JP7319433B2 - Parking management device - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a parking management system, and more particularly to a parking management system having a parking monitoring function.

Some existing parking lots are increasingly using image recognition mechanisms to detect the license plate number of vehicles entering the parking lot. Also, in some places, automatic parking toll collection devices have been experimentally introduced that can collect parking tolls on roadside parking grids. However, in practice, there is still room for improvement in the design of automatic parking toll collection devices for roadside parking grids. For example, in the case of a roadside parking grid close to a wall, a person skilled in the art will study how to enable the driver to smoothly operate the automatic parking toll collection device after stopping the vehicle to perform toll inquiry and payment. is one of the issues that should be focused on.

In view of this, the present invention provides a parking management device that can meet the hardware configuration requirements in different on-street parking environments.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a parking management device including a device body, at least one imaging lens, a billing system and a display panel. The at least one imaging lens is installed on the device body to acquire a vehicle license plate image of the target vehicle. The billing system is installed in the device body and provides billing information about the target vehicle. The display panel is installed on the surface of the device body and displays the billing information. The device body has a first side and a second side. The first side faces the second side. The first surface width of the first side is smaller than the second surface width of the second side. Both the first side and the second side are suitable for accommodating the display panel.

Based on the above, the parking management device can acquire the vehicle license plate image of the target vehicle through the imaging lens and provide charging information about the target vehicle through the charging system. Further, the parking management device can display the billing information through a display panel installed on the surface of the device body. In particular, the first and second surfaces facing each other and having different widths in the parking management device are both suitable for accommodating the display panel. This can effectively meet the hardware configuration requirements of the parking management system in different on-street parking environments.

1 is a functional block diagram of a parking management device according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an external explanatory diagram of a parking management device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an external explanatory diagram of a parking management device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an external explanatory diagram of a parking management device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an external explanatory diagram of a parking management device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a parking management device and application environment according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a parking management device and application environment according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an imaging angle of an imaging lens according to one embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a functional block diagram of a parking management device according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an external explanatory diagram of a parking management device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a parking management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1 , parking management device 10 includes imaging lens 11 , sensor 12 , memory circuit 13 , display panel 14 and processor 15 . The imaging lens 11 is installed in the device main body of the parking management device 10, and acquires a vehicle license plate image of a vehicle (also referred to as a target vehicle) in the external environment. For example, this vehicle license plate image may display the license plate number of the target vehicle.

The sensor 12 is installed in the main body of the parking management device 10, detects a vehicle parked in at least one of the parking grids (for example, the parking grid managed by the parking management device 10), and treats this vehicle as a target vehicle. . For example, the sensor 12 may include an optical sensor that can optionally emit light (eg, an infrared sensor) or a radar device that can optionally emit radio waves (eg, millimeter wave radar). For example, sensor 12 may detect a target vehicle based on light rays or radio waves that are emitted and reflected back from the target vehicle.

In one embodiment, the imaging lens 11 can acquire the vehicle license plate image of the target vehicle according to the detection result of the sensor 12 . For example, according to the detection result of the sensor 12 reflecting that the target vehicle is parked on the parking grid in front of or near the parking management device 10, the imaging lens 11 is activated to start acquiring the vehicle license plate image of the target vehicle. be able to. Also, in one embodiment, parking management device 10 may not include sensor 12 . For example, in one embodiment, sensor 12 may be replaced by imaging lens 11 to detect target vehicles parked on a parking grid.

The storage circuit 13 is installed inside the parking management device 10 and stores data. For example, storage circuitry 13 may include volatile storage circuitry and non-volatile storage circuitry. Volatile storage circuits store data in a volatile manner. For example, volatile storage circuits may include random access memory (RAM) or similar volatile storage media. A non-volatile memory circuit stores data in a non-volatile manner. For example, the non-volatile storage circuit may be read only memory (ROM), solid state disk (SSD), and/or conventional hard disk drive (HDD) or similar non-volatile storage. Can contain media.

