Method, computing device and computer program for providing parking management service

Abstract

A method, device, and computer program for providing a parking management service are provided. A method for providing a parking management service according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is a method performed by a computing device, comprising the steps of acquiring vehicle information regarding a vehicle approaching a parking lot and, if it is determined that the vehicle is a target vehicle based on the acquired vehicle information, providing a parking management service related to the target vehicle.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method, apparatus, and computer program for providing a parking management service. Background Technology

[0002] Various parking management systems are being applied in modern buildings, apartments, commercial facilities, and industrial complexes to efficiently manage vehicle entry and parking. These systems are becoming increasingly sophisticated with the development of unmanned and automation technologies, and include functions such as identifying incoming and outgoing vehicles using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), RFID, QR codes, and advance reservation systems, managing entry and exit history, and settling parking fees.

[0003] Existing parking management systems primarily operate based on the determination of vehicle entry and exit permissions and parking space usage information. Generally, they recognize license plates via cameras and determine whether the vehicle belongs to a pre-registered user (e.g., residents, employees, or regular parking pass holders); upon doing so, they automatically open barriers or gates or control entry by integrating with parking fee settlement functions. This approach contributes significantly to enhancing entry convenience and operational efficiency.

[0004] Some advanced systems also provide features that grant temporary access to vehicles of irregular visitors via payment terminals, unmanned kiosks, and mobile apps, in addition to pre-registered vehicles. In particular, various functions such as app-based vehicle registration, contactless authentication, and smart parking guidance have recently been added, and the operational efficiency and user convenience of parking lots are increasingly improving through convergence with AI and IoT technologies.

[0005] However, most conventional parking management systems operate based on whether a vehicle is 'allowed' or 'paid,' and rarely consider features to specifically 'caution' or 'warn' when a particular vehicle enters or exits. While some systems record the entry of VIP vehicles or provide functions to block blacklisted vehicles, these often remain static, and systems capable of notifying personnel in real-time or prompting immediate responses are relatively lacking.

[0006] Furthermore, conventional technology has limited capabilities for identifying vehicles or flexibly applying response policies by integrally utilizing various attribute information—such as exterior appearance, brand, size, model, and color—in addition to license plate numbers. Consequently, there is a problem in that it is difficult to detect in real time or respond systematically when a vehicle enters that requires prior caution from an operational or security standpoint, even if entry is permitted.

[0007] In particular, although logistics vehicles, external service vehicles, vehicles belonging to specific complainants, and vehicles with a history of past disputes may require different responses than general incoming vehicles, conventional systems lack the functional foundation to classify them separately or set them as targets for real-time monitoring.

[0008] Therefore, while conventional parking management systems are effective for the efficient operation of parking spaces and access control, they have limitations in real-time identification and response capabilities for vehicles requiring attention or surveillance, and technical improvements are required to compensate for these limitations.

[0009] The aforementioned background technology is one that the inventor possessed or acquired in the process of deriving the content of the present disclosure, and it cannot be considered as prior art disclosed to the general public prior to the filing of this application. The problem to be solved

[0010] The problem that the present disclosure aims to solve is to provide a method, apparatus, and computer program for providing a parking management service that enables effective vehicle management and efficient operation of a parking lot by providing a parking management service that identifies whether a vehicle approaching a parking lot is a target vehicle and performs an appropriate response, such as outputting a notification, when the vehicle is a target vehicle, for the purpose of resolving the problems of the conventional parking management system described above.

[0011] The problems that this disclosure aims to solve are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned problems will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art from the description below. means of solving the problem

[0012] A method for providing a parking management service according to one embodiment of the present disclosure for solving the above-described problem may include, in a method performed by a computing device, a step of acquiring vehicle information regarding a vehicle approaching a parking lot, and a step of providing a parking management service related to the target vehicle when it is determined that the vehicle is a target vehicle based on the acquired vehicle information.

[0013] In various embodiments, the step of providing the parking management service may include the step of setting conditions corresponding to a target vehicle, the step of determining whether the set conditions are satisfied based on the acquired vehicle information, and the step of determining that the vehicle is a target vehicle when the set conditions are satisfied.

[0014] In various embodiments, the step of setting conditions corresponding to the target vehicle may include providing a user interface (UI) to a management terminal of the parking lot, obtaining one or more pieces of information regarding the target vehicle through the provided user interface, and setting conditions for the target vehicle based on the one or more pieces of information obtained.

[0015] In various embodiments, the step of setting conditions corresponding to the target vehicle may include, based on parking data for each of the plurality of vehicles parked in the parking lot for a predetermined period, selecting a vehicle among the plurality of vehicles that exhibits an abnormal parking pattern as the target vehicle, and setting conditions using vehicle information of the selected vehicle.

[0016] In various embodiments, the step of setting conditions corresponding to the target vehicle may include the step of obtaining log data generated by using a parking lot monitoring service—which is a service that provides video data captured through a plurality of cameras installed in the parking lot—through the manager terminal of the parking lot manager, and, based on the obtained log data, if it is determined that a specific vehicle among a plurality of vehicles parked in the parking lot has been tracked and observed for a predetermined period of time or longer, selecting the specific vehicle as the target vehicle and setting conditions using the vehicle information of the specific vehicle.

[0017] In various embodiments, the set conditions include a plurality of conditions individually set for each of a plurality of different types of target vehicles, and the step of determining that the vehicle is a target vehicle may include, when two or more of the plurality of conditions are satisfied based on the acquired vehicle information, a step of selecting a target vehicle with higher importance among two or more target vehicles corresponding to each of the two or more conditions based on a pre-set importance of a plurality of target vehicles, and a step of determining that the vehicle is the selected target vehicle.

