Autonomous Car Park Allocation for Fast Retrieval and High Utilization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing parking garage systems face challenges in optimizing space utilization and managing vehicle access during peak times, particularly in urban areas, without the need for higher-level vehicle management systems.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that utilizes an electronic computing device to determine the occupancy state of a parking garage, assigning vehicles to quick-access or long-term parking spaces based on decision criteria, and offering users a suggested pick-up time with incentives to adjust their vehicle's location, allowing for improved space management and utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If vehicles are assigned to quick-access parking spaces to ensure fast retrieval, then vehicle availability time is improved, but space utilization deteriorates during peak times

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle retrieval timeVSAvoidparking space utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The parking garage is segmented into two distinct zones: quick-access parking spaces for fast retrieval and long-term parking spaces for optimized storage. This segmentation allows the system to simultaneously satisfy both fast retrieval requirements and space utilization optimization by directing vehicles to appropriate zones based on predicted pickup timing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by predicting the pickup time before the vehicle is actually needed. Based on this prediction, the system proactively moves vehicles from quick-access spaces to long-term spaces in advance, ensuring that when pickup time arrives, spaces are available and retrieval can occur quickly without compromising overall utilization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If the parking garage operates autonomously without higher-level vehicle management systems, then system complexity is reduced, but space optimization capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle management system hierarchyVSAvoidparking space utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The parking garage system performs self-service by autonomously determining occupancy states, predicting pickup times, and executing vehicle relocation decisions without requiring external higher-level vehicle management systems. The system uses its own sensors, processors, and communication infrastructure to optimize space utilization independently

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring occupancy states of parking spaces and using this information to dynamically adjust vehicle allocation. The feedback loop includes detecting current space availability, predicting future pickup times based on historical data, and automatically relocating vehicles to optimize utilization while maintaining service quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Quantity of substance

If vehicles are moved to long-term parking spaces to optimize space utilization, then space capacity is improved, but retrieval time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparking space capacityVSAvoidvehicle retrieval time
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies preliminary action by predicting pickup times in advance and proactively moving vehicles from long-term spaces back to quick-access spaces before the predicted pickup time arrives. This ensures that when users need their vehicles, they are already positioned in quick-access locations, maintaining fast retrieval while allowing the system to maximize space utilization during intervals when vehicles are not needed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4107052B1Method for operating a car park parking system of a car park
Publication Date: 2025.09.10 MERCEDES BENZ GROUP AG
  • EP4107052B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4107052B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4107052B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Method for operating a car park parking system (12) of a car park (10), in which a current occupancy state of the car park (10) is determined by means of an electronic computing device (24) of the car park parking system (12), and in which a quick-access parking space (26) is allocated to a motor vehicle (22) to be parked on the basis of the determined occupancy state, wherein the motor vehicle (22) to be parked is moved to the allocated quick-access parking space (26) in a driverless manner, wherein an information message (28) is transmitted to a user (18) of the motor vehicle (22) to be parked by means of the electronic computing device (24) on the basis of a decision-making criterion, wherein the information message (28) suggests to the user (18) a collection time (30) determined by the electronic computing device (24) and, after the user (18) has accepted the suggested collection time (30), the motor vehicle (22) to be parked is moved from the quick-access parking space (24) to a long-term parking space (32) in a driverless manner. The invention further relates to a car park parking system (12).