the parking lot, the mobile terminal determines whether or not the user has entered the parking lot based on the location of the mobile terminal and changes in the location over time detected by the mobile terminal; an exit determination step in which, after it is determined that the entry has been performed, the mobile terminal determines whether or not the user has gotten into the moving vehicle and exited the parking lot, based on the mobile terminal's own position and changes in that position over time detected by the mobile terminal, and the mobile terminal's own speed or acceleration detected or estimated by the mobile terminal; The method according to (31), comprising:

[0057] (33) The delivery determination step a behavior type determination step of determining whether the user is stationary or moving, regardless of whether the user is walking or riding in the vehicle, based on a temporal change in the user's position detected by the mobile terminal; a movement type determination step of determining, when it is determined that the user is moving, whether the user is walking without riding in the vehicle or riding in the vehicle while it is moving, based on the user's own acceleration detected or estimated by the mobile terminal; an exit determination step of determining whether the user has exited the parking lot, regardless of whether the user has done so on foot or while in the vehicle, based on the user's own position detected by the mobile terminal and a change in that position over time; The method according to claim 32, comprising:

[0058] (34) The mobile terminal includes an acceleration sensor that detects its own acceleration, The movement type determination step includes: an intensity analysis step in which the mobile terminal and / or the management server measures a substantial maximum intensity representative of the waveform of acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor; a frequency analysis step in which the mobile terminal and / or the management server extracts a plurality of frequency components from the waveform of acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor and measures the frequency of the frequency component with the largest amplitude; The method according to claim 33, comprising at least one of the following:

[0059] (35) The method according to (34), wherein the intensity analysis step determines that the user is walking if the measured substantially maximum intensity is greater than a first threshold, and determines that the user is riding in the vehicle while it is moving if the measured substantially maximum intensity is equal to or less than the first threshold.

[0060] (36) The method according to (34) or (35), wherein the frequency analysis step determines that the user is walking if the measured frequency is lower than a second threshold, and determines that the user is riding in the moving vehicle if the measured frequency is equal to or higher than the second threshold.

[0061] (37) The mobile terminal an acceleration sensor that detects its own acceleration; a step detection unit that detects the number of steps the user takes per unit time based on the detection result of the acceleration sensor; Including, The method according to (33), wherein the movement type determination step determines that the user is walking if the detected number of steps is greater than a third threshold, and determines that the user is riding in the vehicle while it is moving if the detected number of steps is equal to or less than the third threshold.

[0062] (38) The said warehousing process is a step of having the user input, by the mobile terminal, an available parking time, which is a time period during which the user desires to park the vehicle in any of the parking lots; The shipping process further includes: a step of inputting, by the mobile terminal, a parking-out operation performed by the user as an indication of the user's intention to cause the vehicle to leave the parking lot; a step in which, when the mobile terminal and / or the management server determines that the user has gotten into the vehicle and exited the parking lot, the mobile terminal and / or the management server waits for an actual exit operation by the user and treats the vehicle as having left the parking lot until the valid parking time has expired, and when the valid parking time has expired, the mobile terminal and / or the management server treats the vehicle as having left the parking lot without waiting for an actual exit operation by the user; The method according to any one of (31) to (37), comprising:

[0063] In this example, the parking process may further include a step in which the mobile terminal enables a prepaid parking fee corresponding to the length of valid parking time entered to be paid.

[0064] (39) Furthermore, a re-entry determination step of determining whether the same user has re-entered the same parking lot before the expiration of the valid parking time without actually performing an exit operation, The method according to claim 38, wherein, if it is determined that the restocking has been performed, execution of at least a substantial part of the stocking process step is omitted.

[0065] (40) A method according to any one of clauses (31) to (39), wherein the entry processing step includes an entry determination step of determining that the vehicle has entered one of the parking lots, based on the user's own position detected by the mobile terminal and changes in that position over time, when the user moves from a position outside one of the multiple parking lots to a position within that parking lot.

[0066] (41) The warehousing processing step includes: an entry determination step of determining that the vehicle has entered one of the parking lots, on the condition that the user has moved from a position outside one of the plurality of parking lots to a position inside the parking lot, based on the user's own position detected by the mobile terminal and changes in the position over time; a parking-related information transmission step in which, when it is determined that the vehicle has been parked, the mobile terminal transmits to the management server vehicle information for identifying the vehicle and parking-related information including an available parking time, which is a time period during which the user desires to park the vehicle in any of the parking lots, or related time information for specifying the available parking time; The method according to (40), comprising:

[0067] (42) Furthermore, a progress monitoring step in which the mobile terminal and / or the management server successively calculates the remaining time of the valid parking time as time passes, thereby monitoring the progress of the actual parking time of the vehicle; an extension processing step in which the mobile terminal and / or the management server performs an extension process to extend the valid parking time in response to an extension request from a user before the valid parking time expires; The method according to (41), comprising:

[0068] (43) The progress monitoring step a remaining time calculation step in which, upon completion of transmission of the parking-related information and payment of the prepaid parking fee, the mobile terminal and / or the management server calculates the remaining time by successively subtracting the valid parking time as time passes; a remaining time display step in which the mobile terminal and / or the management server displays the calculated remaining time on a screen of the mobile terminal, either spontaneously or in response to a request from a user; The method according to (42), comprising:

[0069] (44) The method according to any one of (31) to (43) further includes a vacancy determination step in which the mobile terminal and / or the management server determines whether there are any unused vacant spaces among the multiple spaces in the parking lot based on the number of confirmed entries and the number of confirmed exits.

[0070] (45) The vacancy determination step a subtraction step in which the mobile terminal and / or the management server subtracts one from the number of vacant spaces, which is the number of unused vacant spaces, from among the multiple vacant spaces in the parking lot, each time a single entry is confirmed; an incrementing step in which the mobile terminal and / or the management server increments the number of vacant rooms by one each time an actual or deemed outgoing operation is confirmed; The method according to (44), comprising:

[0071] (46) The shipping processing step further comprises: A method according to any one of (31) to (45), including a step of prompting the user to perform an exit operation, in which, when it is determined that the entry has been made at the user's exit stage, the mobile terminal provides the user with a visual, auditory or tactile stimulus to prompt the user to perform the exit operation.

[0072] (47) The shipping processing step includes: A method according to any one of clauses (31) to (46), comprising an extension request prompting step in which, after it is determined that the user has exited the parking lot as a pedestrian, if the remaining time of the valid parking time, which is the time period during which the user wishes to park the vehicle in any of the parking lots, is shorter than a predetermined time, the mobile terminal provides the user with a visual, auditory or tactile stimulus to prompt the user to issue an extension request to extend the valid parking time.

[0073] (48) A method for centrally managing a plurality of parking lots by a management server through communication with a plurality of mobile terminals of a plurality of users, comprising: a storage processing step in which the mobile terminal and the management server support a storage processing for a vehicle of any user to enter any parking lot; a retrieval processing step in which the mobile terminal and the management server support a retrieval process for the vehicle to leave the parking lot; Including, The warehousing process is a step of having the user input, by the mobile terminal, an available parking time, which is a time period during which the user desires to park the vehicle in any of the parking lots; The shipping process is a step of inputting, by the mobile terminal, a parking-out operation performed by the user as an indication of the user's intention to cause the vehicle to leave the parking lot; a step in which, when the user causes the vehicle to leave the parking lot, the mobile terminal and / or the management server waits for an actual exit operation by the user and treats the vehicle as having been left before the valid parking time expires, and when the valid parking time expires, treats the vehicle as having been left without waiting for an actual exit operation by the user; A method comprising:

[0074] In this example, the parking process may further include a step in which the mobile terminal enables a prepaid parking fee corresponding to the length of valid parking time entered to be paid.

[0075] (49) Furthermore, a re-entry determination step of determining whether the same user has re-entered the same parking lot before the expiration of the valid parking time without actually performing an exit operation, 48. The method according to claim 48, wherein, if it is determined that the restocking has been performed, execution of at least a substantial part of the stocking process step is omitted.

[0076] (50) A program executed by the computer of a mobile terminal to implement the mobile terminal described in any one of (1) to (49).

[0077] The program in this section can be interpreted, for example, to mean a combination of instructions that are executed by a computer to perform its functions, or can be interpreted to include not only the combination of instructions but also the files and data that are processed in accordance with each instruction, but is not limited to these.

[0078] Furthermore, this program may be executed by a computer alone to achieve its intended purpose, or may be executed by a computer together with other programs to achieve its intended purpose, but is not limited to these. In the latter case, the program according to this paragraph may be, but is not limited to, one that mainly consists of data.

[0079] (51) A program executed by the computer of the management server to implement the management server described in any one of (1) to (49).

[0080] (52) A recording medium on which the program described in (50) or (51) is recorded in a computer-readable manner.

[0081] This recording medium can take various forms, including, but not limited to, magnetic recording media such as flexible disks, optical recording media such as CDs and CD-ROMs, magneto-optical recording media such as MOs, and non-removable storage such as ROMs.

[0082] (53) A system in which a management server centrally manages multiple parking lots through communication with multiple mobile terminals of multiple users, a storage processing unit, which is one of the mobile terminal and the management server, that supports a storage process for a vehicle of any user to enter any parking lot; a vehicle exit processing unit, which is one of the mobile terminal and the management server, and which supports a vehicle exit process for the vehicle to exit the parking lot; Including, The system includes a behavior analysis unit in which the exit processing unit determines whether the user exited the parking lot as a pedestrian without getting into the vehicle, or got into the vehicle while it was in motion and exited the parking lot, based on the user's own position and changes in that position over time detected by the mobile terminal, and the user's own speed or acceleration detected or estimated by the mobile terminal.

[0083] (54) A system in which a management server centrally manages multiple parking lots through communication with multiple mobile terminals of multiple users, a storage processing unit, which is one of the mobile terminal and the management server, that supports a storage process for a vehicle of any user to enter any parking lot; a vehicle exit processing unit, which is one of the mobile terminal and the management server, and which supports a vehicle exit process for the vehicle to exit the parking lot; Including, The receiving processing unit the mobile terminal includes an effective parking time input unit for inputting an effective parking time, which is a time period during which the user desires to park the vehicle in any of the parking lots; The shipping processing unit a parking lot operation input unit of the mobile terminal for inputting a parking lot operation performed by a user as an indication of the user's intention to have the vehicle leave the parking lot; a parking exit control unit in the mobile terminal and / or the management server, which, when a user causes the vehicle to leave the parking lot, waits for an actual exit operation by the user and treats the vehicle as having been left before the valid parking time expires, and, when the valid parking time expires, treats the vehicle as having been left without waiting for an actual exit operation by the user; A system including:

[0084] In this example, the entry processing unit may further include a parking fee control enabling unit that enables the mobile terminal to pay a prepaid parking fee that corresponds to the length of the valid parking time entered.

[0085] <1> A method for managing a plurality of parking lots using an information processing terminal of a user who selects and uses one of the plurality of parking lots, comprising: a step in which the information processing terminal acquires a current position of the vehicle using a position acquisition unit of the information processing terminal while the user is riding in the vehicle together with the information processing terminal; a step in which the information processing terminal acquires dynamic behavior of the vehicle using a dynamic behavior acquisition unit of the information processing terminal while the vehicle is in the riding state, and determines, based on the acquired results, whether or not the vehicle exhibits a unique dynamic behavior that does not appear when the vehicle is traveling on a normal road but appears when the vehicle is traveling in an arbitrary parking lot; a step of identifying, by the information processing terminal, a parking lot corresponding to a current position of the vehicle as a parking lot selected by the user, on condition that the information processing terminal determines that the vehicle exhibits the unique dynamic behavior when the information processing terminal is not carried by the user and is fixedly mounted inside the vehicle; A parking lot management method including:

[0086] <2> A method for managing a plurality of parking lots using an information processing terminal of a user who selects and uses one of the plurality of parking lots, comprising: a position acquisition step of acquiring a current position of the vehicle by using a position acquisition unit of the information processing terminal while the user is riding in the vehicle together with the information processing terminal; an in-vehicle installation state determination step in which the information processing terminal, while in the riding state, determines, by using a proximity sensor of the information processing terminal, whether or not there is a possibility that the information processing terminal is not carried by a user and is in an in-vehicle installation state in which the information processing terminal is fixedly installed inside the vehicle; a high-frequency turning state determination step in which the information processing terminal determines, in the riding state, whether or not there is a possibility that the vehicle is in a high-frequency turning state in which the vehicle is turning more frequently than when the vehicle is traveling on a normal road, based on the state quantity of the rotational motion of the vehicle acquired using the rotational motion state quantity acquisition unit of the information processing terminal; a parking lot identification step of identifying, by the information processing terminal, a parking lot corresponding to a current position of the vehicle from among the plurality of parking lots as a parking lot selected by the user, on condition that the information processing terminal determines that there is a possibility that the information processing terminal is in the in-vehicle state and that the vehicle is in the high-frequency turning state; A parking lot management method including:

[0087] <3> The rotational motion state quantity acquisition unit includes a gyro sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, a tilt sensor, or a gravity sensor. <2> A parking lot management method as described in paragraph .

[0088] <4> A method for managing a plurality of parking lots using an information processing terminal of a user who selects and uses one of the plurality of parking lots, comprising: a position acquisition step of acquiring a current position of the vehicle by using a position acquisition unit of the information processing terminal while the user is riding in the vehicle together with the information processing terminal; an in-vehicle installation state determination step in which the information processing terminal, while in the riding state, determines, by using a proximity sensor of the information processing terminal, whether or not there is a possibility that the information processing terminal is not carried by a user and is in an in-vehicle installation state in which the information processing terminal is fixedly installed inside the vehicle; a high-frequency acceleration / deceleration state determination step in which the information processing terminal determines whether or not there is a possibility that the vehicle is in a high-frequency acceleration / deceleration state in which the vehicle accelerates and decelerates more frequently than when the vehicle is traveling on a normal road, based on the acceleration and / or vibration state of the vehicle acquired using an acceleration acquisition unit and / or a vibration acquisition unit of the information processing terminal while the vehicle is in the riding state; a parking lot identification process in which, on condition that the information processing terminal determines that there is a possibility that the information processing terminal is in the vehicle-mounted state and that the vehicle is in the high-frequency acceleration / deceleration state, the information processing terminal identifies, from among the plurality of parking lots, a parking lot that corresponds to the current position of the vehicle as a parking lot selected by the user; A parking lot management method including:

[0089] <5> The acceleration acquisition unit includes an acceleration sensor. <4> A parking lot management method as described in paragraph .

[0090] <6> <1> Or <5> 2. A program executed by a computer of an information processing terminal to implement the information processing terminal according to claim 1.

[0091] <7> <6> A recording medium on which the program described in item 1 is recorded so as to be readable by a computer.

[0092] <8> A system for managing a plurality of parking lots using an information processing terminal of a user who selects and uses one of the plurality of parking lots, a location acquisition unit provided in the information processing terminal, the location acquisition unit acquiring a current location of the vehicle when the user is in the vehicle together with the information processing terminal; a dynamic behavior acquisition unit provided in the information processing terminal and configured to acquire a dynamic behavior of the vehicle in the riding state; a parking lot identification unit that determines whether the vehicle exhibits a unique dynamic behavior that does not appear when the vehicle is traveling on a normal road but appears when the vehicle is traveling in a parking lot, based on the acquired dynamic behavior, and identifies one of the plurality of parking lots that corresponds to the current position of the vehicle as a parking lot selected by the user, on condition that the vehicle is determined to exhibit the unique dynamic behavior when the information processing terminal is not carried by the user but is fixedly mounted inside the vehicle; and Parking management system including

[0093] The present invention also provides the following aspects.

[0094] (1) A parking lot management system that manages a parking lot with multiple parking spaces by vehicle rather than by parking space, a parking lot identification device that is installed in the parking lot and outputs identification information for identifying the parking lot for each parking lot, not for each vehicle compartment; an exit detection device that is installed in the parking lot and detects whether a vehicle has exited the parking lot at the entrance / exit or exit gate of the parking lot, rather than at each vehicle compartment; a management server capable of communicating with information processing terminals of users who use the parking lot; Including, The information processing terminal a parking lot identification unit that identifies a parking lot where the user is currently staying by using the parking lot identification device; a transmitting unit that transmits the identified parking lot to the management server; a button display unit that displays a button on a screen, the button being operated by the user to issue a request related to a parking lot exit process for the user's vehicle to exit the parking lot; a button operation data transmission unit that, when the button is operated by the user, transmits data indicating that the button has been operated to the management server; Including, The information processing terminal or the management server an exit determination unit that determines whether the user's vehicle has exited the identified parking lot by using the exit detection device; an exit processing unit that treats the user's vehicle as having left the identified parking lot when the exit determination unit determines that the user has left the parking lot before the user operates the button; Including, The management server is a parking lot management system that includes an exit completion determination unit that determines that exit from the identified parking lot has been completed if the exit determination unit determines that the user has exited after operating the button.

[0095] (2) The parking lot management system described in paragraph (1) is not equipped with a gate device that opens and closes to prevent unauthorized vehicles from leaving the parking lot through the entrance and exit gates, a car stopper device that appears and appears to prevent unauthorized vehicles from leaving each parking space, a ticket issuing machine for issuing parking tickets to users, a payment machine for users to pay parking fees, or a vehicle presence detection device that detects whether a vehicle is present in each parking space.

[0096] (3) The parking lot management system according to (1) or (2), wherein the information processing terminal is carried by the user or installed in the user's vehicle.

[0097] (4) A parking lot management system according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the exit detection device is configured as a sensor installed at the entrance / exit or exit of the parking lot.

[0098] (5) A program for causing a computer to function as an information processing terminal according to any one of (1) to (4).

[0099] (6) A program for causing a computer to function as the management server described in any one of (1) to (4).

[0100] (7) A recording medium on which the program described in (5) or (6) is recorded in a computer-readable manner.

[0101] (8) A system for managing parking spaces for each vehicle, an exit detection device that detects whether a vehicle has exited the parking lot at the entrance / exit or exit of the parking lot; a management server that can communicate with the user's information processing terminal; Including, the information processing terminal includes a button display unit that displays buttons on a screen; The information processing terminal or the management server an exit determination unit that determines whether or not a vehicle has exited the parking lot by using an exit detection device; a processing unit that treats the user's vehicle as having left the garage when the exit determination unit determines that the user has left the garage before operating a button; Including, A parking lot management system in which the management server determines that the user has exited the parking lot if the exit determination unit determines that the user has exited the parking lot after operating a button.

[0102] The present invention also provides the following aspects.

[0103] (1) A parking lot management system that manages a parking lot with multiple parking spaces by vehicle rather than by parking space, a parking lot identification device that is installed in the parking lot and outputs identification information for identifying the parking lot for each parking lot, not for each vehicle compartment; a management server capable of communicating with information processing terminals of users who use the parking lot; Including, The information processing terminal a parking lot identification unit that identifies a parking lot where the user is currently staying by using the parking lot identification device; a button display unit that displays a button on a screen, the button being operated by the user to issue a request related to a parking lot exit process for the user's vehicle to exit the parking lot; a transmitting unit that, when the displayed button is operated by the user, transmits to the management server parking lot information for identifying the identified parking lot not by vehicle compartment but by parking lot, and vehicle information input by the user for identifying the user's vehicle; Including, The management server a registration presence / absence determination unit that determines whether or not a combination of parking lot information and vehicle information received from the transmission unit is registered in a memory; a parking fee transmission unit that calculates a parking fee to be charged to the user based on the identified parking lot and transmits the calculated parking fee to the information processing terminal; Including, The parking fee transmitter selectively operates in response to the result of the determination of whether or not the vehicle is registered, The parking lot management system further includes a settlement unit that enables the user to settle the parking fee received from the parking fee transmission unit by electronic payment using the information processing terminal.

[0104] (2) The parking lot management system described in paragraph (1) is not equipped with a gate device that opens and closes to prevent unauthorized vehicles from leaving the parking lot through the entrance and exit gates, a car stopper device that appears and appears to prevent unauthorized vehicles from leaving each parking space, a ticket issuing machine for issuing parking tickets to users, a payment machine for users to pay parking fees, or a vehicle presence detection device that detects whether a vehicle is present in each parking space.

[0105] (3) The parking lot management system according to (1) or (2), wherein the parking lot does not have a ticket issuing machine for issuing parking tickets to the user.

[0106] (4) A parking lot management system according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the parking lot does not have an adjustment machine for the user to pay the parking fee.

[0107] (5) A parking lot management system according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the parking lot allows the user to pay the parking fee in advance or after payment.

[0108] (6) A parking lot management system according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the information processing terminal is carried by the user or installed in the user's vehicle.

[0109] (7) A parking lot management system according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the button is operated by the user to issue a request related to payment of the parking fee.

[0110] (8) A program for causing a computer to function as an information processing terminal according to any one of (1) to (7).

[0111] (9) A program for causing a computer to function as the management server according to any one of (1) to (7).

[0112] (10) A recording medium on which the program described in (8) or (9) is recorded in a computer-readable manner. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0113] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of one of a plurality of parking lots centrally managed by a parking lot management system according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0114] [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a part of the passenger compartments shown in FIG. 1 with vehicles stopped in the passenger compartments.

[0115] [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of communication between mobile terminals of users in each parking lot and a management server in a remote management center in the parking lot management system shown in FIG.

[0116] [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a conceptual diagram showing long-distance two-way communication between a user's mobile terminal shown in Figure 3 and the management server shown in the same figure, communication between a satellite and a mobile terminal, and short-distance one-way communication between a transmitter installed in a parking lot shown in Figure 1.

[0117] [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram conceptually showing the mobile terminal shown in FIG.

[0118] [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram conceptually showing the management server shown in FIG.

