FR2928222A1 - Parking space managing device for landborne vehicle i.e. car, has digital communication units communicating with centralized digital managing system that manages another managing device corresponding to parking space - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has image capturing units successively arranged for monitoring a parking space. Digital analysis units detect presence or absence of a landborne vehicle, and recognize a visual identification device provided in the vehicle in real time and periodic manner. Digital communication units communicate with a centralized digital managing system that manages a managing device corresponding to the parking space. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a method for managing a parking space of a landborne vehicle (2) a system for managing a parking space of a landborne vehicle comprising an automated terminal.

Description

-1- Device, method and system for managing parking spaces in a parking lot

The invention relates to a device for managing an automobile parking space and the corresponding payment, as well as a management method and a system implementing such a method. A number of problems or difficulties exist in the use and management of a parking lot, such as underground or multilevel parks, often paid for by a time-stamped ticket at the entrance and serving to count the time spent by the user in the parking lot, usually to encrypt a payment out. Users sometimes lose a significant amount of time to find an available space, as well as to make their payment to the often congested automatic cash registers. In addition, the faster the user is guided to a free parking space, the less his vehicle emits gas polluting the environment. The trips of the exhaust gas extractor engines (CO2, CO, NO) of the parking lot and therefore the electrical consumption can be reduced, as well as the quantity of pollutants emitted and discharged to the outside. In addition, it is common for a user to lose their parking ticket or forget it in their car, or forget the location where they parked their vehicle when they entered. It may be interesting to be able to deliver this information. Several systems already exist on the market which are essentially based on a system of counting in and out of vehicles. The document FR2756959A1 discloses a device which locally detects the occupation of a parking space and displays it on the spot by means of a sign which can be switched on or off according to a pre-established convention. Document PCT / FR2005 / 050751 describes a system similar to the previous one with, in addition, an acoustic message triggered at the moment when a vehicle is parked on a parking space in a building, indicating to the user the references of the parking space . Such systems do not, however, guide the user more than a few meters in advance, to inform him about the location where he left his vehicle, nor to bill the actual time spent in parking. An object of the invention is to manage all the parking spaces, so as to guide optimally and automatically the user to a free place.

Another object of the invention is to identify all the parked vehicles and to time their time spent on their parking space, so as to deliver this information to the parking billing system. Yet another object of the invention is to identify and locate in real time each vehicle parked in the parking lot, and to be able to indicate the location of a given vehicle. In addition, it would be beneficial to allow the operator to provide a more relevant service, for example by charging only time spent parking and not taxiing or paying for taxiways or guiding them. on the most direct and fastest route to a free and adapted place (for example the size of the vehicle, or for a disabled driver).

In addition, such new functions, such as those already known in the operation of a fleet of vehicles according to the prior art, require wiring which is a source of complexity and cost to the installation as from the point of view of maintenance . Thus, the invention also seeks to limit or reduce the complexity or the cost of wiring to be performed within the parking lot, for the functions provided by the invention as for other functions already known. For this, the invention also seeks to pool the technical means used to perform several functions including known functions. For this purpose, the invention proposes a device for managing a parking space of a land vehicle, in particular an automobile, of the presence detection type. This device comprises: - successive image capture means arranged to monitor said location, - digital analysis means using said images to achieve in real time or periodically: - a detection of the presence or absence of a vehicle on said location, and - a recognition of a visual identification device carried by such a vehicle and having an alphanumeric registration, - digital communication means with at least one centralized digital management system managing a plurality of management devices corresponding to a plurality of parking spaces. According to an advantageous feature, the device further comprises visible or audible signaling means controlled to signal the occupied or free status of the managed location to a user located in an aisle comprising a plurality of locations.

According to another advantageous feature, the device comprises means for transmitting images from the managed location to a central monitoring. More particularly, the device is arranged for permanently storing in a local memory captured images for a determined duration of time to flow. These different features are particularly advantageous to combine with each other and with the registration number recognition device and / or timekeeping instead, because they have some information in common, and can share the same network and communication cabling. between the centralized management system and the different managed locations, simplifying or optimizing installation and / or maintenance constraints. Thus, the invention proposes a method of managing a plurality of parking spaces, comprising for each managed location: a capture of successive images of said managed location; a digital analysis of said images, realizing: a detection of the presence or absence of a vehicle; a recognition of a registration number of a vehicle present on said location; a timing of the actually parked time; communicating said presence or absence and / or said registration number to a digital system managing said plurality of locations.

