Parking Fee Notification Timing for Reduced Communication Costs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of parking lots face challenges in accessing timely information about the usage status of parking lots.

Innovation Solution

A parking information service system that includes a receiving unit for parking start time information, a calculation unit for determining parking fees, and a transmitting unit for displaying these fees on a user's terminal at a designated timing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If parking fee information is provided continuously to users, then users can access timely information about parking lot usage status, but communication costs increase and users may be disturbed during parking

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetimely information accessVSAvoidcommunication costs
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides parking fee information to users at periodic intervals rather than continuously. The notification unit transmits fee information at predetermined timings (e.g., when parking duration reaches certain thresholds or at regular intervals), reducing communication frequency while ensuring users receive timely updates about their parking status and costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Loss of information

If parking fee information is provided continuously to users, then users can access timely information about parking lot usage status, but user disturbance increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetimely information accessVSAvoiduser disturbance
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The notification unit provides information at predetermined intervals rather than continuously, reducing user disturbance while maintaining timely information delivery. The system sends notifications at appropriate moments based on parking duration thresholds or scheduled intervals, avoiding constant interruptions to users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Measurement precision

If real-time parking fee calculation is implemented, then accurate fee information is provided, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefee calculation accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The parking management system automatically performs fee calculations based on recorded parking start and end times without requiring manual intervention. The calculation unit computes fees using predetermined rate structures, and the notification unit automatically transmits results to users, eliminating the need for complex manual processing while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4141821A1Parking information service system
Publication Date: 2023.03.01 SUZUKI MOTOR CORP
  • EP4141821A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4141821A1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP4141821A1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

[Problems to be Solved] To provide a user of a parking lot with information about a usage status of the parking lot at an appropriate timing. [Solution] A parking information service system includes: a receiving unit receiving information about a parking start time of a vehicle in a predetermined area; a calculation unit calculating a parking fee of the vehicle; and a transmitting unit transmitting information about the parking fee to a terminal of a user of the vehicle, in which the information about the parking fee is displayed (S132) on a display unit of the terminal at a first timing (S131).