[0119] [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a list of a plurality of programs (or modules) executed by the computer of the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 5 and a plurality of programs (or modules) executed by the computer of the management server shown in FIG.

[0120] [Figure 8] 8(a) to 8(c) are time charts conceptually showing first to third exemplary parking sequences, respectively, which are realized by the parking lot management system.

[0121] [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a list of multiple actions that the user can take at the parking lot entry stage and the results that result from these actions in the parking lot management system.

[0122] [Figure 10]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a list of multiple actions that the user can take at the stage of leaving the parking lot and the results that result from these actions in the parking lot management system.

[0123] [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a flowchart conceptually illustrating an example of a parking lot guidance program executed by a mobile terminal and a management server, respectively, in the parking lot management system to guide multiple potential users to multiple available parking lots in association with a map.

[0124] [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flowchart conceptually illustrating an example of a parking entry processing program executed by a mobile terminal and a management server, respectively, in the parking lot management system to assist a user in performing parking entry processing at a parking lot.

[0125] [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a flowchart conceptually illustrating an example of a progress monitoring program executed by a mobile terminal and a management server, respectively, in the parking lot management system to monitor the actual parking time that has elapsed after a user enters a parking lot.

[0126] [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a flowchart conceptually illustrating an example of a vacancy determination program executed by the management server in the parking lot management system to determine whether there are vacant spaces in each parking lot based on information from each user's mobile terminal.

[0127] [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a flowchart conceptually illustrating an example of an extension request processing program executed by a mobile terminal and a management server, respectively, in the parking lot management system to extend the valid parking time in response to an extension request from a user after the user enters a parking lot.

[0128] [Figure 16] Figure 16 is a flowchart conceptually illustrating a portion of an example of an exit processing program executed by a mobile terminal and a management server, respectively, in the parking lot management system to assist a user in performing the exit processing after entering a parking lot.

[0129] [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a flowchart conceptually showing the remaining part of the shipping processing program shown in FIG.

[0130] [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a flowchart conceptually illustrating an example of a behavior analysis program executed by a mobile terminal in the parking lot management system to analyze the behavior of a user after the user enters a parking lot.

[0131] [Figure 19] Figure 19(a) is a waveform diagram showing the original waveform of a user walking, analyzed by the behavior analysis program shown in Figure 18, and Figure 19(b) is a waveform diagram showing the waveform obtained as a result of performing intensity analysis processing on the original waveform shown in Figure 19(a).

[0132] [Figure 20] Figure 20(a) is a waveform diagram showing frequency components obtained as a result of performing frequency analysis processing on the original waveform shown in Figure 19(a), and Figure 20(b) is a waveform diagram showing different frequency components obtained as a result of performing frequency analysis processing on the same original waveform.

[0133] [Figure 21] Figure 21(a) is a waveform diagram showing the original waveform of a user running, analyzed by the behavior analysis program shown in Figure 18, and Figure 21(b) is a waveform diagram showing the waveform obtained as a result of performing intensity analysis processing on the original waveform shown in Figure 21(a).

[0134] [Figure 22]Figure 22(a) is a waveform diagram showing frequency components obtained as a result of performing frequency analysis processing on the original waveform shown in Figure 20(a), and Figure 22(b) is a waveform diagram showing different frequency components obtained as a result of performing frequency analysis processing on the same original waveform.

[0135] [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a flowchart conceptually illustrating an example of a behavior analysis program executed by a mobile terminal to analyze a user's behavior after the user enters a parking lot in a parking lot management system according to an exemplary second embodiment of the present invention.

[0136] [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a plan view visually showing an example of the execution result of step S1204 shown in FIG.

[0137] [Figure 25] FIG. 25 is a plan view visually showing, for convenience of explanation, an example of the execution results of steps S1205, S1212, and S1215 shown in FIG.

[0138] [Figure 26] FIG. 26 is a plan view conceptually showing an example of how a plurality of data and a plurality of flags are stored for each user in the memory of the management server shown in FIG. 6 as a parking lot status management table.

[0139] [Figure 27] FIG. 27 is a functional block diagram conceptually showing a parking lot management system according to the third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0140] [Figure 28] FIG. 28 is a perspective view showing an example of the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 27 being placed and used inside a vehicle parked in a parking lot.

[0141] [Figure 29]Figure 29 is a flowchart conceptually illustrating only the steps of the entry processing program executed by the computer of the mobile terminal shown in Figure 27 that are different from those of the first and second embodiments, extracted as an entry parking lot identification module.

[0142] [Figure 30] Figure 30 is a flowchart conceptually illustrating only the steps that are different from those in the first and second embodiments of the exit processing program executed by the computer of the mobile terminal shown in Figure 27, extracted as an exit entry parking lot identification module.

[0143] [Figure 31] Figure 31 is a flowchart conceptually illustrating only the steps of the exit processing program executed by the computer of the mobile terminal shown in Figure 27 that are different from those of the first and second embodiments, extracted as an exit parking lot identification module at the time of exit.

[0144] [Figure 32] FIG. 32 is a schematic diagram for explaining the entry parking lot specification module at the time of entry, the entry parking lot specification module at the time of exit, and the exit parking lot specification module at the time of exit shown in FIGS. 29 to 31, respectively.

[0145] [Figure 33] FIG. 33 is a graph for conceptually explaining the principle of the high-frequency turning state determination process executed in the portable terminal shown in FIG.

[0146] [Figure 34] FIG. 34 is a graph for conceptually explaining the principle of the high frequency acceleration / deceleration state determination step optionally executed in the mobile terminal shown in FIG.

[0147] [Figure 35]Figure 35 is a time chart illustrating how the status (occupancy status) of each parking space changes over time for each user in a parking space, in order to explain the operating principle of the parking space status management table creation / update unit and the vacancy determination unit in a parking space management system according to an exemplary fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0148] [Figure 36] FIG. 36 is a flowchart conceptually showing a table creation and update module for implementing the parking lot status management table creation and update unit in the parking lot management system shown in FIG.

[0149] [Figure 37] FIG. 37 is a flowchart conceptually showing a vacancy determination module for implementing the vacancy determination unit in the parking lot management system shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0150] Hereinafter, some exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0151] [First embodiment]

[0152] First, referring to Figures 1 and 2, a parking lot management system (hereinafter simply referred to as the "system") 10 according to an exemplary first embodiment of the present invention is a system for managing multiple parking lots 20, each capable of accommodating multiple vehicles (Figure 1 shows only a representative parking lot 20 among these parking lots 20).

[0153] In this system 10, a parking lot management method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is implemented in which a management server 50 located in a remote location centrally manages multiple parking lots 20 through communication with multiple users' mobile terminals 90.

[0154] In one example, the system 10 allows a user to use the parking lot 20 on the condition that the user uses his / her mobile terminal 90 as a parking ticket and pays a prepaid parking fee that corresponds to the length of the planned parking time. In another example, the system 10 allows a user to use the parking lot 20 on the condition that the user uses his / her mobile terminal 90 as a parking ticket and pays a prepaid parking fee that corresponds to the length of the actual parking time.

[0155] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a parking lot 20. The parking lot 20 has multiple compartments (examples of parking spaces) 22 that allow multiple vehicles to be parked at the same time. The parking lot 20 has a single entrance / exit 24 (which serves as both an entrance and an exit). FIG. 2 shows some of the multiple compartments 22 with vehicles parked in each compartment 22.

[0156] This parking lot 20 is unmanned, and furthermore, this parking lot 20 is not equipped with a gate device that opens and closes as appropriate to prevent unauthorized vehicles from leaving through the entrance / exit gate 24 of the parking lot 20, a car stopper device that appears and disappears as appropriate to prevent unauthorized vehicles from leaving the parking space 22, a ticket issuing machine for issuing parking tickets to users who are drivers, and a payment machine for users to pay parking fees.

[0157] Regarding the definition of the term "vehicle," the term "vehicle" should be interpreted as including not only automobiles but also all kinds of moving objects such as bicycles and motorcycles.

[0158] As shown in Figure 1, there are two types of parking spaces on the premises of parking lot 20. These are spaces for renting parking spaces 22 to vehicle users on a daily basis (temporary parking spaces or daily rental spaces), and spaces for renting parking spaces 22 to vehicle users on a monthly basis, subject to a prior contract (monthly parking spaces). Hereinafter, when we simply refer to "parking lot 20," we mean only the temporary parking spaces of parking lot 20.

[0159] This system 10 employs the centralized management method described above as its parking lot management method. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 3, it comprises a mobile terminal 90 of each user in each parking lot 20, and a management server 50 installed in a management center 40 that centrally manages multiple parking lots 20.

[0160] The management center 40 is operated by a parking lot manager (for example, the owner of the land used as parking lot 20 who manages the parking lot 20 himself, or a parking lot management company entrusted by the owner of someone else's land to manage the land as parking lot 20).

[0161] The user's mobile terminal 90 is a device that is carried by the user and has a wireless communication function, such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, or a PDA.

[0162] The portable terminal 90 is an example of the information processing terminal described above, but is not an information processing terminal that is always carried by the user. The portable terminal 90 is a portable terminal that is not carried by the user inside the vehicle, but is carried by the user outside the vehicle.

[0163] As shown in Figure 4, the mobile terminal 90 has, as an essential function, a positioning function that receives GPS (Global Positioning System) signals from multiple artificial satellites in outer space and measures the current position of the mobile terminal 90 on a map (ground position).

[0164] Furthermore, in an optional embodiment, the mobile terminal 90 receives, in addition to GPS signals (an example of an off-site transmitter), signals representing the location coordinates of a base station (another example of an off-site transmitter) and signals from transmitters (also called "on-site transmitters") 30 installed in the parking lot 20 that represent a transmitter ID unique to each transmitter 30.

[0165] In this optional aspect, the mobile terminal 90 converts the transmitter ID represented by the signal received from each transmitter 30 into a corresponding parking lot ID that identifies the parking lot 20 in which the transmitter 30 is supposed to be installed, according to a predefined rule (e.g., a conversion table) that represents the correspondence between the two.

[0166] As a result, the mobile terminal 90 distinguishes the currently detected transmitter 30 from other transmitters 30 and measures the position of the currently detected transmitter 30 (e.g., its position on a map, the position of the parking lot where it is installed, etc.), and / or measures the strength of the signal received from the currently detected transmitter 30, thereby measuring the distance between the transmitter 30 and the mobile terminal 90.

[0167] The transmitter 30 is generally a device known as a beacon device, a radio beacon, or the like that transmits a beacon signal as an identification signal. In one example, the transmitter 30 generates an identification signal representing a corresponding transmitter ID (or parking lot ID) by modulating an original signal, and locally transmits the generated identification signal as an IR signal, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) signal, an NFC (near field communication) signal, or the like.

[0168] As shown in Fig. 4, the mobile terminal 90 performs long-distance two-way wireless communication with the management server 50 of the management center 40. In addition, in a case where the transmitter 30 is installed in the parking lot 20, as shown in Fig. 4, the mobile terminal 90 receives the above-mentioned identification signal from the transmitter 30 installed in the parking lot 20 that the user is currently visiting by a short-distance one-way wireless communication method, in a contact state or a non-contact state with the transmitter 30.

[0169] 2, the user can operate the mobile terminal 90 in the vehicle to receive signals for positioning (such as GPS reception, reception from a base station, or reception from an in-parking transmitter 30) and communicate with the management server 50. According to this embodiment, the user can operate the mobile terminal 90 in the vehicle to enter (including payment for prepaid parking) and leave (including payment for deferred parking), without being bothered by weather such as cold, heat, wind, and rain.

[0170] 3, the user can operate the mobile terminal 90 outside the vehicle to receive signals for positioning and communicate with the management server 50. This mode is useful, for example, when the user needs to approach the in-vehicle transmitter 30 and hold or touch the mobile terminal 90.

[0171] Next, the hardware configuration of mobile terminal 90 will be explained with reference to functional block diagram FIG. 5. Mobile terminal 90 is mainly composed of computer 134 having processor 130 and memory 132 that stores multiple programs (also called "applications") executed by processor 130.

[0172] The mobile terminal 90 further has a display unit (e.g., an LCD display) 136 for displaying information, a receiving unit 138 for receiving signals from the transmitter 30 and the management server 50, and a transmitting unit 140 for generating signals and transmitting the signals to the management server 50.

[0173] The mobile terminal 90 further includes an input unit 150 for inputting data and commands from the user. The input unit 150 includes, for example, an operation unit operable by the user to input desired information (e.g., commands, data, etc.) into the mobile terminal 90. The operation unit may be, but is not limited to, a touch screen that displays icons (e.g., virtual buttons) operable by the user, a physical operation unit (e.g., a keyboard, keypad, buttons, etc.) operable by the user, a microphone that detects voice, etc.

[0174] The mobile terminal 90 further includes a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver 152. As is well known, the GPS receiver 152 receives multiple GPS signals from multiple GPS satellites and determines the position (latitude, longitude, and altitude) of the GPS receiver 152 on the Earth by triangulation based on the GPS signals.

[0175] Alternatively or additionally, the mobile terminal 90 may determine its position on the Earth (latitude and longitude) by triangulation using the positions of multiple base stations.

[0176] That is, in the mobile terminal 90, the positioning unit 230 (an example of the position acquisition unit) may be a GPS positioning unit or a base station positioning unit, each of which is an outside-area transmitter, or may be an inside-area transmitter 30.

[0177] The mobile terminal 90 further includes an acceleration sensor 154 that detects its own acceleration (for example, the acceleration when the mobile terminal 90 moves in a translational manner). The acceleration sensor 154 is mounted on the mobile terminal 90, and therefore vibrates integrally with the mobile terminal 90. As a result, the acceleration sensor 154 detects the acceleration acting on the acceleration sensor 154 itself as being equivalent to the acceleration acting on the mobile terminal 90.

[0178] The acceleration sensor 154 may be of a semiconductor piezo-resistance type, a capacitance type, a thermal detection type, etc. In one example, the acceleration sensor 154 can be designed to detect accelerations Gx, Gy, and Gz in three axial directions, namely the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, respectively, and output one representative acceleration as a composite value Gr of the three detected values ​​Gx, Gy, and Gz.

[0179] When the user is carrying the mobile terminal 90, the acceleration sensor 154 detects an acceleration that is similar to the acceleration acting on the user, and when the user is in a vehicle, the acceleration sensor 154 detects an acceleration that is similar to the acceleration acting on the vehicle (for example, longitudinal acceleration, longitudinal deceleration).

[0180] Theoretically, the acceleration acting on the mobile terminal 90 can be calculated by calculating the velocity by time-differentiating the position measured based on the GPS signal described above, and then further differentiating the velocity by time. However, in terms of accuracy, the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 154 may be superior. In any case, the acceleration sensor 154 is an example of an acceleration acquisition unit that acquires the axial acceleration of the vehicle by detecting or estimating it.

[0181] The mobile terminal 90 may further optionally incorporate, although not shown, a light sensor that detects light (e.g., sunlight) exposed to the mobile terminal 90, a sound sensor that detects sound (e.g., the sound of a vehicle engine) exposed to the mobile terminal 90, a proximity sensor (an example of which will be described in detail later) that detects the approach of an object (e.g., a vehicle) to the mobile terminal 90, and the like.

[0182] Next, the hardware configuration of the management server 50 will be explained with reference to the functional block diagram of FIG. 6. The management server 50 is mainly composed of a computer 164 having a processor 160 and a memory 162 that stores multiple applications executed by the processor 160.

[0183] The management server 50 further has a display unit (for example, a liquid crystal display) 166 that displays information, a receiving unit 168 that receives signals from the mobile terminal 90, a transmitting unit 170 that generates signals and transmits the signals to the mobile terminal 90, and a clock 172. The management server 50 does not receive information from the transmitter 30 directly, but in fact receives information via the mobile terminal 90.

[0184] Next, the software configuration of the computer 134 of the mobile terminal 90 and the computer 164 of the management server 50 will be conceptually explained with reference to the functional block diagram of FIG.

[0185] As shown in FIG. 7, the computer 134 of the mobile terminal 90 has the following characteristic units (program execution units or functional units).

[0186] 1. Parking Lot Information Desk 200

[0187] This corresponds to an example of a parking lot guidance program executed by the mobile terminal 90 in the system 10 to guide multiple potential users to multiple available parking lots 20 in association with a map (see the left part of Figure 11).

[0188] This parking lot information unit 200, like the parking lot information unit 300 described below, typically responds to individual access from each potential multiple user who is not staying in any of the parking lots 20 (users who wish to move to one of the parking lots and use that parking lot), and the management server 50 delivers the necessary information to each user's mobile terminal 90 individually.

[0189] Specifically, this parking lot information unit 200, like the parking lot information unit 300 described below, responds to access from each potential user and displays each existing parking lot 20 on the screen of each user's mobile terminal 90 together with vacancy information (obtained by the vacancy determination unit 306 described below) indicating whether there are any available parking spaces.

[0190] As a result, the mobile terminal 90 automatically selects and displays on the screen only a small number of candidate parking lots 20 that are located near the user's current location (for example, a location measured by GPS) from among the multiple parking lots 20. The locations and types of the displayed candidate parking lots 20 change as the user moves.

[0191] 2. Inventory Processing Unit 202

[0192] This corresponds to an example of a parking entry processing program executed by the mobile terminal 90 in the system 10 to assist the user in performing parking entry processing at any parking lot selected by the user (hereinafter also referred to as the "selected parking lot") 20 (see the left part of FIG. 12). This parking entry processing unit 202, like the parking entry processing unit 302 described below, will not accept a parking entry process by the user unless the user is staying in the selected parking lot 20.

[0193] Like the later-described parking entry processing unit 302, this parking entry processing unit 202 includes a parking fee calculation unit that calculates parking fees. In one example, the parking fee calculation unit may use different rules for each parking lot 20, but calculates parking fees uniformly using the same rules for all users who use the same parking lot 20. In another example, the parking fee calculation unit calculates parking fees using different rules for each parking lot 20 and different rules for each user who uses the same parking lot 20. This applies regardless of whether the parking fee is prepaid or postpaid.

[0194] In the latter example, the amount of the parking fee will vary depending on the location of the parking lot 30 and also on the user, making it possible to provide individualized responses to users (for example, discounts reflecting each user's individual usage history, or charging a parking fee higher than normal reflecting past violation history).

[0195] 3. Progress monitoring unit 204

[0196] This corresponds to an example of a progress monitoring program executed by the mobile terminal 90 in the system 10 to individually monitor the passage of actual parking time after each user starts parking in the parking lot 20 and notify the mobile terminal 90 of each user individually of the result (remaining time of the valid parking time) regardless of whether each user is inside or outside the parking lot 20 (see the left part of Figure 13).

[0197] 4. Extension request processing unit 206

[0198] This corresponds to an example of an extension request processing program executed by the mobile terminal 90 in the system 10 to individually extend the valid parking time in response to an extension request from each user via the mobile terminal 90 after the user starts parking in the parking lot 20, regardless of whether the user is inside or outside the parking lot 20 (see the left part of Figure 15).

[0199] 5. Shipping Processing Unit 208

[0200] This corresponds to an example of an exit processing program executed by the mobile terminal 90 in the system 10 to assist the user in performing the exit processing within the selected parking lot 20 after the user starts parking in the selected parking lot 20 (see the left parts of Figures 16 and 17). This exit processing unit 208, like the exit processing unit 310 described below, will not accept the exit processing by the user unless the user is staying in the selected parking lot 20.

[0201] 6. Behavior Analysis Department 210

[0202] This corresponds to a flowchart conceptually illustrating an example of a behavior analysis program executed by the mobile terminal 90 in the system 10 to analyze the user's behavior after the user enters the selected parking lot 20 to exit (see the left part of Figure 18).

[0203] This behavior analysis unit 210 has: 1) a position detection unit 212 that detects that the user is present in the parking lot 20 based on the user's own position measured by the mobile terminal 90; 2) a movement detection unit 214 that detects that the user is moving within the parking lot 20 (whether walking or in a vehicle); and 3) a ride detection unit 216 that detects that the user is moving (driving) in a vehicle based on the acceleration detected by an acceleration sensor 154 that is mounted on the mobile terminal 90 and vibrates integrally therewith.

[0204] In one example, the movement detection unit 214 detects that the user is moving within the parking lot 20 (whether walking or in a vehicle) based on whether or not there is a change in the user's position over time as measured by the mobile terminal 90.

[0205] In another example, if the substantial maximum value of the mobile terminal 90's own speed detected or estimated from moment to moment is equal to or less than a first reference value (e.g., 1 km / h), the movement detection unit 214 determines that the user is stationary or stopped, whereas if the substantial maximum value exceeds the first reference value, the movement detection unit 214 determines that the user is moving.

[0206] In one example, the boarding detection unit 216 detects that the user is in the vehicle and moving (driving) based on the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 154 mounted on the mobile terminal 90 and vibrating integrally therewith.

[0207] In this case, the boarding detection unit 216 has an intensity analysis unit that sequentially measures, over time, the maximum intensity of multiple acceleration values ​​that belong to the portion of the acceleration waveform detected by the acceleration sensor 154 within the latest analysis window (latest time window segment), and a frequency analysis unit that extracts multiple frequency components from the portion of the acceleration waveform detected by the acceleration sensor 154 within the latest analysis window (latest time window segment) and measures the frequency of the frequency component with the maximum amplitude.

[0208] In another example, if the actual maximum value of the user's speed detected or estimated by the mobile terminal 90 from moment to moment is equal to or less than a second reference value (e.g., 10 km / h), the boarding detection unit 216 determines that the user is walking, and if the actual maximum value exceeds the second reference value, the boarding detection unit 216 determines that the user is traveling by vehicle.

[0209] The behavior analysis unit 210 further includes, as an additional option or an alternative option, a step detection unit 218 that detects the number of steps taken by the user per unit time based on the detection result of the acceleration sensor 154 .