Different particularities can thus be combined with each other and within the process according to the invention: According to an advantageous feature, the registration numbers of the vehicles parked on the managed locations are stored in a database accessed by the centralized management system, the method further comprising an interrogation step of said centralized management system providing in return the location of a vehicle determined by its registration number. In another feature, the registration numbers of the vehicles parked on the managed locations are stored in the database in association with data representing the arrival time of each of said vehicles on said managed locations and the time of departure. More particularly, the method further comprises a step of analyzing the time of presence of a plurality of vehicles on managed locations, according to at least one stored rule.

According to yet another particularity, the method further comprises steps of: - detection of a movement by digital analysis of the images of a managed location; - 5 - transmission, from the management device of said location to the centralized management system, captured images for a predetermined period prior to said detection. Thus, the invention furthermore proposes a system for managing a plurality of parking spaces for land vehicles, especially motor vehicles, comprising a plurality of location management devices as described above, and / or setting up implement a method as described above. The invention makes it possible to improve or even solve at the same time these management problems, for example of invoicing, and one identifies and locates precisely and in real time each vehicle inside the carpark. The presence detection device of the vehicle, installed at the front or the bottom of each parking space, includes a small camera with an embedded intelligence capable of reading the license plates when the vehicle is presented. This decrypted information is immediately relayed to the server of the device that will memorize the exact number of the place where the vehicle has just parked, and trigger the timer to calculate the parking time instead. The same camera can also record in its internal memory video sequences caused by intelligent motion detection around the vehicle, thus playing an additional video surveillance function. The operator may also offer an additional service, providing the customer with the location of his vehicle if he has forgotten the location. This can be done, for example, by displaying the location and the place number directly on the automatic pay stations or on terminals allocated for this purpose when the payment ticket is introduced, or on presentation of the registration card. vehicle to the operator who can then enter the registration number on the server to display the same number of place. Each managed parking space is equipped with a detection device and a signaling device comprising: - A CCTV camera that continuously analyzes the presence or absence of a vehicle, and reads its license plate; -6- - A traffic light visible from a traffic lane to indicate the free or occupied status of the place or group of squares concerned; as well as a communication circuit to the server.

This system uses detection boxes to analyze the presence or absence of a vehicle in a specific place of the said parking lot and to read its registration, to record its parking time, record any movement around the vehicle while parking. These boxes use communication circuits to a server constituting a centralized management system. These presence and identification detection boxes of a vehicle can be positioned in front of each place, for example the ceiling at the entrance of the location rather than at the end of the location or against the wall the bottom. It is thus possible on the one hand to limit the number of cables, tubes and cable trays and on the other hand to facilitate and greatly accelerate the installation. Such an automated system allows an optimized real-time management of a parking lot, by guiding the users to the open space or the best suited to the type of vehicle, via a network of displays and lights whose information is updated in real time according to the occupation or the release of the parking spaces. This system makes it possible to calculate by calculation all the statistics useful to the exploitation such as the filling rate, the occupation time of each place, the general average occupation time. It also makes it possible to detect the suction cars, that is to say that park permanently, and to alert the operator when they leave their location. Moreover, this system makes it possible to offer users an antitheft service complementary to that provided on their vehicle, and based on the detection of the exit of a place of a vehicle which is supposed to remain there, for example by recording a scheduled moment for departure, or by warning in advance by means of an authentication means. The invention thus makes it possible to produce an automated system making it possible to offer users a device capable of precisely locating the parking space they occupy, by signaling on the automatic pay station or on an automated terminal at the request. of the user or when paying or inserting the entry ticket or reading an identification badge. This system also makes it possible to precisely locate the parking space they occupy, by simple request from the operating agent.

