Method and apparatus for processing parking space information

Abstract

A method and device for processing parking space information are provided. Before a driver sends information to request a valid parking space, detection is started to see whether an empty parking space exists in the driving environment of the vehicle, and information about the empty parking space is recorded. However, the information is not recommended to the driver in any manner. After the driver sends information to request a valid parking space, information about one or more valid parking spaces is recommended to the driver. The method can not only improve the possibility of effectively finding a parking space, but also improve the driver's experience.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202111282911.4, filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China on November 1, 2021, and entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING PARKING SPACE INFORMATION," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present application relates to the field of automobiles, and in particular to a method and apparatus for processing parking space information. [Background technology]

[0003] As the number of vehicles increases, the pressure on urban parking supply systems increases. Correspondingly, it becomes increasingly difficult to quickly and conveniently find parking spaces. The traffic flow caused by finding parking spaces not only increases road traffic volume and the risk of traffic congestion, but also worsens environmental pollution and energy consumption. Therefore, how to quickly detect parking spaces and announce parking space information to drivers has become a focus of research.

[0004] Currently, there are mainly two common ways to detect parking spaces and announce parking space information to drivers on the market. In the first implementation, the vehicle starts detecting parking spaces when the vehicle is traveling at a speed below 24 kilometers per hour, and once a parking space is detected, the vehicle provides a parking space reminder using a central control screen or another device and recommends a parking space to the driver. In the second implementation, the vehicle starts detecting parking spaces only after the automatic parking function is enabled on the vehicle, and then the detected parking space is recommended to the driver.

[0005] However, in the first implementation, as long as the vehicle detects a parking space when traveling at a speed below 24 kilometers per hour, a warning is constantly provided using a central control screen or another device. In this case, if the driver does not request parking, the driver's driving experience will be significantly affected and even a traffic accident will occur. In the second implementation, the vehicle starts detecting parking spaces only after the automatic parking function is enabled on the vehicle, so parking spaces passed before the parking function is enabled cannot be detected. Therefore, the possibility of the driver finding a parking space is reduced.

[0006] Therefore, how to quickly and effectively find parking spaces and improve the driver experience has become an urgent technological challenge to be solved. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] This application provides a method and apparatus for processing parking space information, which can not only improve the probability of effectively finding a parking space, but also improve the driver's experience.

[0008] According to a first aspect, the present application provides a method for processing parking space information, the method including the steps of: detecting whether an empty parking space exists in a driving environment of the vehicle during a driving process of the vehicle; and if an empty parking space exists in the driving environment of the vehicle, adding information about the empty parking space to a first parking space information set, where the first parking space information set is used to record information about the empty parking space; receiving first information, where the first information is used to request information about valid parking spaces, where the valid parking spaces include empty parking spaces that meet a predetermined condition; and outputting information about one or more valid parking spaces according to the first information, where the information about the one or more valid parking spaces includes information about the empty parking spaces in the first parking space information set.

[0009] According to the method for processing parking space information provided in this embodiment, before the driver sends information to request a valid parking space, detection of available parking spaces in the vehicle's driving environment is started and available parking spaces are recorded. Therefore, after the driver sends information to request a valid parking space, information about available parking spaces recorded before the driver sent the information to request a valid parking space can also be recommended to the driver. This expands the range for searching for available parking spaces and improves the possibility of finding an available parking space. In addition, before the driver sends information to request a valid parking space, information about available parking spaces is not recommended to the driver in any way. This avoids affecting the driver's experience. In other words, the method for processing parking space information provided in this embodiment can not only improve the possibility of effectively finding a parking space, but also improve the driver's experience.

[0010] Regarding the first aspect, in a possible implementation example, the method further includes a step of receiving second information, the second information indicating a destination of the vehicle, and correspondingly, the step of detecting whether an available parking space exists in the vehicle's driving environment during the vehicle's driving process includes a step of starting to detect whether an available parking space exists in the vehicle's driving environment after the distance between the vehicle's position and the destination becomes less than or equal to a first predetermined distance during the vehicle's driving process.

[0011] According to the method for processing parking space information provided in this embodiment, the vacant parking space detection starts only after the distance between the vehicle location and the destination is equal to or less than a first predetermined distance, for example, the vacant parking space detection starts only after the distance between the vehicle location and the destination is equal to or less than 3 kilometers.

[0012] It can be seen that the detection of an available parking space starts only after the distance between the vehicle's location and the destination is equal to or less than the first predetermined distance. In other words, when the distance between the vehicle's location and the destination is greater than the first predetermined distance, the detection of an available parking space is not started. This reduces the energy consumption of the vehicle.

[0013] Regarding the first aspect, in a possible implementation, the method further includes receiving third information, the third information indicating the first predetermined distance.

[0014] According to the method for processing parking space information provided in this embodiment, the detected information about vacant parking spaces is the vacant parking spaces that meet the first predetermined distance set by the driver, thereby avoiding detection for excessive vacant parking spaces and thereby avoiding resource consumption of the vehicle.

[0015] Regarding the first aspect, in a possible implementation, the predetermined condition includes the distance from the vehicle's current location being less than or equal to a second predetermined distance.

[0016] According to the method for processing parking space information provided in this embodiment, the output valid parking space is an empty parking space whose distance from the current location of the vehicle is less than or equal to a second predetermined distance, for example, the output valid parking space is an empty parking space whose distance from the current location of the vehicle is less than or equal to 3 kilometers.

[0017] Regarding the first aspect, in a possible implementation, the method further includes receiving fourth information, the fourth information indicating the second predetermined distance.

[0018] In this implementation, the output valid parking space is the parking space that satisfies the second predetermined distance set by the driver, which avoids outputting meaningless vacant parking spaces.