[0018] In various embodiments, the step of acquiring vehicle information may include providing a user interface (UI) to a management terminal of the parking lot and acquiring vehicle information regarding a vehicle that has entered the parking lot through the provided user interface.

[0019] In various embodiments, the step of acquiring the vehicle information includes the step of extracting vehicle information for the vehicle by analyzing image data acquired by photographing the vehicle through a camera installed in the parking lot using a pre-trained artificial intelligence model, and the extracted vehicle information may include at least one of the vehicle number, size, shape, type, color, and brand of the vehicle.

[0020] In various embodiments, the step of extracting vehicle information for the vehicle may include extracting a plurality of pieces of information corresponding to each of a plurality of items related to the attributes of the vehicle as vehicle information of the vehicle by analyzing the image data, wherein if information corresponding to more than a preset number of items among the plurality of items is not extracted or if information corresponding to an essential item among the plurality of items is not extracted, the step of requesting verification of vehicle information for the vehicle to the manager terminal of the parking lot manager may include

[0021] In various embodiments, the step of providing the parking management service may include providing a notification to the manager terminal of the parking lot manager when it is determined that the vehicle is the target vehicle, wherein the attributes of the provided notification—the attributes of the provided notification include at least one of the size, type, number of times, and frequency of the notification—are determined based on the importance or risk level of the target vehicle.

[0022] In various embodiments, the step of providing the parking management service may include, when it is determined that the vehicle is the target vehicle, providing a warning notification to the manager terminal of the parking lot manager, and if no feedback regarding the provided warning notification is obtained from the manager terminal of the parking lot manager for a predetermined period, providing an additional warning notification to the manager terminal of the assistant manager of the parking lot, and if no feedback regarding the provided additional warning notification is obtained from the manager terminal of the assistant manager of the parking lot for the predetermined period, closing the barrier of the parking lot to prevent the vehicle from entering the parking lot.

[0023] In various embodiments, the step of providing the parking management service includes, when it is determined that the vehicle is the target vehicle, providing parking guidance information to the driver of the vehicle based on the attributes of the target vehicle, and the provided parking guidance information may include any one of electric vehicle parking area guidance information provided when the target vehicle is an electric vehicle, disabled parking area guidance information provided when the target vehicle is a disabled vehicle, women-only parking area guidance information provided when the target vehicle is a vehicle driven by a female driver, and light car-only parking area guidance information provided when the vehicle is a light car.

[0024] In various embodiments, the parking lot includes a plurality of vehicle entrances and a plurality of barriers for opening and closing each of the plurality of vehicle entrances, and the step of providing the parking management service may include, when it is determined that the vehicle is the target vehicle and attempts to enter the parking lot through a specific vehicle entrance among the plurality of vehicle entrances, opening the barrier installed at the specific vehicle entrance among the plurality of barriers, and closing the barriers installed at the remaining vehicle entrances excluding the specific vehicle entrance until a predetermined time has elapsed from the time when the vehicle entered the parking lot through the specific vehicle entrance.

[0025] A computing device for performing a parking management service provision method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure for solving the above-described problem comprises a processor, a network interface, a memory, and a computer program loaded into said memory and executed by said processor, wherein the processor can perform a parking management service provision method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure by executing one or more instructions included in said computer program.

[0026] A computer program according to another embodiment of the present disclosure for solving the above-described problem may be stored on a non-transient recording medium readable by a computing device to execute a parking management service provision method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] Other specific details of the present disclosure are included in the detailed description and drawings. Effects of the invention

[0028] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, there is an advantage in that a parking management service is provided that identifies whether a vehicle approaching a parking lot is a target vehicle and performs an appropriate response, such as outputting a notification, when the vehicle is a target vehicle, thereby enabling effective vehicle management and efficient operation of the parking lot.

[0029] The effects of the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art from the description below. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0030] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and serve to further enhance understanding of the technical concept of the present disclosure together with the detailed description of the invention; therefore, the present disclosure should not be interpreted as being limited only to the matters described in such drawings. FIGS. 1 and FIGS. 2 are drawings illustrating a parking management service providing system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a computing device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method for providing a parking management service according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the process of extracting vehicle information from image data using an artificial intelligence model in various embodiments. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method for providing parking management services according to whether a vehicle is a target vehicle in various embodiments of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0031] The advantages and features of the present disclosure and the methods for achieving them will become clear by referring to the embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below but may be implemented in various different forms. These embodiments are provided merely to ensure that the disclosure is complete and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is defined only by the scope of the claims.

[0032] The terms used herein are for describing the embodiments and are not intended to limit the disclosure. In this specification, the singular form includes the plural form unless specifically stated otherwise in the text. As used herein, "comprises" and / or "comprising" do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components in addition to the components mentioned.

[0033] Throughout this specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same components, and "and / or" includes each of the mentioned components and all combinations of one or more thereof. Although terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used to describe various components, they are not limited by these terms. These terms are used merely to distinguish one component from another. Accordingly, the first component mentioned below may be the second component within the technical scope of this disclosure.

[0034] As used herein, the terms “part” or “module” refer to hardware components such as software, FPGAs, or ASICs, and the “part” or “module” performs certain roles. However, the “part” or “module” is not limited to software or hardware. The “part” or “module” may be configured to reside in an addressable storage medium or configured to run on one or more processors. Thus, by example, the “part” or “module” includes components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components, and task components, as well as processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. The functions provided within the components and “parts” or “modules” may be combined into a smaller number of components and “parts” or “modules,” or further separated into additional components and “parts” or “modules.”

