Vehicle Parking Status Detection Using GPS Signal Absence

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicle manufacturers and dealers face challenges in determining whether vehicles are parked in enclosed structures, as existing methods lack effective means to assess this information from recorded data.

Innovation Solution

A system that records and evaluates navigation data, including GPS data, to identify parking events by determining the absence of GPS navigation data, indicating potential parking in enclosed structures, using a processor to associate vehicle condition data and determine parking status.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If GPS navigation data is used to determine parking status, then positioning accuracy is improved, but the ability to detect enclosed structure parking is worsened because GPS data is unavailable in enclosed structures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparking status detection accuracyVSAvoidGPS navigation data availability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of GPS signal blockage (which occurs in enclosed structures) into a beneficial indicator for detecting enclosed structure parking. By monitoring the absence of GPS data and correlating it with vehicle stationary conditions, the system uses the GPS signal failure itself as evidence that the vehicle is parked in an enclosed structure, thereby turning the limitation into a useful detection feature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary approach by combining multiple data sources (GPS navigation data, vehicle condition data, and navigation system records) to determine parking status. The system uses the absence of GPS data as one indicator and correlates it with other vehicle state information to infer enclosed structure parking, effectively mediating between the incomplete GPS information and the need for accurate parking status determination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If multiple data sources are combined to determine parking status, then detection reliability is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparking status determination reliabilityVSAvoiddata processing system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the data processing task into distinct components: recording GPS navigation data, recording vehicle condition data, associating navigation data with parking events, and determining parking status based on the absence of GPS data. This segmentation allows each component to process and analyze specific types of data independently, reducing the complexity of handling all data simultaneously while improving overall reliability through comprehensive data collection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9495810B2Determination of whether a driver parks their vehicle in an enclosed structure

Publication Date: 2016.11.15 NISSAN MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

In a method for identifying the parking status of a vehicle, navigation data for a vehicle is recorded that includes at least some GPS navigation data originating from communication with GPS satellites. The vehicle is identified as being parked in an enclosed structure for a parking event if the navigation data does not include GPS navigation data associated with the parking event.