Storage circuit 13 stores billing system 101 . For example, billing system 101 may be implemented in software code. Billing system 101 provides billing information about the target vehicle. For example, the billing system 101 may determine whether the target vehicle is parked on a particular parking grid (eg, a parking grid managed by the parking management device 10), how long the target vehicle has been parked on the particular parking grid, whether the target vehicle is parked. parking grid charging criteria (e.g., whether to charge and parking fees) and/or services requiring tolls while the target vehicle is parked in a particular parking grid (e.g., charging The billing information may be generated based on fee collection details such as whether a vehicle charging service, in which the device is used to charge the target vehicle, is used. The billing information may indicate a cost to be paid before or after leaving the parking grid where the target vehicle is currently parked. The billing information is associated with the license plate of the target vehicle identified from the vehicle license plate image of the target vehicle, and may be the basis for payment after the target vehicle uses a particular parking grid. In one embodiment, this billing information can be synchronously sent to the cloud server. In one embodiment, the billing system 101 transmits the license plate number of the recognized target vehicle and at least a portion of the above detailed toll collection details to the cloud server, and transmits billing information associated with the target vehicle to the cloud server. You can also receive from

The display panel 14 can be installed on the surface of the device body of the parking management device 10 to render the billing information. For example, the display panel 14 may be a plasma display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display, a light emitting diode (LED) display, or an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display. LED, OLED) displays or other various types of displays. In one embodiment, the display panel 14 may support touch functionality to receive user manipulation actions on the display panel 14 .

In one embodiment, the user can operate parking management device 10 (eg, display panel 14) to view billing information and make payments related to the target vehicle before the target vehicle leaves the parking grid. Alternatively, in one embodiment, the user of the target vehicle may use other payment platforms to look up billing information and make payments, although the invention is not so limited.

The processor 15 is installed inside the parking management device 10 and coupled to the imaging lens 11 , the sensor 12 , the storage circuit 13 and the display panel 14 . Processor 15 can control imaging lens 11 , sensor 12 , storage circuit 13 and display panel 14 . Also, the processor 15 can be responsible for all or part of the operation of the parking management device 10 . For example, processor 15 may be a central processing unit (CPU) or other programmable general or special purpose microprocessor, Digital Signal Processor (DSP), programmable controller, Application Specific Integrated Circuits. , ASIC), Programmable Logic Device (PLD), or other similar devices or combinations of these devices.

In one embodiment, the processor 15 can activate the imaging lens 11 according to the detection result of the sensor 12 to acquire the vehicle license plate image of the target vehicle. In one embodiment, the processor 15 can analyze the vehicle license plate image of the target vehicle and recognize the license plate number of the target vehicle. In one embodiment, processor 15 may execute billing system 101 to obtain billing information about the target vehicle. In one embodiment, processor 15 may control display panel 14 to display billing information about the target vehicle. In one embodiment, the processor 15 can receive user manipulation actions via the display panel 14 and instruct the display panel 14 to display the billing information.

In one embodiment, parking manager 10 further includes payment sensor interface 16 . The payment sensor interface 16 can be installed on the surface of the device body of the parking management device 10 . For example, in one embodiment, the payment sensor interface 16 can be located on the same side of the parking management device 10 body as the display panel 14 . The payment sensor interface 16 can wirelessly detect mobile payment devices (eg, mobile payment tools such as smart phones, credit cards or Easy cards) and perform payment services. For example, payment sensor interface 16 may support wireless communication protocols such as Near Field Communication (NFC). In one embodiment, mobile payment devices that support the NFC wireless communication protocol are also referred to as NFC payment devices.

In one embodiment, processor 15 may access a mobile payment device that approaches payment sensor interface 16 via payment sensor interface 16 to perform payment services for the target vehicle. Through this payment service, the user can pay for the costs incurred when parking the target vehicle in a particular parking grid and/or using a particular service (eg, charging the target vehicle, etc.).

In one embodiment, parking management device 10 further includes a power supply circuit 17 . The power supply circuit 17 is installed inside the parking management device 10 and can supply power to the parking management device 10 . For example, the power supply circuit 17 supplies power to the parking management device 10 from a battery internal to the parking management device 10, or provides power to the parking management device 10 from an external power grid to power each electronic circuit of the parking management device 10. Alternatively, it can supply power necessary for the operation of the circuit module.