[0210] The step count detection unit 218 is a program that operates to add 1 to the cumulative number of vibrations when the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 154 of the portable terminal 90 carried by the user changes by an amplitude greater than a predetermined value, and determines that a vibration that should be detected has occurred in the portable terminal 90.

[0211] An example of the step number detection unit 218 is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-296097, and a similar technique may be adopted by the step number detection unit 218 in this embodiment.

[0212] Furthermore, in the behavior analysis unit 210, the boarding detection unit 216 may also function as the movement detection unit 214, thereby omitting the movement detection unit 214. In this case, in order to achieve the purpose, the boarding detection unit 216 needs to refer to the speed of the mobile terminal 90 but not the acceleration.

[0213] 7. Positioning unit 230

[0214] This corresponds to an example of a positioning program (not shown) executed by the mobile terminal 90 to measure the location of the mobile terminal 90, i.e., the user's location, based on the GPS signal, an identification signal from a base station or an in-house transmitter 30.

[0215] As mentioned above, since the on-site transmitter 30 is a short-range communication device, the positioning unit 230 performs positioning outside the parking lot 20 using a GPS signal or a base station, while performing positioning inside the parking lot 20 using a GPS signal, a base station and / or the on-site transmitter 30.

[0216] The on-site transmitter 30 is advantageous in that it guarantees stable reception and positioning characteristics to the mobile terminal 90 in a parking lot 20 where reception of GPS signals may be impaired due to being adjacent to obstacles such as high-rise buildings.

[0217] Next, the software configuration of the computer 164 of the management server 50 will be conceptually explained with reference to the functional block diagram of Fig. 7. However, the positioning unit 230 is limited to a GPS positioning unit or a base station positioning unit, and the off-site transmitter 30 is excluded.

[0218] 1. Parking Lot Information Desk 300

[0219] This corresponds to an example of a parking lot guidance program executed by the management server 50 in the system 10 to guide multiple potential users to multiple available parking lots 20 in association with a map (see the right part of Figure 11).

[0220] Specifically, in response to access from each potential user, this parking lot information unit 300 displays each existing parking lot 20 on the screen of each user's mobile terminal 90 together with vacancy information indicating whether or not there are any available parking spaces (obtained by the vacancy determination unit 306 described below).

[0221] 2. Inventory processing unit 302

[0222] This corresponds to an example of a parking entry processing program executed by the management server 50 in the system 10 to assist the user in performing parking entry processing at the selected parking lot 20 (see the right part of FIG. 12).

[0223] 3. Progress monitoring unit 304

[0224] This corresponds to an example of a progress monitoring program executed by the management server 50 in the system 10 to individually monitor the passage of actual parking time after each user starts parking in the parking lot 20, and notify the result (remaining time of the valid parking time) to each user's mobile terminal 90 individually, regardless of whether the user is inside or outside the parking lot 20 (see the right part of Figure 13).

[0225] 4. Vacancy Determination Section 306

[0226] This corresponds to an example of a vacancy determination program executed by the management server 50 in the system 10 to determine whether there are vacancies in each parking lot 20 based on information from each user's mobile terminal 90 (see Figure 14).

[0227] 4. Extension request processing unit 308

[0228] This corresponds to an example of an extension request processing program executed by the management server 50 in the system 10 to individually extend the valid parking time in response to an extension request from each user via the mobile terminal 90 after the user starts parking in the parking lot 20, regardless of whether the user is inside or outside the parking lot 20 (see the right part of Figure 15).

[0229] 5. Delivery processing unit 310

[0230] This corresponds to an example of an exit processing program executed by the management server 50 in the system 10 to assist the user in performing the exit processing within the selected parking lot 20 after the user starts parking in the selected parking lot 20 (see the right-hand parts of Figures 16 and 17).

[0231] <Some examples of parking sequences>

[0232] 8 shows time charts of some examples of parking sequences that can be implemented using the system 10. A specific description will be given below.

[0233] <First parking sequence>

[0234] Figure 8(a) conceptually shows a first exemplary parking sequence in which, after a user parks their vehicle in a parking lot 20 in the system 10, before the expiration of the valid parking time, the user performs an exit operation on the mobile terminal 90 (for example, the user taps a virtual "exit button" displayed on the screen of the mobile terminal 90 (or, for example, touches, presses, selects, or gives a voice command), as described below), and then the user gets into their vehicle and exits (exits) the parking lot 20.

[0235] Similarly, in other parking sequences described later, the entry stage begins with the user entering a certain parking lot 20 for the purpose of parking (the vehicle entering the parking lot), and ends with the user exiting the parking lot 20. When the user inputs a parking request (or an entry request) into the mobile terminal 90, the remaining time out of the valid parking time starts to be subtracted (counted down) and the actual parking time starts to be increased (counted up).

[0236] In contrast, the exit stage begins with the user entering the parking lot 20 where the entry was made for the purpose of exiting (the vehicle leaving the parking lot), and ends with the user exiting the parking lot 20.

[0237] In the parking sequence shown in Figure 8(a), the user exits the parking lot 20 before the expiration of the valid parking time, and before that exit, the user performs the exit operation. As a result, the actual parking time starts from "entering (occurrence of a parking request, entering operation)" and ends with "leaving operation." Therefore, in this parking sequence, the user's exit (together with the vehicle) in the exit stage means actual leaving (actual leaving).

[0238] <Second parking sequence>

[0239] Figure 8(b) conceptually shows a second exemplary parking sequence in which, after a user parks a vehicle in a parking lot 20 in the system 10, the user gets into his or her vehicle and exits (exits) the parking lot 20 before the expiration of the valid parking time without performing the exit operation on the mobile terminal 20.

[0240] In this parking sequence, the user exits the parking lot 20 with the vehicle before the valid parking time expires, and the user does not perform the exit operation before the exit. In this case, when the valid parking time expires, the user is considered to have performed the exit operation. Therefore, in this case, the actual parking time matches the valid parking time. Therefore, in this parking sequence, the user's exit (with the vehicle) in the exit stage means a temporary exit (provisional exit).

[0241] <Third Parking Sequence>

[0242] Figure 8(c) conceptually shows a third exemplary parking sequence in which, in the system 10, a user parks a vehicle in a certain parking lot 20, and then, before the expiration of the valid parking time, the user exits the parking lot 20 (exits with the vehicle) without performing the exit operation on the mobile terminal 90, and then parks the vehicle again in the same parking lot 20.

[0243] In this parking sequence, the first actual parking is completed, and the user leaves the parking lot 20. Prior to this leaving, although not shown, the user does not perform the leaving operation before the valid parking time expires. Therefore, the user is permitted to re-enter the parking lot (without paying a new parking fee). The time period during which this re-entry is permitted is defined as the period between the time of leaving the first actual parking and the time when the valid parking time expires.

[0244] Thereafter, the user parks the vehicle in the same parking lot 20 for a second actual parking. This time, the re-entry is permitted, so the user does not need to perform the parking process (e.g., inputting valid parking time, paying parking fees) that was required for the first actual parking, and is permitted to immediately park the vehicle in any available vehicle compartment. As a result, the second actual parking begins.

[0245] Thereafter, as shown in the figure, if the user leaves the parking lot 20 without performing the exit operation, when the valid parking time expires, it is considered that the user has performed the exit operation. At that point, the progression of the duration time for the second actual parking and the progression of the total actual parking time both end.

[0246] In contrast, although not shown, when the user performs the exit operation and then exits the vehicle from the parking lot 20, the progression of the duration for the second actual parking and the progression of the total actual parking time both end at the time the exit operation is performed.

[0247] FIG. 9 shows a list of actions that the user can take in the stage of entering the parking lot 20 in the system 10 and the results that result from these actions.

[0248] In a certain entry stage, a case where a user enters a certain parking lot 20 is classified into a case where the entry is the first entry and a case where the entry is a repeat entry (a second entry, a third entry or each of the subsequent entries). In the case where the entry is the first entry, the user is treated normally because it corresponds to the first entry.

[0249] In contrast, cases of re-entry are classified into cases where the user performed the take-out operation in the preceding take-out stage and cases where the user did not perform the operation.

[0250] In the case where the user has performed the above-mentioned retrieval operation, the user is treated in the same manner as when the user first retrieves goods.

[0251] In contrast, in the case where the user has not performed the above-mentioned exit operation, if the valid parking time has not expired and the user is within the time limit, the user is permitted to enter the parking lot this time, i.e., re-enter. On the other hand, if the valid parking time has expired at that time, the user is prohibited from entering the parking lot this time, i.e., re-entering. As a result, the user is treated the same as if they were entering the parking lot for the first time.

[0252] FIG. 10 shows a list of actions that the user can take in the stage of leaving the parking lot 20 in the system 10 and the results that result from these actions.

[0253] In a certain exit stage, a case in which a user enters a certain parking lot 20 is classified into a case in which the exit operation is subsequently performed within the valid parking time and a case in which the exit operation is not subsequently performed.

[0254] The cases where the exit operation is performed within the time limit after entry are classified into a case where the user exits with the vehicle within the time limit and a case where the user does not exit. In the former case, it is determined that the user has exited the vehicle from the parking lot 20.

[0255] In contrast, cases in which the user does not exit are classified into cases in which the time is within the time limit at each point in time, cases in which there is only a small amount of valid parking time remaining, and cases in which the valid parking time has elapsed and the time has expired.

[0256] In these cases, if there is only a short amount of time remaining, the user will be urged to extend the valid parking time, and if the time has expired, some kind of penalty will be imposed on the user for having engaged in fraudulent behavior.

[0257] On the other hand, cases in which the exit operation is not performed after entry are classified into cases in which the user exits the premises with the vehicle and cases in which the user does not exit the premises.

[0258] Cases in which a user exits with a vehicle are classified into cases in which the user exits within the time limit and cases in which the user exits after the time limit has expired. In the former case, the user is permitted to re-enter the vehicle. In contrast, in the latter case, the user is deemed to have performed the above-mentioned exit operation when the time limit has expired.

[0259] In contrast, cases in which the user does not exit with the vehicle are classified into cases in which the time is within the time limit at each point in time, cases in which there is only a small amount of valid parking time remaining, and cases in which the valid parking time has elapsed and the time has expired.

[0260] In these cases, if there is only a short amount of time remaining, the user is urged to extend the valid parking time, and if the time has expired, some kind of penalty is imposed on the user for violating the rules of the parking lot 20.

[0261] Next, a description will be given of a number of processes executed by the mobile terminal 90 and the management server 50, i.e., a number of services provided to the user. However, the description will be given taking as an example a case where the parking lot 20 is a prepaid hourly parking lot.

[0262] <Parking guidance and positioning>

[0263] As shown in FIG. 11, the parking lot information section 200 and the positioning section 230 in the mobile terminal 90 and the parking lot information section 300 in the management server 50 execute their respective parking lot information programs.

[0264] Specifically, in step S1101, the mobile terminal 90 transmits to the management server 50 a request for logging in to a website operated by the management server 50.

[0265] Upon receiving the request, the management server 50 establishes communication between the mobile terminal 90 and the management server 50 in step S1151.

[0266] Then, in step S1152, the management server 50 searches the memory 162 to obtain parking lot location data representing the location on the map of each parking lot 20 (for example, the longitude and latitude of a single location representing each parking lot 20) and parking lot ID data representing the parking lot ID for identifying each parking lot 20, for all or some of the multiple parking lots 20 managed by the management center 40.

[0267] Then, in step S1153, the management server 50 obtains from the vacancy determination unit 304, for each parking lot 20, occupancy status data indicating whether or not there is a vacant space (or congestion level data indicating the degree of congestion of vehicles in the parking lot 20).

[0268] Next, in step S1154, the management server 50 transmits to the mobile terminal 90 a parking lot-related data set including the above-mentioned multiple parking lot position data for the multiple parking lots 20, multiple parking lot ID data for the multiple parking lots 20, and multiple occupancy status data for the multiple parking lots 20 (including the transmitter ID of the on-site transmitter 30 if the parking lot 20 has one).

[0269] In response to this, in step S1102, the mobile terminal 90 receives the parking lot related data set and stores it in the memory 132. This enables the mobile terminal 90 to convert the location of any parking lot 20 into a parking lot ID, and to convert a transmitter ID received from any in-parking lot transmitter 30 installed in any parking lot 20 into a parking lot ID.

[0270] Next, in step S1103, the portable terminal 90 measures the current position (longitude and latitude) of the user based on the GPS signal received from the outside by the GPS receiver 152. This constitutes the positioning unit 230.

[0271] Next, in step S1104, the mobile terminal 90 determines the measured current position of the user as a reference position (position (longitude and latitude) of the display reference point) referenced by the processor 130 in order to display the map on the screen of the display unit 136. Furthermore, a portion of the overall map that has a size that can be displayed at one time within a window on the screen of the mobile terminal 90 and that includes the reference position is determined to be the display range of the map (i.e., the area of ​​the overall map that is displayed at each moment within the window).

[0272] As is well known, as the user moves over time, the reference position also moves over time to follow the user's movement. As a result, the display range of the map also moves over time across the entire map as the user moves, and as a result, the map image displayed in the window also changes over time.

[0273] Next, in step S1105, based on the received plurality of parking lot position data, the mobile terminal 90 overlays a plurality of parking lots 20 on a map displayed on the screen of the mobile terminal 90. Furthermore, based on the received occupancy status data, occupancy information regarding whether each parking lot 20 is full or has vacancies (for example, the character "Full" meaning full, or the character "Congested" meaning that each parking lot 20 is in a congested state, the character "Empty" meaning that there are vacancies, a number indicating the number of vacancies, etc.) is also displayed on the screen of the mobile terminal 90 in association with the display position of each parking lot 20.

[0274] Such a visual display makes it easy for each potential user to know the existence and location of available parking spaces 20.

[0275] <Parking lot status management table and reproduction of user behavior patterns>

[0276] In this embodiment, the management server 50 refers to time-series behavioral information from the user's mobile terminal 90, which is linked to the parking lot 20 but not to the parking spaces 22 within the parking lot 20, and the operating status, i.e., status, of the parking lot 20 is analyzed comprehensively and in real time (without delay) on a user-by-user basis, rather than on a space-by-space basis.

[0277] In other words, in this embodiment, rather than focusing on individual parking spaces 22 in a certain parking lot 20 and questioning whether each parking space 22 is vacant or not, the focus is on each of the multiple users who use the multiple vehicles actually present in the parking lot 20, and data that can reconstruct each user's chronological behavioral pattern is associated with the user, and is recorded in a parking lot status management table in association with time and chronological order.

[0278] Therefore, time-series behavioral information from the user's mobile terminal 90 is created, in which the user's behavior is sequentially classified into one of multiple categories, and time-series data of the multiple classified behaviors is created, constituting a parking lot status management table as illustrated in Figure 26.

[0279] Here, "multiple categories" include, for example, entry and exit, and entry is further classified into initial entry and re-entry, and "exit" is classified into regular exit, deemed exit, and temporary exit. Examples of behavior patterns of multiple users in the same parking lot 20 are shown in a time chart in Figure 35, according to the above behavior categories.

[0280] The parking lot status management table is updated in real time to reflect various data sent from the user's mobile terminal 90 to the management server 50. As a result, by observing the changes over time in each item in the parking lot status management table, it becomes possible to reproduce the user behavior pattern exemplified in Fig. 35 in real time in chronological order within the computer 164 of the management server 50.

[0281] <Various flags used in the parking lot status management table>

[0282] In the parking lot status management table, a plurality of flags are used to encode and classify various user actions with respect to the parking lot 20 (so that they can be recorded as binary data).

[0283] 1. Received flag

[0284] The entered flag is a flag that switches between two different statuses, is located in the memory of the management server 50 (or mobile terminal 90), and is stored in association with the user, and indicates whether a) the initial entry has been completed, in which the user has obtained authority to enter a particular parking lot 20 because the user has met certain entry conditions (for example, the user has entered the necessary personal information and parking-related information and paid the necessary fee), or whether a user with re-entry authority, as described below, has re-entered the same parking lot 20.

[0285] This stocked flag indicates that stocking authority or restocking authority has been acquired in a first status (for example, ON state), while in a second status (for example, OFF state), it indicates that neither stocking authority nor restocking authority has been acquired. This stocked flag is usually in the second status in its initial state.

[0286] 2. Restocking permission flag

[0287] The re-entry permission flag is a flag that switches between two different statuses, is located in the memory of the management server 50 (or the mobile terminal 90), is stored in association with the user, and indicates whether the user has obtained authority to park in the same parking lot 20 as the one into which the vehicle was entered because the user has met a specified re-entry condition (for example, the valid parking time has not yet expired and no exit operation has been performed).

[0288] The re-entry permission flag indicates that the re-entry authority has been acquired in a first status (for example, ON state), and indicates that the re-entry authority has not been acquired in a second status (for example, OFF state). The re-entry permission flag is usually in the second status in the initial state.

[0289] 3. Issued flag

[0290] The exit flag is a flag that switches between two different statuses, is located in the memory of management server 50 (or mobile terminal 90), and is stored in association with a user. The status indicates whether the user a) exited parking lot 20 with a vehicle inside before the expiration of the valid parking time and performed a departure operation at that time, thereby achieving regular departure (corresponding to "actual departure" in FIG. 8(a)), or b) exited parking lot 20 with a vehicle inside before the expiration of the valid parking time, without performing a departure operation at that time, thereby achieving provisional departure (see FIG. 8), and then, when the valid parking time expired, achieved deemed departure (see FIG. 8). When regular departure or deemed departure is achieved, billing for the user stops (the actual parking time is confirmed) (see FIG. 8).

[0291] This shipped flag indicates that regular shipping or deemed shipping has been confirmed in a first status (for example, ON state), while in a second status (for example, OFF state), it indicates that neither regular shipping nor deemed shipping has been confirmed. This shipped flag is usually in the second status in its initial state.

[0292] 4.Regular delivery flag

[0293] The regular delivery flag is a flag that switches between two different statuses, is located in the memory of the management server 50 (or the mobile terminal 90), is stored in association with the user, and indicates whether regular delivery has been performed.

[0294] The regular delivery flag indicates that regular delivery has been confirmed in a first status (e.g., ON state), while it indicates that regular delivery has not been confirmed in a second status (e.g., OFF state). The regular delivery flag is usually initially in the second status.

[0295] 5. Deemed Issue Flag

[0296] The deemed delivery flag is a flag that switches between two different statuses, is located in the memory of the management server 50 (or the mobile terminal 90), is stored in association with the user, and indicates whether a deemed delivery has been made.

[0297] The deemed delivery flag indicates that the deemed delivery has been confirmed in a first status (e.g., ON state), while it indicates that the deemed delivery has not been confirmed in a second status (e.g., OFF state). The deemed delivery flag is usually initially in the second status.

[0298] 6. Temporary delivery flag

[0299] The provisional release flag is a flag that switches between two different statuses, is located in the memory of the management server 50 (or the mobile terminal 90), is stored in association with the user, and indicates whether provisional release has been performed.

[0300] The temporary release flag indicates that the temporary release has been confirmed in a first status (e.g., ON state), while the temporary release flag indicates that the temporary release has not been confirmed in a second status (e.g., OFF state). The temporary release flag is usually initially in the second status.

[0301] 7. Running flag

[0302] The moving flag indicates that the user is in the vehicle and moving (riding) in a first status (e.g., ON state), while indicating something different in a second status (e.g., OFF state).

[0303] 8. Walking Flag

[0304] A walking flag, which in a first status (for example, ON state) indicates that the user is walking, and in a second status (for example, OFF state) indicates something different.

[0305] <Warehouse entry processing and positioning>

[0306] As shown in FIG. 12, the storage processing unit 202 and the positioning unit 230 in the mobile terminal 90 and the storage processing unit 302 in the management server 50 execute their respective storage processing programs.

[0307] It is desirable that the entry processing program of the mobile terminal 90 be started manually by the user or automatically when the user enters any of the parking lots 20 for initial entry or re-entry and places the vehicle in any of the vacant parking spaces 22 within the parking lot 20.

[0308] This is because, in the parking lot guidance provided in advance, if there is a vacant space in one of the parking lots 20, the user of a certain vehicle may be guided to that space, but if it takes time for the user to actually enter the same parking lot 20, there is a possibility that another vehicle will enter the vacant space that was guided to in the meantime, and in that case, there is a possibility that the same parking lot 20 will become fully booked.

[0309] Here, in order to automatically start the entry processing program, for example, the mobile terminal 90 can determine whether the measured current position of the mobile terminal 90 is in any of the parking lots 20, and after determining that it is in the parking lots 20, if the position of the mobile terminal 90 does not change for a predetermined time or more (or the amount of change is below a reference value), it can determine that the vehicle has entered any of the vehicle compartments 22, and the mobile terminal 90 can automatically start the entry processing program.

[0310] Similarly, instead of or in addition to this, the shipping processing program can be automatically started.

[0311] Specifically, in the inventory processing program, in step S1201, the mobile terminal 90 transmits to the management server 50 a request to log in to a website operated by the management server 50. Upon receiving the request, the management server 50 establishes communication between the mobile terminal 90 and the management server 50 in step S1251.

[0312] Thereafter, in step S1202, the mobile terminal 90 measures the current position (longitude and latitude) of the user based on the GPS signal received from the outside by the GPS receiver 152 (or the identification signal received from the in-venue transmitter 30). This also constitutes the positioning unit 230.

[0313] Next, in step S1203, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the distance between the measured current location and the parking lot location (longitude and latitude) of each of the multiple parking lots 20 (this location information has already been downloaded from the management server 50 to the mobile terminal 90, as described above) is less than or equal to a reference value, thereby determining whether the user has changed from a state of not being present in any of the multiple parking lots 20 to a state of being present in any of the parking lots 20, i.e., whether the user has just entered any of the parking lots 20.