[0035] Spatially relative terms such as "below," "beneath," "lower," "above," and "upper" may be used to facilitate the description of the relationship between one component and other components as illustrated in the drawings. Spatially relative terms should be understood as encompassing different orientations of components during use or operation, in addition to the orientations depicted in the drawings. For example, if a component depicted in a drawing is inverted, a component described as "below" or "beneath" of another component may be placed "above" of that component. Therefore, the exemplary term "below" may encompass both the lower and upper directions. Components may also be oriented in other directions, and accordingly, spatially relative terms may be interpreted according to the orientation.

[0036] Expressions such as "first," "second," or "first," "second" as used in this specification are used to distinguish one object from another when referring to a plurality of objects of the same kind, unless otherwise indicated in the context, and do not limit the order or importance of said objects.

[0037] Expressions used herein such as “A, B, and C,” “A, B, or C,” “A, B, and / or C,” or “at least one of A, B, and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and / or C,” “at least one selected from A, B, and C,” “at least one selected from A, B, or C,” “at least one selected from A, B, and / or C,” etc., may mean each of the listed items or all possible combinations of the listed items. For example, “at least one selected from A and B” may refer to (1) A, (2) at least one of A, (3) B, (4) at least one of B, (5) at least one of A and at least one of B, (6) at least one of A and B, (7) at least one of B and A, and (8) all of A and B.

[0038] As used herein, the expression “based on” is used to describe one or more factors affecting an act or action of a decision or judgment described in the phrase or sentence containing such expression, and such expression does not exclude additional factors affecting said act or action of a decision or judgment.

[0039] As used in this specification, the expression that a certain component (e.g., a first component) is "connected" or "connected" to another component (e.g., a second component) may mean that the said certain component is not only directly connected or connected to the said other component, but is also connected or connected through a new other component (e.g., a third component).

[0040] As used herein, the expression "configured to" may have meanings such as "set to," "capable of," "modified to," "made to," or "capable of." Such expression is not limited to the meaning of "specifically designed in hardware," and, for example, a processor configured to perform a specific operation may mean a generic-purpose processor capable of performing that specific operation by executing software.

[0041] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) may be used in a meaning commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains. Additionally, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries are not to be interpreted ideally or excessively unless explicitly and specifically defined otherwise.

[0042] In this specification, the term "computer" refers to any type of hardware device comprising at least one processor, and may be understood to include software configurations operating on said hardware device according to the embodiments. For example, the term "computer" may be understood to include smartphones, tablet PCs, desktops, laptops, and user clients and applications running on each of these devices, but is not limited thereto.

[0043] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0044] Each step described in this specification is described as being performed by a computer, but the subject of each step is not limited thereto, and depending on the embodiment, at least some of each step may be performed on different devices.

[0046] FIGS. 1 and FIGS. 2 are drawings illustrating a parking management service providing system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0047] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a parking management service providing system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a computing device (100), an administrator terminal (200), an external server (300), and a network (400).

[0048] Here, the parking management service providing system illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is according to one embodiment, and its components are not limited to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and may be added, changed, or deleted as needed.

[0049] In one embodiment, the computing device (100) can provide a parking management service.

[0050] In various embodiments, the computing device (100) can acquire vehicle information regarding a vehicle approaching a parking lot, and if it is determined that the vehicle is a target vehicle based on the vehicle information, it can provide a parking management service related to the target vehicle.

[0051] Here, the target vehicle may be a vehicle requiring special management (e.g., VIP vehicle, VVIP vehicle, blacklisted vehicle, etc.), but is not limited thereto; it may be an electric vehicle, a vehicle for the disabled, or a business vehicle (delivery, etc.) that requires parking in a specially designated parking space, or a vehicle designated in advance by the parking lot manager, such as a resident's vehicle or a visitor's vehicle.

[0052] In various embodiments, the computing device (100) may be connected to the parking lot manager's manager terminal (200) via a network (400) and may provide parking management services to the manager terminal (200). For example, if the computing device (100) determines that a vehicle is a target vehicle, it may provide parking management services related to the target vehicle to the manager terminal (200).

[0053] Here, the parking management service is a service that provides functions to assist in the smooth management of a parking lot, and may, for example, be a service that provides notifications guiding the entry of a specific vehicle. However, it is not limited to this, and the parking management service may further include functions provided to the driver of the vehicle (e.g., guidance functions guiding the driver to parking areas, empty spaces, etc.).

[0054] Here, the administrator terminal (200) may refer to any form of entity(s) in a system having a mechanism for communicating with a computing device (100). For example, such an administrator terminal (200) may include a PC (personal computer), a notebook, a mobile terminal, a smartphone, a tablet PC, and a wearable device, and may include any type of terminal capable of connecting to a wired / wireless network. Additionally, the administrator terminal (200) may include any computing device implemented by at least one of an agent, an API (Application Programming Interface), and a plug-in. Additionally, the administrator terminal (200) may include an application source and / or a client application.

[0055] Additionally, the network (400) may refer to a connection structure capable of exchanging information between each node, such as multiple terminals and servers. For example, the network (400) may include a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), the World Wide Web (WWW), a wired / wireless data network, a telephone network, a wired / wireless television network, a Controller Area Network (CAN), and Ethernet.

[0056] Wireless data communication networks may include, but are not limited to, 3G, 4G, 5G, 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), 5GPP (5th Generation Partnership Project), LTE (Long Term Evolution), WIMAX (World Interoperability for Microwave Access), Wi-Fi, Internet, LAN (Local Area Network), Wireless LAN (Wireless Local Area Network), WAN (Wide Area Network), PAN (Personal Area Network), RF (Radio Frequency), Bluetooth network, NFC (Near-Field Communication) network, satellite broadcasting network, analog broadcasting network, DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) network, etc.

