OBD Dongle Automatic Parking Payment via Engine State Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for paying for parking services are overly complex and lack efficient payment solutions, with previous methods requiring manual intervention, inadequate information flow, and no integration with vehicle diagnostics.
Innovation Solution
A method and system utilizing an OBD dongle connected to a vehicle's engine control unit for automatic payment processing, where the vehicle device initiates and ends parking sessions based on engine state changes, transmitting session data to a back-end infrastructure for payment processing, eliminating the need for manual payment methods and providing real-time information on parking availability and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual payment methods (payment cards, coins, SMS) are used for parking, then payment can be made, but the operation becomes complex and requires additional user actions
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic payment processing by detecting engine state changes (on/off) and automatically initiating parking sessions and processing payments without requiring manual user actions such as inserting payment cards, coins, or sending SMS messages. The vehicle itself serves as the payment initiation device through its engine control unit and onboard communication systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the vehicle's engine control unit, communication systems, and payment processing functions into an integrated system. The OBD dongle merges diagnostic capabilities with payment initiation and session management, eliminating the need for separate manual payment devices and simplifying the user experience.
2Loss of information
If parking payment systems are implemented without vehicle integration, then payment processing is possible, but information flow is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes the vehicle's existing communication infrastructure (OBD port, engine control unit) for multiple purposes: diagnostic data collection, location tracking, payment initiation, and session management. This multi-functional approach ensures comprehensive information flow without requiring separate dedicated systems.
3Reliability
If mobile devices are required for recording parking location and retrieving vehicles, then location tracking is possible, but user dependency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the location tracking and payment initiation functions from the user's mobile device and relocates them to the vehicle's onboard systems. The engine control unit and OBD dongle independently record parking location and initiate payment sessions, eliminating the need for the user to manually operate a mobile device for these functions.
4Productivity
If automatic payment processing is implemented without vehicle state detection, then payment speed increases, but accuracy of parking session detection decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors engine state (on/off) through the engine control unit and uses this feedback to automatically initiate and terminate parking sessions. This real-time feedback mechanism ensures accurate detection of parking events while enabling immediate automatic payment processing, achieving both high speed and high precision.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for the payment of a service and/or a product with respect to a vehicle and a parking location, wherein said vehicle is managed by a user, wherein said vehicle comprises a vehicle device, wherein said method comprises amongst other things the following steps: the arrival of said vehicle at said parking location; the transmission of a session request comprising a coordinate to a back-end infrastructure by said vehicle device; the receipt of an availability and/or a price indication of said parking location by said vehicle device of said back-end infrastructure; if said parking location is available, the initiation of a parking session belonging to said service and/or said product.