[0314] For example, when step S1203 was last executed, the distance between the user's current location and the location of any parking lot 20 was longer than a reference value, but when step S1203 is executed this time, it is determined whether the distance is less than or equal to the reference value.

[0315] In this embodiment, as with the method of determining whether or not a user has entered the parking lot, in the entrance stage, similar to the method of determining whether or not a user has entered the parking lot, the method of determining whether or not a user has entered the parking lot 20 is not adopted, provided that the result of the user's behavior analysis indicates that the user is in the vehicle and moving (driving).

[0316] That is, even in the entrance stage, it is determined whether the user has entered any of the parking lots 20, regardless of whether the user is walking or in the vehicle (without performing user behavior analysis using the acceleration sensor 154). This is because, similar to the entrance in the exit stage, it is common sense to assume that, by its very nature, the user will not normally enter any of the parking lots 20 on foot in the entrance stage.

[0317] However, instead, it is possible to implement the present invention in a manner that determines whether the user has entered any parking lot 20, provided that the analysis of the user's behavior determines that the user is in a vehicle and traveling (driving).

[0318] In steps S1202 and S1203, if an on-site transmitter 30 is installed in the relevant parking lot 20, the user's current location, i.e., the location of the current parking lot 20, may be obtained using an identification signal received from the on-site transmitter 30 instead of a GPS signal.

[0319] If the user has not entered any of the parking lots 20, the determination in step S1203 is NO, and the process returns to step S1202. Steps S1202-S1203 are repeated until a state in which the user has entered any of the parking lots 20 is realized.

[0320] If the user has entered any of the parking lots 20, the determination in step S1203 becomes YES, and the process proceeds to step S1204.

[0321] In this step S1204, as illustrated in FIG. 24, the mobile terminal 90 displays information for identifying one of the parking lots 20 (e.g., the name and location of the parking lot) on the screen so that it is at least visually clear that the parking lot is the current parking lot, i.e., the parking lot 20 that has been selected by the user and where the user is actually staying (hereinafter referred to as the "current parking lot") 20.

[0322] Next, in step S1205, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the user has input a parking request (or entry request) to the mobile terminal 90 at the location of the current parking lot 20 to use the current parking lot 20 (by tapping a specific position on the screen or inputting a specific voice).

[0323] In the example shown in FIG. 25, in step S1205, a parking entry button (icon or the like) that the user operates to input a parking request (or a parking entry request) to the mobile terminal 90 is displayed on the screen of the mobile terminal 90.

[0324] Here, the operation of the user inputting a parking request (or entry request) into the mobile terminal 90, the operation of the user selecting the entry button on the screen of the mobile terminal 90 (see Figure 25), the operation of the user tapping a specific position on the screen of the mobile terminal 90 (for example, the current parking lot P3) (see Figure 24), and the operation of the user inputting a specific voice into the mobile terminal 90 each mean an entry operation as an expression of the user's intention.

[0325] If the user does not issue a parking request for the current parking lot 20, the determination in step S1205 is NO, and the process returns to step S1202. Steps S1202-S1205 are repeated until a state in which the user issues a parking request for any parking lot 20 is realized.

[0326] On the other hand, if the user issues a parking request for the current parking lot 20, the determination in step S1205 becomes YES, and the process proceeds to step S1206.

[0327] In step S1206, the mobile terminal 90 reads out the parking lot ID corresponding to the current parking lot 20 from the memory 132, and thereby determines the current parking lot ID.

[0328] Next, in step S1207, the user inputs vehicle information for identifying his / her vehicle to the mobile terminal 90. One example of the vehicle information is a vehicle number (vehicle license plate number) (e.g., a four-digit number (e.g., 1234)) which is an example of a number unique to a vehicle. Another example of the vehicle information is an example of image data unique to a vehicle, which is image data acquired by the user by photographing the vehicle with the photographing camera of the mobile terminal 90.

[0329] Then, in step S1208, the mobile terminal 90 transmits to the management server 50 the determined parking lot ID along with a user ID for identifying the user or the mobile terminal 90 (e.g., user ID, user's address and name, telephone number of the mobile terminal 90, email address of the mobile terminal 90, etc.), the input vehicle information, and entry operation data indicating that the user has performed an entry operation (operation of the entry button) on the mobile terminal 90 as an expression of their intention (see the status management table by parking lot shown in Figure 26).

[0330] In response, management server 50 receives the user ID, parking lot ID, and vehicle information in step S1252. Next, management server 50 searches memory 162 in step S1253 to determine whether the same combination of user ID, parking lot ID, and vehicle information as the received combination has already been registered, i.e., whether the same user has already parked the same vehicle in the same parking lot 20.

[0331] If the vehicle has not been registered, the determination in step S1253 is NO, the received combination of user ID, parking lot ID, and vehicle information is registered in memory 162, this entry is treated as the first entry (hereinafter referred to as "treated as the first entry"), and the process proceeds to step S1209.

[0332] On the other hand, if the vehicle has been registered, the determination in step S1253 becomes YES, and the management server 50 determines in step S1254 whether the valid parking time has expired, i.e., whether the time has expired. Specifically, as will be described later, the management server 50 determines whether the time has expired using the progress monitoring program shown in FIG. 13. If the time has expired, the determination in step S1254 becomes YES, and the vehicle is treated as a first entry, and in this case too, the process proceeds to step S1209.

[0333] On the other hand, if the time has not expired, the determination in step S1254 is NO, and in step S1255, the management server 50 determines whether the current vehicle and user are permitted to re-enter the vehicle by executing the exit processing program described below with reference to FIG. 17 (if executed prior to the entry processing program shown in FIG. 12).

[0334] The determination of whether re-entry is permitted is made, for example, by determining whether the re-entry permission flag (a flag that, when OFF, indicates that the user is not authorized to re-enter the vehicle, and when ON, indicates that the user has been granted that authority) associated with the user ID or parking lot ID is ON in memory 162 of management server 50 (see Figure 26).

[0335] If restocking is not permitted, the determination in step S1255 is NO, the item is treated as being stocked for the first time, and in this case too, the process proceeds to step S1209.

[0336] On the other hand, if re-entry is permitted, the judgment in step S1255 will be YES, and in step S1256, the management server 50 will send re-entry permission data indicating that re-entry is permitted to the current user's mobile terminal 90.

[0337] In response, the mobile terminal 90 receives the re-entry permission data in step S1214, and then, in step S1215, displays data on the screen indicating that re-entry is permitted, as illustrated in Figure 25.

[0338] If re-entry is permitted, the mobile terminal 90 does not execute steps S1209-1213, and the management server 50 does not execute steps S1257-1264. As a result, the user is not required to input the valid parking time and settle (pay) the parking fee.

[0339] On the other hand, if re-entry is not permitted, i.e., if it is the first entry, in step S1209, the user inputs into the mobile terminal 90 the valid parking time, which is the time period during which the user wishes to park the vehicle in the current parking lot 20, or related time information for identifying that valid parking time.

[0340] Here, the valid parking time may be defined, for example, by a number representing the length of time. Furthermore, the related time information may be defined by the scheduled departure time, since the actual entry time is automatically measured by the mobile terminal 90 or the management server 50. In this case, since the actual entry time is measured by the mobile terminal 90 or the management server 50, the length of the valid parking time can be calculated automatically.

[0341] Next, in step S1210, the mobile terminal 90 transmits the input valid parking time (the length of this time is a variable time that is extended when the user issues an extension request) or related time information (hereinafter collectively referred to as "valid parking time") to the management server 50.

[0342] In response to this, the management server 50 receives the transmitted valid parking time in step S1257.

[0343] Next, in step S1258, management server 50 calculates the parking fee for the current user as a prepaid parking fee based on the received valid parking time or other information. Thereafter, in step S1259, management server 50 transmits the calculated parking fee amount to mobile terminal 90.

[0344] In response, the mobile terminal 90 receives the transmitted parking fee amount in step S1211. Thereafter, in step S1212, the mobile terminal 90 displays the received parking fee amount on the screen together with related information, such as the length of the valid parking time, the scheduled departure time, and information representing the current parking lot 20 (for example, the name and address, etc.), as illustrated in Fig. 25.

[0345] Next, in step S1213, the mobile terminal 90 enables the user to electronically pay the parking fee (for example, by the mobile terminal 90 accessing another payment server). When the payment is completed, the mobile terminal 90 notifies the management server 50 of this fact.

[0346] In response to this, upon receiving the fact that the payment has been completed, the management server 50 permits the current user to enter the vehicle into the current parking lot 20 in step S1260. Specifically, whether entry is permitted, that is, whether the vehicle has been officially entered, is determined by, for example, determining whether a parking-entry flag (a flag that, when OFF, indicates that the user is not authorized to enter the current parking lot 20, and a flag that, when ON, indicates that the user has been authorized) associated with the user ID or parking lot ID is ON in the parking lot status management table (see FIG. 26) in the memory 162 of the management server 50 (see FIG. 26). Next, in step S1261, the management server 50 measures the current time and determines the entry time as the same time.

[0347] Then, in step S1262, the management server 50 calculates the scheduled exit time (this time is a variable time that is updated when the user issues an extension request) by adding the length of the received valid parking time to the determined entry time.

[0348] Next, in step S1263, the management server 50 registers the received valid parking time, the calculated parking fee amount, the determined entry time, and the calculated scheduled exit time in memory 162 in association with the current combination of user ID, parking lot ID, and vehicle information, thereby creating a status management table for each parking lot (see Figure 26).

[0349] Thereafter, in step S1264, management server 50 transmits the registered content to mobile terminal 90. Subsequently, in step S1214, mobile terminal 90 receives the registered content.

[0350] In response, the mobile terminal 90 receives the registered details in step S1214, and then, in step S1215, displays data representing the details on the screen together with data representing that entry has been permitted (see FIG. 25).

[0351] <Progress monitoring>

[0352] As shown in FIG. 13, the progress monitoring unit 204 in the mobile terminal 90 and the progress monitoring unit 306 in the management server 50 execute their respective progress monitoring programs.

[0353] Specifically, in step S1351, management server 50 selects a current target user as a current target user from among multiple users registered in memory 162. Various data such as user ID, parking lot ID, valid parking time, and scheduled departure time are registered in memory 162 in association with each other.

[0354] Next, in step S1352, the management server 50 measures the current time using the clock 172, and then in step S1353, the scheduled departure time of the current target user is read from the memory 162.

[0355] Thereafter, in step S1354, management server 50 calculates the remaining time of the valid parking time by subtracting the current time from the scheduled departure time. Subsequently, in step S1355, it is determined whether the calculated remaining time is equal to or less than 0, i.e., whether the valid parking time has expired.

[0356] If the remaining time is longer than 0, the determination in step S1355 is NO, step S1356 is skipped, and as a result, a determination that "time over" is not made, and then in step S1358, another user is set as the next target user. Then, the process returns to step S1352.

[0357] On the other hand, if the remaining time is 0 or less, the determination in step S1355 is YES, and the management server 50 determines in step S1356 that "time is over." Then, in step S1357, the determination result of "time is over" is transmitted to the mobile terminal 90 of the current target user together with data indicating the remaining time. After that, in step S1358, another user is set as the next target user. Then, the process returns to step S1352.

[0358] In response to this, in step S1301, the mobile terminal 90 receives from the management server 50 the determination result of "time over" and the latest value of the remaining time, and then in step S1302, stores data representing the determination in the memory 132. Subsequently, in step S1303, the mobile terminal 90 displays data representing that "time over" on the screen to notify the user.

[0359] Thereafter, in step S1304, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the remaining time is shorter than a non-zero reference value T0 (for example, a fixed value such as one hour, or a variable value calculated as approximately 10% of the length of the valid parking time). This is to determine whether the remaining time is short because the valid parking time is about to expire.

[0360] Note that steps S1304 and S1305 are executed regardless of whether the management server 50 has executed step S1357 and therefore the mobile terminal 90 has executed steps S1301-S1303.

[0361] If the remaining time is shorter than a reference value T0 (e.g., 1 hour), the judgment in step S1304 is YES, and in step S1305, a visual, auditory, or tactile stimulus (e.g., the display of a specific message or button, a buzzer sound, vibration of the mobile terminal 90, etc.) is given to the user from the mobile terminal 90 to send an extension request to the management server 50 via the mobile terminal 90 to request an extension of the valid parking time.

[0362] On the other hand, if the remaining time is not shorter than the reference value T0, the determination in step S1304 is NO, and step S1305 is skipped.

[0363] <Vacancy determination>

[0364] As shown in FIG. 14, the vacancy determination unit 304 in the management server 50 executes a vacancy determination program.

[0365] Specifically, in step S1451, management server 50 selects a current target parking lot from among a plurality of parking lots 20 registered in the parking lot status management table in memory 162 (hereinafter simply referred to as "registered in memory 162") as the current target parking lot. As described above, the parking lot status management table in memory 162 registers various data such as user ID, parking lot ID, valid parking time, and scheduled departure time in association with one another.

[0366] Next, in step S1452, management server 50 determines whether the latest entry permission for the current target parking lot has been sent to any of mobile terminals 90. If it is determined that this is the case, in step S1453, the current value of the number of vacant spaces N, which is the total number of currently available spaces 22 (vacant spaces 22) in the current target parking lot, is read from memory 162.

[0367] The number of vacant spaces N is a counter that has as its initial value the total number of spaces 22 available for hourly rental in the target parking lot, and is decremented by one each time the entry of one space (one time, one vehicle) is confirmed, and is incremented by one each time the exit (actual exit and deemed exit) of one space (one time, one vehicle) is confirmed.

[0368] Next, in step S1454, management server 50 subtracts 1 from the number of vacant rooms N, and then in step S1455 updates memory 162 with that content. Next, in step S1456, it determines whether the current value of the number of vacant rooms N is greater than 0 (or a reference value greater than 0, taking into account a margin), that is, whether there are any vacant rooms in the current target parking lot.

[0369] If the current value of the number of vacant rooms N is greater than 0, it is determined in step S1457 that "vacant rooms available," but if not, it is determined in step S1458 that "no vacant rooms available."

[0370] Thereafter, in step S1459, in either of the above cases, management server 50 registers the determination result in memory 162 or updates memory 162 to reflect the determination result. Next, in step S1460, another user is designated as the next target user. Then, the process returns to step S1452.

[0371] The above describes the case where the judgment in step S1452 is YES because the entry of one vehicle space has been confirmed. However, if the judgment in step S1452 is NO because the entry of one vehicle space has not been confirmed, the management server 50 determines in step S1461 whether the user's exit operation for one vehicle space has been confirmed (the actual exit flag is ON).

[0372] If the user's unloading operation for one vehicle space is confirmed (the actual unloading flag is ON), the determination in step S1461 becomes YES, and in step S1462, management server 50 reads the current value of the number of vacant rooms N from memory 162. Next, in step S1463, the number of vacant rooms N is incremented by 1, and then the process proceeds to step S1455.

[0373] On the other hand, if the user's withdrawal operation for one vehicle space is not confirmed (the actual withdrawal flag is OFF), the judgment in step S1461 is NO, and the management server 50 determines in step S1464 whether or not a deemed withdrawal for one vehicle space has been confirmed (the deemed withdrawal flag is ON).

[0374] If the deemed shipment is confirmed, the judgment in step S1464 will be YES and the process will proceed to step S1462. However, if the deemed shipment is not confirmed (the deemed shipment completed flag is OFF), the judgment in step S1464 will be NO, steps S1462 and S1463 will be skipped, and the process will then proceed to step S1456.

[0375] In this example, there are two types of shipping flags: an actual shipping flag and a deemed shipping flag, but it is not essential to use them differently; as described below, a single shipping flag may be used in common.

[0376] <Extension request processing>

[0377] As shown in FIG. 15, the extension request processing unit 206 in the mobile terminal 90 and the extension request processing unit 308 in the management server 50 execute their respective extension request processing programs.

[0378] Specifically, in step S1501, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether or not the user has input an extension request to the mobile terminal 90. If an extension request has been input, the process proceeds to step S1502, but if an extension request has not been input, the process returns to step S1501.

[0379] When an extension request is input, the mobile terminal 90 receives an input of an extension time, which is the length of time by which the valid parking time is to be extended, from the user in step S1502. Then, in step S1503, the mobile terminal 90 transmits to the management server 50 information relating to the user ID that an extension request has been issued and the length of the requested extension time.

[0380] In response, in step S1551, management server 50 receives the fact that an extension request has been issued and the length of the requested extension time in association with the user ID. Next, in step S1552, management server 50 calculates an extension fee corresponding to the length of the extension time. Thereafter, in step S1553, the amount of the extension fee is transmitted to mobile terminal 90.

[0381] In response, the mobile terminal 90 receives the transmitted extension fee amount in step S1504, and then displays the received extension fee amount on the screen in step S1505. Thereafter, in step S1506, the mobile terminal 90 allows the user to electronically pay the extension fee.

[0382] Next, in step S1507, the mobile terminal 90 notifies the management server 50 that the payment has been completed.

[0383] In response, in step S1554, management server 50 receives the notification that the payment has been completed, and then in step S1555, permits the user to extend the valid parking time. Thereafter, in step S1556, the valid parking time is extended, thereby updating the scheduled departure time to the future. Next, in step S1557, the parking lot status management table in memory 162 is updated with the updated content. Thereafter, in step S1558, the extended valid parking time (the latest valid parking time) and the updated scheduled departure time are transmitted to mobile terminal 90.

[0384] In response, in step S1508, mobile terminal 90 receives the transmitted latest valid parking time and scheduled departure time, and then in step S1509 displays the information on the screen, after which the process returns to step S1501.

[0385] <Shipping process and positioning>

[0386] As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the delivery processing unit 208 and the positioning unit 230 in the mobile terminal 90 and the delivery processing unit 310 in the management server 50 execute their respective delivery processing programs.

[0387] First, in step S1601 shown in FIG. 16, the mobile terminal 90 measures the current location of the mobile terminal 90, that is, the current location of the user, in the same manner as in step S1202 in FIG.

[0388] Next, in step S1602, similar to step S1203 in FIG. 12, it is determined whether the user has changed from a state in which he is not present in any of the multiple parking lots 20 to a state in which he is present in any of the parking lots 20, i.e., whether the user has just entered any of the parking lots 20.

[0389] If the user has not entered any of the parking lots 20, the determination in step S1602 is NO, and the process returns to step S1601. Steps S1601-S1602 are repeated until a state in which the user has entered any of the parking lots 20 is realized.

[0390] If the user has entered any of the parking lots 20, the determination in step S1602 becomes YES, and the process proceeds to step S1603.

[0391] In step S1603, the mobile terminal 90 reads out from the memory 132 the parking lot ID corresponding to the current parking lot 20, thereby acquiring the actual parking lot ID. Subsequently, in step S1604, the parking lot ID corresponding to the parking lot 20 for which entry is permitted, i.e., the current parking lot ID, is read out from the memory 132.

[0392] Thereafter, in step S1605, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the acquired actual parking lot ID and the current parking lot ID match each other. In other words, it determines whether the user has currently entered the same parking lot 20 as the parking lot 20 into which the user entered.

[0393] Next, in step S1606, the mobile terminal 90 transmits to the management server 50 information that the user is currently staying in the parking lot 20 in order to leave the parking lot.

[0394] In response, in step S1651, management server 50 receives information that the user is currently staying in parking lot 20 in order to leave. Next, in step S1652, it is determined whether the progress monitoring program has determined that the time has expired. If the time has expired, the determination in step S1652 becomes YES, and in step S1653 a predetermined penalty is imposed on the user.

[0395] On the other hand, if it is not determined that the time has expired, the determination in step S1652 is NO, and in step S1654 management server 50 permits the user to exit the current parking lot 20. Subsequently, in step S1655, data indicating that the user's exit has been permitted is transmitted to mobile terminal 90.

[0396] In response to this, in step S1607, the mobile terminal 90 receives from the management server 50 data indicating that the user's withdrawal has been permitted. Subsequently, in step S1608, a "withdrawal button" to be operated by the user is displayed on the screen. This requests the user to perform a withdrawal operation by operating the "withdrawal button" to input an indication of intention to withdraw into the mobile terminal 90.

[0397] Subsequently, in step S1609, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether or not the user has operated the "exit button." Assuming that the user has operated the "exit button" (i.e., performed an exit operation), the determination in step S1609 becomes YES.

[0398] Thereafter, in step S1613, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether or not the execution of the progress monitoring program has determined that the time has expired. If the time has expired, the determination in step S1613 becomes YES, and in step S1614, a predetermined penalty is imposed on the user.

[0399] On the other hand, if it is not determined that the time has expired, the determination in step S1613 becomes NO, and then in step S1615, the mobile terminal 90 reads out the traveling flag (a flag that is ON and indicates that the user is in the vehicle and traveling) managed by the behavior analysis program shown in FIG. 18, which is stored in memory 132.

[0400] Next, in step S1616, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the read-out running flag is ON. If it is not ON, the process returns to step S1613. If it is ON (that is, if the user is in a vehicle and moving (running)), in step S1617, the current position of the mobile terminal 90, that is, the current position of the user (for example, the current position of the vehicle in which the user is riding), is measured in the same manner as in step S1601.

[0401] Next, in step S1618, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the user has changed from being present in the current parking lot 20 to being absent from that parking lot 20, based on whether or not the user's position measured by the mobile terminal 90 has changed over time, i.e., whether or not the user has just left the current parking lot 20.

[0402] If the user has not yet exited the current parking lot 20, the determination in step S1618 is NO, and the process returns to step S1613. Steps S1613-S1618 are repeated until the user exits the current parking lot 20.

[0403] That is, among these steps, steps S1615-1618 are a group of steps (hereinafter referred to as "exit determination steps") that determine whether or not the user has gotten into the vehicle and exited the current parking lot 20.