[0057] In one embodiment, an external server (300) may be connected to a computing device (100) via a network (400) and may store and manage various information and data (e.g., customer information, information about target vehicles, etc.) necessary for the computing device (100) to provide a parking management service, or collect, store, and manage various information and data (e.g., target vehicle identification history, parking management service provision history, etc.) derived from providing a parking management service. For example, the external server (300) may be an internal database that stores and manages information about target vehicles, a customer relationship management server that stores and manages information related to customers, and a data warehouse that stores and manages parking data about vehicles parked in a parking lot, but is not limited thereto. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 3, the hardware configuration of a computing device (100) that performs a parking management service provision method will be described.

[0059] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a computing device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0060] Referring to FIG. 3, a computing device (100) according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include one or more processors (110), a memory (120) for loading a computer program (151) executed by the processor (110), a bus (130), a communication interface (140), and a storage (150) for storing the computer program (151). Here, FIG. 3 illustrates only the components related to the embodiments of the present disclosure. Accordingly, a person skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains will understand that other general-purpose components may be included in addition to the components illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0061] The processor (110) controls the overall operation of each component of the computing device (100). The processor (110) may be configured to include a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processor Unit), an MCU (Micro Controller Unit), a GPU (Graphic Processing Unit), or any form of processor well known in the art of the present disclosure.

[0062] Additionally, the processor (110) may perform operations for at least one application or program for executing the method according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, and the computing device (100) may have one or more processors.

[0063] In various embodiments, the processor (110) may further include Random Access Memory (RAM) (not shown) and Read-Only Memory (ROM) (not shown) for temporarily and / or permanently storing signals (or data) processed within the processor (110). Additionally, the processor (110) may be implemented in the form of a System on Chip (SoC) comprising at least one of a graphics processing unit, RAM, and ROM.

[0064] Memory (120) stores various data, instructions and / or information. Memory (120) may load a computer program (151) from storage (150) to execute a method / operation according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. When a computer program (151) is loaded into memory (120), the processor (110) may perform the method / operation by executing one or more instructions constituting the computer program (151). Memory (120) may be implemented as a volatile memory such as RAM, but the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0065] The bus (130) provides communication functions between components of the computing device (100). The bus (130) can be implemented as various types of buses, such as an address bus, a data bus, and a control bus.

[0066] The communication interface (140) supports wired and wireless internet communication of the computing device (100). Additionally, the communication interface (140) may support various communication methods other than internet communication. To this end, the communication interface (140) may be configured to include a communication module well known in the art of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the communication interface (140) may be omitted.

[0067] Storage (150) can store a computer program (151) non-temporarily. When performing a parking management service provision process through a computing device (100), storage (150) can store various information necessary to provide the parking management service provision process.

[0068] The storage (150) may be configured to include non-volatile memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), flash memory, a hard disk, a removable disk, or any form of computer-readable recording medium well known in the art to which the present disclosure belongs.

[0069] A computer program (151) may include one or more instructions that cause a processor (110) to perform a method / operation according to various embodiments of the present disclosure when loaded into memory (120). That is, the processor (110) may perform the method / operation according to various embodiments of the present disclosure by executing the one or more instructions.

[0070] In one embodiment, the computer program (151) may include one or more instructions for performing a parking management service provision method, which includes the step of obtaining vehicle information regarding a vehicle approaching a parking lot and, when it is determined that the vehicle is a target vehicle based on the obtained vehicle information, the step of providing a parking management service related to the target vehicle. Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, a parking management service provision method performed by a computing device (100) will be described.

[0072] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method for providing a parking management service according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0073] Referring to FIG. 4, in step S110, the computing device (100) can obtain vehicle information about a vehicle approaching the parking lot.

[0074] Here, the parking lot may include a plurality of vehicle entrances where vehicles can enter and exit, and a plurality of barriers installed at each of the plurality of vehicle entrances to open and close each of the plurality of vehicle entrances, but is not limited thereto.

[0075] Here, vehicle information refers to information for describing and identifying a vehicle, and for example, vehicle information may include, but is not limited to, at least one of a vehicle number, vehicle type, size, shape, color, and brand, and may include various information related to the vehicle.

[0076] In various embodiments, the computing device (100) can extract vehicle information about the vehicle by analyzing image data obtained by photographing the vehicle through a camera installed in a parking lot.

[0077] In various embodiments, the computing device (100) can extract vehicle information about the vehicle by analyzing image data obtained by photographing the vehicle using a previously trained artificial intelligence model.

[0078] An artificial intelligence model (e.g., a neural network) consists of one or more network functions, and one or more network functions may consist of a set of interconnected computational units that can generally be referred to as 'nodes'. These 'nodes' may also be referred to as 'neurons'. One or more network functions are composed of at least one node. The nodes (or neurons) constituting one or more network functions may be interconnected by one or more 'links'.

[0079] In an artificial intelligence model, one or more nodes connected via links can form a relative relationship between an input node and an output node. The concepts of input and output nodes are relative; any node in an output node relationship with respect to one node may be in an input node relationship with respect to another node, and vice versa. As previously mentioned, the input node versus output node relationship can be generated based on links. One or more output nodes may be connected to a single input node via links, and vice versa.

[0080] In a relationship between input and output nodes connected via a single link, the value of the output node can be determined based on data input into the input node. Here, the nodes interconnecting the input and output nodes may have weights. These weights can be variable and may be varied by a user or an algorithm to enable the artificial intelligence model to perform desired functions. For example, if one or more input nodes are interconnected to a single output node via respective links, the output node value can be determined based on the values ​​input into the input nodes connected to the output node and the weights set on the links corresponding to each input node.