In one embodiment, parking management device 10 further includes an indicator lamp member 18 . The indicator lamp member 18 can be installed on the surface of the device body of the parking management device 10 . Indicator lamp member 18 may display a particular indicator lamp signal to reflect whether at least one parking grid (eg, a parking grid managed by parking management device 10) is occupied. For example, in one embodiment, indicator lamp member 18 displays a particular indicator lamp signal (eg, displays a green lamp) when the parking grid managed by parking management device 10 is not parked by a vehicle. be able to. When the target vehicle or other vehicle is parked in this parking grid, the indicator lamp member 18 can display another indicator lamp signal (eg, display a red lamp). In one embodiment, the user (eg, driver or passenger) of target vehicle 18 is indicated by indicator lamp member 18 when target vehicle 18 is about to drive near a parking grid managed by parking management system 10 . By looking at the indicator lamp signal, it is possible to understand whether the parking grid is vacant or not according to the indicator lamp signal.

It should be noted that the device body of the parking management device 10 can have a plurality of surfaces. The first and second sides of these surfaces face each other. For example, the first side can be arranged on the front of the device body of the parking management device 10 and the second side can be arranged on the back of the device body of the parking management device 10, or vice versa.

In particular, the surface width of the first side (also referred to as the first surface width) is smaller than the surface width of the second side (also referred to as the second surface width), and the first side and the second side are either is also suitable for housing the display panel 14. The display panel 14 can be selectively installed on either the first side or the second side facing each other on the main body of the device according to the configuration environment of the parking management device 10 after shipment from the factory. This can effectively meet the hardware configuration requirements of the parking management device in different on-street parking environments.

2A and 2B are explanatory views of the appearance of a parking management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. 2A is an explanatory diagram of the appearance of the parking management device 10 viewed from the direction toward the first side of the parking management device 10, and FIG. 2B is the view from the direction toward the second side of the parking management device 10. FIG. 2 is an external explanatory view of the parking management device 10;

2A and 2B, in one embodiment, parking management device 10 includes device body 21 . The device main body 21 includes side surfaces 201-204. A side (ie, first side) 201 and a side (ie, second side) 202 face each other. For example, when the side 201 shown in FIG. 2A on which the display panel 14 and the payment sensor interface 16 are installed is placed in front of the device body 21, the side 202 shown in FIG. 2B is placed in the back of the device body 21. , and vice versa. In particular, the surface width W(1) of side surface 201 is smaller than the surface width W(2) of side surface 202 . Further, the imaging lens 11(1) and the sensor 12(1) are installed on the side surface 203 of the apparatus main body 21, and the imaging lens 11(2) and the sensor 12(2) are installed on the side surface 204 of the apparatus main body 21. .

In one embodiment, device body 21 further includes a top surface 205 . The top surface 205 and the side surface 201 are arranged on the same side (or facing) of the device body 21 , for example, are arranged on the front (or facing) of the device body 21 at the same time. An indicator lamp member 18 can be positioned on the top surface 205 . In particular, top surface 205 can be angled slightly downward toward side surface 201 to improve visibility of indicator lamp member 18 from moving vehicles. Also, the display panel 14. Billing information 210 can be displayed and the user can make a payment using payment sensor interface 16 .

3A and 3B are external explanatory views of a parking management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. 2A and 2B, FIG. 3A is an explanatory view of the appearance of the parking management device 10 viewed from the direction toward the first side surface of the parking management device 10, and FIG. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the appearance of the parking management device 10 viewed from two sides;

3A and 3B, in one embodiment, parking management device 10 includes device body 31 . The device main body 31 includes side surfaces 201-204. A side (ie, first side) 201 and a side (ie, second side) 202 face each other. Side 201 is adjacent to side (ie, third side) 203 and side (ie, fourth side) 204, respectively.

