Parking Occupancy Monitoring with Signal-Quality Error Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Communicating with devices in RF-shielded environments, such as underground or underwater, is challenging due to signal attenuation, and existing systems struggle to accurately monitor vehicle parking occupancy in difficult-to-reach locations.
Innovation Solution
A wireless node system that intermittently receives signals from vehicle sensing devices, measures signal quality over time, and correlates it with occupancy indicators to identify errors, utilizing magnetic field sensing technology to trigger events and detect vehicle presence in RF-shielded environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wireless communication is used to monitor vehicle parking occupancy, then monitoring capability is improved, but signal attenuation in RF-shielded environments causes communication reliability to deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces magnetic field sensing as an intermediary mechanism between the vehicle sensing device and the wireless communication system. The magnetic field sensor detects vehicle presence locally without being affected by RF shielding, and this detection information is then transmitted wirelessly when the device surfaces or communicates through alternative paths, thus mediating between the constrained sensing environment and the communication network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces reliance on purely electromagnetic (RF) communication with a hybrid approach that incorporates magnetic field sensing. Magnetic fields penetrate RF-shielded environments differently than RF signals, allowing the system to substitute magnetic field detection for RF-based detection in the shielded zone, while maintaining wireless communication capabilities for data transmission.
2Measurement precision
If continuous monitoring is implemented to improve detection accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic or event-triggered monitoring rather than continuous monitoring. The vehicle sensing device activates the wireless transmitter only when a change in occupancy is detected or at predetermined intervals, allowing the magnetic field sensor to continuously monitor passively while the energy-intensive wireless communication occurs only when necessary, thus maintaining detection accuracy while reducing overall energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses passive magnetic field sensing that requires minimal energy activation. The magnetic field sensor can operate in a low-power state, detecting vehicle presence through the vehicle's own magnetic signature without requiring active emission or high-power consumption, allowing the device to service itself with minimal external energy input.
3Device complexity
If simple sensing devices are used to reduce complexity, then device complexity is reduced, but false positives increase due to inability to correlate signal quality with occupancy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the wireless node multi-functional by combining magnetic field sensing capabilities with wireless communication and signal quality analysis in a single device. This universal approach allows one device to perform multiple functions: local magnetic field detection, wireless data transmission, and correlation analysis of signal quality with occupancy status, thereby improving reliability without requiring separate complex systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the wireless node receives and analyzes both the occupancy indicator from the sensing device and the signal quality metrics. By correlating these two data streams, the system can verify the accuracy of occupancy detections and identify false positives, with the feedback loop continuously improving detection reliability through pattern recognition and error correction.
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
Enables reliable monitoring of vehicle parking occupancy and event triggering in challenging environments by accurately sensing magnetic field changes and correcting for signal quality errors, ensuring efficient communication and reducing power consumption.
Implementation Method 1
the vehicle sensing device transmits the wireless signal upon sensing a change in vehicle occupancy of an associated parking location
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatuses, methods and systems for monitoring vehicle parking occupancy are disclosed. One method includes intermittently receiving, by a wireless node, a wireless signal from a vehicle sensing device, wherein the vehicle sensing device transmits the wireless signal upon sensing a change in vehicle occupancy of an associated parking location, wherein the wireless signal includes a vehicle sensing indicator, wherein the vehicle sensing indicator indicates whether the vehicle sensing device senses vehicle occupancy of the associated parking location, measuring a signal quality of the intermittently received wireless signal over time, correlating the measured signal quality of the intermittently received wireless signal over time with the vehicle occupancy indictor, and identifying errors in the vehicle sensing indicator based on the correlating of the measured signal quality of the intermittently received wireless signal over time with the vehicle occupancy indictor.