The invention proposes a system advantageous compared to existing systems, and in particular on the following points: - by allowing rapid access of users to their parking space thus improving the service provided to customers, the profitability of the parking lot, the traffic flow and therefore the safety of users. - by making it possible to calculate bill the actual time spent instead. - by informing users of a full parking lot. - by making it possible to establish all the statistics required on the parking times at each place from the stored data. - by making it possible to search for suction vehicles and to inform the operator when a vehicle leaves a parking space. - By reducing the average power consumption of the parking by reducing the circulation time and therefore the average amount of CO or CO2 or NO released and the triggering of fans / extractors caused by these emissions. - by allowing to control the dynamic display to guide users to the free space or places given by the server. - By comparing the registration plates at each parking spot with possible seizures or reading license plates at the entrance and exit of the car park. - by indicating the number of the place occupied according to the registration number. Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the detailed description of an embodiment which is in no way limitative, and the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 represents an example of a general architecture of a management appliance used for each managed location; - Figure 2a shows a plurality of management devices installed on the locations along a driveway of a parking lot; FIG. 2b represents an example of a general architecture of the management system according to the invention, distributed on a level comprising several aisles of a parking lot. In Figure 1 is shown an example of a general architecture of a management box used for each managed location. This management box comprises a detection box (1), including an onboard intelligence camera (2), and a communication transceiver. This box further comprises a microcontroller (3), random access memory and program memory, physical and logical input-outputs (4). Each managed parking space is equipped with a management device comprising a detection box (1) and a signaling device (5).

This management device comprises: - a detection box comprising a CCTV camera (2) which constantly analyzes the presence or absence of a vehicle, and reads its license plate; - A warning light (5), for example two-colored, visible from a traffic lane to indicate the free or occupied status of the place or group of squares concerned; as well as - a communication circuit (3) to the server. The proposed detection box (1) comprises a camera for acquiring the vehicle presence information, for reading and processing its license plate, for a recording buffer for the video sequences triggered by the movements of the vehicle. vehicle and around said vehicle. An information communication module (3). These said boxes (1) integrate the image processing to transmit the information necessary for reading the characters of the license plate as well as triggering, transmission of images and recording on the server of any movement in the field of the camera. Advantageously, in order to reduce costs, a single detector housing (1) may offer several functions, for example in combination with other known features such as video surveillance, or other functionalities not described here. Indeed, the budget of installation work, wiring and connection of the video surveillance of a parking lot depends on its size but it is generally very fast and it is understandable that the integration of several functions in the The same system is de facto much cheaper and more ergonomic than two separate installations. It is proposed, in the context of this invention, to use the same cables, cable supports or tubes and the same housings to respond to the functions of presence detection, identification of the license plate of each vehicle, calculation time spent instead, recording causes and triggering alarm in case of unscheduled movement around the vehicle. Figures 2a and 2b show the general architecture of the system, on an aisle and for several aisles. For the different locations, this architecture comprises the detection boxes (1), the signaling light (5), the connection between these boxes, a centralized management computer dedicated to the application (6), and a non-dedicated management computer. (7) belonging to the parking lot operator and communicating with the centralized management computer for the administration and use of the management system. In the embodiment shown here, the logical operation of the system is as follows: The detection boxes (1) regularly send an information frame on the wired bus. This information contains the identification number of the detector housing and therefore its location in the parking lot, with the information of presence or absence of a vehicle in said location and the information of its license plate. - 10 - - This occupancy information for the parking spaces and the registration number reaches the supervisory system. It can then precisely inform the operator and the toll system on the one hand on the exact location of a vehicle and its registration and its exact time of departure and arrival, and on the other hand users on the availability of free parking spaces in the park. The information made available to the user allowing him to be permanently informed about the possibilities of quickly finding a parking space are: - A display at the entrance to the parking lot of the total number of places available and by level. - A display at the entrance to the parking lot of the total number of places available for the disabled and by level. - An arrow guidance and indicator lights to each parking space or group of parking spaces. - A management of disabled people with a specific display of reserved places. These views are updated in real time as soon as a spot becomes free or occupied.

