Management of a parking lot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10062278-B2
Application number	US-201615572437-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2016
Priority date	Jun 17, 2015
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A parking lot is set up for the parking of motor vehicles. A method for managing the parking lot includes steps of determining a maximum number of motor vehicles able to be parked in the parking lot, of counting of arriving and departing motor vehicles, of determining a number of motor vehicles parked in the parking lot on the basis of the counted motor vehicles, and of determining a number of motor vehicles that are additionally able to be parked in the parking lot.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for managing a parking lot for parking motor vehicles, the method comprising:
determining, via a processor, a maximum number of motor vehicles able to be parked in the parking lot;
counting, via a sensor system, arriving and departing motor vehicles;
determining, via the processor, a number of motor vehicles parked in the parking lot based on the counted motor vehicles; and
determining, via the processor, a number of motor vehicles that are additionally parkable in the parking lot;
wherein a reliability of the determination of the number of additional motor vehicles that are parkable is determined, and
wherein the reliability and the number are provided to a driver so as to provide an improved basis for deciding where to park.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the parking lot is set up for unregulated parking of motor vehicles.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the maximum number is determined based on a mean value of the vehicles parked in the parking lot over time.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the maximum number is determined based on a total available area of the parking lot, and an assumed average size of a motor vehicle.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein access routes are taken into account that are not available for the parking of motor vehicles.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the maximum number exhibits a cyclical characteristic over time, and the determined maximum number with regard to a current time is determined on the basis of the cycle.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the determined number of additional motor vehicles able to be parked is made public in real time.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable data carrier on which is stored a computer program, which is executable by a processor, comprising:
a program code arrangement having program code for managing a parking lot for parking motor vehicles, by performing the following:
determining, via the processor, a maximum number of motor vehicles able to be parked in the parking lot;
counting, via a sensor system, arriving and departing motor vehicles;
determining, via the processor, a number of motor vehicles parked in the parking lot based on the counted motor vehicles; and
determining, via the processor, a number of motor vehicles that are additionally parkable in the parking lot;
wherein a reliability of the determination of the number of additional motor vehicles that are parkable is determined, and
wherein the reliability and the number are provided to a driver so as to provide an improved basis for deciding where to park.

9. A device for managing a parking lot for parking of motor vehicles, comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable data carrier on which is stored a computer program, which is executable by a processor, including a program code arrangement having program code for managing a parking lot for parking motor vehicles, by performing the following:
counting, via a sensor system, motor vehicles arriving in the parking lot;
counting, via the sensor system, motor vehicles leaving the parking lot; and
determining, via the processor, a number of motor vehicles parked in the parking lot based on the counted arriving and departing motor vehicles;
wherein the processor is configured to determine a number of additional motor vehicles that are parkable in the parking lot based on the counted motor vehicles and a maximum number of motor vehicles that are parkable in the parking lot,
wherein a reliability of the determination of the number of additional motor vehicles that are parkable is determined, and
wherein the reliability and the number are provided to a driver so as to provide an improved basis for deciding where to park.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Maier Manuel
• Auracher Juergen
• Nordbruch Stefan

Classifications

• G08G1/065 Primary

  by counting the vehicles in a section of the road or in a parking area, i.e. comparing incoming count with outgoing count · CPC title

• G08G1/142

  external to the vehicles · CPC title

• G08G1/149

  coupled to means for restricting the access to the parking space, e.g. authorization, access barriers, indicative lights · CPC title

• G08G1/146

  where the parking area is a limited parking space, e.g. parking garage, restricted space · CPC title

• G08G1/147

  where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre · CPC title