[0019] Regarding the first aspect, in a possible implementation, the predetermined condition includes that the time difference between the time when the vacant parking space is detected and the current time is less than or equal to a predetermined amount.

[0020] According to the method for processing parking space information provided in this embodiment, the time difference between the time when the outputted available parking space is detected and the current time of the vehicle is within a predetermined range, for example, the time difference between the time when the outputted available parking space is detected and the current time of the vehicle is within 30 minutes.

[0021] Regarding the first aspect, in a possible implementation, the method further includes receiving fifth information, the fifth information indicating a predetermined width.

[0022] In this implementation, the output valid parking spaces are those that meet the default width set by the user, which avoids outputting meaningless vacant parking spaces.

[0023] Regarding the first aspect, in a possible implementation example, the step of outputting information regarding one or more available parking spaces in response to the first information includes the steps of obtaining a second parking space information set through a network in response to the first information, where the second parking space information set is used to record information regarding vacant parking spaces; obtaining information regarding one or more available parking spaces from the first parking space information set and the second parking space information set; and outputting information regarding the one or more available parking spaces.

[0024] In this implementation, information about one or more available parking spaces is output from two parking space information sets, so compared to when information about one or more available parking spaces is output through one parking space information set, the information about one or more available parking spaces output in this implementation is more robust.

[0025] According to a second aspect, the present application provides an apparatus for processing parking space information, the apparatus including: a detection module configured to detect whether an empty parking space exists in a driving environment of the vehicle during a driving process of the vehicle; an adding module configured to add information about the empty parking space to a first parking space information set if an empty parking space exists in the driving environment of the vehicle, and the first parking space information set is used to record information about the empty parking space; a receiving module configured to receive the first information and use the first information to request information about valid parking spaces, where the valid parking spaces include empty parking spaces that meet a predetermined condition; and a response module configured to output information about one or more valid parking spaces in response to the first information, where the information about the one or more valid parking spaces includes information about the empty parking spaces in the first parking space information set.

[0026] The modules of the second aspect may be implemented using software modules and / or hardware modules.

[0027] Regarding the second aspect, in a possible implementation example, the receiving module is further configured to receive second information, the second information indicating a destination of the vehicle, and correspondingly, the detection module is particularly configured to start detecting whether an available parking space exists in the vehicle's driving environment after the distance between the vehicle's position and the destination becomes less than or equal to a first predetermined distance during the vehicle's driving process.

[0028] Regarding the second aspect, in a possible implementation, the receiving module is further configured to receive third information, the third information indicating the first predetermined distance.

[0029] Regarding the second aspect, in a possible implementation, the predetermined condition includes the distance from the vehicle's current location being less than or equal to a second predetermined distance.

[0030] Regarding the second aspect, in a possible implementation, the receiving module is further configured to receive fourth information, the fourth information indicating the second predetermined distance.

[0031] Regarding the second aspect, in a possible implementation, the predetermined condition includes that the time difference between the time when the vacant parking space is detected and the current time is less than or equal to a predetermined amount.

[0032] Regarding the second aspect, in a possible implementation, the receiving module is further configured to receive fifth information, the fifth information indicating the predetermined width.

[0033] Regarding the second aspect, in a possible implementation, the response module obtains a second parking space information set through a network according to the first information, the second parking space information set is used to record information about vacant parking spaces, and obtains information about one or more available parking spaces from the first parking space information set and the second parking space information set; The device is particularly configured to output information regarding one or more available parking spaces.

[0034] According to a third aspect, the present application provides an apparatus for processing parking space information, the apparatus including a memory, a processor, and a transceiver, the memory configured to store program instructions, and the processor configured to invoke the program instructions in the memory to perform the method according to the first aspect or any one of the possible implementations of the first aspect.

[0035] In some implementations, the apparatus may be a chip. In this implementation, the apparatus may further include a communication interface configured to communicate with another apparatus or device.

[0036] According to a fourth aspect, the present application provides a vehicle system, the system including an apparatus according to the second aspect, the third aspect or any one of the possible implementations of the second or third aspect.

[0037] According to a fifth aspect, the present application provides a vehicle, the vehicle including an apparatus according to the second aspect, the third aspect, or any one of the possible implementations of the second or third aspect.

[0038] According to a sixth aspect, the present application provides a computer-readable medium storing program code for execution by a computer to perform the method according to the first aspect or any one of the possible implementations of the first aspect.

[0039] According to a seventh aspect, the present application provides a computer program product, the computer program product comprising computer program code which, when executed on a computer, enables the computer to perform a method according to the first aspect or any one of the possible implementations of the first aspect.

[0040] The technical effects achieved by any one of the implementation examples of the second to seventh aspects refer to the technical effects achieved by any one of the possible implementation examples of the first aspect, and will not be described in detail again. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0041] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle according to the present application; [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic flowchart of a method for processing parking space information according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram of a structure in a vehicle running process according to an embodiment of the present application; FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a schematic flowchart of a method for processing parking space information according to another embodiment of the present application; [Figure 5] 4 is a schematic flowchart of a method for processing parking space information according to another embodiment of the present application; [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an apparatus for processing parking space information according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an apparatus for processing parking space information according to another embodiment of the present application; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0042] As the number of vehicles increases, the pressure on urban parking supply systems increases. Correspondingly, it becomes increasingly difficult to quickly and conveniently find parking spaces. The traffic flow caused by finding parking spaces not only increases road traffic volume and the risk of traffic congestion, but also worsens environmental pollution and energy consumption. Therefore, how to quickly detect parking spaces and announce parking space information to drivers has become a focus of research.

[0043] 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle according to the present application. As shown in FIG. 1, multiple types of sensors can be installed on a vehicle 100 to acquire environmental information around the vehicle using the sensors. The acquired information is analyzed and processed to perform functions such as obstacle detection, target recognition, vehicle positioning, route planning, driver monitoring, and driver alerting, thereby improving the traffic safety, automation, and comfort of the vehicle.

