Wide-Area Parking Spot Identification Using Camera Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost and maintenance requirements of installing separate sensor hardware for each parking space make existing parking space monitoring systems inefficient and expensive.
Innovation Solution
A wide-area parking space monitoring system using a digital camera mounted on a raised structure with a field-of-view covering multiple parking spaces, employing optical characters and processors to identify available spaces, and transmitting unique identifiers via a narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) network, along with optional directional illumination to highlight available spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate sensor hardware is installed for each parking space, then parking space monitoring accuracy is improved, but system cost and maintenance complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple parking space monitoring functions into a single camera system. Instead of installing separate sensors in each parking space, one camera mounted on a raised structure captures images of multiple parking spaces simultaneously, and the processing system analyzes these images to determine occupancy status of each space individually.
Solution Approach 2:
The single camera system performs multiple functions: it monitors multiple parking spaces simultaneously, identifies occupancy status for each space, and provides wide-area coverage. This universal system replaces what would otherwise require multiple dedicated sensors, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining monitoring accuracy.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If separate sensor hardware is installed for each parking space, then parking space detection capability is improved, but installation and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple detection functions into a single camera system that can detect occupancy status across multiple parking spaces simultaneously. This eliminates the need for installing separate sensor hardware in each space, significantly reducing installation costs and complexity while maintaining detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using physical sensors in each parking space, the system uses optical copying through camera imaging to detect occupancy. The camera captures visual information of each parking space, and image processing algorithms analyze these optical copies to determine whether spaces are occupied or available.
3Device complexity
If a single camera monitors multiple parking spaces, then hardware cost is reduced, but the ability to accurately identify individual spaces decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image processing task by analyzing different regions of the captured image corresponding to individual parking spaces. The processing system divides the overall image into multiple zones, each representing a specific parking space, and independently analyzes occupancy status for each zone, enabling accurate individual space identification despite using a single camera.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces physical mechanical sensors with optical imaging and computational analysis. Instead of using hardware sensors that physically detect presence in each space, the system uses camera imaging combined with image processing algorithms to identify and analyze individual parking spaces, achieving accurate identification through software rather than additional hardware.
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
This solution reduces hardware costs and maintenance by monitoring multiple spaces with a single camera, providing efficient and cost-effective identification of available parking spaces, and enhancing visibility with directional illumination.
Implementation Method 1
a digital camera mounted to a raised structure, the digital camera can have a field-of-view facing downward toward a plurality of parking spaces
Implementation Method 2
a directional illumination device... cause the directional illumination device to project an image a distance from each parking space
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments detailed herein can include performing an initial calibration that maps each optical character of the plurality of optical characters visible in a field-of-view of a digital camera of a wide-area parking space monitoring system with corresponding parking spaces. The digital camera of the system may capture an image facing downward toward the parking spaces. The system may identify one or more optical characters that are visible within the image. The system may determine one or more parking spaces of the plurality of parking spaces that are mapped to the identified one or more optical characters, The system may output an indication of the determined one or more parking spaces that indicates the one or more parking spaces are available.