[0404] When the user exits the current parking lot 20 (in this case, while in the vehicle), the judgment in step S1618 becomes YES, and in step S1619, the mobile terminal 90 transmits to the management center 50 data indicating that the user performed the exit operation in step S1613 and data indicating that the user has entered the vehicle and exited the parking lot 20.

[0405] In response to this, in step S1656, management server 50 receives from mobile terminal 90 data indicating that the user has gotten into the vehicle and exited parking lot 20. Subsequently, in step S1657, it determines that the leaving is complete, and turns ON the leaving flag and also turns ON the regular leaving flag in the parking lot status management table (see FIG. 26).

[0406] Thereafter, in step S1658, the user is prohibited from re-entering the same parking lot 20, and the re-entry permission flag is turned OFF in the parking lot status management table (see FIG. 26). Subsequently, in step S1659, data indicating that the user is prohibited from re-entering the same parking lot 20 is transmitted to the mobile terminal 90.

[0407] The above describes the case where the user has performed the exit operation. However, if the user has not yet performed the exit operation, the determination in step S1609 will be NO, and the mobile terminal 90 will determine in step S1610 whether the progress monitoring program has determined that the time has expired, i.e., whether the valid parking time has now expired.

[0408] If it is not determined that the time has expired, the determination in step S1610 is NO, and the mobile terminal 90 executes the same steps as the group of exit determination steps in step S1621 to determine whether the user has gotten into the vehicle and left the current parking lot 20. If the user has not yet gotten into the vehicle and left the current parking lot 20, the determination in step S1621 is NO, and the process returns to step S1609.

[0409] On the other hand, if the user gets into the vehicle and leaves the parking lot 20, the determination in step S1621 becomes YES, and then in step S1622 the mobile terminal 90 permits the user to re-enter the same parking lot 20. Thereafter, in step S1623, data indicating that re-entry has been permitted is transmitted to the management server 50, and upon receiving this, the management server 50 turns ON the re-entry permission flag associated with the current user in the parking lot status management table in memory 162.

[0410] Thereafter, in step S1627 of FIG. 17, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether or not the progress monitoring program has determined that the time has expired, that is, whether or not the valid parking time has now expired.

[0411] If it is not determined that the time has expired, the determination is NO and the process returns to step S1627, but if it is determined that the time has expired, the determination is YES and in step S1629, the mobile terminal 90 determines that the user performed an exit operation at this time, i.e., the time when the valid parking time expired, even though no actual exit operation was performed, and therefore determines that a deemed exit was performed.

[0412] Next, in step S1630, the mobile terminal 90 prohibits the user from re-entering the same parking lot 20. Thereafter, in step S1631, data indicating that deemed withdrawal has been performed and data indicating that re-entry is prohibited are transmitted to the management server 50.

[0413] In step S1662, management server 50 receives the data, and then in step S1663, updates the parking lot status management table in memory 162 to reflect the data. As a result, the exit flag is turned ON, the deemed exit flag is turned ON, and the re-entry permission flag is turned OFF. Furthermore, the temporary exit flag is also turned OFF.

[0414] On the other hand, if the user does not perform the exit operation or get in and exit the parking lot 20 before the expiration of the valid parking time, if it is determined in step S1610 of Figure 16 that the ``time has expired,'' the determination will be YES, and then in step S1610a, a predetermined penalty will be imposed on the user.

[0415] <Behavior analysis>

[0416] As shown in FIG. 18, a behavior analysis unit 210 in the mobile terminal 90 executes a behavior analysis program.

[0417] First, in step S1801, the mobile terminal 90 measures the current location of the user in the same manner as in step S1202 in FIG.

[0418] Next, in step S1802, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the user is moving. Specifically, the mobile terminal 90 calculates the amount of change between the measured current position of the user and a position of the user (more precisely, the position of the mobile terminal 90) measured in the past in a similar manner and stored in the memory 132.

[0419] If the amount of change is equal to or greater than the reference value, it is determined that the user is moving, and if the amount of change is less than the reference value, the portable terminal 90 determines that the user is stopped (stationary) in step S1818. Subsequently, in step S1819, a walking flag that is ON and indicates that the user is walking is turned OFF, and further, in step S1820, the running flag is also turned OFF.

[0420] In addition, when an on-site transmitter 30 is installed in the parking lot 20, the determination of whether the user is moving by executing steps S1801 and 1802 may alternatively or additionally be performed by measuring the distance between the mobile terminal 90 and the user based on the strength of the signal received from the on-site transmitter 30, and determining whether the user is moving based on whether or not that distance changes over time.

[0421] If it is determined that the user is moving, then in step S1803, the mobile terminal 90 acquires a signal from the acceleration sensor 154 and, based on that signal, measures an original waveform representing the time profile (time series) of the acceleration acting on the mobile terminal 90 (caused by user vibration and / or vehicle vibration).

[0422] As illustrated in Figures 19(b) and 21(b), the portion of the continuous original waveform that is covered by an analysis window having a predetermined time width and extending from the current time to the past is the subject of this analysis.

[0423] Figure 19(a) shows a graph of an example of the original waveform of acceleration G measured when a user is walking with the central acceleration being 0 (the acceleration of the low-frequency component of the acceleration waveform (the user's actual walking acceleration) is 0), while Figure 21(a) shows a graph of an example of the original waveform of acceleration G measured when a user is traveling in a vehicle with the central acceleration being 0 (the acceleration of the low-frequency component of the acceleration waveform (the vehicle's actual running acceleration) is 0).

[0424] 19(a) and 21(a) essentially show only the high frequency components of the acceleration waveform of mobile terminal 90. Here, the high frequency components mean noise components when the low frequency components are treated as the main components, and conversely, the low frequency components mean noise components when the high frequency components are treated as the main components.

[0425] Figure 19(b) shows a graph of the maximum intensity of the portion of the original waveform measured while the user is walking that is within the latest analysis window, while Figure 21(b) shows a graph of the maximum intensity of the portion of the original waveform measured while the user is running that is within the latest analysis window.

[0426] Figure 20(a) shows a graph of the large amplitude frequency components of the original waveform measured while the user is walking that are present within the latest analysis window, while Figure 22(a) shows a graph of the large amplitude frequency components of the original waveform measured while the user is running that are present within the latest analysis window.

[0427] Figure 20(b) shows a graph of the small amplitude frequency components of the original waveform measured while the user is walking that are within the latest analysis window, while Figure 22(b) shows a graph of the small amplitude frequencies of the original waveform measured while the user is running that are within the latest analysis window.

[0428] Thereafter, the mobile terminal 90 performs an intensity analysis in step S1804. In one example, an envelope of the upper part of the measured original waveform (a waveform that progresses while oscillating up and down) is obtained by peak-holding the upper part, and similarly, an envelope of the lower part of the original waveform is obtained by peak-holding the lower part.

[0429] Next, in step S1805, the mobile terminal 90 measures the substantial maximum intensity I that represents the measured original waveform.

[0430] In one example, as illustrated in Figures 19(b) and 21(b), the maximum intensity I is measured as the difference (approximate amplitude) between the maximum value of the upper envelope and the minimum value of the lower envelope. This example simplifies the calculation of the maximum intensity I compared to the examples described below.

[0431] In another example, not shown, the difference between the two acquired envelopes is sampled at regular time intervals, and the maximum intensity I is measured as the substantially maximum of the multiple sample values ​​of the difference, i.e., amplitude.

[0432] Thereafter, in step S1806, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether or not the measured maximum intensity I is greater than the first threshold value I0. If it is greater, the determination in step S1806 is YES.

[0433] Next, in step S1807, the mobile terminal 90 performs frequency analysis. Specifically, the measured original waveform is subjected to signal processing such as Fourier transform, high-pass filtering, and low-pass filtering, thereby extracting multiple frequency components from the original waveform.

[0434] Then, in step S1808, the mobile terminal 90 measures the frequency F of the frequency component with the largest amplitude. In the example shown in Fig. 20, "F1" is the frequency of the large-amplitude frequency component, and in the example shown in Fig. 22, "F2" is the frequency of the large-amplitude frequency component.

[0435] Next, in step S1809, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether or not the measured frequency F is smaller than the second threshold value F0. If it is smaller, the determination in step S1809 is YES.

[0436] Thereafter, in step S1810, the portable terminal 90 determines that the user is currently walking and not in a vehicle. Subsequently, in step S1811, the walking flag stored in the memory 132 is turned ON. Thereafter, subsequently, in step S1812, the running flag stored in the memory 132, which is in the ON state, is turned OFF. Subsequently, the process returns to step S1801.

[0437] The case where the maximum intensity I is greater than the first threshold value I0 has been described above, but if the maximum intensity I is equal to or less than the first threshold value I0, the determination in step S1806 is NO, and the portable terminal 90 determines in step S1813 whether the walking flag is ON. If it is ON, it is determined in step S1814 that the user is running, but if it is not ON, that is, if it is OFF, steps S1814-1817 are skipped and the process returns to step S1801.

[0438] The reason for this is that, in a user's normal behavioral pattern, it is not possible for the user to get into a vehicle immediately after entering parking lot 20; the user first walks into parking lot 20, then walks further, gets into a parked vehicle, and then drives in the vehicle to the exit of parking lot 20.

[0439] In order to improve the accuracy of analyzing user behavior by taking into account the behavioral patterns expected of such users, in this embodiment, if the walking flag is not ON and the determination in step S1806 or step S1809 is NO, the user is not determined to be running.

[0440] Following execution of step S1814, the mobile terminal 90 determines in step S1815 that the user has just gotten into the vehicle, because the user's behavior has just shifted from walking to running.

[0441] This determination immediately after boarding may be used, for example, as a trigger for counting up the number of vacant spaces N. In that case, as in the example shown in Fig. 14, the existence of vacant spaces can be notified to other potential users earlier than when a leaving operation or deemed leaving is used as a trigger for counting up, thereby achieving the effect of improving the utilization rate of the parking lot 20.

[0442] Thereafter, the portable terminal 90 turns the running flag ON in step S1816, and further turns the walking flag OFF in step S1817. Then, the process returns to step S1801.

[0443] 18, for example, all or part of steps S1802-1820 may be executed by the management server 50 rather than by the mobile terminal 90 in order to reduce the processing load on the mobile terminal 90.

[0444] [Second embodiment]

[0445] Next, a parking lot management system 10 and a parking lot management method according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described. However, elements common to the first embodiment will be referred to using the same reference numerals or names to avoid redundant explanations, and only the different elements will be described in detail.

[0446] This embodiment is common to the first embodiment described above, except that a behavior analysis program shown in FIG. 23 is executed instead of the behavior analysis program shown in FIG.

[0447] The behavior analysis program shown in FIG. 23 has steps S2301-2303 and 2306-23016, which are common to steps S1801-1803 and 1810-1820, respectively, of the behavior analysis program shown in FIG.

[0448] The behavior analysis program shown in FIG. 23 further includes step S2304, which replaces steps S1804, 1805, 1807 and 1808 in the behavior analysis program shown in FIG.

[0449] The behavior analysis program shown in FIG. 23 further includes step S2305, which replaces steps S1806 and S1809 in the behavior analysis program shown in FIG.

[0450] 23 is executed by the mobile terminal 90, in step S2304, the mobile terminal 90 detects the number of steps N of the user based on a series of multiple accelerations measured from moment to moment by the acceleration sensor 154. This detection is performed by the mobile terminal 90 executing a step detection algorithm.

[0451] If the detected number of steps N is greater than the third threshold value N0 in step S2305, it is determined in step S2306 that the user is walking. On the other hand, if the detected number of steps N is equal to or less than the third threshold value N0, it is determined in step S2310 that the user is running, provided that the walking flag is ON.

[0452] The reason for this is that when the user is running, the acceleration, i.e., vibrations, applied to the acceleration sensor 154 from the user and the vehicle are weaker than when the user is walking. Such weak acceleration, i.e., vibrations, are not detected by the step detection algorithm executed in step S2304. Therefore, if the number of steps N is small, it is determined that the user is running, and conversely, it is determined that the user is walking.

[0453] [Some exemplary effects obtained by some of the above-described embodiments]

[0454] 1. Reduction of costs and labor that parking lot managers must bear regarding the facilities of parking lot 20

[0455] According to this embodiment, by using the user's mobile terminal 90 instead of using the equipment installed in the parking lot 20, it is possible to determine at the exit stage whether the user got into their own vehicle and left the parking lot 20, or whether the user left the parking lot 20 as a pedestrian without getting into their own vehicle.

[0456] Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is no longer necessary to install a sensor (for example, a loop coil) that electromagnetically detects the passage of a vehicle in the parking lot 20 as dedicated equipment for detecting the exit of the vehicle.

[0457] Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is easy to reduce the cost and labor required for manufacturing or purchasing, installing, and maintaining and inspecting the equipment installed in the parking lot 20.

[0458] 2. Reduction of the operations and burden required of users at the shipping stage

[0459] According to this embodiment, even if the user inadvertently forgets to perform the exit operation and exits the parking lot 20 in the exit stage, the vehicle is automatically treated as having exited when the valid parking time expires.

[0460] Therefore, according to this embodiment, even if the user inadvertently leaves the parking lot 20 without performing the above-mentioned exit operation, the user is not required to perform a new operation and is not required to bear additional time or financial burdens. For example, the user is not required to pay an extension fee.

[0461] 3. Improved usability for users who need to re-enter the same parking lot 20

[0462] According to this embodiment, if the user intentionally leaves the parking lot 20 while suspending the exit operation, the user can re-enter the same parking lot 20 and use the parking lot 20 intermittently any number of times until the valid parking time expires.

[0463] 4. Improved accuracy in estimating the number of vacant spaces in parking lot 20 by parking lot managers

[0464] 1) First reason

[0465] In this embodiment, as described above, the vacancy determination unit 304 determines whether there are any unused vacant spaces among the multiple spaces in the parking lot 20 based on the number of confirmed entries and the number of confirmed exits.

[0466] Specifically, the vacancy determination unit 304 has a subtraction unit that subtracts 1 from the number of vacant spaces N, which is the number of unused vacant spaces among the multiple spaces in the parking lot 20, each time an entry is confirmed, and an addition unit that adds 1 to the number of vacant spaces N each time an actual exit operation or deemed exit operation is confirmed.

[0467] However, if the adding unit is instead implemented in a manner that does not increment the number of vacant spaces N by one unless an actual withdrawal operation for one time is confirmed, the number of vacant spaces N will not increase even when a deemed withdrawal is confirmed, that is, even if the vehicle whose deemed withdrawal is confirmed is not actually present in the parking lot 20. This does not accurately reflect the actual operating status of the parking lot 20, and vacant spaces in the parking lot 20 end up not being used for parking, and the operating rate of the parking lot 20 will not improve.

[0468] In contrast, according to this embodiment, the addition unit increases the number of vacant rooms N not only when one actual withdrawal operation is confirmed, but also when one deemed withdrawal is confirmed.

[0469] Therefore, according to this embodiment, the accuracy of estimating the number of vacant spaces N in the parking lot 20 is improved, and vacant spaces in the parking lot 20 are not wasted for parking, thereby making it easier to increase the utilization rate of the parking lot 20.

[0470] 2) Second reason

[0471] Instead of this embodiment, the present invention can be implemented in such a way that, at the exit stage, regardless of whether or not the user actually performs the exit operation, once the valid parking time has expired, the vehicle is uniformly treated as having been exited and the number of vacant spaces N is incremented by 1.

[0472] According to this aspect, there may be an advantage for the user in that it is easier to use because there is no need for a shipping operation.

[0473] However, this may have a drawback for the parking lot manager, because unless the user is requested to perform an exit operation to confirm his / her intention to leave, even if the user actually leaves parking lot 20 much earlier than the expiration of the valid parking time and a corresponding parking space becomes vacant, the adding unit does not add the number of vacant spaces N until the valid parking time expires, and therefore management server 50 cannot notify potential multiple users that one vacant space has actually been added.

[0474] In contrast to this, according to this embodiment, the user is requested to perform an exit operation as a manifestation of his / her intention to leave the parking lot 20, in principle.

[0475] In order to make the user aware that a withdrawal operation is being requested, in this embodiment, if the user enters the parking lot 20 to leave the parking lot 20, but does not perform the withdrawal operation, and does not get into the vehicle and leave the parking lot 20, the user is prompted via the user's mobile terminal 90 to input an extension request into the mobile terminal 90.

[0476] The notification can be made by the mobile terminal 90 visually (by displaying a specific message or button), audibly (by emitting a specific sound), or tactilely (by vibrating the mobile terminal 90).

[0477] Therefore, according to this embodiment, by requesting the user to perform the exit operation, the accuracy of estimating the number of vacant spaces N in the parking lot 20 is improved, and vacant spaces in the parking lot 20 are not wasted for parking, thereby making it easier to increase the utilization rate of the parking lot 20.

[0478] 5. Increased flexibility for parking lot managers to set individual parking fees for each user

[0479] According to this embodiment, users communicate with the management server 50 via their own mobile terminals 90. The management server 50 calculates parking fees for all users, but it is not essential that the management server 50 use a fee calculation rule that is common to all users.

[0480] This is because the management server 50 can respond individually to each user's mobile terminal 90, and the parking lot manager does not need to go to the parking lot 20 to rewrite the fee table on the fee sign installed in the parking lot 20.

[0481] The management server 50 may flexibly or dynamically calculate the parking fee, for example, according to the following rules.

[0482] 1) Parking lot occupancy rate response rule

[0483] The individual parking fee for each user is flexibly calculated by feeding back which parking lot 20 the user corresponds to each time, so that a parking lot 20 with a low actual operating rate among a plurality of parking lots 20 has a low fee and a parking lot 20 with a high actual operating rate has a high fee.

[0484] 2) Time-of-day operation rate response rule

[0485] The parking fee for each user is calculated flexibly by feeding back the time period each time so that the parking fee is low when the actual utilization rate is low and high when the actual utilization rate is high for each parking lot 20.

[0486] 3) Time-of-day response rules

[0487] The parking fee for each user is calculated flexibly by feeding back the time zone in which the parking lot 20 is located so that the parking fee is low when it is a time zone where the occupancy rate is statistically expected to be low, and high when it is a time zone where the occupancy rate is statistically expected to be high.

[0488] 4) Usage history response rules

[0489] The individual parking fee for each user is flexibly calculated by feeding back the actual individual usage frequency of each user so that the parking fee is high when the frequency of use of the parking lot 20 by each user is low and low when the frequency of use is high.

[0490] 5) Day of the week response rules

[0491] The day of the week is detected each time, and the result is fed back to flexibly calculate the individual parking fee for each user so that the fee is low when the day is statistically predicted to have a low occupancy rate of each parking lot 20, and high when the day is statistically predicted to have a high occupancy rate.

[0492] 6) Weather-responsive rules

[0493] The weather is detected each time and the result is fed back to flexibly calculate individual parking fees for each user so that the fee is low when the weather is such that the occupancy rate of each parking lot 20 is statistically predicted to be low, and high when the weather is such that the occupancy rate is statistically predicted to be high.

[0494] 6. Parking lot managers can change parking fees in real time.

[0495] Generally, parking lots are equipped with fee signs to allow users to calculate parking fees for each parking lot. These fee signs are usually not designed to allow remote operation of the fee display, requiring manual work such as visiting the site and replacing the display panel. Therefore, as long as parking lots require fee signs, it is physically difficult to change the parking fee calculation rules in real time.

[0496] In contrast, according to this embodiment, the amount of parking fees can be calculated by the management server 50 individually for each parking lot, each user, and each time period, and no fee signboard installed in the parking lot 20 is required to calculate the amount of parking fees.

[0497] Therefore, according to this embodiment, the parking lot manager can change the amount of parking fees in real time depending on external and internal factors, such as the expected demand for his / her parking lot at that time (such as the number of users expected to use the parking lot geographically) (an example of an external factor), the actual occupancy rate of his / her parking lot at that time (an example of an internal factor), and the actual occupancy rate of other parking lots adjacent to it (an example of an external factor).

[0498] 7. In response to the type of action (movement, behavior) of the user entering (entering with a vehicle) and / or exiting (leaving with a vehicle) the parking lot 20, the corresponding part of the parking app on the user's mobile terminal 90 is automatically launched.

[0499] Specifically, for example, the user's mobile terminal 90 uses at least one of the GPS receiver 152 (a functional unit that detects the user's position and the direction of movement of the user) and the acceleration sensor 154 (a functional unit that determines whether the user is walking or running) to determine the type of the user's action (movement, behavior) of entering and / or leaving in the background. When the mobile terminal 90 detects entry, it starts the entry processing program, and when it detects leaving, it starts the leaving processing program.

[0500] 8. Achieving both automation of entry and exit processing for the parking lot 20 and clarification of user intentions

[0501] In this embodiment, the mobile terminal 90 and management server 50 do not completely automate the entry and exit process. When the user's mobile terminal 90 detects entry into any parking lot 20 (entering by getting into the vehicle), it displays an entry button on the screen to confirm the user's intention (see Figure 25), and when it detects exit from the same parking lot 20 (exiting by getting into the vehicle), it displays an exit button to confirm the user's intention (see Figure 25).

[0502] Furthermore, when the user performs a storing operation, i.e., selecting the storing button, the storing processing program changes the storing completion flag from OFF to ON (see Figure 26), and on the other hand, when the user performs a retrieval operation, i.e., selecting the retrieval button, the retrieval processing program changes the retrieval completion flag from OFF to ON (see Figure 26).

[0503] This prevents the mobile terminal 90 and the management server 50 from operating against the user's will, that is, from malfunctioning.

[0504] 9. In the storage stage, the user behavior analysis using the acceleration sensor 154 in the mobile terminal 90 is omitted.