[0044] In one example, sensors that can be installed on the vehicle 100 include an imager, a LIDAR, a millimeter wave radar, an ultrasonic sensor, and the like.

[0045] The image capture device is configured to capture image information of the environment the vehicle is located in. Currently, multiple cameras are installed on the vehicle to capture information from more angles.

[0046] LIDAR is an abbreviation for light detection and ranging (Lidar). LIDAR mainly consists of a transmitter, a receiver, and a signal processor. The transmitter is the light-emitting mechanism of LIDAR. After the light emitted by the transmitter is irradiated onto an object, the light is reflected by the object and the reflected light is focused onto the receiver through a lens group. The signal processor is responsible for controlling the transmission of the transmitter, processing the signal received by the receiver, and calculating information such as the position, speed, distance, and / or size of the object.

[0047] Millimeter wave radar uses millimeter waves as a detection medium, and can measure the distance, angle, and relative speed to the object being measured from the millimeter wave radar.

[0048] An ultrasonic sensor (also known as an ultrasonic radar) is a sensing device that detects using ultrasonic waves. The operating principle of an ultrasonic sensor is that ultrasonic waves are emitted outward using an ultrasonic emitting device, and the ultrasonic waves reflected by an obstacle are received using a receiving device. The distance is calculated based on the time difference between the reflection and reception of the ultrasonic waves. Currently, the distance calculated by an ultrasonic sensor can be used to indicate the distance between the vehicle body and an obstacle, thereby assisting parking and reducing unnecessary collisions.

[0049] It should be noted in this disclosure that the application is not limited to a specific type of vehicle, for example, the vehicle may be a new energy vehicle or a conventional fuel vehicle, and the vehicle may have or may not have a network function.

[0050] For the vehicle 100 shown in FIG. 1 , there are mainly two common ways to detect parking spaces and publicize parking space information to drivers in the market. In a first implementation, when the vehicle 100 is traveling at a speed below 24 kilometers per hour, the vehicle 100 starts detecting parking spaces using sensors installed on the vehicle 100. Once a parking space is detected, a parking space reminder is displayed by the vehicle 100 using a device such as a central control screen, and the parking space is recommended to the driver. In a second implementation, the vehicle 100 starts detecting parking spaces only after the automatic parking function is enabled on the vehicle 100, and the detected parking space is then recommended to the driver.

[0051] However, in the first implementation, as long as the vehicle 100 detects a parking space when traveling at a speed of less than 24 kilometers per hour, it is understood that continuous reminders are provided using a device such as a central control screen. In this case, if the driver does not request parking, the driver's driving experience will be significantly affected and even a traffic accident may occur. In the second implementation, since the vehicle 100 starts detecting parking spaces only after the automatic parking function is enabled in the vehicle 100, parking spaces passed before the parking function was enabled cannot be detected, thereby reducing the possibility that the user will find a parking space.

[0052] In view of this, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for processing parking space information. In this method, when a vehicle is in the process of traveling, vacant parking spaces around the vehicle are detected in real time, and information about the detected vacant parking spaces is recorded. However, the information about the detected vacant parking spaces is not output. When a driver sends a parking request, information about vacant parking spaces is output, and the information about vacant parking spaces is recommended to the driver.

[0053] It should be noted in this disclosure that the present application can be applied to a situation where vehicle 100 needs to be parked. For example, the situation may be a situation where vehicle 100 needs to be parked when it arrives at an office location, a situation where vehicle 100 needs to be parked when it arrives at a residential apartment complex, or a situation where vehicle 100 needs to be parked when it arrives at an unfamiliar location. In addition to the above, it should be further noted in this disclosure that embodiments of the present application are not limited to the type of parking space. For example, the parking space may be a parking space in an underground parking garage, a parking space in an above-ground parking garage, or a roadside parking space.

[0054] Figure 2 shows a method for processing parking space information according to an embodiment of the present application. This method can be performed by the vehicle shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 2, the method provided in this embodiment of the present application includes S201, S202, S203 and S204. The steps of the method shown in Figure 2 will be described in detail below.

[0055] S201: During the vehicle driving process, it is detected whether there is an empty parking space in the vehicle driving environment.

[0056] An empty parking space can be regarded as a parking space without a parked vehicle. A vehicle's driving environment can be regarded as the surrounding environment of the vehicle during the driving process.

[0057] For example, Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a structure in a vehicle driving process. As shown in Fig. 3, in the current driving environment of vehicle 300, there are parking spaces on both sides (for example, parking space 1 to parking space 16 in Fig. 3). Assume that there are vehicles parked in parking space 1 to parking space 8, parking space 9, parking space 13, parking space 15 and parking space 16. In other words, there are no vehicles in parking space 10, parking space 11, parking space 12 and parking space 14. In this case, it can be considered that there are vacant parking spaces in the current driving environment of the vehicle.

[0058] In this embodiment, during the vehicle driving process, it is detected whether there is an empty parking space in the vehicle driving environment, in other words, even if the driver does not send a parking request, it is detected whether there is an empty parking space in the driving environment.

[0059] It should be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to the implementation of detecting whether an empty parking space exists in the driving environment of the vehicle in this embodiment of the present application. For example, the detection may be performed using a sensor on the vehicle.

[0060] S202: If an empty parking space exists in the driving environment of the vehicle, add information about the empty parking space to a first parking space information set, and the first parking space information set is used to record information about the empty parking space.

[0061] In this embodiment, after an empty parking space is detected, information about the empty parking space is added to the first parking space information set, in other words, information about the empty parking space is recorded.

