ITMI20090888A1 - SYSTEM FOR DETECTING THE AVAILABILITY OF CAR PARKS OF VEHICLES PARTICULARLY IN URBAN AREA. - Google Patents

Description

SYSTEM FOR DETECTION OF THE AVAILABILITY OF VEHICLE PARKING PARTS PARTICULARLY IN URBAN AREAS.

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a system for detecting the availability of vehicle parking lots, particularly in urban areas.

Nowadays, finding a parking space, especially in old Italian and European cities or in large traffic congested cities, has become a serious problem, making life very difficult not only for motorists, but also for all citizens.

The situation risks becoming more and more unsustainable with the passage of time, given that the number of vehicles populating the streets is constantly growing and that, in relation to this growing number, parking spaces are less and less, given that the pace with which new ones are made available is certainly not comparable to the aforementioned growth in the number of vehicles.

The obvious consequence is that a motorist is often forced to move around in traffic for several minutes in search of a parking space; the time thus elapsed is undoubtedly wasted time and, evaluating its magnitude in economic terms, the loss both for the single individual and for the community appears enormous and above all unjustified.

Think, for example, of the fuel consumed unnecessarily by a vehicle that idles for minutes in search of a parking space, of the resulting stress for the inevitably unnerved motorist, but also of the fact that the slow progress along the roadway of a vehicle that has to be parked can be a hindrance to other cars and even cause accidents.

Furthermore, such a situation contributes to increased air pollution as well as noise pollution.

The even more annoying aspect for the driver of the vehicle is that he is not able to predict when his search for a free parking space will be successful, since there is currently no type of system that offers information. of this type.

The main task of the present invention is to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks, devising a system that is able to detect in real time the availability of a certain number of parking lots in a given urban area, as well as their location, and to inform in this regard the motorist, interested through a specific request that contains an indication regarding the place where the motorist is currently located or in any case the place where he is interested in knowing the availability of parking, for example in anticipation of a move in the short term to that place.

Within the scope of this aim, an object of the invention is to allow a motorist to drive towards a parking which is certainly free, thus avoiding a useless waste in terms of time and fuel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a system which has positive ecological and environmental effects, always considering that a faster parking of the vehicle results in less air and acoustic pollution.

Not least object of the present invention is to provide a system which, due to its particular constructive characteristics, is able to give the widest guarantees of reliability and safety in use and which, moreover, is not very expensive from a point of purely economic view.

This task, as well as these and other purposes that will appear better later, are achieved by a system for detecting the availability of vehicle parking spaces, particularly in urban areas, which includes at least a parking area equipped with a plurality of parking spaces for respective vehicles, and is characterized in that it comprises: means for detecting the presence of vehicles parked in the parking bays, to determine a parking status; means of communication of the state of availability of at least one of the parking spaces to a central data collection unit on the basis of parking status information generated by the detection means, the parking status information including data on the geographical position of the parking area and, optionally, on the type of parking; interrogation means of the central data collection unit by a user, the interrogation means being adapted to send a parking status request comprising a geographic position information; and means for transmitting to the user the parking status information stored in the central unit and relating to the geographic position of the parking status request.

The aforementioned task and purposes are also achieved by a method for detecting the availability of vehicle parking lots, particularly in urban areas, which includes the steps of: receiving parking status information from means for detecting the presence of vehicles parked in at least one parking area equipped with a plurality of parking spaces for respective vehicles, the parking status information including data on the geographical position of said at least a parking area and, optionally, on the type of parking; receiving a parking status request from a user, the request comprising a geographic location information; comparing the geographic position information contained in the parking status request with the data on the geographic position of the parking area contained in the parking status information; and transmitting to the user the parking status information relative to the geographic position information contained in the parking status request.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the system according to the invention illustrated, by way of non-limiting example, in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows an embodiment according to the invention;

Figure 2 illustrates connections to the central data collection unit of interrogation means used in the preferred embodiments of the invention;

Figure 3 is a flow chart showing a method according to the present invention.

With reference to the aforementioned figures, the system according to the invention, globally indicated with the reference number 1, comprises at least a parking area 2 equipped with a plurality of parking spaces 3. Each of these parking spaces 3 is equipped with means of detection 4 of the presence of vehicles parked on stand 3 itself; these detection means 4 preferably comprise an ultrasonic sensor and / or an optical sensor, which are used to determine a specific parking status in relation to each parking area 3, in particular a status information of "free" or "occupied" of the parking space parking through the detection, by the sensor, of the presence of the vehicle above or in front of it.