[0505] During the storage stage, the mobile terminal 90 performs user behavior analysis using the GPS receiver 152 but without using the acceleration sensor 154, but during the storage exit stage, the mobile terminal 90 performs user behavior analysis using both the GPS receiver 152 and the acceleration sensor 154.

[0506] Therefore, user behavior analysis using the acceleration sensor 154 in the mobile terminal 90 is performed only at the leaving stage, and is omitted at the receiving stage because the need for such analysis is relatively low, thereby preventing unnecessary power consumption.

[0507] [Third embodiment]

[0508] Next, a parking lot management system 10 and a parking lot management method according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described. However, elements common to the first and second embodiments will be referred to using the same symbols or names to avoid redundant explanations, and only different elements will be described in detail.

[0509] 27, in this embodiment, the mobile terminal 90 further includes a built-in gyro sensor (or yaw rate sensor) 156 that detects its own angular velocity (for example, rotational velocity around an axis fixed to the mobile terminal 90). The gyro sensor 156 is mounted on the mobile terminal 90 and therefore rotates integrally with the mobile terminal 90. As a result, the gyro sensor 156 detects the angular velocity of the rotational motion around each measurement reference axis (X, Y, Z) as equivalent to the angular velocity acting on the mobile terminal 90.

[0510] Specifically, when a user carries (wears) the mobile terminal 90, the gyro sensor 156 has a strong tendency to move in unison with the user, and therefore detects the angular velocity acting on the user or an approximate value corresponding thereto (such as a value that changes in conjunction with the angular velocity).

[0511] In contrast, when the user of the mobile terminal 90 is in a vehicle, the user tends to move integrally with the vehicle. As a result, when the vehicle is turning, the gyro sensor 156 tends to perform yaw motion (rotational motion around the vertical center line of the vehicle) integrally with the vehicle. Therefore, the gyro sensor 156 detects an angular velocity acting on the vehicle (for example, the yaw rate of the vehicle, the turning angular velocity of the vehicle, etc.) or an approximate value corresponding thereto. In other words, the gyro sensor 156 is an example of a rotational motion state quantity acquisition unit that acquires the rotational motion of the vehicle by detecting or estimating it.

[0512] Regarding the layout, when the user of the mobile terminal 90 is in the vehicle, the mobile terminal 90 may be separated from the user's body and placed in a specific location within the vehicle, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 28, in a recess 182 (e.g., a storage pocket) of an interior part such as a dashboard 180 located approximately in the center of the vehicle. In this case, the gyro sensor 156 has a strong tendency to move integrally with the vehicle rather than with the user, and therefore, while the vehicle is turning, the gyro sensor 156 detects the angular velocity acting on the vehicle (e.g., the yaw rate of the vehicle, the turning angular velocity of the vehicle, etc.) with higher accuracy than when the user is wearing the mobile terminal 90 within the vehicle.

[0513] 28, the mobile terminal 90 is placed in an upwardly opening recess 182 provided in the dashboard 180, ideally in a position where one of the measurement reference axes of the gyro sensor 156 and the vertical center line of the vehicle are substantially parallel to each other. According to this example, the installed position and position of the gyro sensor 156 enable the yaw rate of the vehicle to be detected sufficiently accurately.

[0514] For example, if we focus on the measurement reference axis of the gyro sensor 156 in a direction parallel to the thickness direction of the mobile terminal 90 (direction perpendicular to the screen), when the mobile terminal 90 is placed in the recess 182 in a position facing almost directly upward, as in the example shown in Figure 28, the measurement reference axis currently being focused on and the vertical center line of the vehicle will be almost parallel to each other.

[0515] However, when the mobile terminal 90 is placed in a vehicle, regardless of whether it is carried by a user or not, the reference axis of the gyro sensor 156 may include a component that is not parallel to the vertical center line of the vehicle. In this case, the angular velocity detected by the gyro sensor 156 does not strictly match the yaw rate of the vehicle.

[0516] However, as long as the gyro sensor 156 is held fixedly within the vehicle in an orientation in which the measurement reference axis of the gyro sensor 156 includes a component parallel to the vertical center line of the vehicle, it is easily expected that a certain correlation will be established between the angular velocity detected by the gyro sensor 156 and the yaw rate of the vehicle.

[0517] Therefore, unless there are special circumstances, it is easily assumed that the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by gyro sensor 156 will be larger when the vehicle is turning than when the vehicle is traveling straight ahead. Therefore, regardless of the orientation of mobile terminal 90 inside the vehicle, it is reasonable to use gyro sensor 156 as a sensor that is sufficient as long as it can distinguish whether the vehicle is turning or not.

[0518] The gyro sensor 156 can be replaced with a sensor that detects the angular acceleration (e.g., yaw rate differential) of the mobile terminal 90, or with a sensor that detects the angle (e.g., yaw angle) of the mobile terminal 90 (e.g., a geomagnetic sensor 157, tilt sensor, gravity sensor, etc., described below).

[0519] As shown in Fig. 27, the mobile terminal 90 further includes a built-in geomagnetic sensor (also referred to as a magnetic sensor) 157. The geomagnetic sensor 157 detects the direction of the mobile terminal 90 relative to absolute space (for example, the angle from magnetic north) by utilizing the Earth's magnetic field. Therefore, if the mobile terminal 90 is fixed to a vehicle, the geomagnetic sensor 157 can successively detect the orientation of the vehicle relative to absolute space. When both the gyro sensor 156 and the geomagnetic sensor 157 are used inside the vehicle (ideally in a fixed position), these sensors function as a motion sensor or a dynamic behavior acquisition unit that detects the dynamic behavior of the vehicle.

[0520] 28, when the mobile terminal 90 is placed in the recess 182 facing almost directly upward, the measurement reference axis of the geomagnetic sensor 157 and the vertical center line of the vehicle are almost parallel to each other. In this case, the geomagnetic sensor 157 can detect the yaw angle of the vehicle, that is, the orientation of the vehicle relative to absolute space when viewed from directly above.

[0521] If the frequency of change in the direction (for example, the frequency of change in the sign of the direction) is high, it can be determined that the vehicle has been turning frequently. In other words, the geomagnetic sensor 157 is also an example of a rotational motion state quantity acquisition unit that acquires the rotational motion of the vehicle by detecting or estimating it.

[0522] It should be noted that the rotational motion state quantity acquisition unit in some of the examples described above can indirectly detect the rotational motion of the vehicle as a rotation operation of the steering wheel SW (see FIG. 28) of the vehicle by the user, and for this purpose, the mobile terminal 90 may be attached to the steering wheel SW so as to rotate integrally therewith, for example.

[0523] 27, the mobile terminal 90 further includes a built-in proximity sensor 158. The vehicle's proximity sensor 158 is, for example, a capacitance type, and detects a change in capacitance that occurs between the sensor itself and an object to be detected. The detected change in capacitance varies depending on the size of the object to be detected and the distance d from the object to be detected.

[0524] The detection target can be the user, a vehicle, or an object including a part inside the vehicle (regardless of whether it is made of metal or synthetic resin). Proximity sensor 158 detects the distance d to an object located in the vicinity of mobile terminal 90 relative to the position of mobile terminal 90. The detected value does not depend on the behavior of the vehicle, because the distance between proximity sensor 158 and the surrounding object does not change even if the behavior of the vehicle changes.

[0525] 28, the detection target is a detected member (such as a partition or cover) 184 that is fixedly, detachably, or storably attached to dashboard 182. This detected member 184 is installed within a range that can be detected by proximity sensor 158, and is installed, for example, so as to at least partially cover the screen of mobile terminal 90 from the front. This non-detected member 184 may have a shape or layout that does not substantially obstruct the user's view of the screen of mobile terminal 90 while the user is operating the vehicle.

[0526] Furthermore, when the proximity sensor 158 detects a detection target member 184 that is fixed to the vehicle (that acts as a stationary member inside the vehicle), if the distance d detected by the proximity sensor 158 does not change over time and is steady, it can be assumed that the mobile terminal 90 is placed in the same position relative to the vehicle. On the other hand, if the distance d detected by the proximity sensor 158 changes over time and is unsteady, it can be assumed that the mobile terminal 90 is placed in a position that varies relative to the vehicle. A typical example of such a position is the user's body.

[0527] Therefore, by combining the proximity sensor 158, that is, the portable terminal 90, with the detection target member 184 fixed to the vehicle, it is possible to estimate whether or not the portable terminal 90 is being carried by the user.

[0528] By using the proximity sensor 158 in the vehicle interior, it is possible to distinguish whether the mobile terminal 90 is being carried by the user while riding, or whether it is not being carried and is placed somewhere fixed in the vehicle interior.

[0529] As a specific example of an algorithm for making this distinction, if the time profile (time series data) of the capacitance change (or distance) detected by the proximity sensor 158 is unsteady and / or the detected distance d is longer than the threshold value d0 (for example, because the proximity sensor 158 cannot detect the non-detectable member 184), it is determined that there is a high possibility that the mobile terminal 90 is being carried by the user while riding.

[0530] On the other hand, if the time profile of the capacitance change (or distance) detected by the proximity sensor 158 is substantially constant and / or the detected distance d does not exceed the threshold value d0 (for example, because the proximity sensor 158 continuously detects the non-detectable member 184 as shown in Figure 28), it can be determined that there is a high possibility that the mobile terminal 90 is not carried by the user during the ride and is fixedly placed somewhere inside the vehicle (a specific position within the dashboard 182).

[0531] Note that the present invention may be implemented in a manner that determines whether the time profile of the capacitance change (or distance) detected by proximity sensor 158 is substantially steady, but does not determine whether the detected distance d exceeds threshold value d0. If the detected value waveform is steady, the user is not wearing mobile terminal 90, and mobile terminal 90 is stationary despite the user's body movements. Therefore, in this scenario, in which whether or not the vehicle has entered parking lot 20 is the main focus of discussion, it is reasonable to infer that mobile terminal 90 is fixedly placed inside the vehicle as long as it is determined that mobile terminal 90 is stationary. Furthermore, this manner eliminates the need to install an additional component such as detection target member 184 in the vehicle.

[0532] On the other hand, when the mobile terminal 90 is carried by the user while in the vehicle, the accuracy with which the acceleration sensor 154, gyro sensor 156, and geomagnetic sensor 157 detect the corresponding vehicle behavior is low, but when the mobile terminal 90 is placed fixedly somewhere inside the vehicle while in the vehicle, the accuracy with which the acceleration sensor 154, gyro sensor 156, and geomagnetic sensor 157 detect the corresponding vehicle behavior is high.

[0533] Therefore, the proximity sensor 158 can be used to ensure that the acceleration sensor 154, the gyro sensor 156, and the geomagnetic sensor 157 can detect the corresponding vehicle behaviors with high accuracy.

[0534] 7, except for the receiving processing unit 202, the outgoing processing unit 208, and the behavior analysis unit 210. The receiving processing unit 202 executes the same receiving processing program as shown in FIG. 12 except for step S1203 in FIG. 12, and the outgoing processing unit 208 executes the same outgoing processing program as shown in FIG. 16 and FIG. 17 except for steps S1602, S1615-S1618 (the outgoing determination step group) and S1621 in FIG. 16 and step S1627 in FIG. 17.

[0535] Figure 29 shows a flowchart of a modified example that should replace step S1203 of the entry processing program shown in Figure 12, which is represented as an entry entry parking lot identification module that identifies the parking lot into which the user entered during the entry stage.

[0536] This entry parking lot identification module executes a parking lot identification method having the following steps.

[0537] A. Approach judgment process

[0538] 32, in the entry stage, it is determined whether the current position CP measured by the positioning unit 230 (a GPS positioning unit or a base station positioning unit using a coordinate system fixed on the Earth) has transitioned from a state in which it exists outside all spatial regions SP centered on the reference coordinate point RP (longitude, latitude) for all parking lots 20 to a state in which it exists within any spatial region SP centered on the reference coordinate point RP (longitude, latitude) for any parking lot 20. Thereby, it is determined whether the current position CP has entered any spatial region SP corresponding to any parking lot 20.

[0539] In the example shown in Figure 32, the vehicle AM ​​moves from a current position CP1 outside the spatial domain SP to a current position CP2 within the spatial domain SP, and as a result, at that point in time, it is determined that the current position CP has entered the spatial domain SP.

[0540] The spatial region SP may be defined using a plurality of coordinate points (for example, a set of a plurality of coordinate points for defining the boundary line of the site) so as to geometrically accurately reflect the boundary line of the site of the corresponding parking lot 20 or its equivalent. In this case, however, the size of the data required for the definition increases, and it becomes necessary to ensure a corresponding increase in the communication load and storage capacity of the mobile terminal 90.

[0541] In contrast, in the example shown in Fig. 32, one spatial region SP is defined as one circular region (which may be a collection of multiple circular regions). The one circular region has one radius r centered on one reference coordinate point RP. Therefore, one spatial region SP is defined by only a relatively small data set consisting of data representing one reference coordinate point RP and data representing one radius r. Therefore, according to this example, the communication load and storage capacity of the mobile terminal 90 are reduced.

[0542] However, when one spatial region SP is defined as at least one circular region, it is usually difficult for one spatial region SP to cover the entire site of one corresponding parking lot 20 without excess or deficiency.

[0543] Specifically, in the example shown in Figure 32, a single circular area includes parts outside the premises of the corresponding parking lot 20, as priority is given to covering all non-circular areas within the premises of the corresponding parking lot 20.

[0544] Therefore, when determining which parking lot 20 a vehicle has entered using only the location information (positioning unit 230) acquired by the mobile terminal 90, there is a risk that a false determination will be made that vehicle AM ​​has entered a certain parking lot 20, even if the vehicle AM ​​is located outside the premises of that parking lot 20.

[0545] However, as a result of research by the present inventors, it has been discovered that, in general, when a vehicle, regardless of type, is driven in any parking lot, the vehicle exhibits unique behavior that is not present when the vehicle is driven on a normal road.

[0546] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 1, each parking lot 20 typically has multiple parking spaces arranged closely together, and in this situation, the user must select one of these parking spaces and enter that parking lot 20 from an adjacent road. For this reason, it has been found that within each parking lot 20, the vehicle performs turning movements (left steering, right steering, return steering, maintaining steering, etc.) and acceleration / deceleration movements (braking, accelerating, decelerating, starting, stopping, backing up, etc.) more frequently than when driving on a normal road.

[0547] Based on this knowledge, in this embodiment, using the location information (positioning unit 230) acquired by the mobile terminal 90, it is not determined that the vehicle AM ​​has entered the parking lot 20 guided by the location information simply because the condition that the vehicle AM ​​has transitioned from a state in which it is located outside all spatial regions SP of all parking lots 20 to a state in which it is located within any spatial region SP of any parking lot 20 is met.

[0548] In this embodiment, it is only when multiple conditions are met simultaneously, including that condition and the condition that the vehicle AM ​​performs frequent turning (or instead of or in addition to frequent acceleration and deceleration), as will be described in detail later, that the vehicle AM ​​is determined to be in the parking lot 20 guided by the location information.

[0549] B. Ride status determination process

[0550] At the entry stage, the acceleration of the mobile terminal 90 is detected using an acceleration sensor 154 (an example of the acceleration acquisition unit), and based on the amplitude and / or frequency of the high-frequency components in the waveform of the detected acceleration, it is determined whether or not the user is likely to be riding in the vehicle AM.

[0551] In considering the function and use of acceleration sensor 154, when the amplitude and / or frequency of an acceleration waveform (vibration waveform) generated in mobile terminal 90 is detected using the acceleration waveform detected by acceleration sensor 154, acceleration sensor 154 constitutes an example of a vibration acquisition unit. On the other hand, when acceleration sensor 154 is used to detect the acceleration (axial acceleration) of the translational motion of mobile terminal 90, acceleration sensor 154 constitutes an example of a typical acceleration acquisition unit.

[0552] As described above, FIG. 21(a) shows an example of an acceleration waveform of the mobile terminal 90 when the user is walking with the central acceleration being 0, and FIG. 21(a) also shows an example of an acceleration waveform of the mobile terminal 90 when the user is riding in a vehicle that is moving with the central acceleration being 0. 。

[0553] Thanks to this occupancy state determination process, the in-vehicle loading state determination process, high-frequency turning state determination process, and high-frequency acceleration / deceleration state determination process described below are not executed when the user is not in the vehicle AM ​​but walking in one of the parking lots 20, because these determination processes are designed to be executed while the user is in the occupant state in the first place, or even if they are executed, the execution results are ignored.

[0554] As a result, this occupancy status determination process makes the parking lot 20 completely unmanned, and eliminates the need to install special equipment in the parking lot 20, while suppressing malfunctions of the system and improving the reliability of the system's determination results.

[0555] However, it is possible to implement the present invention without this riding state determination step.

[0556] C. Vehicle interior loading status determination process

[0557] During the entry stage, by using the proximity sensor 158, it is determined whether or not the mobile terminal 90 is not carried by the user while aboard, and whether or not the mobile terminal 90 is likely to be fixedly placed inside the interior of the vehicle AM, as illustrated in FIG. 28.

[0558] Thanks to this in-vehicle loading state determination process, the high-frequency turning state determination process and high-frequency acceleration / deceleration state determination process described below are not executed when the user is carrying the mobile terminal 90 while in the vehicle AM, as this could reduce the accuracy of these determination processes, or even if executed, the execution results are ignored.

[0559] As a result, according to this in-vehicle loading state determination process, as with the occupancy state determination process, malfunctions of the system are suppressed, and the reliability of the determination results of the system is improved.

[0560] However, it is possible to implement the present invention without performing this step of determining whether the device is placed inside the vehicle.

[0561] D. High-frequency turning state determination process

[0562] At the entrance stage, the angular velocity (particularly, yaw rate θ) of the rotational motion (particularly, yaw motion) of the mobile terminal 90 is detected using a gyro sensor 156 or a geomagnetic sensor 157 (both of which are examples of the rotational motion state quantity acquisition unit), and based on the frequency of change in the detected angular velocity, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is likely to be in a high-frequency turning state in which it is turning more frequently than would be expected if the vehicle were traveling on a normal road.

[0563] Here, the frequency of change in angular velocity is equivalent to, for example, the frequency of change in the sign of the angular velocity (for example, the direction of yaw motion), that is, the number of times the user turns the steering wheel SW (see FIG. 28) of the vehicle per certain period of time.

[0564] To be more specific, in the example of parking lot 20 shown in Figure 1, a vehicle traveling on an adjacent road enters parking lot 20 through entrance / exit gate 24, drives through parking lot 20, and selects one of the compartments 22 as the target compartment 22. In order to enter the target compartment 22, for example, a scenario can be imagined in which the vehicle travels from left to right on the adjacent road, turns left to enter parking lot 20, then turns right to enter the target compartment 22, which is one of the five compartments 22 on the right side, and parks there.

[0565] In this scenario, as shown in FIG. 33 (θ: yaw angle, Δθ: yaw rate), the user turns the steering wheel SW of the vehicle as follows: 1) Left steering just before entrance / exit gate 24, 2) Return steering immediately after passing through the entrance / exit gate 24, 3) Right steering before the parking space, and 4) Turning the steering wheel back immediately after entering the parking space Thus, the user needs to steer (turn around) four times. When the vehicle travels the same distance on the road, the user generally turns the steering wheel SW fewer times. Note that the size of each compartment 22 is, for example, 2.5 m wide and 5.0 m deep, so the approximate distance the vehicle will travel from the vicinity of the entrance / exit gate 24 on the adjacent road to the target compartment 22 can be estimated.

[0566] Based on this knowledge, the high-frequency turning state determination process determines whether the frequency of change n of the angular velocity (yaw rate Δθ) (for example, the total number of peaks and valleys that appear per unit time in the graph of Figure 33 representing the yaw rate Δθ) exceeds a threshold value n0, thereby determining whether the vehicle is likely to be in a high-frequency turning state, i.e., whether the vehicle exhibits a unique dynamic behavior that does not appear when the vehicle is driving on a normal road but appears when the vehicle is driving in any parking lot 20.

[0567] Specifically, the high-frequency turning state determination step determines whether the vehicle is likely to be in a high-frequency turning state by determining whether the number of times n that the sign of the angular velocity changes from positive to negative and from negative to positive per angular velocity observation time Δt (unit: seconds) (e.g., 20 seconds, 30 seconds, 40 seconds) exceeds a threshold value n0 (e.g., 4 times, 6 times, 8 times, or an intermediate value between these numbers).

[0568] Alternatively, if the ratio n / Δt obtained by dividing the number of times n by the observation time Δt exceeds a predetermined value (e.g., 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, or an intermediate value between these values), it may be determined that the vehicle is likely to be in a high-frequency turning state.

[0569] Note that the high-frequency turning state determination process may achieve the same function by using the geomagnetic sensor 157 or another sensor (for example, a tilt sensor, a gravity sensor, etc.) instead of or in addition to the gyro sensor 156.

[0570] E. Entrance parking lot identification process

[0571] In the stock-in stage, four conditions are met: 1. A first condition is that the current position CP has entered a spatial region SP corresponding to one of the parking lots 20; 2. A second condition that the user may be in a vehicle AM; and 3. A third condition is that the mobile terminal 90 is not carried by the user and there is a possibility that the mobile terminal 90 is fixedly placed inside the vehicle AM; and 4. A fourth condition is that the vehicle AM ​​may be in the high-frequency turning state. If all of the above conditions are met simultaneously, one of the parking lots 20 is identified as the parking lot into which the user entered by getting into the vehicle.

[0572] F. High-frequency acceleration / deceleration state determination process

[0573] Instead of or in addition to the high frequency turning state determination step described above, a high frequency acceleration / deceleration state determination step may be executed.