[0062] For example, there are no vehicles in parking space 10, parking space 11, parking space 12, and parking space 14 described in S201. In other words, it is detected that parking space 10, parking space 11, parking space 12, and parking space 14 are vacant parking spaces. In this case, all of the information about parking space 10, the information about parking space 11, the information about parking space 12, and the information about parking space 14 are added to the first parking space information set.

[0063] In this embodiment, when information about vacant parking spaces is added to the first parking space information set, the information about vacant parking spaces that can be added includes (1) directly detected information such as the geographic location of the vacant parking space, the size of the vacant parking space, and whether a charging pile is available at the vacant parking space, and (2) indirectly obtained information by detecting signs, such as the type of vacant parking space (including public parking space, reserved parking space, and private parking space), parking time limit, whether to charge, charging criteria, etc. It should be noted in the present disclosure that the above information about vacant parking spaces that can be added is only an example and does not constitute a limitation to the present application. For example, more or less information about vacant parking spaces may be further added.

[0064] It should be noted that the present disclosure does not limit the specific form of the first parking space information set in this embodiment. For example, the first parking space information set may be hardware such as a memory, different from the above. The memory is configured to record information about vacant parking spaces.

[0065] S203: Receive first information, where the first information is used to request information about available parking spaces, where the available parking spaces include vacant parking spaces that meet predetermined conditions.

[0066] It can be seen that when the driver has a request for parking, the driver sends information (i.e., first information) to the vehicle to request an available parking space. In this embodiment, when the driver sends the information to request an available parking space, the information to request an available parking space may further include a predetermined condition. For example, the information may be information about available parking spaces within 1 kilometer, or information about available parking spaces within 5 minutes from the current time.

[0067] In response, the vehicle receives the first information.

[0068] S204: Output information about one or more available parking spaces according to the first information, where the information about the one or more available parking spaces includes information about vacant parking spaces in the first parking space information set.

[0069] In other words, only when the vehicle receives the first information, the vehicle outputs information about one or more available parking spaces and recommends the information to the driver. Conversely, if the vehicle does not receive the first information, the vehicle does not output information about one or more available parking spaces. In other words, it can be considered that information about one or more available parking spaces is output after the vehicle receives the first information.

[0070] It should be noted that the present disclosure does not limit the manner in which the information regarding one or more available parking spaces is output in this embodiment of the present application, for example, the output may be performed in the form of audio, or the output may be performed in the form of a central control screen interface.

[0071] According to the method for processing parking space information provided in this embodiment, before the driver sends information to request a valid parking space, detection of available parking spaces in the vehicle's driving environment is started and available parking spaces are recorded. Therefore, after the driver sends information to request a valid parking space, information about available parking spaces recorded before the driver sent the information to request a valid parking space can also be recommended to the driver. This expands the range for searching for available parking spaces and improves the possibility of finding an available parking space. In addition, before the driver sends information to request a valid parking space, information about available parking spaces is not recommended to the driver in any way. This avoids affecting the driver's experience. In other words, the method for processing parking space information provided in this embodiment can not only improve the possibility of effectively finding a parking space, but also improve the driver's experience.

[0072] In an optional embodiment, the predetermined condition includes the distance from the vehicle's current location being less than or equal to a second predetermined distance.

[0073] In this embodiment, a valid parking space is an available parking space that is within a second predetermined distance from the vehicle's current location, for example, a valid parking space is an available parking space that is within 3 kilometers from the vehicle's current location.

[0074] In a possible implementation, the second predetermined distance may be vehicle-defined information.

[0075] In another possible implementation, the second predetermined distance may be information input by the driver, in which case the method further includes receiving fourth information, the fourth information indicating the second predetermined distance.

[0076] It is generally known that a driver needs to make an emergency stop. For example, during a driving process, the driver needs to make an emergency stop along the road. In this case, a vacant parking space generally needs to be found near the current location of the vehicle. In view of this, in this embodiment, when the driver sends a parking request, in order to avoid outputting meaningless vacant parking spaces, the vacant parking space output is a vacant parking space that meets a second predetermined distance set by the driver.

[0077] It should be noted in this disclosure that in this application, a driving situation where the driver needs to stop suddenly is also described as a situation where the driver is traveling without a destination.

[0078] With reference to FIG. 4, the method for processing existing parking space information when a vehicle is traveling without a destination will now be described in detail.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 4, the method of this embodiment may include S401, S402 and S403.

[0080] S401: During the vehicle's driving process, the vehicle-mounted sensors are used to detect information about vacant parking spaces around the vehicle.

[0081] For example, cameras may be configured to capture the boundaries of available parking spaces, parking information signs (e.g., signs regarding whether the parking space is public, parking time limits and charging criteria), and whether chargers are available. Millimeter-wave radar and LIDAR may be configured to detect obstacles near parking spaces.

[0082] S402: Store information about available parking spaces in vehicle memory.

[0083] In this step, for a detailed description of the information about the vacant parking space, please refer to the description of the embodiment shown in Figure 2. The details will not be described again in this specification. For example, the information about the vacant parking space includes whether the parking space is available for parking, parking time restrictions, whether a charger is available, charging standards, and the size of the parking space.

[0084] In this embodiment, the memory can be considered to be configured to record information about available parking spaces.

[0085] S403: After the driver sends a parking request, information in the vehicle memory about an available parking space detected when the distance from the current location of the vehicle is less than or equal to a second predetermined distance is recommended to the driver according to a specific rule.

[0086] In this embodiment, information in the vehicle memory regarding vacant parking spaces detected when the distance from the vehicle's current location is less than or equal to a second predetermined distance can be recommended to the driver according to certain rules.