When a user arrives at the entrance of the parking lot, the sequence of operations is as follows: - Outside and at the entrance of the parking lot, a display of the total number of places and per level, as well as than the number of places reserved for handicapped persons per level. The user then knows if he can enter the parking lot by being sure to find a place. - At each level, at each bay, the user is guided by a dynamic arrow to the available space (s) assigned to him. - At each place or group of parking spaces concerned, the user is shown the place (s) available. - The user then parks at the place or first of the group of available places that have been assigned to him. As soon as a spot is free, the system integrates this availability and updates its database in real time and modifies the displays accordingly. In addition, users who wish to have their vehicle monitored report to the driver that their vehicle remains parked, until the declaration of the end of parking. In the event that the vehicle leaves the declared space, the manager is notified by an alarm of this non-compliant action and can take the necessary measures such as closing the automatic doors of the park, thus preventing the declared vehicle from leaving the parking lot. When a user arrives at the car park to pick up his vehicle, the procedure is as follows: - By inserting his parking ticket in the automatic toll box, the system identifies the registration number coded on the car. ticket and compare it with the number of the parking place where the vehicle has parked. The automatic pay station then indicates on its display screen the number concerned and the few other indications useful for the location (level, color, direction ...) - By giving its registration number or presenting its registration card to the space reception of the car park, the operator can view directly on the server screen the number or the location of the place concerned by the search. The present invention further relates to the integration of several combined functions in the same system. Consequently, the advantages are important: quick and economical installation, largely automated parameterization, and reduced maintenance. The system thus comprises a number of detection boxes comprising transmitting and receiving devices, as well as data concentrators for relaying the information, and driving the displays and lights, all communicating with one or more supervision unit. for example a PC type computer. Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples that have just been described and many adjustments can be made to these examples without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (12)

1. Device for managing a parking space of a land vehicle, in particular an automobile, of the presence detection type, characterized in that it comprises: successive image capture means arranged to monitor said location; digital analysis means using said images to perform in real time or periodically: a detection of the presence or absence of a vehicle on said location, and a recognition of a visual identification device carried by such a vehicle and having an alphanumeric registration, and - digital communication means with at least one centralized digital management system managing a plurality of management devices corresponding to a plurality of parking spaces. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises visible or audible signaling means controlled to indicate the occupied or free status of the managed location to a user located in an aisle comprising a plurality of locations. 3. Device according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises means for transmitting images from the managed location to a central monitoring. 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that it is arranged to permanently store in a local memory captured images for a given time just past. 5. A method of managing a plurality of parking spaces, comprising for each managed location: a capture of successive images of said managed location; a digital analysis of said images, realizing: presence detection or the absence of a vehicle - a recognition of a registration number of a vehicle present on the said location - a communication of the said presence or absence and / or the said registration number to a digital system managing the said plurality of locations. 6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that it further comprises a detection of the moment when a vehicle arrives at the managed location, and the moment when the same vehicle leaves said location, or a calculation of the time elapsed between these locations. two moments, as well as a communication of this time information to a digital system managing the plurality of locations. 7. Method according to any one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the registration numbers of the vehicles parked on the managed locations are stored in a database accessed by the centralized management system, the method further comprising an interrogation step of said centralized management system providing in return the location of a vehicle determined by its registration number. 8. Method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the registration numbers of the vehicles parked on the managed locations are stored in the database in association with a data representing the time of arrival of each said vehicles on said managed locations. 9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that it further comprises a step of analyzing the presence times of a plurality of vehicles present on managed locations, according to at least one memorized rule. - 10. Method according to any one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that it further comprises steps of: - detection of a motion by digital analysis of the images of a managed location; transmitting, from the management device of said location to the centralized management system, images captured during a predetermined period preceding said detection. 11. System for managing a plurality of parking spaces for land vehicles, especially motor vehicles, comprising a plurality of management devices according to any one of claims 1 to 4, and / or implementing a method according to the invention. any of claims 5 to 10. 12. System according to claim 11, characterized in that it further comprises at least one automated terminal arranged to capture and self-service a request to locate the parking space of a vehicle and display the result .