[0081] As described above, an artificial intelligence model consists of one or more nodes interconnected through one or more links, forming input and output node relationships within the model. The characteristics of an artificial intelligence model can be determined by the number of nodes and links within the model, the relationships between the nodes and links, and the weight values ​​assigned to each link. For example, if two artificial intelligence models exist with the same number of nodes and links but different weight values ​​between the links, the two models may be perceived as different from each other.

[0082] Some of the nodes constituting an artificial intelligence model may form a layer based on their distances from the initial input node. For example, a set of nodes with a distance of n from the initial input node may form n layers. The distance from the initial input node can be defined by the minimum number of links that must be traversed to reach that node from the initial input node. However, this definition of a layer is arbitrary for illustrative purposes, and the degree of a layer within the artificial intelligence model may be defined in a way different from that described above. For example, the layer of nodes may be defined by their distance from the final output node.

[0083] The initial input node may refer to one or more nodes within the artificial intelligence model to which data is directly input without passing through links in relation to other nodes. Alternatively, within the artificial intelligence model network, in terms of relationships between nodes based on links, it may refer to nodes that do not have other input nodes connected by links. Similarly, the final output node may refer to one or more nodes within the artificial intelligence model that do not have output nodes in relation to other nodes. Additionally, the hidden node may refer to nodes constituting the artificial intelligence model that are neither the initial input node nor the final output node. An artificial intelligence model according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may have more nodes in the input layer than nodes in the hidden layer that are close to the output layer, and may be an artificial intelligence model in which the number of nodes decreases as it progresses from the input layer to the hidden layer.

[0084] An artificial intelligence model may include one or more hidden layers. The hidden nodes of a hidden layer can take the output of the previous layer and the output of neighboring hidden nodes as input. The number of hidden nodes for each hidden layer may be the same or different. The number of nodes in the input layer may be determined based on the number of data fields in the input data and may be the same or different from the number of hidden nodes. The input data fed into the input layer can be processed by the hidden nodes of the hidden layer and output by the fully connected layer (FCL), which is the output layer.

[0085] In various embodiments, the artificial intelligence model may be a deep learning model. The deep learning model has an artificial neural network (ANN) structure that includes a plurality of hidden layers in addition to an input layer and an output layer, and through this structure, it can automatically extract high-dimensional features of input data and perform tasks such as classification and prediction based thereon.

[0086] A deep neural network (DNN) is a representative deep learning model that can learn the latent structure of input data through multiple layers. This can be applied to various tasks, such as determining the presence of an object in an image or estimating an emotional state from speech or text.

[0087] Deep learning models may include various neural network structures in addition to DNNs. For example, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are effective structures for image and video-based object recognition, while Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) are suitable for time-series data analysis. Others may include, but are not limited to, autoencoders, Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), Restricted Boltzmann Machines (RBMs), Deep Belief Networks (DBNs), Q-Networks, U-Networks, and Siamese Networks.

[0088] According to various embodiments, a deep learning-based artificial intelligence model may include an autoencoder structure. An autoencoder is an artificial neural network that generates an output similar to the input data and is primarily used for purposes such as data compression, noise removal, and non-linear dimensionality reduction. Generally, an autoencoder consists of an input layer, one or more hidden layers, and an output layer, and follows a structure that encodes the input data into a low-dimensional latent space centered around an intermediate bottleneck layer and then restores it. At this time, the number of nodes in the bottleneck layer can be appropriately set to minimize information loss.

[0089] In various embodiments, the computing device (100) can extract multiple pieces of information corresponding to each of the multiple items related to the attributes of the vehicle (e.g., vehicle number, vehicle type, size, shape, color, and brand) as vehicle information of the vehicle by analyzing image data using a previously trained artificial intelligence model.

[0090] For example, referring to FIG. 5, the computing device (100) can extract one or more features of a vehicle by analyzing image data through an artificial intelligence-based image analysis model, and can obtain information regarding the type, size, shape, color, and brand of the vehicle as vehicle information based on the extracted one or more features.

[0091] In addition, the computing device (100) can extract text from image data using an artificial intelligence-based text extraction model and can obtain a vehicle number as vehicle information based on the extracted text.

[0092] At this time, if the computing device (100) fails to extract information corresponding to more than a preset number of items among a plurality of items, or fails to extract information corresponding to an essential item among a plurality of items, it may request the parking lot manager terminal (200) to verify vehicle information regarding the vehicle.

[0093] In various embodiments, the computing device (100) can provide a user interface (UI) to a parking lot management terminal, and can obtain vehicle information about a vehicle that has entered the parking lot directly from the manager through the provided user interface.

[0094] In step S120, the computing device (100) can provide a parking management service based on the vehicle information obtained through step S110.

[0095] In various embodiments, the computing device (100) can determine whether a vehicle is a target vehicle based on vehicle information regarding a vehicle approaching a parking lot, and if it is determined that the vehicle is a target vehicle, it can provide a parking management service related to the target vehicle. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 6, it will be explained in more detail.

[0097] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method for providing parking management services according to whether a vehicle is a target vehicle in various embodiments of the present invention.

[0098] Referring to FIG. 6, in step S210, the computing device (100) can set conditions corresponding to the target vehicle.

[0099] Here, the conditions corresponding to the target vehicle are elements and rules for determining whether or not it is a target vehicle. For example, the conditions may include the vehicle number being a specific number, the vehicle number being within a specific number range, or the vehicle number containing a specific digit or a specific character. In addition to this, various elements and rules for determining whether it is a target vehicle may be applied, such as the vehicle type being a specific model (or not a specific model), the color being a specific color (or not a specific color), or the brand being a specific brand (or not a specific brand).