[0087] It should be noted in the present disclosure that the present embodiment is not limited to a specific rule. For example, three available parking spaces may be first recommended from the available parking spaces closest to the vehicle's current location or from the available parking spaces closest to the destination, and then the three available parking spaces with the lowest prices are recommended. Then, from the available parking spaces, the three available parking spaces with the largest parking spaces are selected. Finally, the optimal available parking spaces are selected from the selected available parking spaces based on the distance, price, and size of the available parking spaces and recommended to the driver.

[0088] Alternatively, after the information about available parking spaces in the vehicle memory is recommended to the driver according to certain rules, the driver can select a suitable available parking space from the recommended information about available parking spaces. For example, some drivers prefer large parking spaces, so the driver can select an available parking space with the largest parking space from the recommended information about available parking spaces. Some drivers use distance as a factor for selecting an available parking space, so the driver can select an available parking space that is closest to the vehicle from the recommended information about available parking spaces.

[0089] Alternatively, after the driver determines an available parking space, the vehicle may be manually or automatically driven to the determined available parking space and then parked in the determined available parking space.

[0090] Furthermore, information about available parking spaces in the memory may be processed. For example, in one implementation, available parking spaces may be temporally relevant and may be occupied by another driver after a predetermined period of time, making existing information about available parking spaces nearly useless for the next parking. Therefore, information about available parking spaces recorded in the current driving process may be deleted. In another implementation, only information about available parking spaces within the last 3 kilometers may be stored, or only information about available parking spaces within the last 30 minutes may be stored. This disclosure should note that the aforementioned 3 kilometers and 30 minutes are merely examples and do not constitute limitations on the present application. In yet another implementation, unlike the above, the processing is not performed temporarily. If the storage capacity is insufficient, the earliest recorded information about available parking spaces may be automatically erased.

[0091] According to the method for processing parking space information provided in this embodiment, the output available parking spaces are those that satisfy the second predetermined distance set by the user, thereby avoiding the output of meaningless vacant parking spaces.

[0092] In an optional embodiment, the predetermined condition includes a time difference between the time the vacant parking space is detected and the current time being less than or equal to a predetermined amount.

[0093] In this embodiment, a valid parking space is a vacant parking space detected within a time range that is equal to or less than a predetermined time range from the current time, for example, 30 minutes.

[0094] In a possible implementation, the default width may be vehicle default information.

[0095] In another possible implementation, the default width may be information input by the driver, in which case the method further includes receiving fifth information, where the fifth information indicates the default width.

[0096] The distinctive difference between this embodiment and the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is that the condition for an available parking space in this step is that the time difference between the time when the vacant parking space is detected and the current time is less than a predetermined range. 4 1. Since the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is the same as that shown in FIG. 1, the details will not be described again here.

[0097] In an optional embodiment, the method further includes receiving second information, the second information indicating a destination of the vehicle, and correspondingly, in the vehicle's driving process, detecting whether an available parking space exists in the vehicle's driving environment includes starting to detect whether an available parking space exists in the vehicle's driving environment after the distance between the vehicle's position and the destination becomes less than or equal to a first predetermined distance in the vehicle's driving process.

[0098] In this embodiment, the detected information about the available parking space is information about the available parking space that is within a first predetermined distance (set by the driver) from the destination, for example, the first predetermined distance is 3 kilometers.

[0099] In a possible implementation, the first predetermined distance may be vehicle-defined information.

[0100] In another possible implementation, the first predetermined distance may be information input by the driver, in which case the method further includes receiving third information, the third information indicating the first predetermined distance.

[0101] It is generally understood that a driver has a desire to drive the vehicle to a destination. For example, the destination may be an apartment complex where the driver lives, the driver's office, etc. In this case, the driver typically needs to park the vehicle in an available parking space near the destination. In light of this, the difference between this embodiment and the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is that the detection of an available parking space begins only after the distance between the vehicle's location and the destination is equal to or less than a first predetermined distance. For example, the detection of an available parking space begins only after the distance between the vehicle's location and the destination is equal to or less than 3 kilometers.

[0102] It should be noted in this disclosure that, in this application, driving a vehicle to a destination is also described as traveling with a destination.

[0103] It can be seen that the detection of an available parking space starts only after the distance between the vehicle's location and the destination is equal to or less than the first predetermined distance. In other words, when the distance between the vehicle's location and the destination is greater than the first predetermined distance, the detection of an available parking space is not started. This reduces the energy consumption of the vehicle.

[0104] With reference to FIG. 5, a method for processing existing parking space information when a vehicle is traveling with a destination will now be described in detail.

[0105] As shown in FIG. 5, the method of this embodiment may include S501, S502 and S503.

[0106] S501: During the vehicle's driving process, the vehicle-mounted sensors are used to detect vacant parking spaces around the vehicle.

[0107] In this embodiment, in order to reduce the energy consumption of the vehicle, the detection may be started after the distance between the vehicle's location and the destination is equal to or less than a first predetermined distance. For example, the first predetermined distance is 3 kilometers. Therefore, the detection may be started after the distance between the vehicle's location and the destination is equal to or less than 3 kilometers.

[0108] S502: Store information about available parking spaces in vehicle memory.

[0109] In this step, for a detailed description of the information about the vacant parking space, please refer to the description of the embodiment shown in Figure 2. The details will not be described again in this specification. For example, the information about the vacant parking space includes whether the parking space is available for parking, parking time restrictions, whether a charger is available, charging standards, and the size of the parking space.

[0110] In this embodiment, the memory can be considered to be configured to record information about available parking spaces.

[0111] In this embodiment, it is found that the information about vacant parking spaces stored in the vehicle memory is information about vacant parking spaces whose distance from the destination is equal to or less than a first predetermined distance.

[0112] S503: After the driver sends a parking request or arrives at the destination, the information about the available parking spaces in the vehicle memory is recommended to the driver according to a specific rule.

