Aerial Vehicle Parking Data Collection Using Orthomosaic Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for collecting vehicle parking data are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and limited in scope, often failing to provide comprehensive information on vehicle occupancy within parking lots due to manual surveys and the challenges of camera installation in obstructed or poorly viewed areas.
Innovation Solution
An automated vehicle data collection system utilizing aerial imagery, including image preprocessing, vehicle identification, and change detection, which uses calibrated imaging systems and advanced computer vision techniques to generate orthorectified orthomosaics and detect vehicle changes over time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If manual surveying methods are used to collect parking data, then data collection can be performed without specialized equipment, but the process becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical surveying methods with an automated optical imaging system. A camera mounted on an aerial vehicle captures images of parking areas, and computer vision algorithms automatically process these images to extract vehicle presence and occupancy data. This substitution eliminates manual labor while dramatically improving data collection speed and efficiency.
2Productivity
If cameras are installed in parking areas to automatically collect data, then data collection efficiency improves, but finding suitable installation locations becomes difficult due to obstructed sight lines and poor viewing angles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the camera system from ground level (2D plane within the parking area) to aerial dimension (3D space above the parking area). By mounting cameras on aerial vehicles that fly over the parking area, the system obtains unobstructed top-down views of all parking spots, eliminating sight line blockages from buildings, trees, and parked vehicles that plague ground-level installations.
3Ease of operation
If ground-level cameras are used to survey parking areas, then installation is simpler, but the viewing coverage is limited due to obstructed sight lines
Solution Approach 1:
The system moves the camera from ground level to aerial dimension, enabling comprehensive top-down coverage of the entire parking area. This dimensional change allows the camera to view all parking spots simultaneously without obstruction, dramatically increasing the effective viewing coverage area compared to ground-level installations.
Solution Approach 2:
The aerial vehicle-mounted camera system serves multiple functions: it captures images of multiple parking areas simultaneously, provides unobstructed views of all parking spots, and can be deployed flexibly to different locations without permanent installation. This multi-functionality makes the system more versatile than fixed ground-level cameras.
4Device complexity
If conventional entry/exit data collection methods are used, then data collection equipment is minimal, but the data obtained is limited and cannot determine where cars are parked within the lot
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces simple entry/exit counter systems with comprehensive aerial imaging and computer vision analysis. Instead of merely counting vehicles at gate points, the system captures detailed images of the entire parking area and uses algorithms to identify, locate, and track individual vehicles within specific parking spots, preserving complete spatial information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces computer vision algorithms as an intermediary between the captured images and the final data output. These algorithms process the aerial images to automatically identify vehicles, determine their locations within parking spots, and track movements, thereby extracting comprehensive location information that would be impossible to obtain with simple entry/exit counting systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of collecting vehicle parking data includes preprocessing images of a parking area, identifying a vehicle in a parking spot shown in one or more of the images, and detecting a vehicle change in the parking spot in the images collected at different times.