Other types of sensors can be used as an alternative to those indicated above, or in combination with them, for example weight sensors.

The detection through the use of sensors can be applied to any type of parking, public or private, free or paid, outdoor or indoor.

In another embodiment, referring to paid garages which are accessed via a mobile barrier, the sensor 4 can be a pressure sensor located just after the barrier itself, both at the entrance and at the exit of the garage, and which , activated by the pressure of the vehicle's wheels during transit, it is connected to a counter and to a local vacancy display.

Each sensor 4 is connected to a central data collection unit 7, which is a central server that collects the parking status information regarding the parking spaces 3, also belonging to different parking areas 2.

The connection between each sensor 4 and the central server 7 is made through communication means comprising a conveying node 5, for example a hub which has several connection wires 17 at its input, each connected to a respective sensor 4.

The inputs of the same hub 5 are connected to sensors 4 of stands 3 belonging to the same parking area 2 or to different parking areas.

Out of each hub 5 there is a link 18 with a local data collection unit 6, which is a departmental server. Each departmental server 6 groups as input a certain number of hubs 5, each of which conveys parking status information coming from a different group of sensors 4 referred to parking areas of a certain geographic area of limited extension.

The connection 18 between hub 5 and departmental server 6 is made via cable communication network, wireless network, for example Wi-Max. Advantageously, in the city, connection 18 could be a specific data transfer system already in use at the municipal transport company of the urban area of interest.

The output of each departmental server 6 is connected, through a connection 19, to the central server 7. Receiving the parking status information from the different departmental servers 6 that cover respective urban geographic areas, through the hubs 5 and the various sensors 4, the central server 7 keeps the parking status information relating to the entire urban area under observation.

The means for interrogating the central server 7 by a user can be a cellular telephone 8, a fixed telephone 9, a satellite navigator 10, a personal computer 11 or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant or palmtop computer) 12.

Each of them is connected to the central server 7 through an appropriate communication network, depending on the functionality of the particular query medium and to which the means of transmission of the information contained in the central server 7 and supplied to the respective means of transmission are also connected. query in response to a parking status request, as described below.

In particular, the mobile phone 8 can communicate with the central server 7 through a GSM mobile phone network 13, the fixed phone 9 through a PSTN fixed telephone network 14, while the satellite navigator 10, the personal computer 11 and the PDA 12 can use the Internet 15, possibly using Wi-Fi or Wi-Max access 16.

The operation of the system 1 provides that within an urban area all the parking areas 2 and the individual parking areas 3 of each parking area 2 are equipped with sensors 4 for detecting the presence of a vehicle.

When the vehicle reaches and occupies the parking space 3, the sensor 4 detects its presence.

Detection through sensors 4 generates information on the status of each individual parking space 3. In particular, this information will contain the "free" or "occupied" status of parking space 3, the position of parking space 3 within the relative area stop 2 and, preferably, an indication as to whether or not the sensor 4 is working properly or not.

The parking status information relating to each individual parking area 3 is then transmitted to the hub 5, through the connection wires 17 between each sensor 4 and the hub 5.

Hub 5 acts as a conveyor node for parking status information from several stands 3, i.e. as an intermediate node for sorting the parking status information, considering that the data flow, proportional to the number of stands 3 to be managed and, therefore, due to the geographical extension to be covered, it would not allow direct transmission of information directly from the sensors 4 to a single node.

Each hub 5 therefore concentrates the parking status information from several sensors 4, which can all belong to the same parking area 2 or to parking areas in the immediate vicinity.

Each hub 5 periodically sends the parking status information referring to the stands 3 that belong to it to the departmental server 6, which in turn receives this information from several different hubs 5, located in different urban areas, for example in different neighborhoods or districts of a cities, or fractions of a country. Repeated sending of this parking status information at regular intervals ensures a continuous updating of the parking status information coming from stands 3.

The sorting of parking status information through a plurality of departmental servers 6 becomes all the more necessary the greater the size of the urban area under control.

Inside each departmental server 6, the data coming from the hubs 5 are appropriately decoded and collected in a database, which contains the parking status information referring to the portion of the urban area under observation by the departmental server 6.

Through the connection 19 the information contained in each departmental server 6 can be withdrawn on request from the central server 7 and / or can be kept on a database of the same central server. In the latter way, the central server 7 can keep, appropriately decoded, the parking status information referring to the entire urban area.

The parking status information is made available to a user-motorist, subject to a specific parking status request by the user.