[0113] An available parking space is an empty parking space that meets predetermined conditions. In this embodiment, the information about the empty parking space stored in the memory is information about an empty parking space that is a distance from the destination that is equal to or less than a first predetermined distance. Therefore, the available parking space in this embodiment is information about an empty parking space stored in the memory.

[0114] It should be noted in the present disclosure that when the information about the available parking spaces in the vehicle memory is recommended to the driver according to a specific rule, the specific rule is not limited in this embodiment, and for the description of the specific rule, please refer to the description of S403 in the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0115] Alternatively, after the information about available parking spaces in the vehicle memory is recommended to the driver according to certain rules, the driver can select a suitable available parking space from the recommended information about available parking spaces. After the driver determines an available parking space, the vehicle may be manually or automatically driven to the determined available parking space, and then parked in the determined available parking space. Furthermore, the information about available parking spaces in the memory may be processed. For a detailed description of this part, please refer to the description of S403 in the embodiment shown in Figure 4. Details will not be described again in this specification.

[0116] According to the method for processing parking space information provided in this embodiment, the detected information about vacant parking spaces is the vacant parking spaces that meet the first predetermined distance set by the driver, thereby avoiding detection for excessive vacant parking spaces and thereby avoiding resource consumption of the vehicle.

[0117] In an optional embodiment, outputting information regarding one or more available parking spaces in response to the first information includes obtaining a second parking space information set via a network in response to the first information, where the second parking space information set is used to record information regarding vacant parking spaces; obtaining information regarding the one or more available parking spaces from the first parking space information set and the second parking space information set; and outputting information regarding the one or more available parking spaces.

[0118] It can be seen that if only the first parking space information set is used, there is a risk of missed detection or false positives due to inaccurate vehicle detection. Therefore, the difference between this embodiment and the embodiments shown in Figures 2 to 5 is that when receiving a driver's parking request (i.e., receiving the first information) and responding to the driver's parking request, information about one or more available parking spaces obtained from the first parking space information set and the second parking space information set is obtained. The second information set can be considered as stored information about available parking spaces obtained over a network. For example, some information about available parking spaces stored in the cloud may be obtained over a network.

[0119] According to the method for processing parking space information provided in this embodiment, information about one or more available parking spaces is output from two parking space information sets, so compared with the information about one or more available parking spaces being output through one parking space information set, the information about one or more available parking spaces obtained in this implementation is more robust.

[0120] Hereinafter, a method for outputting information about one or more available parking spaces through a first parking space information set and a second parking space information set will be described with reference to two specific embodiments. The first embodiment describes a scenario in which a vehicle is traveling without a destination, and the second embodiment describes a scenario in which a vehicle is traveling with a destination.

[0121] The first embodiment includes steps 1 to 3.

[0122] Step 1: During the vehicle's driving process, the on-board sensors are used to detect information about vacant parking spaces around the vehicle.

[0123] For a detailed description of this step, please refer to the description of S401 in the above embodiment.

[0124] Step 2: Store information about available parking spaces in vehicle memory.

[0125] For a detailed description of this step, please refer to the description of S402 in the above embodiment.

[0126] Step 3: After the driver sends the request, the information about the available parking spaces in the vehicle memory and the information about the available parking spaces in the second parking information set obtained through the network are recommended to the driver according to certain rules.

[0127] It should be noted in this disclosure that the difference between this embodiment and the embodiments of Figures 2 to 5 is that in this embodiment, the available parking spaces recommended to the driver are obtained from two parts: one part is information about available parking spaces in the vehicle memory, and the other part is obtained from a second set of parking information obtained over the network.

[0128] In this step, the information about the available parking space in the vehicle memory may be information about an available parking space detected when the distance from the current position of the vehicle becomes equal to or less than a second predetermined distance during the vehicle's driving process. For a detailed description of this part, please refer to the description of the relevant part of the above embodiment. Alternatively, the information about the available parking space in the vehicle memory may be information about an available parking space detected when the time difference from the current time of the vehicle becomes equal to or less than a predetermined range. For a detailed description of this part, please refer to the description of the relevant part of the above embodiment.

[0129] Alternatively, after the information about available parking spaces in the vehicle memory is recommended to the driver according to certain rules, the driver can select a suitable available parking space from the recommended information about available parking spaces. After the driver determines an available parking space, the vehicle may be manually or automatically driven to the determined available parking space, and then parked in the determined available parking space. Furthermore, the information about available parking spaces in the memory may be processed. For a detailed description of this part, please refer to the relevant part of the embodiment shown in Figure 4. The details will not be described again in this specification.

[0130] The second embodiment includes steps 1 to 3.

[0131] Step 1: During the vehicle's driving process, the on-board sensors are used to detect information about vacant parking spaces around the vehicle.

[0132] In this embodiment, in order to reduce the energy consumption of the vehicle, detecting information about vacant parking spaces around the vehicle starts after the distance between the vehicle's location and the destination is equal to or less than a first predetermined distance. For a detailed description of this step, please refer to the description of S501 in the embodiment shown in Figure 5.

[0133] Step 2: Store information about available parking spaces in vehicle memory.

[0134] For a detailed description of this step, please refer to the description of S502 in the above embodiment.

[0135] Step 3: After the driver sends a parking request or arrives at the destination, the information about the available parking spaces in the vehicle memory and the information about the available parking spaces in the second parking information set obtained through the network are recommended to the driver according to certain rules.

[0136] In this step, it is found that the information about available parking spaces in the vehicle memory is information about vacant parking spaces that were detected after the distance between the vehicle's position and the destination became less than or equal to a first predetermined distance.

