Apparatus and method for monitoring parking area

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10186152-B2
Application number	US-201816013316-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2018
Priority date	Nov 2, 2015
Publication date	Jan 22, 2019
Grant date	Jan 22, 2019

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses and methods are provided herein for monitoring a parking area. A system for monitoring a parking area comprises an image database storing a plurality of images of a parking lot taken by one or more satellites over time, a baseline database storing baseline models of a plurality of sections of the parking lot, and a control circuit coupled to the image database and the baseline database. The control circuit being configured to: determine a utilization condition for each of the plurality of sections of the parking lot based on performing image analysis on the plurality of images of the parking lot, compare the utilization condition for each of the plurality of sections of the parking lot with the baseline model of the plurality of sections of the parking lot, and in an event that the utilization condition of a section of the plurality of sections of the parking lot substantially deviates from the baseline model of the section, automatically generate an action recommendation for the section of the parking lot.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for monitoring a parking area comprising:
an image database storing a plurality of images of a parking lot taken by one or more satellites over time;
a baseline database storing baseline models of a plurality of sections of the parking lot; and
a control circuit coupled to the image database and the baseline database, the control circuit being configured to:
determine a utilization condition for each of the plurality of sections of the parking lot based on performing image analysis on the plurality of images of the parking lot;
compare the utilization condition for each of the plurality of sections of the parking lot with a baseline model of the plurality of sections of the parking lot; and
in an event that the utilization condition of a section of the plurality of sections of the parking lot exceeds a deviation threshold of deviates from the baseline model of the section, automatically generate an action recommendation for the section of the parking lot;

wherein the section corresponds to a loading zone of a shopping facility and the utilization condition corresponding to a turnover rate for one or more trucks.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the action recommendation comprises an adjustment of unloading dock worker assignments based on the turnover rate for the one or more trucks.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to identify a vehicle type for one or more vehicles in the plurality of images of the parking lot, and wherein utilization conditions are determined for each vehicle type.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the action recommendation comprises adjusting a number of parking spaces allotted for each vehicle type based on the utilization conditions for each vehicle type.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to identify one or more of a damaged pavement condition, a narrow aisle condition, a congestion prone section, an accident prone section, and a heavy pedestrian traffic section in the parking lot based on the utilization condition.

6. A method for monitoring a parking area comprising:
compiling a plurality of images of a parking lot stored in an image database, the plurality of images of the parking lot being taken by one or more satellites over time;
determining a utilization condition for a plurality of sections of the parking lot based on performing image analysis on the plurality of images of the parking lot;
comparing the utilization condition for each of the plurality of sections of the parking lot with a baseline model of each of the plurality of sections of the parking lot stored in a baseline database; and
in an event that the utilization condition of a section of the plurality of sections of the parking lot exceeds a deviation threshold of deviates from the baseline model of the section, automatically generating an action recommendation for the section of the parking lot;
wherein the section corresponds to a loading zone of a shopping facility and the utilization condition corresponding to a turnover rate for one or more trucks.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the action recommendation comprises an adjustment of unloading dock worker assignments based on the turnover rate for the one or more trucks.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
identifying a vehicle type for one or more vehicles in the plurality of images of the parking lot, and wherein utilization conditions are determined for each vehicle type.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the action recommendation comprises adjusting a number of parking spaces allotted for each vehicle type based on the utilization conditions for each vehicle type.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
identifying one or more of a damaged pavement condition, a narrow aisle condition, a congestion prone section, an accident prone section, and a heavy pedestrian traffic section in the parking lot based on the utilization condition.

11. An apparatus for monitoring a parking area comprising:
a non-transitory storage medium storing a set of computer readable instructions;
a control circuit configured to execute the set of computer readable instructions which causes to the control circuit to:
compile a plurality of images of a parking lot stored in an image database, the plurality of images of the parking lot being taken by one or more satellites over time;
determine a utilization condition for each of a plurality of sections of the parking lot based on performing image analysis on the plurality of images of the parking lot;
compare the utilization condition for the plurality of sections of the parking lot with a baseline model of each of the plurality of sections of the parking lot stored in a baseline database; and
in an event that the utilization condition of a section of the plurality of sections of the parking lot exceeds a deviation threshold of deviates from the baseline model of the section, automatically generate an action recommendation for the section of the parking lot;
wherein the section corresponds to a loading zone of a shopping facility and the utilization condition corresponding to a turnover rate for one or more trucks.

12. A system for monitoring a parking area comprising:
an image database storing a plurality of images of a parking lot taken by one or more satellites over time;
a baseline database storing baseline models of a plurality of sections of the parking lot; and
a control circuit coupled to the image database and the baseline database, the control circuit being configured to:
determine a utilization condition for each of the plurality of sections of the parking lot based on performing image analysis on the plurality of images of the parking lot;
compare the utilization condition for each of the plurality of sections of the parking lot with a baseline model of the plurality of sections of the parking lot; and
in an event that the utilization condition of a section of the plurality of sections of the parking lot exceeds a deviation threshold of deviates from the baseline model of the section, automatically generate an action recommendation for the section of the parking lot;

wherein the control circuit is further configured to identify a vehicle type for one or more vehicles in the plurality of images of the parking lot, and wherein utilization conditions are determined for each vehicle type; and
wherein the action recommendation comprises adjusting a number of parking spaces allotted for each vehicle type based on the utilization conditions for each vehicle type.

13. A method for monitoring a parking area comprising:
compiling a plurality of images of a parking lot stored in an image database, the plurality of images of the parking lot being taken by one or more satellites over time;
determining a utilization condition for a plurality of sections of the parking lot based on performing image analysis on the plurality of images of the parking lot;
comparing the utilization condition for each of the plurality of sections of the parking lot with a baseline model of each of the plurality of sections of the parking lot stored in a baseline database;
in an event that the utilization condition of a section of the plurality of sections of the parking lot exceeds a deviation threshold of deviates from the baseline model of the section, automatically generating an action recommendation for the section of the parking lot; and
identifying a vehicle type for one or more vehicles in the plurality of images of the parking lot, and
wherein utilization conditions are determined for each vehicle type; wherein the actio

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• High Donald R
• Natarajan Chandrashekar
• Atchley Michael D
• Thompson John P
• Mchale Brian G

Classifications

• G06V20/176 Primary

  Urban or other man-made structures · CPC title

• G08G1/14 Primary

  indicating individual free spaces in parking areas · CPC title

• G06K9/00637

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06Q50/00

  Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism (healthcare informatics G16H) · CPC title

• G08G1/147

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