Methods and systems for tracking a vehicles position using a plurality of light sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016379495-A1
Application number	US-201414903292-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 4, 2014
Priority date	Jul 9, 2013
Publication date	Dec 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided herein for tracking vehicles' locations within a parking area. A vehicle identifier may be assigned to a vehicle entering the parking area. A plurality of light sensors may be employed in the parking area to guide the vehicle to an unoccupied parking spot and/or to determine where the vehicle is ultimately parked. In some embodiments, the plurality of light sensors may each be configured to receive and retransmit locally, e.g., to neighboring light sensors, the vehicle identifier on detection of physical presence of the vehicle. In this manner, the vehicle identifier “travels” with the vehicle among the plurality of light sensors to the vehicle's fmal parking spot. A driver later reclaiming a vehicle may provide a vehicle identifier to a parking kiosk, which may provide output indicative of the vehicle's location in the parking area.

First claim

1 . A method of tracking a vehicle's position within a parking area using a plurality of light sensors, the method comprising:
assigning a vehicle identifier to the vehicle upon entry of the vehicle into the parking area, wherein the parking area is monitored by the plurality of light sensors; providing, by a tracker computing device to a first of the plurality of light sensors, the vehicle identifier; when the vehicle is parked in a parking spot within the parking area, receiving, by the tracker computing device from a second of the plurality of light sensors, information indicative of the parking spot where the vehicle is parked within the parking area, and after the vehicle is parked in the parking spot: receiving, by the tracker computing device from a user of the vehicle, the vehicle identifier; determining, by the tracker computing device, based on the vehicle identifier, the parking spot where the vehicle is parked within the parking area; and providing to the user, by the tracker computing device, output indicative of the determined parking spot where the vehicle is parked.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light sensors comprise a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the assigning comprises assigning the vehicle identifier to a computing device associated with the vehicle or a mobile computing device operated by a user of the vehicle.

4 . (canceled)

5 . (canceled)

6 . (canceled)

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the vehicle identifier from the user comprises wirelessly receiving, by the tracker computing device, the vehicle identifier from a mobile computing device operated by the user.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing output indicative of the determined parking spot where the vehicle is parked comprises selectively illuminating, by the tracker computing device, the plurality of light sensors to demonstrate a path to the determined parking spot where the vehicle is parked.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing output indicative of the determined parking spot where the vehicle is parked comprises providing, by the tracker computing device, data indicative of the determined parking spot where the vehicle is parked to a mobile device operated by the user.

10 . (canceled)

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the vehicle identifier comprises providing, by the tracker computing device to the first of the plurality of light sensors, a proposed path to an unoccupied parking spot of the parking area.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the information indicative of the parking spot of the vehicle within the parking area comprises an identifier of the second sensor and the vehicle identifier, and the method further comprises determining, by the tracker computing device, the parking spot based on a predetermined map of the plurality of light sensors relative to a plurality of parking spots of the parking area and the identifier of the second sensor.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is located near the tracker computing device and/or near an entry into the parking area monitored by the plurality of light sensors.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a first vehicle and the vehicle identifier is a first vehicle identifier, the method further comprising providing, by the tracker computing device to a user of a second vehicle upon entry of the second vehicle into the parking area, an indication of an unoccupied parking spot of the plurality of predefined parking spots.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein providing the indication of the unoccupied parking spot comprises selectively illuminating, by the tracker computing device, the plurality of light sensors to demonstrate a path to the unoccupied parking spot.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein providing the indication of the unoccupied parking spot comprises providing, by the tracker computing device, data indicative of the unoccupied parking spot to a mobile device operated by a user of the second vehicle.

17 . (canceled)

18 . (canceled)

19 . A light sensor for use in tracking a vehicle's position in a parking area, comprising:
a light-sensing module configured to detect physical presence of a vehicle; a communication interface; and a tracking module coupled with the light-sensing module and the communication interface and configured to: receive, over the communication interface, a vehicle identifier assigned to a vehicle; and provide, over the communication interface, the vehicle identifier to one or more others of a plurality of light sensors used to track the vehicle's position within the parking area responsive to detection of a physical presence of the vehicle by the light sensor.

20 . (canceled)

21 . The light sensor of claim 1 , wherein the selective provision is based on a determination that the vehicle is sensed at the parking spot by the light sensor for at least a predetermined time interval.

22 . The light sensor of claim 19 , wherein the tracking module is configured to receive, over the communication interface, the vehicle identifier from one or more neighboring light sensors of the plurality of light sensors on detection by the one or more neighboring light sensors of physical presence of the vehicle.

23 . The light sensor of claim 22 , wherein the tracking module is further configured to provide, to the one or more others of the plurality of light sensors in response to receiving the vehicle identifier from the one or more neighboring light sensors more than a predetermined number of times, an announcement that a passing object is a vehicle.

24 . The light sensor of claim 19 , wherein the tracking module is configured to receive the vehicle identifier from a tracker computing device that is located near, or is associated with a parking kiosk that is located near, an entry into the parking area monitored by the plurality of light sensors.

25 . The light sensor of claim 19 , wherein the one or more others of the plurality of light sensors are one or more neighboring light sensors.

26 . The light sensor of claim 19 , wherein the tracking module is further configured to determine, based on repeated detection by the light sensor of physical presence of vehicles over time, whether the light sensor is located at a parking spot or pathway in the parking area.

27 . (canceled)

28 . A vehicle position tracking system, comprising:
a tracker computing device; and a plurality of light sensors in communication with the tracker computing device to monitor a parking area for physical presence of vehicles; wherein the tracker computing device is configured to: assign a vehicle identifier to the vehicle on passage of the vehicle through an entry into the parking area; provide, to a first of the plurality of light sensors near the entry, the vehicle identifier; when the vehicle is parked in a parking spot within the parking area, receive, from a second of the plurality of light sensors, information indicative of the parking spot where the vehicle is parked within the parking area and, after the vehicle is parked in the parking spot; receive from a user of the vehicle, the vehicle identifier; determine, based on the vehicle identifier, the parking spot where the vehicle is parked within the parking area; and provide to t

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Engelen Dirk
• Meerbeek Bernt

Classifications

• G08G1/142

  external to the vehicles · CPC title

• G08G1/005

  including pedestrian guidance indicator · CPC title

• G08G1/017

  identifying vehicles (G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence) · CPC title

• G08G1/04

  using optical or ultrasonic detectors · CPC title

• G08G1/144 Primary

  on portable or mobile units, e.g. personal digital assistant [PDA] · CPC title