Parking Space Map Updates Using Vehicle Parking Trajectories
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining parking space occupancy are imprecise and inefficient, relying on smartphone GPS data that is often unreliable for confirming parking events, leading to inaccurate parking space management and increased data transfer burdens.
Innovation Solution
Recording position sequences at high frequencies within vehicles, which are then transmitted to a server for analysis to identify parking trajectories, allowing for precise determination and updating of parking space occupancy status, independent of external data sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If smartphone GPS data is used to determine parking space occupancy, then the system can provide basic parking information, but the measurement precision and reliability of parking event detection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces smartphone-based GPS detection with vehicle-integrated detection systems including GPS receivers, accelerometers, and gyrosscopes. This substitution of detection mechanisms enables more reliable parking event detection through sensor fusion, where multiple sensors work together to confirm parking events with higher accuracy than smartphone GPS alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters used for parking detection from simple GPS coordinates to a multi-parameter approach including position data, acceleration patterns, orientation changes, and time stamps. By analyzing combinations of these parameters, the system achieves more reliable parking event detection and reduces false positives.
2Productivity
If position data is transmitted frequently to the server, then the occupancy status can be updated in real-time, but the data transfer burden and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic transmission of position data at predetermined time intervals rather than continuous transmission. The vehicle's control unit determines when parking events occur and transmits position sequences only at these intervals or when events are detected, reducing overall data transfer volume and energy consumption while maintaining timely occupancy status updates.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary analysis of position data locally in the vehicle's control unit before transmission. Parking events are detected and confirmed locally using sensor fusion algorithms, and only confirmed parking events or relevant position sequences are transmitted to the server, reducing unnecessary data transfer.
3Device complexity
If simple position information is used to detect parking spaces, then the system complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision and ability to confirm parking events deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the detection system into distinct functional components: GPS receivers for position acquisition, accelerometers for motion detection, gyrosscopes for orientation tracking, and control units for event analysis. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specialized function efficiently while maintaining overall system manageability and moderate complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle's control unit serves multiple functions: it processes position data from GPS, analyzes acceleration and orientation patterns, detects parking events, and communicates with the server. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems while maintaining detection precision.
Data Source
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AI summary
Method for ascertaining and/or managing a parking space map, describing occupancy states of parking spaces for a motor vehicle (2, 2') in a parking space area, in a motor-vehicle-external server device, wherein a position sequence (4), covering a predetermined operating section, of geodetic positions (5) and/or positions relatable to geodetic positions that are visited by the motor vehicle (2, 2'), which position sequence is transmitted to the server device when a parking criterion indicating parking of the respective motor vehicle (2, 2') occurs, is recorded inside motor vehicles (2, 2') of a vehicle fleet communicating with the server device, with the server device checking, on receipt of a position sequence (4), whether the position sequence (4) describes a parking trajectory for a parking space (3, 3') that is managed or to be managed, and marking the parking space (3, 3') described by the final position in the position sequence (4) as occupied when a parking trajectory is detected.