[0100] Here, when a plurality of target vehicles corresponding to various types and kinds are set in the computing device (100), conditions for each of the plurality of target vehicles can be set individually.

[0101] In various embodiments, the computing device (100) may provide a user interface (UI) to the parking lot management terminal (200), obtain one or more pieces of information about a target vehicle through the user interface, and set conditions for the target vehicle based on one or more pieces of information about the target vehicle. For example, if the information about the target vehicle is vehicle number “XXXMaXXXX” and it is an A-brand electric vehicle, the conditions for the target vehicle may be set as having a vehicle number of ‘XXXMaXXXX’, having a number ‘X’ or a character ‘Ma’ in the vehicle number, being an ‘A-brand vehicle’, and being an ‘electric vehicle’.

[0102] In various embodiments, the computing device (100) can select a vehicle exhibiting an abnormal parking pattern among a plurality of vehicles as a target vehicle based on parking data for each of a plurality of vehicles parked in a parking lot for a predetermined period, and can set conditions using vehicle information of the selected vehicle.

[0103] Here, abnormal parking patterns refer to parking patterns that cause inconvenience to parking lot operators or users of the parking lot. For example, vehicles exhibiting abnormal parking patterns may include, but are not limited to, vehicles that repeatedly enter and exit within the time period for which parking fees are not paid (e.g., 30 minutes), vehicles that stop or park for more than a certain amount of time in areas where parking is prohibited, vehicles that park in light vehicle parking spaces even though they are not light vehicles, or vehicles that park in electric vehicle parking spaces even though they are not electric vehicles.

[0104] These abnormal parking patterns may be parking patterns set in advance by the parking lot manager, but are not limited thereto.

[0105] In various embodiments, the computing device (100) can obtain log data generated by using a parking lot monitoring service through a parking lot manager terminal (200), select a target vehicle using the log data, and set conditions using vehicle information for the selected target vehicle.

[0106] Here, the parking lot monitoring service may refer to a service that enables a manager to monitor and control the parking lot situation in real time by providing video data captured through multiple cameras installed in the parking lot. For example, the computing device (100) analyzes log data generated by using the parking lot monitoring service and, if it is determined that a specific vehicle among multiple vehicles parked in the parking lot has been tracked and observed for a predetermined period of time or longer (e.g., if video data captured by a specific vehicle is monitored for a predetermined period of time or longer), selects the specific vehicle as a target vehicle and can set conditions using the vehicle information of the specific vehicle.

[0107] In step S220, the computing device (100) can determine whether the conditions set for the target vehicle are satisfied based on vehicle information regarding the vehicle approaching the parking lot.

[0108] For example, when a condition set for a target vehicle is a vehicle number range, the computing device (100) may determine that the condition is satisfied if the vehicle number of a vehicle approaching the parking lot falls within the vehicle number range, and determine that the condition is not satisfied if it does not fall within the vehicle number range, but is not limited thereto.

[0109] In step S230, the computing device (100) can determine that the vehicle is not a target vehicle if the condition is not satisfied based on the vehicle information for the vehicle after going through step S220.

[0110] In step S240, the computing device (100) can determine that the vehicle is a target vehicle if the condition is satisfied based on the vehicle information regarding the vehicle through step S220, and accordingly, can provide a parking management service related to the target vehicle.

[0111] In various embodiments, when the computing device (100) determines that a vehicle is a specific target vehicle, it determines the type of service to be provided corresponding to the specific target vehicle based on the service type data for each target vehicle stored in advance, and can provide the determined type of service.

[0112] In various embodiments, the computing device (100) may, based on vehicle information of the vehicle, select a target vehicle with higher importance among two or more target vehicles corresponding to each of the two or more conditions when two or more conditions among a plurality of conditions individually set for each of a plurality of target vehicles of different types are satisfied, based on a pre-set importance of a plurality of target vehicles. For example, based on vehicle information, if the vehicle is a blacklisted vehicle and an electric vehicle, the computing device (100) may determine that the vehicle is a blacklisted vehicle by selecting the 'blacklisted vehicle' with higher importance, and may provide a parking management service corresponding thereto.

[0113] In various embodiments, the computing device (100) may provide a notification to the parking lot manager terminal (200) when it is determined that a vehicle is a target vehicle. At this time, the attributes of the notification (e.g., size, type, number of times, and frequency of notification, etc.) may be determined based on the importance or risk level of the target vehicle.

[0114] For example, when the computing device (100) determines that a vehicle is a VIP vehicle as the vehicle satisfies the conditions set for the VIP vehicle, it can provide guidance information and a voice notification of a first size to the parking lot manager terminal (200) at the first cycle, indicating that the VIP vehicle is approaching the parking lot.

[0115] Meanwhile, when the computing device (100) determines that a vehicle is a VVIP vehicle as it satisfies the conditions set for the VVIP vehicle, it can provide guidance information that the VVIP vehicle is approaching the parking lot and a voice notification of a second size larger than a first size at a second cycle shorter than a first cycle to the parking lot manager terminal (200).

[0116] In various embodiments, the computing device (100) may provide a notification to the parking lot manager terminal (200) when it is determined that a vehicle is a target vehicle. For example, when the computing device (100) determines that a vehicle is a blacklisted vehicle as it satisfies conditions set for blacklisted vehicles, it may provide guidance information and a notification to the parking lot manager terminal (200) indicating that a blacklisted vehicle is approaching the parking lot.

[0117] At this time, if the computing device (100) does not receive feedback regarding the warning notification from the parking lot manager terminal (200) for a predetermined period, it may provide an additional warning notification to the parking lot assistant manager's manager terminal (200).

