Parking Availability Update via Vehicle Sensor Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current parking guidance and information systems rely on infrastructure-mounted sensors to communicate parking space availability, which can be inefficient and may not accurately reflect real-time changes, especially when vehicles with sensors are not actively transmitting data.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a processor and memory to obtain and calculate current parking space availability, receiving information from vehicles with sensors, such as cameras or ranging sensors, to update counts and communicate revised availability to nearby vehicles for action, even when the transmitting vehicle is not actively propelling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If infrastructure-mounted sensors are used to communicate parking space availability, then the system can provide parking guidance information, but the system may not accurately reflect real-time changes when vehicles with sensors are not actively transmitting data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a central server as an intermediary that receives data from multiple vehicle-mounted sensors and infrastructure sensors, processes this information, and generates authoritative parking availability data. This mediator consolidates information from diverse sources to overcome the reliability issues of individual vehicle sensors not actively transmitting and provides a centralized point for accurate, real-time parking space availability information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements multi-functionality by having the central server perform multiple roles: collecting data from vehicle-mounted sensors, receiving data from infrastructure sensors, validating information, calculating parking availability, and distributing updates to both vehicles and infrastructure displays. This universal platform ensures comprehensive and reliable real-time monitoring regardless of individual sensor transmission status.
2Productivity
If vehicle-mounted sensors are used to detect parking space occupancy, then real-time updates can be provided, but the system complexity increases compared to infrastructure-only solutions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges vehicle-mounted sensor capabilities with infrastructure-mounted sensor systems into a unified parking guidance network. By combining these two sensing approaches and processing them through a central server, the system achieves higher detection efficiency and real-time accuracy while managing complexity through centralized coordination rather than distributed independence.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback loops where vehicle-mounted sensors continuously report occupancy status to the central server, which then validates this information against infrastructure sensor data and sends corrections or confirmations back to vehicles. This feedback mechanism improves detection efficiency by cross-validating data while maintaining manageable system complexity through structured communication protocols.
3Loss of information
If the system waits for vehicles to actively transmit sensor data, then communication bandwidth is conserved, but parking space availability updates are delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic action by having the central server request data from vehicle-mounted sensors at scheduled intervals and having vehicles transmit occupancy status periodically rather than continuously. This approach ensures timely updates of parking space availability while conserving communication energy by avoiding constant transmission, achieving a balance between information freshness and energy consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for communicating information about parking space availability can include a processor and a memory. The memory can store a calculations module and a communications module. The calculations module can include instructions that cause the processor to: (1) obtain a current count of spaces available for parking in an area designated for parking and (2) calculate, based on the current count and information, a revised count of the spaces. The information can indicate that a second vehicle has moved into or out of the area. The communications module can include instructions that cause the processor to: (1) receive, from a first vehicle, the information and (2) cause the revised count to be communicated to a component of a vehicle, in a vicinity of the area, for an action to be performed. The first vehicle can be parked. The information can be received via a sensor of the first vehicle.