[0574] This high-frequency acceleration / deceleration state determination process detects the acceleration of the mobile terminal 90 using the acceleration sensor 154 during the storage stage, and determines, based on the frequency of change in the low-frequency components of the detected acceleration waveform, whether or not the vehicle AM ​​is likely to be in a high-frequency acceleration / deceleration state in which it accelerates and decelerates (starting (accelerating from speed 0), stopping (deceleration to speed 0), accelerating, decelerating, etc.) more frequently than would be expected when the vehicle AM ​​is traveling on a normal road.

[0575] In the same scenario as that described above using the parking lot 20 shown in FIG. 1 as an example, the user depresses the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal (not shown) to 1) Slowing down before the loading / unloading gate 24, 2) acceleration immediately after entering the loading / unloading gate 24; 3) slowing down in front of the parking space; 4) acceleration immediately after entering the parking space; and 5) Deceleration to stop the vehicle in the parking space In this way, the vehicle's driving state needs to be switched between deceleration and acceleration five times. Generally, when a vehicle travels the same distance on a road, the user will need to switch between deceleration and acceleration fewer times.

[0576] An example of an acceleration waveform acquired when a vehicle accelerates and decelerates is shown in Figure 34. As described above, the acceleration waveform has low-frequency components and high-frequency components.

[0577] As described above, the high frequency components are shown in FIG. 19(a) and FIG. 21(a), and these are components that vary depending on whether the user is walking or riding in a vehicle.

[0578] Specifically, Fig. 19(a) reflects shock waves received from the road surface via the user's feet and other parts of the body by the mobile terminal 90 attached to the user's body and moving integrally with the user when the user's feet touch the road surface while the user is walking. On the other hand, Fig. 21(a) reflects shock waves received from the road surface by the mobile terminal 90 attached to the user's body and moving integrally with the user while seated in a vehicle, via the tires, suspension, and seat, which are vehicle parts with higher shock absorption than the user's feet and body, when the vehicle tires roll over uneven road surfaces while the user is traveling (riding in a vehicle).

[0579] In contrast, the low-frequency component indicates the actual acceleration of the user or vehicle. Therefore, in a high-frequency acceleration / deceleration state, the low-frequency component is used as the main component to note, and indicates the time profile (time history) of the vehicle acceleration.

[0580] Based on this knowledge, the high-frequency acceleration / deceleration state determination step uses the acceleration sensor 154 to detect the acceleration of the mobile terminal 90, and determines whether the change frequency m of the low-frequency component in the waveform of the detected acceleration is higher than a threshold value m0, thereby determining whether there is a possibility that the vehicle is in a high-frequency acceleration / deceleration state.

[0581] Specifically, the high-frequency acceleration / deceleration state determination step determines whether the vehicle is likely to be in a high-frequency acceleration / deceleration state by determining whether the number of times m that the acceleration sign changes from positive to negative and from negative to positive per acceleration observation time Δt (unit: seconds) (e.g., 20 seconds, 30 seconds, 40 seconds) exceeds a threshold value m0 (e.g., 4 times, 6 times, 8 times, or an intermediate value between these numbers).

[0582] Alternatively, if the ratio m / Δt obtained by dividing the number of times m by the observation time Δt exceeds a predetermined value (e.g., 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, or any intermediate value between these values), it may be determined that the vehicle is likely to be in a state of high-frequency acceleration / deceleration.

[0583] 1. Parking lot identification module when entering the parking lot

[0584] Returning to Figure 29, the entry parking lot identification module will be explained. After execution of step S1202 shown in Figure 12 (measurement of the current position CP of the mobile terminal 90 by the positioning unit 230, which is a GPS positioning unit or a base station positioning unit), in step S2901, it is determined whether the current position CP1 measured the last time step S1202 was executed was outside all spatial regions SP corresponding to all parking lots 20, but whether the current position CP2 measured the most recently executed time step S1202 was within any spatial region SP corresponding to any parking lot 20.

[0585] In other words, it is determined whether the user has moved from outside all spatial regions SP corresponding to all parking lots 20 into any spatial region SP corresponding to any parking lot 20, i.e., whether the user has just entered any spatial region SP.

[0586] Here, the spatial region SP corresponding to each parking lot 20 is jointly defined by the reference coordinate point RP (a function of the identification code of the parking lot 20) corresponding to that parking lot 20 and the radius r (a function of the identification code of the parking lot 20) assigned to that parking lot 20, thereby defining one spatial region SP in absolute space. The combination of the reference coordinate point RP and the radius r is stored in memory 132 of the mobile terminal 90 as spatial region description data in association with the parking lot 20.

[0587] The spatial region description data is downloaded in advance from the management server 50 for all parking lots 20, or for only those parking lots 20 that are located near the current location of the mobile terminal 90 (for example, those within a predetermined distance from the current location).

[0588] Here, whether the current position is within the spatial region SP corresponding to each parking lot 20 can be determined, for example, by calculating the distance D between the current position and the reference coordinate point of each parking lot 20, and if the distance D is less than or equal to the radius r corresponding to each parking lot 20, determining that the current position is within the spatial region SP, and if the distance D is longer than the radius r corresponding to each parking lot 20, determining that the current position is outside the spatial region SP.

[0589] If the determination is NO, the process returns to step S1202, but if the determination is YES, in step S2902, one parking lot 20 corresponding to the relevant spatial region SP is selected as a candidate parking lot 20 into which the user entered during the entry stage.

[0590] Next, in step S2905, the distance d is detected using the proximity sensor 158. Next, in step S2906, it is determined whether the distance d is shorter than the threshold value d0 and whether the time profile of the distance d is steady over time.

[0591] If the determination in step S2906 is NO, it is determined that there is a possibility that the mobile terminal 90 is being carried by the user, and in step S2907, a message to warn the user is output in the form of an image or sound from the mobile terminal 90. The warning is given to urge the user to place the mobile terminal 90 in a specified position in the vehicle, for example, on the dashboard 180. Thereafter, the process returns to step S1202.

[0592] On the other hand, if the determination in step S2906 is YES, then in step S2908 it is determined that the mobile terminal 90 is not carried by the user and is likely to be fixedly placed in a designated position inside the vehicle. That is, it is determined that the mobile terminal 90 is in an indoor placement state. In this case, execution of the high-frequency turning state determination process described above is permitted and started.

[0593] Specifically, in step S2909, the gyro sensor 156 is used to detect the angular velocity of the mobile terminal 90, that is, in this case, the angular velocity (yaw rate) of the vehicle.

[0594] Next, in step S2910, the frequency of change in the direction (positive or negative) of the angular velocity (the number of times the user turns the steering wheel SW of the vehicle per certain time, the frequency of the angular velocity waveform, etc.) n is calculated from the waveform of the detected angular velocity value over the past certain time. For example, the frequency of change n is the number of times the user turns the steering wheel SW of the vehicle within the past 5, 10, or 20 seconds.

[0595] Then, in step S2911, it is determined whether the change frequency n is higher than the threshold value n0. The threshold value n0 is, for example, 2, 4, or 6.

[0596] If the change frequency n is equal to or less than the threshold value n0, the determination in step S2911 is NO, it is determined that there is a high possibility that the vehicle is traveling on a normal road this time, and the process then returns to step S1202.

[0597] On the other hand, if the change frequency n is higher than the threshold value n0, the determination in step S2911 becomes YES, and in step S2912 it is determined that there is a possibility that the vehicle is in a high frequency turning state.

[0598] Next, in step S2913, it is determined that the user has actually gotten in and entered the candidate parking lot. After that, in step S2914, that candidate parking lot is identified as the parking lot 20 where the user is currently located, i.e., the parking lot that the user entered during the entry stage. Next, the process proceeds to step S1204 in FIG. 12.

[0599] Thereafter, in step S1208, the mobile terminal 90 transmits to the management server 50 the user ID, the parking lot ID, the vehicle information, and boarding / entry data indicating that the current user boarded the vehicle and entered the current parking lot 20 at the entry stage. In response, the management server 50 receives this information from the mobile terminal 90 in step S1252.

[0600] 2. Exit entry parking lot identification module

[0601] Figure 30 shows a flowchart of a modified example that should replace step S1602 of the exit processing program shown in Figure 16, which is an exit entry parking lot identification module that identifies the parking lot into which the user walked during the exit stage.

[0602] To explain this exit entry parking lot identification module, after execution of step S1601 shown in Figure 16, in step S3001, similar to step S2901 described above, it is determined whether the user has moved from outside all spatial regions SP corresponding to all parking lots 20 into any spatial region SP corresponding to any parking lot 20.

[0603] If the determination is NO, the process returns to step S1601, but if the determination is YES, in step S3002, one parking lot 20 corresponding to the relevant spatial region SP is selected as a candidate parking lot 20 into which the user entered at the exit stage.

[0604] Next, in step S3003, similar to step S2903 described above, the acceleration waveform is acquired using acceleration sensor 154, and high frequency components are extracted from the acceleration waveform, and the frequency F is calculated from the high frequency components.

[0605] Then, in step S3004, it is determined whether the calculated frequency F is higher than the threshold value F0.

[0606] If the frequency F is lower than the threshold value F0, the determination in step S3004 is NO, the state is determined to be riding, and the process returns to step S1601. However, if the frequency F is equal to or greater than the threshold value F0, the determination in step S3004 is YES, and the state is determined to be walking in step S3005.

[0607] Next, in step S3006, it is determined that the user has actually walked into the candidate parking lot. Then, in step S3007, that candidate parking lot is identified as the parking lot 20 where the user is currently located, i.e., the parking lot that the user entered during the exit stage. Next, the process proceeds to step S1603 in FIG. 16.

[0608] 3. Exit parking lot identification module

[0609] Figure 31 shows a flowchart of the exit processing program shown across Figures 16 and 17, in which a first variant that should replace S1615-S1618 (first replacement part) in Figure 16 and a second variant that should replace S1621 (second replacement part) in Figure 16 are represented as an exit parking lot identification module that identifies the parking lot where the user gets in and exits during the exit stage.

[0610] In the first variant, if the judgment in step S1613 of Figure 16 is NO, execution of this exit parking lot identification module at the time of exit is started, and in the second variant, if the judgment in step S1610 of Figure 16 is NO, execution of this exit parking lot identification module at the time of exit is started.

[0611] In either variant, when execution of this exit parking lot identification module at the time of exit is started, first, in step S3101, the current position CP of the mobile terminal 90 is measured by the positioning unit 230, which is a GPS positioning unit or a base station positioning unit. Next, in step S3102, it is determined whether the current position CP1 measured the previous time step S3101 was executed was within any spatial region SP corresponding to any parking lot 20, but whether the current position CP2 measured the time step S3102 was executed immediately before is outside any of those spatial regions SP.

[0612] That is, it is determined whether the user has moved from within any spatial area SP corresponding to any parking lot 20 to outside that spatial area SP, i.e., whether the user has just exited any spatial area SP.

[0613] If the determination in step S3102 is NO, the process proceeds to step S1613 for the first modified example, and to step S1609 for the second modified example.

[0614] On the other hand, if the judgment in step S3102 is YES, in step S2902, one parking lot 20 corresponding to the spatial region SP to which the current location fell until just before is selected as a candidate parking lot 20 from which the user exited in the exit stage.

[0615] Next, in step S3104, the acceleration waveform is acquired over a certain period of time (analysis window) in the past using the acceleration sensor 154, as shown in FIG. 34. Furthermore, high-frequency components are extracted from the acceleration waveform using a digital high-pass filter. Furthermore, the frequency F of the high-frequency component (e.g., the frequency F1 or F2 of the large-amplitude frequency component shown in FIG. 20(a) and FIG. 22(a)) is calculated from the high-frequency component.

[0616] Then, in step S3105, it is determined whether the calculated frequency F is lower than a threshold value F0 (equivalent to the second threshold value F0).

[0617] If the frequency F is greater than or equal to the threshold value F0, the judgment in step S3105 is NO, the state is determined to be walking, and the process proceeds to the appropriate one of steps S1613, S1609, and S1628. However, if the frequency F is lower than the threshold value F0, the judgment in step S3105 is YES, and the state is determined to be riding in step S3106.

[0618] Next, in step S3107, it is determined that the user has actually gotten in and exited the candidate parking lot. Then, in step S3108, that candidate parking lot is identified as the parking lot from which the user got in and exited during the exit stage. Next, in the first modified example, the process proceeds to step S1619, and in the second modified example, the process proceeds to step S1622.

[0619] Thereafter, in the first modified example, in step S1619, the mobile terminal 90 further transmits to the management server 50 boarding / exiting data with an exit operation indicating that the user has boarded and exited the current candidate parking lot, accompanied by an exit operation, during the exit stage (corresponding to a combination of the exit operation determination data indicating that an exit operation has been performed and the boarding / exit determination data indicating that the user boarded and exited the parking lot). In response, in step S1656, the management server 50 receives the boarding / exiting data with an exit operation from the mobile terminal 90. The management server 50 further sets the current time as the exit time, updates the parking lot-specific status management table to reflect the exit time, and sets the exit-completed flag to ON.

[0620] Furthermore, in the second modified example, in step S1623, the mobile terminal 90 further transmits to the management server 50 boarding / exit data with no exit operation indicating that the user got into the vehicle and exited the current candidate parking lot without performing an exit operation during the exit stage (corresponding to a combination of the exit operation determination data indicating that there was no exit operation and the boarding / exit determination data indicating that the user got into the vehicle and exited). In response, the management server 50 receives the boarding / exit data with no exit operation from the mobile terminal 90. The management server 50 further updates the parking lot-specific status management table so that the re-entry flag is set to ON.

[0621] Comparison of the present embodiment with the first and second embodiments

[0622] According to the first and second embodiments, in the entry stage, the entry process is performed with reference to the user's location information but without reference to the user's behavior information or the vehicle's behavior information, whereas in the exit stage, the exit process is performed with reference to the user's location information and the user's behavior information (whether walking or riding) but without reference to the vehicle's behavior information.

[0623] As a result, according to the first and second embodiments, in the entry stage, it is not possible to distinguish whether the user entered one of the parking lots 20 on foot or by getting into a car (in the first place, in the entry stage, it is not normally possible to imagine a scenario in which the user enters one of the parking lots 20 on foot), but in the exit stage, it is possible to distinguish whether the user left the parking lot 20 to be used on foot or by getting into a car.

[0624] However, even in the exit stage, if it is not necessary to distinguish whether the user exited the parking lot 20 on foot or by getting in (for example, if re-entry within the valid parking time is not permitted), it will be unnecessary to refer to the user's behavioral information not only in the entry stage but also in the exit stage.

[0625] In contrast, according to this embodiment, unlike the first and second embodiments, in the entry stage, the entry process is performed with reference to the user's location information and vehicle behavior information (e.g., frequent turning, frequent acceleration / deceleration), but without reference to the user's behavior information.

[0626] Therefore, according to this embodiment, unlike the first and second embodiments, vehicle behavior information is also referenced, and therefore, compared to the first and second embodiments, the reliability of the system 10 is improved with respect to the technology for identifying the parking lot being used by the user, despite not relying on the equipment installed in the parking lot 20.

[0627] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, as in the first and second embodiments, in the exit stage, the exit process is performed with reference to the user's location information and behavior information but without reference to the vehicle's behavior information, making it possible to distinguish whether the user exited the parking lot 20 by walking or by getting in the car.

[0628] However, it is not essential to implement the present invention by referring to the user's behavior information in the entry process and / or exit process, because if the user is required to place his / her mobile terminal 90 in a predetermined position in the vehicle in order to use the parking lot 20, the entry process and / or exit process will be executed with the mobile terminal 90 present in the vehicle, and therefore these processes do not require the user's behavior information.

[0629] Furthermore, the technical idea of ​​performing entry and / or exit processing by referring to at least the user's location information and vehicle behavior information (e.g., frequent turning, frequent acceleration / deceleration) at the entry stage and / or exit stage can be applied to any parking lot 20, regardless of its operating format, and may be applied, for example, to either a prepaid hourly rental system or a postpaid hourly rental system.

[0630] [Fourth embodiment]

[0631] Next, a parking lot management system 10 and a parking lot management method according to an exemplary fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. However, elements common to the first to third embodiments will be referred to using the same symbols or names to avoid redundant explanations, and only different elements will be described in detail.

[0632] Figure 35 is a time chart illustrating the transition over time of the status (occupancy status, operation status) of each parking space 22 for each user in a certain parking lot 20, in order to explain the operating principles of the parking lot status management table creation / update unit and vacancy determination unit in this system 10. Figure 36 is a flowchart conceptually showing the management table creation / update module for implementing the management table creation / update unit in this system 10.

[0633] The system 10 according to this embodiment is designed to manage a prepaid hourly parking lot 20, similar to the first to third embodiments.

[0634] Specifically, first, in the entry stage, as shown in the upper part of Fig. 36, first, in step S3601, the user inputs a user ID into the mobile terminal 90. Next, in step S3602, the mobile terminal 90 selects a parking lot 20 to enter (a parking lot into which the user entered while in the vehicle in order to enter), that is, identifies the parking lot 20 to enter by referring to the user's location information and vehicle behavior information, for example, according to the algorithm shown in Fig. 29.

[0635] Next, in step S3603, the user operates the entry button on the mobile terminal 90, thereby finally indicating to the management server 50 the intention to enter the parking lot 20. After that, in step S3604, the user inputs the valid parking time into the mobile terminal 90.

[0636] Next, in step S3605, the mobile terminal 90 transmits the above-mentioned information, i.e., the user ID, the parking lot ID representing the parking lot 20 into which the vehicle has been parked (an example of the aforementioned "parking lot identification data"), the valid parking time, and parking operation data representing that the user has performed a parking operation, to the management server 50 (an example of the aforementioned "first transmission process").

[0637] Thereafter, in step S3606, the user pays a prepaid parking fee corresponding to the length of the valid parking time via mobile terminal 90. Next, in step S3607, the user gets out of the vehicle while leaving it parked in the current parking lot 20, and then walks through the parking lot 20 to exit through entrance / exit 24.

[0638] In the first to third embodiments, in the entry stage, neither the mobile terminal 90 nor the management server 50 has an algorithm for determining whether the user has walked out of the parking lot 20, but it is also possible to execute an algorithm similar to that represented by steps S3101-S3105 shown in Figure 31, thereby automatically determining whether the user has walked out of the parking lot 20.

[0639] In response to this, in step S3651, management server 50 receives the various information transmitted from mobile terminal 90 in step S3605. Next, in step S3652, similar to the first to third embodiments, a parking lot status management table (hereinafter simply referred to as the "management table") such as that shown in Fig. 26 is created (this is an example of the "management table creation / update process" mentioned above).

[0640] Thereafter, in step S3653, management server 50 initializes the states of various flags in the management table. The reason for initializing the states of various flags is that the product is currently in the receiving stage. Specifically, the received flag is initially set to ON, but the re-receiving permission flag, temporary delivery flag, delivered flag, regular delivery flag, and deemed delivery flag are all initially set to OFF.

[0641] Next, in the exit stage, as shown in the lower part of Fig. 36, first, in step S3611, the user inputs the user ID into the mobile terminal 90. Next, in step S3612, the mobile terminal 90 selects the parking lot 20 from which the user is attempting to exit (the parking lot into which the user entered while walking in order to exit), that is, identifies the parking lot 20 from which the user is attempting to exit by referring to the user's location information and behavior information, for example, according to the algorithm shown in Fig. 30.

[0642] Next, in step S3613, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the parking lot ID of the current parking lot 20 matches the parking lot ID of the entrance parking lot 20 that is stored in association with the user in the management table.

[0643] If there is a match, in step S3614, the mobile terminal 90 creates withdrawal operation determination data indicating whether or not the user operated the withdrawal button on the mobile terminal 90, i.e., whether or not the user performed a withdrawal operation as an expression of intent.

[0644] Next, regardless of whether or not an exit operation has been performed, in step S3615, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether or not the mobile terminal 90 has exited the current parking lot 20 according to an algorithm similar to that represented by steps S3101 and S3102 shown in FIG. 31.

[0645] If it is determined that the user has exited, in step S3616, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the user is in a vehicle, following an algorithm similar to that represented by steps S3104-S3106 shown in FIG. 31.

[0646] Then, in step S3617, the mobile terminal 90 creates boarding / exiting determination data indicating whether the user has exited the current parking lot 20 while in the vehicle, based on the respective determination results of steps S3615 and S3616, and transmits the boarding / exiting determination data together with the exit operation determination data to the management server 50 in association with the user (this is an example of the aforementioned ``second transmission process'').

[0647] In response to this, in step S3671, management server 50 receives the entry / exit determination data and the exit operation determination data in association with the user from mobile terminal 90. Next, in step S3672, management server 50 determines whether the valid parking time in the management table (e.g., the scheduled exit time) has expired as of the current time measured by clock 172, i.e., whether the time has expired.

[0648] If it is determined that the time has expired, in step S3673, the management server 50 updates the status of various flags to update the management table (this is an example of the "management table creation / update process" mentioned above).

[0649] Specifically, if the received boarding / exit determination data indicates that the user is exiting the parking lot while still in the vehicle, and the received exit operation determination data indicates that the user is not performing the exit operation, and the valid parking time has not expired at the time the data was received, the management server 50 determines that a temporary exit has occurred, switches the state of the temporary exit flag from OFF to ON, and further switches the state of the re-entry permission flag, which indicates that the same user is authorized to re-enter the same parking lot, from OFF to ON.

[0650] Furthermore, if the received boarding / exit determination data indicates that the user is exiting while in the vehicle, and the received exit operation determination data indicates that the exit operation is involved, and the valid parking time has not expired at the time the data was received, the management server 50 determines that regular exit has been established, switches the state of the regular exit flag from OFF to ON, and also switches the state of the exited flag from OFF to ON.

