Parking Vacancy Detection Using Vehicle Shadow Gaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles face challenges in detecting vacant parking spots without requiring traversal to a position adjacent to the spot, due to occlusion by other vehicles, which complicates the process and requires extensive aisle traversal.
Innovation Solution
The system utilizes sensors to detect shadows cast by parked vehicles and analyze gaps between shadows to identify vacant parking spots without needing to be adjacent to the spot, using techniques like computer vision and infrared imaging to determine shadow attributes and thresholds for vacancy detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the vehicle travels to a position adjacent to the vacant spot to detect it, then the detection accuracy is improved, but the time and distance required for traversal increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from direct adjacent detection (one-dimensional approach requiring physical proximity) to remote detection using shadow analysis (adding a temporal/spatial dimension). By detecting shadows cast by parked vehicles on the ground from a distance, the system can determine spot occupancy without being adjacent to the spot, thus reducing traversal time while maintaining detection capability.
2Measurement precision
If the vehicle travels to a position adjacent to the vacant spot to detect it, then the detection accuracy is improved, but the complexity of the parking operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system adds the dimension of shadow analysis to enable detection from a distance, eliminating the need for complex navigation to adjacent positions. The processor analyzes shadow patterns, vehicle positions, and aisle geometry to determine occupancy status remotely, simplifying the overall parking operation while maintaining accurate detection.
3Loss of information
If the vehicle traverses multiple parking aisles to find a vacant spot, then the detection coverage is improved, but the energy consumption and time loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection by analyzing shadows and vehicle positions from a distance before committing to traversal. The processor evaluates multiple potential vacant spots by examining shadow patterns in advance, allowing the vehicle to select the nearest vacant spot and traverse only the necessary aisle, thereby reducing energy consumption and time loss while maintaining comprehensive detection coverage.
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 efficient detection of parking spot vacancies from a distance, reducing unnecessary aisle traversal and optimizing self-parking operations by determining occupancy directly from the aisle end.
Implementation Method 1
analyzing the received sensor data to detect shadows cast by parked vehicles within the parking aisle
Data Source
AI summary
A method of identifying vacant parking locations includes receiving sensor data captured with respect to a parking aisle and analyzing the received sensor data to detect shadows cast by parked vehicles within the parking aisle. Vacant parking spots are detected based on the detected shadows. An output is generated indicating whether a parking spot vacancy has been detected within the parking aisle.