In a first embodiment, the motorist user who is looking for a parking space in the urban area under observation sends to the central server 7 a parking status request which contains geographic position information, as further clarified hereinafter. The sending of this request can be done through a call with the mobile phone 8, a call with the landline phone 9, or a request via the Internet transmitted through the satellite navigator 10, the personal computer 11 or the PDA 12.

The automatic identification of the geographical position of the motorist user is possible: in the event of a call with the mobile phone 8, the GSM network 13 identifies the geographical position of the user according to known techniques, as well as in cases of interrogation with the personal computer 11 or PDA 12 the user's geographical position is deduced thanks to the IP address of connection to the Internet network 15.

In the case of interrogation via the satellite navigator 10, the user's geographical position could be identified thanks to the GPS antenna of the navigator 10, but a connection to the Internet network 15 is nevertheless required to periodically update the parking status information coming from the central server 7.

If the request comes from a landline telephone 9, through the PSTN network 14, a call center is provided to satisfy this type of query: in this case, the user provides the geographic position information verbally referring to the area of which it is interesting to know the parking status information and the cali center operator enters this information in the system, in the form of a request to the central server 7.

In all cases, the central server 7 thus receives the parking status request accompanied by the geographic position information provided verbally by the user or obtained thanks to known geographic localization systems associated with the mobile interrogation means. It is however possible for the user, even if his geographical position has been identified thanks to known systems, to forward to the central server 7, by means of the query means already described, a parking status request not referring to the geographic position currently occupied, but to a second geographical position, even possibly distant from the previous one, for example in anticipation of a short-term shift.

In any case, once the geographic position of interest for which the user requests the parking status information has been identified, the central server 7 passes the request to the departmental server 6 which manages the portion of the urban area to which the geographic position of parking belongs. interest.

The departmental server 6 receives the request and, checking in its database whether there are free parking spaces 3 in the portion of the urban area that it manages, sends this information on the availability or unavailability of free parking spaces 3 to the central server 7, which in turn, it forwards it to the user through the transmission means connected to one of the GSM network 13, PSTN 14 or Internet 15, through which it had forwarded the parking status request to the central server 7.

It is possible, in alternative embodiments, that such information can be sent through a transmission medium and a relative communication channel other than that used by the user to make the request.

The parking status information received by the user can include the number of parking spaces 3 available in the area of interest, optionally with an exact positioning identifier for each of these parking spaces 3 and the related parking areas 2. Possibly, the information The parking status form received by the user may also contain an indication of the type of parking, for example: hourly parking, paid or free parking, or parking for residents or for the disabled.

On the basis of the foregoing description, it can be understood that the system 1 according to the invention functions substantially as follows.

At step 20 the set of parking status information from the departmental servers 6 is received from the central server 7.

The parking status information sent to the central server 7 can be continuously updated at regular intervals or upon interrogation of the central server 7. Similarly, the parking status information can be periodically sent from the hubs 5 to the departmental servers 6, or upon interrogation of the departmental servers .

At step 21 the arrival at the central server 7 of a parking status request by a motorist user is verified.

If so, at step 22 the geographical position of the user who forwarded it can be checked, to then automatically direct the parking search to a geographical area close to the one in which the user is, forwarding the respective request. to the departmental server 6 corresponding to that area.

This check is carried out by relying, as previously described, on the GSM network 13, or on the Internet network 15 or on a satellite communication channel.

Subsequently, in step 23 the availability of parking spaces 3 in the portion of the urban area of interest is checked by the departmental server 6 in its database. At step 24, the information thus obtained is forwarded to the central server 7, which thus determines the existence or not of free pitches 3 on the basis of the information received.

If there is a plurality of spaces available, at step 25 the central server 7 sends the result of the check to the user, for example a parking status information that also identifies the number of spaces 3 available, their positioning inside parking area 2 and possibly the type of parking associated with each stand 3. The procedure finally returns to step 20.

Otherwise, in the absence of free seats in the request area, at step 26 the search for available seats is started in a departmental server that serves a geographical area adjacent to that of the previous departmental server, that is, no more than a predefined limit from the geographic position object. of the user's original request.

At step 27 the existence or not of free pads 3 monitored by the new departmental server is checked again.

If so, go back to step 25, inserting in the message to the user information on the availability and geographical position of free parking areas in an area adjacent to the one originally requested.

If, on the other hand, this second check is also unsuccessful, in step 28 the user is notified of the unavailability of parking spaces and returns to step 20.