[0651] Furthermore, after determining that the vehicle has been temporarily released, the management server 50 determines whether the valid parking time has expired at the time of reception, and if so, determines that the deemed release has been established and switches the state of the deemed release flag from OFF to ON.Furthermore, in this case, as in the case where the regular release has been established, the management server 50 switches the state of the released flag from OFF to ON.

[0652] Furthermore, when the re-entry permission flag is ON, the management server 50 determines whether the valid parking time has expired at the time of reception, and if so, switches the state of the re-entry permission flag from ON to OFF to terminate the authority to re-enter.

[0653] Note that, in order to save capacity of the memory 162, the management server 50 may delete the behavior pattern of the corresponding user from the management table if a regular delivery or a deemed delivery is established in each determination cycle. In that case, in the example shown in Fig. 35, data on user number 1 will not be present in the management table at time t5.

[0654] In the first to third embodiments, as shown in Fig. 7, the management server 50 has a vacancy determination unit 304. This vacancy determination unit 304 may be installed in the mobile terminal 90, but in either case, it determines whether or not there are any unused vacant spaces among the multiple spaces in the parking lot 20 for each parking lot based on the number of confirmed entries and exits.

[0655] Specifically, the vacancy determination unit 304 subtracts one from the number of vacant spaces, which is the number of unused vacant spaces among the multiple spaces in each parking lot 20, each time an entry is confirmed, and adds one to the number of vacant spaces each time an actual exit operation (regular exit) or deemed exit is confirmed.

[0656] In the first to third embodiments, the mobile terminal 90 receives from the vacancy determination unit 304 of the management server 50 vacancy status data (also referred to as congestion data indicating the degree of congestion of vehicles in the parking lot 20, parking lot status data indicating the parking lot status, parking lot operation status data, parking lot vacancy status data, etc.) that indicates whether or not there are any vacancies for each parking lot 20, i.e., whether the parking lot is currently full with no vacancies (no vacancies) or whether the parking lot is currently empty with at least one vacancy (vacancies).

[0657] In the first to third embodiments, if a user gets into the vehicle and leaves the parking lot 20 before the valid parking time expires and does not perform an exit operation at that time (temporary exit), the user is given the authority to re-enter the same parking lot 20, whether actively or virtually, until the valid parking time expires.

[0658] On the other hand, in the first to third embodiments, it is possible to distinguish whether the user exits the parking lot 20 by getting in (together with the vehicle) or by walking (leaving the vehicle in the parking lot 20) during the exit stage.

[0659] Here, when a user performs the temporary exit, there are two possibilities: the user may then exercise the authority to re-enter the parking lot and actually re-enter the parking lot before the valid parking time expires, or the user may not exercise that authority and not actually re-enter the parking lot, and when the valid parking time expires, the parking lot will be treated as having been deemed to have been exited.

[0660] If the former possibility is given more weight than the latter possibility and the vacancy determination for parking lot 20 is made conservatively (with an emphasis on the user's interests), the result will be that "even if a temporary departure is made, the vacancy determination will be made for that user as if the vehicle were present in parking lot 20," which could result in a vacancy in parking lot 20 that is not actually being used by another user.

[0661] On the other hand, if the latter possibility is given more weight than the former possibility and the vacancy determination for parking lot 20 is made bold (with an emphasis on the interests of the parking lot manager), the result will be that "once a temporary exit is made, the vacancy determination will be made assuming that the user will not re-enter the parking lot," and in reality, even if the same user tries to re-enter parking lot 20, there may be no vacant spaces at all and they may not be able to re-enter.

[0662] In light of this situation, the system 10 according to this embodiment determines whether the parking lot is empty or full without taking into account the expected number of future re-entries, and the determination result is empty. However, if the determination result is full when the system 10 makes the determination based on the expected number of future re-entries, the final determination result is congested. This achieves a good balance between the interests of users and the interests of the parking lot manager.

[0663] Here, the algorithm used by the system 10 to determine availability will be outlined.

[0664] This system 10 repeatedly determines vacancy for each parking lot 20 for each user at a predetermined time interval Δt. The reason why the vacancy determination is performed for each user rather than for each vehicle compartment 22 is that in this embodiment, it is not necessary to manage which vehicle compartment 22 a user is parking in.

[0665] Here, the "time interval Δt" is usually set to be shorter than the shortest parking time it takes for a vehicle to enter and leave a parking lot 20, that is, so that a vehicle will not enter and leave a parking lot 20 within one time interval Δt, and may be, for example, 1 minute, 5 minutes, or 10 minutes.

[0666] However, there is a trade-off between the shorter the time interval Δt, the more accurately the status of the actual parking lot 20 can be monitored, while the processing load on the management server 50 increases; therefore, the time interval Δt should be set to strike a good balance between monitoring accuracy and processing load.

[0667] Furthermore, the system 10 determines whether each parking lot 20 is vacant by determining whether the operation status of each parking lot 20 is in one of three operation states: a full state in which there are no vacant spaces 22 in each parking lot 20, an empty state in which there are vacant spaces 22, or a congested state in which there is a possibility that the parking lot 20 is actually full or empty.

[0668] Specifically, the system 10 determines whether each parking lot 20 is available for each user repeatedly at predetermined time intervals by referring to the management table shown in FIG.

[0669] This system 10 observes changes in the user's behavior patterns with respect to the parking lot 20 in accordance with the latest contents of the management table for each determination cycle.

[0670] Specifically, in each determination cycle, the system 10 determines for each parking lot 20, based on the contents of the management table: X1: The number of valid parking cases, which is the number of users whose valid parking time does not expire during each judgment cycle; X2: The number of confirmed exits, which is the number of users whose valid parking time has not expired during each judgment cycle and whose exit with the user in the vehicle is accompanied by the exit operation, and for whom regular exit is established; X3: The number of indefinite exits, which is the number of users who, during each judgment cycle, have been granted the right to re-enter the same parking lot because the valid parking time has not expired and the user has left the parking lot with the vehicle in the vehicle without the exit operation, resulting in a provisional exit. Calculate.

[0671] Here, the uncertain number of exits X3 may not match the number of users who actually re-entered the parking lot after that. If they match, the calculated value of the actual parking lot number Y is Y=X1-X2 However, if they do not match, the calculated value of the actual number of parking spaces Y is Y=X1-(X2+X3).

[0672] In this way, the calculated value of the actual number of parking spaces Y is a fluid value that fluctuates depending on the number of users who actually re-enter the parking space. Ymin<=Y<=Ymax

[0673] This system 10 predicts whether the operating status of each parking lot 20 immediately after each determination cycle is in either a full state, an empty state, or a congested state according to a predetermined determination rule based on the relationship between the three calculated values X1, X2, and X3 and the total number Z of those among the plurality of compartments 22 in each parking lot 20 that are assigned for time rental to users (the total number of compartments 22 for which time rental to users is scheduled, starting from a state where no time rental to users is performed).

[0674] Here, the "total number Z" may be defined as a number equal to the total number n of all of the plurality of compartments 22 assigned to each parking lot 20. Also, when some of those compartments 22 are not compartments for time rental but are, for example, compartments for monthly contract customers as illustrated in FIG. 1, the total number Z may be defined as a number less than the number n.

[0675] Also, the "predetermined determination rule" is defined as one determination rule selected from a plurality of potential determination rules, or a combination of a plurality of determination rules.

[0676] Here, the "plurality of potential determination rules" are classified into a determination rule that does not assume the number of uncertain outgoing items X3, that is, does not assume the occurrence of restocking in the future (does not assume restocking), and a determination rule that assumes it.

[0677] First, according to an example of a determination rule that does not assume restocking, the number of users using each parking lot 20 at each time, that is, the maximum parking capacity Ymax, is Ymax = X1 - (X2 + X3) defined by the following formula.

[0678] And if the condition Ymax < Z is satisfied, the parking lot 20 is determined to be in an empty state, while if the condition Ymax = Z is satisfied, the parking lot 20 is determined to be in a full state.

[0679] Next, according to an example of a determination rule that assumes restocking, the number of users using each parking lot 20 at each time, that is, the minimum parking capacity Ymin, is Ymin = X1 - X2 It is defined by the formula:

[0680] And, if the condition Ymin < Z is satisfied, it is determined that the parking lot 20 is in an empty state. On the other hand, if the condition Ymin = Z is satisfied, it is determined that the parking lot 20 is in a full state.

[0681] An example of the "potential determination rule" is that in each determination cycle, when determining whether the operating status of the parking lot 20 is in a full state or an empty state from the maximum number of parked vehicles Y1, if the determination result is a full state, but when determining whether the operating status of the parking lot 20 is in a full state or an empty state from the minimum number of parked vehicles Y2 and the determination result is an empty state, then the final determination result is determined to be a congested state.

[0682] Another example of the "potential determination rule" is that in each determination cycle, if the determination result in the previous determination cycle was a full state or a congested state, without considering this, and when determining whether the operating status of the parking lot 20 is in a full state or an empty state from the minimum number of parked vehicles Y2 and the determination result is an empty state, then the final determination result is determined to be a congested state.

[0683] In any case, according to this system 10, it cannot be determined with certainty whether the operating status of each parking lot 20 is in an empty state or a full state. Actually, if there is a possibility of fluctuating between an empty state and a full state, the parking lot 20 is determined to be in a congested state, neither in an empty state nor in a full state.

[0684] As a result, a user who is informed that the parking lot 20 is in a congested state can go to the parking lot 20 expecting that an empty space may be found while being aware that there may be no empty space when arriving at the site, and even if no empty space is actually found, they will not feel overly unpleasant.

[0685] Figure 37 is a flowchart conceptually illustrating the vacancy determination module executed by the processor 160 of the management server 50 to implement the vacancy determination unit 304 of this system 10, which performs vacancy determination according to the algorithm described above.

[0686] This vacancy determination module executes one determination cycle for a different parking lot 20 every time the time interval Δt elapses.

[0687] In each determination cycle of this vacancy determination module, first, in step S3701, the parking lot 20 to be executed this time is selected from the multiple parking lots 20 managed by the management server 50, and the management table corresponding to the selected parking lot 20 is read from memory 162.

[0688] Next, in step S3702, the number of users in the management table whose scheduled departure time (in Figure 35, the right end position of the solid or dashed line) is in the future from the current time (e.g., t5) is counted as the number of valid parking spaces X1, and this value is stored in memory 162 in association with parking lot 20.

[0689] For example, in the scenario shown in FIG. 35, at time t5, the number of valid parking cases X1 is counted as “5” due to the valid parking times for five users numbered 2-4, 6, and 7, respectively.

[0690] Next, in step S3703, the number of users in the management table whose regular exit flag has transitioned from OFF to ON in this judgment cycle (for time t5, between time t4 and time t5) is counted as the confirmed number of exits X2, and this value is stored in memory 162 in association with parking lot 20.

[0691] For example, in the scenario shown in FIG. 35, the confirmed number of deliveries X2 is counted as "1" due to the regular delivery by user number 4 between time t4 and time t5.

[0692] Thereafter, in step S3704, the number of users whose provisional exit flag is ON in the management table is counted as the number of unconfirmed exits X3, and this value is stored in the memory 162 in association with the parking lot 20.

[0693] For example, in the scenario shown in Figure 35, at time t5, the number of uncertain deliveries X3 is counted as "2" due to provisional deliveries for two users numbered 6 and 7, respectively.

[0694] In addition, the user assigned number 5 also has experience with temporary shipping, but since it was subsequently treated as a deemed shipping and the temporary shipping flag was turned OFF, it is not included in the number of uncertain shipping cases X3.

[0695] Thereafter, in step S3706, the maximum number of parking spaces Ymax is calculated using the counted number of valid parking spaces X1 and the confirmed number of leaving spaces X2, and the calculated value is stored in memory 162 in association with parking space 20.

[0696] For example, in the scenario shown in FIG. 35, at time t5, the maximum number of parking spaces Ymax is calculated as 4 (=5-1).

[0697] Next, in step S3707, the minimum number of parking spaces Ymin is calculated using the counted number of valid parking spaces X1, the number of confirmed exits X2, and the number of unconfirmed exits X3, and the value is stored in memory 162 in association with parking space 20.

[0698] For example, in the scenario shown in FIG. 35, at time t5, the minimum number of parking spaces Ymin is calculated as 2 (=5-(1+2)).

[0699] Thereafter, in step S3708, it is determined whether the maximum parking number Ymax is smaller than the total number Z. If the maximum parking number Ymax is smaller than the total number Z, that is, if it is determined that the calculated value of the actual parking number Y assuming re-entry is smaller than the total number Z (empty), then in step S3709, it is determined that parking lot 20 is empty.

[0700] On the other hand, if the maximum parking quantity Ymax is equal to or greater than the total quantity Z, that is, if it is not determined that the calculated value of the actual parking quantity Y is smaller than the total quantity Z (empty) assuming re-entry, then in step S3710 it is determined whether the minimum parking quantity Ymin is smaller than the total quantity Z.

[0701] If the minimum number of parking spaces Ymin is smaller than the total number Z, that is, if it is determined that the calculated value of the actual number of parking spaces Y is smaller than the total number Z (empty) for the first time by not assuming re-entry, then in step S3712, it is determined that the parking lot 20 is congested.

[0702] On the other hand, if the minimum parking number Ymin is equal to or greater than the total number Z, that is, if the calculated value of the actual parking number Y is equal to or greater than the total number Z regardless of whether re-entry is assumed, then in step S3711 it is determined that the parking lot 20 is full.

[0703] In this embodiment, the user's mobile terminal 90 is used to determine whether a room is available. However, since the mobile terminal 90 does not always move together with the vehicle, the behavior of the mobile terminal 90 does not always match the behavior of the vehicle.

[0704] Therefore, in this embodiment, at least at the exit stage, the sensor function installed in the mobile terminal 90 is used to distinguish whether the user exited the parking lot 20 by getting in (exiting with the vehicle) or by walking (exiting alone while the vehicle remains parked).

[0705] Therefore, according to this embodiment, the vacancy determination can be performed using the user's mobile terminal 90 without installing dedicated equipment in the parking lot 20. However, this is not essential for implementing the present invention.

[0706] In other words, the vacancy determination may be performed using dedicated equipment such as a vehicle presence sensor (e.g., a proximity sensor, a reflected light sensor, etc.) installed in each space 22 in the parking lot 20, a vehicle number camera installed in each space 22 in the parking lot 20 (in this case, the parking lot may be managed per vehicle rather than per user), or a vehicle passage detection sensor installed at the entrance / exit 24 of the parking lot 20 (in this case, the parking lot may be managed per user rather than per space 22), or dedicated equipment such as the fee settlement device and exit gate management device described in Patent Document 3 (in this case, the parking lot may be managed per user).

[0707] In short, the present invention can be applied to any type of prepaid parking lot, as long as the parking lot is operated in a manner that allows re-entry within the valid parking time.

[0708] That is, in this embodiment, as described above, rather than focusing on each of the multiple parking spaces 22 in a parking lot 20 and wondering whether each parking space 22 is vacant or not, the system focuses on each of the multiple users who are using the multiple vehicles actually present in the parking lot 20 at each moment, and records data (various flags, etc.) that can reconstruct the time-series behavioral patterns of each user in a parking lot status management table (Figure 26), associating the data with the user and with the time and chronological order.

[0709] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the number of users actually present in the parking lot 20 at each moment is grasped as the number of actual parking spaces in the parking lot 20. Furthermore, a vacancy determination is made that anticipates re-entry after temporary departure, and a vacancy determination that does not anticipate re-entry, and the number of actual parking spaces that will exist in the parking lot 20 in the future is predicted for each possibility.

[0710] If the predicted value does not exceed the number of available parking spaces Z for that parking lot 20, it is determined to be vacant, and if it matches, it is determined to be full. Furthermore, depending on the comparison result between a vacancy determination that anticipates re-entry after temporary departure and a vacancy determination that does not anticipate re-entry, the determination result is changed from vacant to crowded so as not to disappoint users who are looking forward to that determination result.

[0711] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are some specific examples of the application of the present invention to a parking service for parking automobiles, but the present invention can alternatively be applied to, for example, a parking service for parking bicycles, or a parking service for parking motorcycles.

[0712] Furthermore, the above-described embodiments are some specific examples of the present invention being applied to a communication environment in which a user's mobile terminal 90, which may be carried by the user or may be placed in the vehicle without being carried, is used as the "user information processing terminal" of the present invention. Alternatively, the present invention can also be applied to a communication environment in which, for example, a computer installed in the user's vehicle and having a communication function and a vehicle behavior information acquisition function is used as the "user information processing terminal" of the present invention.

[0713] That is, the "user information processing terminal" in the present invention may be an information processing terminal of a type intended to be carried by a user, or an information processing terminal of a type intended to be mounted in a vehicle.

[0714] However, when the present invention is applied to a communication environment in which such an on-board computer is used as the "user information processing terminal" of the present invention, the on-board computer always moves with the user's vehicle, and therefore when applying the present invention, it is unnecessary to distinguish whether the "user information processing terminal" of the present invention is moving with the body of a walking user or moving with the vehicle away from the user's body, or whether it is carried by the user or placed inside the vehicle.

[0715] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, these are merely examples, and the present invention can be embodied in other forms that incorporate various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, including the aspects described in the "Summary of the Invention" section above.

Claims

1. A parking lot management system that manages a parking lot having a plurality of parking spaces, a server capable of communicating with an information processing terminal of a user of the parking lot; The server is a receiving unit at the time of parking entry that receives, from the information processing terminal, parking-related information at the time of parking entry, parking-related information for identifying at least one of the user, the vehicle, and any one of the plurality of vehicle compartments that the user wishes to use when the user enters the parking lot together with his or her vehicle; a warehousing time measurement unit that measures the warehousing time in response to reception from the information processing terminal when the vehicle is warehousing; an exit receiving unit that receives, from the information processing terminal, parking-related information for identifying at least one of the user, the vehicle, and any vehicle compartment when the user exits the parking lot together with his or her vehicle; and a departure time measurement unit that measures the departure time in response to reception from the information processing terminal when the vehicle leaves the warehouse; a parking time calculation unit that calculates the length of parking time based on the entry time and the exit time when the exit parking-related information matches the entry parking-related information at the time of exit; Parking management system including.

2. A parking lot management system that manages a plurality of parking lots each having a plurality of parking spaces, a parking lot information output unit that is installed in each parking lot and outputs parking lot information for identifying the parking lot; a server that can communicate with the information processing terminals of users of each parking lot; Including, The server is an entry time receiving unit that receives, from the information processing terminal, when the user enters one of the parking lots with his / her vehicle, the parking lot information output from the parking lot information output unit corresponding to the parking lot as entry time parking lot information, and parking-related information for identifying at least one of the user, the vehicle, and one of the plurality of parking lots that the user wishes to use as entry time parking-related information; a warehousing time measurement unit that measures the warehousing time in response to reception from the information processing terminal when the vehicle is warehousing; an exit time receiving unit that receives, from the information processing terminal, parking-related information at the time of exit as parking-related information at the time of exit, parking-related information for identifying the user who will exit, the vehicle that will be exited, or the parking space that will be exited when the user exits from any parking lot together with his / her vehicle; a departure time measurement unit that measures the departure time in response to reception from the information processing terminal when the vehicle leaves the warehouse; a parking time calculation unit that calculates the length of parking time based on the entry time and the exit time when the exit parking-related information matches the entry parking-related information at the time of exit; Parking management system including.

3. A parking lot management system that manages a plurality of parking lots, each having a plurality of parking spaces, not by parking space but by vehicle, a parking lot information output unit that is installed in each parking lot and outputs parking lot information for identifying the parking lot for each parking lot, not for each vehicle compartment within the parking lot; a server that can communicate with the information processing terminals of users of each parking lot; Including, The server is a receiving unit at the time of entry that receives, from the information processing terminal, when the user enters one of the parking lots with his / her vehicle, the parking lot information output from the parking lot information output unit corresponding to the one of the parking lots as parking lot information at the time of entry, and vehicle information including the license plate number of the vehicle entering the parking lot as vehicle information at the time of entry; a warehousing time measurement unit that measures the warehousing time in response to a signal received from the information processing terminal when the vehicle is brought into the warehousing; a receiving unit at the time of leaving that receives vehicle information including the license plate number of the vehicle being left from the information processing terminal as vehicle information at the time of leaving when the user leaves one of the parking lots with his / her vehicle; a departure time measurement unit that measures a departure time in response to a signal received from the information processing terminal when the vehicle leaves the warehouse; a parking time calculation unit that calculates a length of parking time based on the entry time and the exit time when the exit vehicle information matches the entry vehicle information at the time of leaving the vehicle; Parking management system including.

4. 4. The parking lot management system according to claim 2, wherein the parking lot information output unit includes a transmitter installed in each parking lot and transmitting a signal specific to the corresponding parking lot as a signal representing the parking lot information.

5. The parking lot management system according to claim 3 , wherein the vehicle information includes vehicle image data obtained by photographing the vehicle as image data unique to the vehicle.

6. The server 4. A parking lot management system as described in claim 2 or 3, which includes a parking lot identification unit that enables the user to identify one of the plurality of parking lots where the user may be staying based on the current position of the information processing terminal measured by a positioning unit serving as an external transmitter installed outside each parking lot when the user enters or leaves the parking lot, or based on the current position measured based on a signal received by the information processing terminal from an internal transmitter installed within each parking lot.

7. A program for functioning as the server according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

8. A program executed by a computer of an information processing terminal of a user of the parking lot management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The information processing terminal has a plurality of functions, a function of transmitting the parking-related information to the server as the parking-entry-time parking-related information when the vehicle enters the parking lot; a function of transmitting the parking-related information to the server as the parking-related information at the time of leaving the parking lot when leaving the parking lot; Including, A program executed by the computer to realize those functions.

9. A computer-readable recording medium on which the program according to claim 7 is recorded.

10. A computer-readable recording medium on which the program according to claim 8 is recorded.

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