It should be noted that in the embodiment of FIGS. 3A and 3B, surface width W(1) of side surface 201 is similarly smaller than surface width W(2) of side surface 202 . The display panel 14 (which displays billing information 310) and the payment sensor interface 16 are mounted on the wide side 202 and not on the narrow side 201 as in the embodiment of FIGS. 2A and 2B. . For example, if the side 201 shown in FIG. 3A is placed on the front of the device body 21, the side 202 shown in FIG. , and vice versa. Also, the arrangement of the imaging lenses 11(1), 11(2), the sensors 12(1), 12(2) and the indicator lamp member 18 in the embodiment of FIGS. It may be the same or similar to how the features are arranged and will not be repeated here.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a parking management device and application environment according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 4 , in one embodiment assume that parking grid 401 and parking grid 402 are adjacent to wall 410 and at least one of parking grid 401 and parking grid 402 is managed by parking management device 10 . In this environment, the parking management device 10 can employ the hardware configuration associated with the device body 21 described in the embodiment of FIGS. 2A and 2B. That is, the display panel 14 and the payment sensor interface 16 are installed on the side 201 of the device body 21 , and the side 202 of the device body 21 can lean against the wall 410 . When it is necessary to operate the parking management device 10 to perform fare inquiry and/or payment services, the user can stand in front of the side 201 and operate the display panel 14 and the payment sensor interface 16 .

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a parking management device and application environment according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5, in one embodiment, parking grid 501 and parking grid 502 are sidewalks 510 or any open area, and at least one of parking grid 501 and parking grid 502 is managed by parking management device 10. assume that In this environment, the parking management device 10 can employ the hardware configuration associated with the device body 31 described in the embodiment of FIGS. 3A and 3B. That is, the display panel 14 and the payment sensor interface 16 are installed on the side surface 202 of the device body 21 . When the parking management device 10 needs to be operated to perform a fare inquiry and/or payment service, the user can safely stand in front of the side 202 (i.e., the sidewalk 510) and view the display panel 14 and payment sensor interface 16. can be operated.

4 and 5, the sides 201 of the device main body 21 and the device main body 31 are both attached to parking grids managed by the parking management device 10 (for example, parking grids 401, 402 and 501, 502). suitable for facing Thereby, the imaging lens 11 ( 1 ) and the imaging lens 11 ( 2 ) can acquire the vehicle license plate image of the target vehicle parked on the parking grid managed by the parking management device 10 .

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the imaging angle of the imaging lens according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6, direction 601 represents the normal vector direction of side surface 201 . A direction 602(1) and a direction 602(2) represent imaging directions of the imaging lens 11(1) installed on the side surface 203 and the imaging lens 11(2) installed on the side surface 204, respectively. Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the angle between direction 602(1) and direction 601 and the angle between direction 602(2) and direction 601 are both θ degrees, and θ is less than 90. is. Also, sensor 12(1) and sensor 12(2) may be arranged in the same or similar manner as imaging lens 11(1) and imaging lens 1111(2). Therefore, taking FIG. 5 as an example, when the target vehicle moves forward toward the device main body 31 and parks on the parking grid 501 or 502, the sensors 12(1) installed on both sides of the side surface 201 or the sensors 12(2) detects a target vehicle approaching or entering the parking grid 502 toward the left front or right front of the side surface 201, and the imaging lens 11(1) or imaging lens 11(2) detects the vehicle number of the target vehicle. Plate images can be acquired simultaneously.

In addition, the configuration position of each hardware device, electronic component, and circuit module of the parking management device 10 can be adjusted according to actual requirements, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Parking management device 10 may also be further populated with other hardware devices, electronic components or circuit modules to provide additional operational functionality. For example, in one embodiment, the parking manager 10 may further deploy a charging gun and charging control circuitry to charge a target vehicle parked in a particular parking space.

FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of a parking management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is an external explanatory view of the parking management device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

7 and 8, in one embodiment, the parking management device 10 includes a device body 81, an imaging lens 11, a sensor 12, a memory circuit 13, a display panel 14, a processor 15, a payment sensor interface 16, and a power supply circuit. 17, an indicator lamp member 18, a charging gun 71 and a charging control circuit 72; Among them, the imaging lens 11, the sensor 12, the memory circuit 13, the display panel 14, the processor 15, the payment sensor interface 16, the power supply circuit 17, and the indicator lamp member 18 are the members having the same reference numerals in the embodiment of FIG. Since they may be the same or similar, they will not be repeated here.