In a second embodiment, not shown in the figures, the mobile interrogation means, such as the cellular telephone 8, the fixed telephone 9, the satellite navigator 10, the personal computer 11 or the PDA 12, can interact directly with the departmental server. 6 corresponding to the geographical area of interest, instead of with the central server 7, using the same communication networks illustrated in figure 2.

In this case, it is the departmental server 6 which, at the end of the verification of the availability of parking spaces 3 in the portion of the urban area concerned, informs the user about the result of this verification, preferably through the same communication networks used for the request .

In practice it has been found that the system according to the invention fully accomplishes the intended task, as it is capable of providing an effective solution to the problem of finding a parking space, especially in old-fashioned cities and metropolises.

Moreover, the system implies limited costs since, beyond the cost of installing the sensors in correspondence with the parking spaces, for the rest the communication of information takes place using technologies or supports such as the GSM network, PSTN, Internet, wireless systems or satellite already widely used for other applications and therefore available without having to face additional management costs.

It is further observed that in the database of each departmental server 6 and / or in the database of the central server 7 there is information that could be advantageously used for other purposes, other than those for finding a parking space. For example, such parking status information could be used for a Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Considering that the lack of parking spaces is communicated to the user-motorist, it is possible to detect that in the geographical area covered by a certain departmental server there is a lack of parking spaces, by means of a statistic that counts these communications sent to the user and which can be developed with a simple database management program. Similarly, parking status information could be used to detect other parking situations other than parking shortages.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept; moreover, all the details can be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.

Claims (11)

R I V E N D I C A Z I O N I 1. System (1 for detecting the availability of vehicle parking lots particularly in urban areas comprising at least a parking area (2) equipped with a plurality of parking spaces (3) for respective vehicles, characterized in that it comprises: means of detection (4) of the presence of vehicles parked in said parking spaces (3), to determine a parking status; means of communication (5) of the availability status of at least one of said parking spaces (3) to a unit central (6, 7) for collecting data on the basis of parking status information generated by said detection means (4), said parking status information including data on the geographical position of said parking area and, optionally, on the type of parking; interrogation means (8, 9, 10, 11, 12) of said central unit (6, 7) for collecting data by a user, said interrogation means being suitable for sending a parking status request comprising a geographic position information; and transmission means (13, 14, 15, 16) to said user of the parking status information stored in said central unit (6, 7) and relating to said geographic position of said parking status request. 2. System according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said detection means (4) comprise ultrasonic, optical or weight sensors, each sensor being installed in a respective parking area (3). 3. System according to claim 2, characterized in that said communication means (5) comprise at least one conveying node (5) to which a plurality of said sensors (4) are connected. 4. System according to claim 3, characterized in that said central data collection unit (7) is a server connected to said conveying node (5). 5. System according to claim 4, characterized in that said server (7) is connected to said conveying node (5) through a communication network (18, 19), for example an electric network or a wireless network. 6. System according to claim 5, characterized in that said communication network (18, 19) comprises a local data collection unit (6), the conveying nodes (6) being connected to said local data collection unit (6). 5) relating to respective parking areas (2) which are not distant from each other more than a predetermined distance. 7. System according to claim 1, characterized in that said central data collection unit (6, 7) comprises means for comparing said geographic position information contained in said parking status request with said data on the geographic position of said area of parking (2) contained in said parking status information. 8. System according to claim 1, characterized in that said interrogation means (8, 9, 10, 11, 12) comprise any one of: a fixed telephone (9), a palmtop computer (12), a personal computer ( 11), a mobile phone (8) or a satellite navigator (10). 9, System according to claim 1, characterized in that said transmission means (13, 14, 15, 16) are connected to at least one of: a fixed telephone network (14), a mobile telephone network (13), the Internet network (15), a LAN network, a Wi-Fi or Wi-Max type network (16), a satellite communication channel. 10. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of said central unit (7) or said local unit (6) comprises means for carrying out statistics on parking shortages in a given geographical area on the basis of the number of parking status information sent through said transmission means (13, 14, 15, 16) and in which the parking status is indicated as not available. 11. Method for detecting the availability of vehicle parking spaces, particularly in urban areas, including the phases of: receive (20) parking status information from detecting means (4) of the presence of vehicles parked in at least a parking area (2) equipped with a plurality of parking spaces (3) for respective vehicles, called status information parking including data on the geographical position of said at least a parking area (2) and, optionally, on the type of parking; - receiving (21) a parking status request from a user, said request comprising geographic location information; comparing said geographic position information contained in said parking status request with said geographic position data of said parking area (2) contained in said parking status information; transmitting (25, 28) to said user said parking status information relative to said geographic position information contained in said parking status request.