[0137] Alternatively, after the information about available parking spaces in the vehicle memory is recommended to the driver according to certain rules, the driver can select a suitable available parking space from the recommended information about available parking spaces. After the driver determines an available parking space, the vehicle may be manually or automatically driven to the determined available parking space, and then parked in the determined available parking space. Furthermore, the information about available parking spaces in the memory may be processed. For a detailed description of this part, please refer to the relevant part of the embodiment shown in Figure 5. The details will not be described again in this specification.

[0138] Although the above-described embodiment is used to recommend an available parking space, it should be noted in the present disclosure that the method of the present application is not limited thereto. For example, the above-described embodiment may further be used to recommend a charger. In addition, it is further noted in the present disclosure that the method of the present embodiment may be further applied to another device with a sensing function to perform the sensing function, the storage function, and the recommendation function, for example, a robot automatically searching for a charging socket.

[0139] 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an apparatus for processing parking space information according to an embodiment of the present application. The apparatus 600 includes: a detection module 601 configured to detect whether an empty parking space exists in the driving environment of the vehicle during the driving process of the vehicle; an adding module 602 configured to add information about the empty parking space to a first parking space information set if an empty parking space exists in the driving environment of the vehicle, and the first parking space information set is used to record information about the empty parking space; a receiving module 603 configured to receive the first information and use the first information to request information about valid parking spaces, where the valid parking spaces include empty parking spaces that meet a predetermined condition; and a response module 604 configured to output information about one or more valid parking spaces according to the first information, where the information about the one or more valid parking spaces includes information about the empty parking spaces in the first parking space information set.

[0140] In a possible implementation, the receiving module 603 is further configured to receive second information, the second information indicating a destination of the vehicle, and correspondingly, the detection module 601 is particularly configured to start detecting whether an available parking space exists in the driving environment of the vehicle after the distance between the vehicle's position and the destination becomes less than or equal to a first predetermined distance during the driving process of the vehicle.

[0141] In a possible implementation, the receiving module 603 is further configured to receive third information, the third information indicating the first predetermined distance.

[0142] In a possible implementation, the predetermined condition includes the distance from the vehicle's current location being less than or equal to a second predetermined distance.

[0143] In a possible implementation, the receiving module 603 is further configured to receive fourth information, the fourth information indicating a second predetermined distance.

[0144] In a possible implementation, the predefined condition includes that the time difference between the time when the vacant parking space is detected and the current time is less than or equal to a predefined amount.

[0145] In a possible implementation, the receiving module is further configured to receive fifth information, the fifth information indicating the predetermined width.

[0146] In a possible implementation, the response module 604 is particularly configured to: obtain a second parking space information set through a network according to the first information, the second parking space information set being used to record information about vacant parking spaces; obtain information about one or more available parking spaces from the first parking space information set and the second parking space information set; and output information about the one or more available parking spaces.

[0147] 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a time synchronization device according to another embodiment of the present application. The device shown in FIG. 7 may be configured to perform the method according to any one of the previous embodiments.

[0148] 7, the device 700 of this embodiment includes a memory 701, a processor 702, a communication interface 703, and a bus 704. The memory 701, the processor 702, and the communication interface 703 are communicatively connected to each other via the bus 704.

[0149] The memory 701 may be a read only memory (ROM), a static storage device, a dynamic storage device, or a random access memory (RAM). The memory 701 may store a program. When the program stored in the memory 701 is executed by the processor 702, the processor 702 is configured to perform the steps of the methods shown in Figures 2 to 5.

[0150] Processor 702 may be a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits configured to execute associated programs to perform the methods illustrated in Figures 2 through 5 of the present application.

[0151] Alternatively, the processor 702 may be an integrated circuit chip and have signal processing capabilities. In the implementation process, the steps of the methods of the embodiments of the present application shown in Figures 2 to 5 may be completed using integrated logic circuits in hardware of the processor 702, or may be completed using instructions in the form of software.

[0152] Alternatively, the processor 702 may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processing (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic device, or other separate hardware components. The processor may implement or perform the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, or the processor may be any conventional processor, etc.

[0153] The steps of the methods disclosed with reference to the embodiments of the present application may be directly performed and completed by a hardware decoding processor, or may be performed and completed by a combination of a hardware module of the decoding processor and a software module. The software module may be located in a storage medium of the present technology, such as a random access memory, a flash memory, a read-only memory, a programmable read-only memory, an electrically erasable programmable memory, or a register. The storage medium is located in memory 701. Processor 702 reads information in memory 701 and, in combination with the hardware of processor 702, completes the functions required to be performed by the components included in the device of the present application. For example, processor 702 may perform the steps / functions of the embodiments shown in Figures 2 to 5.

[0154] The communication interface 703 may employ a transceiver device, such as, but not limited to, a walkie-talkie, to facilitate communication between the device 700 and another device or communication network.

[0155] Bus 704 may include a path for transmitting information between components of device 700 (eg, memory 701, processor 702, and communication interface 703).

[0156] It is understood that the apparatus 700 shown in the embodiment of the present application may be an electronic device or a chip configured in an electronic device.

[0157] All or part of the above-described embodiments may be implemented using software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When software is used to implement the embodiments, the above-described embodiments may be implemented in their entirety or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions or computer programs. When the program instructions or computer programs are loaded into a computer and executed, all or part of the procedures and functions of the embodiments of the present application are generated. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or another programmable device. The computer instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions may be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via a wired (e.g., infrared, radio, microwave, etc.) manner. The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or data storage device (e.g., a server, data center) with one or more available media integrated therewith. The media available may be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, or magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., DVDs), or solid-state media, which may be solid-state drives.

[0158] It should be understood that the term "and / or" in this specification only describes a relationship of association between related entities, and indicates that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B may represent three cases: only A exists, both A and B exist, or only B exists. A and B may be singular or plural. In addition to the above, the character " / " in this specification usually indicates an "or" relationship between related entities, but may also indicate an "and / or" relationship. For more details, please refer to the context for understanding.