[0118] Additionally, if the computing device (100) does not receive feedback regarding additional warning notifications from the manager terminal (200) of the auxiliary manager of the parking lot for a predetermined period, it may close the barrier of the parking lot to prevent the vehicle from entering the parking lot.

[0119] In various embodiments, the computing device (100) may provide parking guidance information to the driver of the vehicle based on the attributes of the target vehicle when the vehicle is determined to be a target vehicle. For example, the computing device (100) may provide guidance information for an electric vehicle parking area when the vehicle is determined to be an electric vehicle as it satisfies conditions set for an electric vehicle, and may provide guidance information for a disabled parking area when the vehicle is determined to be a disabled vehicle as it satisfies conditions set for a disabled vehicle. Additionally, the computing device (100) may provide guidance information for a women-only parking area when the vehicle is determined to be a female-driven vehicle as it satisfies conditions set for a female-driven vehicle, and may provide guidance information for a light vehicle parking area when the vehicle is determined to be a light vehicle as it satisfies conditions set for a light vehicle.

[0120] In various embodiments, when the computing device (100) determines that a vehicle is a target vehicle and attempts to enter the parking lot through a specific vehicle entrance among a plurality of vehicle entrances, it may open a barrier installed at the specific vehicle entrance among the plurality of barriers.

[0121] At this time, when the computing device (100) determines that the vehicle is a VIP or VVIP vehicle as the vehicle satisfies the conditions set for a VIP vehicle or VVIP vehicle, it may close the barriers installed at the remaining vehicle entrances, excluding the specific vehicle entrance, until a predetermined time has elapsed from the time the vehicle entered the parking lot through the specific vehicle entrance.

[0123] The aforementioned method for providing a parking management service has been described with reference to the flowchart illustrated in the drawings. For the sake of simplicity, the method for providing a parking management service has been illustrated and described using a series of blocks; however, the present disclosure is not limited to the order of the blocks, and some blocks may be performed in a different order or simultaneously than those illustrated and described in this specification. Additionally, new blocks not described in this specification and drawings may be added, or some blocks may be deleted or modified.

[0125] The method described above may be provided as a computer program stored on a computer-readable recording medium for execution on a computer. The medium may continuously store a program executable by a computer, or temporarily store it for execution or download. Additionally, the medium may be various recording or storage means in the form of a single or multiple hardware components combined, and may not be limited to a medium directly connected to a computer system but may exist distributed over a network. Examples of media may include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs; magneto-optical media such as floptical disks; and media configured to store program instructions, including ROM, RAM, and flash memory. Furthermore, other examples of media may include recording or storage media managed by app stores that distribute applications or sites and servers that supply or distribute various other software.

[0126] The methods, operations, or techniques of the present disclosure may be implemented by various means. For example, these techniques may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof. Those skilled in the art will understand that the various exemplary logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithmic steps described in connection with the disclosure herein may be implemented in electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly illustrate such interchangeability between hardware and software, various exemplary components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been generally described above in terms of their functional aspects. Whether such functions are implemented in hardware or in software depends on the design requirements imposed on the specific application and the overall system. Those skilled in the art may implement the functions described in various ways for each specific application, but such implementations should not be construed as departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0127] In a hardware implementation, the processing units used to perform the techniques may be implemented in one or more ASICs, DSPs, digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, electronic devices, other electronic units designed to perform the functions described in this disclosure, computers, or a combination thereof.

[0128] Accordingly, the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the present disclosure may be implemented or performed by any combination of general-purpose processors, DSPs, ASICs, FPGAs or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or those designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but alternatively, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, for example, a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors coupled with a DSP core, or any other combination of configurations.

[0129] In firmware and / or software implementations, techniques may be implemented as instructions stored on a computer-readable medium such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), flash memory, compact disc (CD), magnetic or optical data storage devices, etc. The instructions may be executable by one or more processors, and the processor(s) may be enabled to perform specific aspects of the functions described in this disclosure.

[0130] When implemented in software, the techniques described above may be stored on a computer-readable medium as one or more instructions or code, or transmitted through a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media include both computer storage media and communication media, including any medium that facilitates the transmission of a computer program from one place to another. Storage media may be any available media accessible by a computer. As a non-limiting example, such computer-readable media may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium accessible by a computer that can be used to transfer or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures. Additionally, any connection is appropriately referred to as a computer-readable medium.

[0131] For example, if software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair cable, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair cable, digital subscriber line, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included within the definition of a medium. As used herein, disk and disc include CD, laser disc, optical disc, DVD (digital versatile disc), floppy disk, and Blu-ray disc, wherein disks usually play data magnetically, whereas discs play data optically using a laser. The above combinations should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0132] The software module may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other known form of storage medium. An exemplary storage medium may be connected to a processor so that the processor can read information from the storage medium or write information to the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium may be integrated into the processor. The processor and the storage medium may exist within an ASIC. The ASIC may exist within a user terminal. Alternatively, the processor and the storage medium may exist as separate components within the user terminal.

[0133] Although the embodiments described above have been described as utilizing aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein in one or more standalone computer systems, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and may be implemented in conjunction with any computing environment, such as a network or a distributed computing environment. Furthermore, aspects of the subject matter in the present disclosure may be implemented in a plurality of processing chips or devices, and storage may be similarly affected across a plurality of devices. Such devices may include PCs, network servers, and portable devices.

