Electronic License Plate for Parking Authorization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing parking systems cannot automatically determine whether a vehicle is authorized to use a specific parking place, making it difficult to enforce reservations or charging for designated parking areas such as those for the disabled, VIPs, or rental cars.

Innovation Solution

An electronic license device with a low-energy motion sensor and time-measuring means is used to transmit the vehicle's identification number and exact time of arrival to a central computer, linking the vehicle to the correct parking place by matching the arrival time with sensor data from parking sensor modules.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If parking sensor modules are used to detect vehicle presence, then occupancy status can be determined, but authorization verification cannot be performed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle detection accuracyVSAvoidvehicle identification information
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the parking sensor module's vehicle detection function with an electronic license plate reader. The sensor module detects vehicle presence while the electronic license plate reader captures and transmits the vehicle's identification number to the central computer, enabling both occupancy detection and authorization verification through a unified system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The central computer acts as an intermediary that receives data from both the parking sensor module and the electronic license plate reader. It matches the vehicle identification number with authorized vehicle data and correlates the detection time with parking place occupancy status, enabling comprehensive authorization verification without disrupting the existing sensor-based detection system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Extent of automation

If manual verification of authorized vehicles is performed, then parking regulations can be enforced, but automation and efficiency are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparking verification automationVSAvoidregulation enforcement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements automated feedback by continuously monitoring vehicle presence through sensor modules, capturing license plate numbers via electronic readers, and comparing them against authorized vehicle databases. The central computer automatically determines compliance and can trigger alerts or notifications when unauthorized vehicles occupy reserved parking places, ensuring reliable enforcement without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service verification where the electronic license plate reader automatically captures vehicle identification information and the central computer autonomously verifies authorization status against stored data. This eliminates the need for manual checking while maintaining high reliability through automated data matching and time-correlation algorithms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If multiple parking places are monitored simultaneously, then overall parking management is improved, but individual vehicle tracking becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparking place utilizationVSAvoidvehicle-parking place matching accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by recording the exact time a vehicle is detected by the sensor module and capturing the license plate number at that moment. The central computer stores this temporal and identification data before the vehicle moves, enabling accurate matching of vehicles to specific parking places even when multiple transactions occur simultaneously across different locations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a temporal dimension to the parking monitoring system by recording precise detection times for each vehicle. This time parameter serves as an additional identifier that allows the central computer to distinguish between multiple vehicles and accurately match each vehicle to its corresponding parking place, resolving ambiguities in high-utilization environments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method allows for accurate and automatic verification of authorized vehicle use in parking places, enabling proper fee charging and enforcement of parking regulations, even in busy environments.

Implementation Method 1

the license device is provided with motion sensor means, which together with time measuring means can determine exactly at what time a vehicle comes to a standstill

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMotion sensing:

Data Source

PatentEP2642461B1Method and system for automatically detecting and checking parking places
Publication Date: 2021.05.19 NEDAP
  • EP2642461B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2642461B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2642461B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Method and system for automatically detecting and checking the use of parking places (P) of a parking arrangement (1), which is provided with a parking network (20-28) and a central computer (29), the parking places (P) being each provided with an electronic parking sensor module (S1 - Sm), which has an identification code and a vehicle sensor for detecting a vehicle in the respective parking place (P), wherein use is made of electronic license devices (30), which are carried along with vehicles which can be parked in the parking places (P), the license devices each having a unique identification number and motion sensor means (33), which together with time measuring means (35) can determine at what time (t1) exactly a vehicle comes to a standstill, and wherein transmitting means (36, 37) are provided to transmit information about said time together with the identification number to the central computer (29), and wherein the central computer (29) can compare said time (t1) with times at which the parking places (P) become occupied, to determine on the basis of that comparison in which parking place the vehicle is parked.