[0159] As used herein, "at least one" means one or more, and "plurality" means two or more. "At least one of the following things" and similar expressions refer to any combination of those things, including any combination of singular things or any combination of plural things. For example, at least one of a, b, or c may refer to a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c may be singular or plural.

[0160] It is understood that in the embodiments of the present application, the serial numbers of the above processes do not imply an execution order, and the execution order of the processes is naturally determined based on the functions and internal logic of the processes, and does not naturally constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present application.

[0161] In combination with the examples described in the embodiments disclosed herein, those skilled in the art can conceive that the components and algorithm steps can be implemented by electronic hardware or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether a function is performed by hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can implement the described functions using various methods for specific applications, and this implementation should not be deemed to go beyond the scope of this application.

[0162] For the sake of convenience, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the detailed operation processes of the above-mentioned systems, devices and parts may be referred to the corresponding processes of the above-mentioned method embodiments, and the details will not be described again in this specification.

[0163] It should be understood that in some embodiments provided in this application, the disclosed systems, devices, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described are merely examples. For example, the division into parts is merely a division of logical functions, and other divisions may be used in actual implementation. For example, multiple parts or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be omitted or not implemented. In addition, interconnections, direct connections, or communication connections shown or described may be implemented using some interfaces. Indirect couplings or communication connections between devices or parts may be implemented in electronic, mechanical, or other forms.

[0164] The parts described as being separated may or may not be physically separated, and the parts represented as parts may or may not be physical parts, may be located in one location, or may be distributed across multiple network parts. Some or all of the parts may be selected based on actual requirements to achieve the objectives of the solutions of the embodiments.

[0165] In addition to the above, the functional sites of the embodiments of the present application may be integrated into one processing site, each site may exist physically alone, or two or more sites may be integrated into one site.

[0166] When a function is implemented in the form of a software function portion and sold or used as an independent product, the function may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution essentially present in the present application, the portion contributing to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution may be implemented in the form of a software product. A computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions that instruct a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, a network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the method described in the embodiments of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes any medium capable of storing program code, such as a USB flash drive, a removable hard disk, a read-only memory, a random access memory, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

[0167] The above described examples are only specific implementation examples of the present application, and the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any modifications and replacements that can be easily thought of by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present application are included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be governed by the protection scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0168] 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16 Parking spaces 100 vehicles 300 vehicles 600 equipment 601 Detection Module 602 Additional Module 603 Receiving Module 604 Response Module 700 equipment 701 memory 702 processor 703 Communication Interface 704 Bus

Claims

1. A method for processing parking space information by an apparatus, comprising: receiving second information, the second information indicating a destination of the vehicle; In the driving process of the vehicle, a step of detecting whether an empty parking space exists in the driving environment of the vehicle, in which the detection of whether the empty parking space exists in the driving environment of the vehicle is started after the distance between the position of the vehicle and the destination becomes equal to or shorter than a first predetermined distance; If an empty parking space exists in the driving environment of the vehicle, adding information about the empty parking space to a first parking space information set, the first parking space information set being used to record information about the empty parking space; receiving first information, the first information being used to request information regarding available parking spaces, the available parking spaces including vacant parking spaces that meet predetermined conditions; outputting information about one or more available parking spaces in response to the first information, wherein the information about the one or more available parking spaces includes information about the vacant parking spaces in the first set of parking space information; A method comprising:

2. The method comprises: receiving third information, the third information indicating the first predetermined distance; The method of claim 1 further comprising:

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined condition includes the vehicle being a distance from a current location that is less than or equal to a second predetermined distance.

4. The method comprises: receiving fourth information, the fourth information indicating the second predetermined distance; The method of claim 3, further comprising:

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined condition includes a time difference between the time the vacant parking space was detected and the current time being less than or equal to a predetermined amount.

6. The method comprises: receiving fifth information, the fifth information indicating the predetermined width; The method of claim 5 further comprising:

7. The step of outputting information regarding one or more available parking spaces in response to the first information includes: obtaining a second set of parking space information through a network according to the first information, the second set of parking space information being used to record information about the vacant parking spaces; obtaining information about the one or more available parking spaces from the first set of parking space information and the second set of parking space information; outputting information about the one or more available parking spaces; 2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

8. An apparatus for processing parking space information, comprising: a receiving module configured to receive first information and second information, the first information being used to request information regarding available parking spaces, the available parking spaces including vacant parking spaces that meet predetermined conditions, and the second information indicating a destination for the vehicle; a detection module configured to detect whether an empty parking space exists in the driving environment of the vehicle during the driving process of the vehicle, the detection module starting to detect whether the empty parking space exists in the driving environment of the vehicle after the distance between the position of the vehicle and the destination becomes equal to or shorter than a first predetermined distance; an adding module configured to, when an empty parking space exists in the driving environment of the vehicle, add information about the empty parking space to a first parking space information set, and the first parking space information set is used to record information about the empty parking space; a response module configured to output information regarding one or more available parking spaces in response to the first information, the information regarding the one or more available parking spaces including information regarding the vacant parking spaces in the first set of parking space information; An apparatus comprising:

9. The receiving module includes: receiving third information, the third information indicating the first predetermined distance; The apparatus of claim 8 , further configured to:

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the predetermined condition includes the vehicle being a distance from a current location that is less than or equal to a second predetermined distance.

11. The receiving module includes: receiving fourth information, the fourth information indicating the second predetermined distance; The apparatus of claim 10 further configured to:

12. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the predetermined condition includes a time difference between the time the vacant parking space is detected and the current time being equal to or less than a predetermined amount.

13. 8. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon program instructions for use in executing a computer to perform a method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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