[0134] Although the present disclosure has been described in relation to some embodiments, various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as understood by a person skilled in the art to which the invention of the present disclosure pertains. Furthermore, such modifications and changes should be considered to fall within the scope of the claims appended to this specification. Explanation of the symbols

[0135] 100: Computing device 200 : Administrator Terminal 300 : External server 400 : Network

Claims

Claim 1 A method performed by a computing device comprises: a step of acquiring vehicle information regarding a vehicle approaching a parking lot; and a step of providing a parking management service related to the target vehicle when it is determined that the vehicle is a target vehicle based on the acquired vehicle information, wherein the step of providing the parking management service comprises: a step of setting conditions corresponding to the target vehicle; a step of determining whether the set conditions are satisfied based on the acquired vehicle information; and a step of determining that the vehicle is a target vehicle when the set conditions are satisfied, wherein the step of setting conditions corresponding to the target vehicle comprises: a step of selecting a vehicle exhibiting an abnormal parking pattern among the plurality of vehicles as a target vehicle based on parking data for each of the plurality of vehicles parked in the parking lot during a predetermined period, and setting conditions using the vehicle information of the selected vehicle. The method includes the step of acquiring log data generated by using a parking lot monitoring service—which is a service that provides video data captured through a plurality of cameras installed in the parking lot—through the manager terminal of the manager of the parking lot, and, based on the acquired log data, if it is determined that a specific vehicle among a plurality of vehicles parked in the parking lot has been tracked and observed for a predetermined period of time or longer, selecting the specific vehicle as a target vehicle and setting conditions using the vehicle information of the specific vehicle, wherein the set conditions include a plurality of conditions individually set for each of a plurality of target vehicles of different types, and the step of determining that the vehicle is a target vehicle includes, when two or more of the plurality of conditions are satisfied based on the acquired vehicle information, selecting a target vehicle with higher importance among two or more target vehicles corresponding to each of the two or more conditions based on the importance of a plurality of target vehicles set in advance.A method for providing a parking management service, comprising the step of determining that the vehicle is the selected target vehicle, and the step of providing the parking management service, wherein when the vehicle is determined to be the target vehicle, a warning notification is provided to the manager terminal of the parking lot manager, and if feedback regarding the provided warning notification is not obtained from the manager terminal of the parking lot manager for a predetermined period, an additional warning notification is provided to the manager terminal of the assistant manager of the parking lot, and if feedback regarding the provided additional warning notification is not obtained from the manager terminal of the assistant manager of the parking lot for the predetermined period, the step of closing the barrier of the parking lot to prevent the vehicle from entering the parking lot. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 A method for providing a parking management service according to claim 1, wherein the step of setting conditions corresponding to the target vehicle comprises: providing a user interface (UI) to a management terminal of the parking lot; obtaining one or more pieces of information regarding the target vehicle through the provided user interface; and setting conditions for the target vehicle based on the one or more pieces of information obtained. Claim 4 delete Claim 5 delete Claim 6 delete Claim 7 A method for providing a parking management service according to claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring vehicle information comprises: providing a user interface (UI) to a management terminal of the parking lot; and acquiring vehicle information for a vehicle that has entered the parking lot through the provided user interface. Claim 8 A method for providing a parking management service according to claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring vehicle information includes the step of extracting vehicle information for said vehicle by analyzing image data acquired by photographing said vehicle through a camera installed in said parking lot through a previously trained artificial intelligence model, and said extracted vehicle information includes at least one of said vehicle number, size, shape, type, color, and brand. Claim 9 A method for providing a parking management service according to claim 8, wherein the step of extracting vehicle information for the vehicle comprises, by analyzing the image data, extracting a plurality of pieces of information corresponding to each of a plurality of items related to the attributes of the vehicle as vehicle information of the vehicle, and if information corresponding to more than a preset number of items among the plurality of items is not extracted, or if information corresponding to an essential item among the plurality of items is not extracted, requesting verification of vehicle information for the vehicle to the manager terminal of the parking lot manager. Claim 10 A method for providing a parking management service according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing the parking management service comprises, when it is determined that the vehicle is the target vehicle, providing a notification to the manager terminal of the parking lot manager, wherein the attributes of the provided notification—the attributes of the provided notification include at least one of the size, type, number of times, and frequency of provision of the notification—are determined based on the importance or risk level of the target vehicle. Claim 11 delete Claim 12 A method for providing a parking management service according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing the parking management service includes, when it is determined that the vehicle is the target vehicle, providing parking guidance information to the driver of the vehicle based on the attributes of the target vehicle, and wherein the provided parking guidance information includes any one of electric vehicle parking area guidance information provided when the target vehicle is an electric vehicle, disabled parking area guidance information provided when the target vehicle is a disabled vehicle, women-only parking area guidance information provided when the target vehicle is a vehicle of a female driver, and light car-only parking area guidance information provided when the vehicle is a light car. Claim 13 A method for providing a parking management service according to claim 1, wherein the parking lot comprises a plurality of vehicle entrances and a plurality of barriers for opening and closing each of the plurality of vehicle entrances, and the step of providing the parking management service comprises, when it is determined that the vehicle is the target vehicle and attempts to enter the parking lot through a specific vehicle entrance among the plurality of vehicle entrances, opening the barrier installed at the specific vehicle entrance among the plurality of barriers, and closing the barriers installed at the remaining vehicle entrances excluding the specific vehicle entrance until a predetermined time elapses from the time when the vehicle enters the parking lot through the specific vehicle entrance. Claim 14 A computing device (server) for providing a parking management service, comprising: a processor; a network interface; a memory; and a computer program loaded into the memory and executed by the processor, wherein the processor performs the method of claim 1 by executing one or more instructions included in the computer program. Claim 15 A computer program that is combined with a computing device and stored on a non-transient recording medium readable by the computing device to execute the method of claim 1.

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