The charging gun 71 is connected to the device main body 81, supplies charging power to the target vehicle, and charges the target vehicle. Charging control circuit 72 is coupled to charging gun 71 and processor 15 and controls charging power output by charging gun 71 . 8, the display panel 14 and the payment sensor interface 16 are installed on the side surface 201 of the device body 81 (for example, the front side of the device body 81). However, in another embodiment, the display panel 14 and payment sensor interface 16 may be installed on the side 202 of the device body 81 (eg, the back of the device body 81), which can be determined as required.

In summary, the device body of the parking management device provided by the embodiments of the present invention can have a first side and a second side facing each other. In particular, the surface width of the first side is smaller than the surface width of the second side, but both surface widths are sufficient to accommodate the display panel for displaying billing information. This allows the display panel (and payment sensor interface) to be selectively placed on the first side or the second side in different application environments (e.g. whether a roadside parking grid is close to a wall), which It can meet the hardware configuration requirements of the parking management device in different on-street parking environments.

Although the present invention discloses embodiments as described above, it is not intended to limit the present invention, and those skilled in the art may make certain changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be subject to what is defined in the following claims.

10, 70 parking management device 11, 11(1), 11(2) imaging lens 12, 12(1), 12(2) sensor 13 memory circuit 14 display panel 15 processor 16 payment sensor interface 17 power supply circuit 18 indicator lamp Member 101 Billing system 201-204 Side 205 Top 210, 310 Billing information 21, 31, 81 Apparatus body W(1), W(2) Surface width 401, 402, 501, 502 Parking grid 410 Wall 510 Sidewalk 601, 602 ( 1), 602(2) Direction 71 Charging gun 72 Charging control circuit

Claims (11)

a device body;
at least one imaging lens installed in the device body for acquiring a vehicle license plate image of the target vehicle;
a billing system installed in the device body and providing billing information about the target vehicle;
a display panel installed on the surface of the device main body and displaying the billing information;
with
The device body has a first side surface and a second side surface, the first side surface facing the second side surface, and the first surface width of the first side surface being the second surface width of the second side surface. and the first side and the second side are both suitable for accommodating the display panel;
The first side is adapted to face at least one parking grid, and the at least one imaging lens receives the vehicle license plate image of the target vehicle parked in one of the at least one parking grid. parking management device. 2. The parking management device according to claim 1 , wherein an included angle between an imaging direction of said at least one imaging lens and a normal vector direction of said first side surface is less than 90 degrees. 3. The parking management apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the display panel is installed on the first side. 3. The parking management apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the display panel is installed on the second side. further comprising at least one sensor installed in the device body;
The at least one sensor detects the target vehicle parked on one of the at least one parking grids, and the at least one imaging lens detects the target vehicle in response to detection results of the at least one sensor. 2. A parking management system according to claim 1, which acquires a vehicle license plate image of the vehicle. The billing system comprises whether the target vehicle is parked in a specific parking grid, the parking time of the target vehicle in the specific parking grid, the fee collection standard of the parking grid for parking the target vehicle, and the target vehicle. 2. The parking management system of claim 1, wherein said billing information is generated based on at least one of whether or not a fee-charging service was used while the vehicle was parked on said particular parking grid. 7. The parking management system of claim 6 , wherein the chargeable service includes a vehicle charging service. further comprising a payment sensor interface installed on the same side of the device body as the display panel;
The parking management device of claim 1, wherein the payment sensor interface senses NFC payment devices to perform payment services. 2. The parking management device according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply circuit installed in said device body and supplying power to said parking management device. further comprising an indicator lamp member installed in the device main body,
2. The parking management system of claim 1, wherein said indicator lamp member displays an indicator lamp signal reflecting whether at least one parking grid is occupied. a charging gun that is connected to the device main body, provides charging power to the target vehicle, and charges the target vehicle;
a charging power supply control circuit coupled to the charging gun and controlling the charging power supply;
2. The parking management system of claim 1, further comprising: