Transmission of Parking Instructions with Clearance Distances to Self-Driving Vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019114917-A1
Application number	US-201715784160-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 15, 2017
Priority date	Oct 15, 2017
Publication date	Apr 18, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

An approach is disclosed that locates available parking spaces from a set of parking spaces, such as in a parking lot. The approach retrieves a clearance distance that needed between a parked vehicle parked in an adjacent parking space to the identified parking space. After retrieving the needed clearance distance, the system transmit an instruction to a self-driving vehicle to park in the identified parking space and leave the clearance distance between the self-driving vehicle and the parked vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A machine-implemented method comprising:
locating an available parking space from a plurality of parking spaces; retrieving a first clearance distance corresponding to a first parked vehicle parked in a first adjacent parking space to the located parking space; and transmitting an instruction to a self-driving vehicle to park in the located parking space and leaving the first clearance distance between the self-driving vehicle and the first parked vehicle.

2 . The machine-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the first clearance distance is based on whether the first parked vehicle is manually driven.

3 . The machine-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:
retrieving a second clearance distance corresponding to a second parked vehicle located in a second adjacent parking space to the identified parking space; and
transmitting the instruction to the self-driving vehicle to park in the identified parking space and leaving the first clearance distance between the self-driving vehicle and the first parked vehicle and the second clearance distance between the self-driving vehicle and the second parked vehicle.

4 . The machine-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:
determining that the first parked vehicle is also a self-driving vehicle; and
setting the first clearance distance to a nominal distance in response to the determination.

5 . The machine-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the locating of the available parking space further comprises:
retrieving a vehicle clearance corresponding to the self-driving vehicle;
locating a plurality of available parking spaces; and
selecting the identified available parking space based on an overall parking width that is based on the vehicle clearance, the first clearance distance, and a second clearance distance corresponding to a second parked vehicle located in a second adjacent parking space to the identified available parking space.

6 . The machine-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:
identifying that the first parked vehicle is a manually-driven vehicle and that the first adjacent parking space is adjacent to a driver's side of the self-driving and further identifying that the first parked vehicle lacks a passenger-side exit requirement; and
setting the first clearance distance to a human-error allotment distance that is less than a vehicle door-opening distance in response to the identifying.

7 . The machine-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:
identifying that the first parked vehicle is a manually-driven vehicle and that an exit requirement exists between the first parked vehicle and the available parking space; and
setting the first clearance distance to a vehicle door-opening distance in response to the identifying.

8 . An information handling system comprising:
one or more processors; a memory accessible by at least one of the processors; one or more object sensors, accessible by at least one of the processors, that sense vehicles parked in a plurality of parking spaces; a wireless communications adapter accessible by at least one of the processors; and a set of instructions stored in the memory and executed by at least one of the processors to:
locate, via the object sensors, an available parking space from a plurality of parking spaces, and storing the available parking space in the memory;
retrieve a first clearance distance corresponding to a first parked vehicle parked in a first adjacent parking space to the located parking space; and
transmit, via the wireless communications adapter, an instruction to a self-driving vehicle to park in the located parking space and leaving the first clearance distance between the self-driving vehicle and the first parked vehicle.

9 . The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the first clearance distance is based on whether the first parked vehicle is manually driven.

10 . The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the instructions are further executed by the processors to:
retrieve a second clearance distance corresponding to a second parked vehicle located in a second adjacent parking space to the identified parking space; and
transmit the instruction to the self-driving vehicle to park in the identified driving vehicle and the first parked vehicle and the second clearance distance between the self-driving vehicle and the second parked vehicle.

11 . The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the instructions are further executed by the processors to:
determine that the first parked vehicle is also a self-driving vehicle; and
set the first clearance distance to a nominal distance in response to the determination.

12 . The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the location of the available parking space is performed by instructions that are further executed by the processors to:
retrieve a vehicle clearance corresponding to the self-driving vehicle;
locate a plurality of available parking spaces; and
select the identified available parking space based on an overall parking width that is based on the vehicle clearance, the first clearance distance, and a second clearance distance corresponding to a second parked vehicle located in a second adjacent parking space to the identified available parking space, wherein the overall parking width minimizes wasted space in excess of the overall parking width.

13 . The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the instructions are further executed by the processors to:
identify that the first parked vehicle is a manually-driven vehicle and that the first adjacent parking space is adjacent to a driver's side of the self-driving and further identifying that the first parked vehicle lacks a passenger-side exit requirement; and
set the first clearance distance to a human-error allotment distance that is less than a vehicle door-opening distance in response to the identifying.

14 . The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the instructions are further executed by the processors to:
identify that the first parked vehicle is a manually-driven vehicle and that an exit requirement exists between the first parked vehicle and the available parking space; and
set the first clearance distance to a vehicle door-opening distance in response to the identifying.

15 . A computer program product comprising:
a computer readable storage medium comprising a set of computer instructions, the computer instructions effective to:
locate, via the object sensors, an available parking space from a plurality of parking spaces, and storing the available parking space in the memory;
retrieve a first clearance distance corresponding to a first parked vehicle parked in a first adjacent parking space to the located parking space; and
transmit, via the wireless communications adapter, an instruction to a self-driving vehicle to park in the located parking space and leaving the first clearance distance between the self-driving vehicle and the first parked vehicle.

16 . The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the first clearance distance is based on whether the first parked vehicle is manually driven.

17 . The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the instructions are further executed by the processors to:
retrieve a second clearance distance corresponding to a second parked vehicle located in a second adjacent parking space to the identified parking space; and
transmit the instruction to the self-driving vehicle to park in the identified parking spac

Assignees

• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Kapinos Robert J
• Kingsbury Timothy W
• Li Scott W
• Vanblon Russell S

Classifications

• G08G1/146

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

• G07F17/0057

  for the hiring or rent of vehicles, e.g. cars, bicycles or wheelchairs (car rental G07B15/00) · CPC title

• G07F17/246

  provided with vehicle proximity-detectors (detecting hidden masses, e.g. metal detectors, G01V, e.g. G01V3/00; proximity switches per se H03K17/00; traffic control systems G08G1/00) · CPC title

• G06Q20/127

  Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation · CPC title

• G06Q20/145

  Payments according to the detected use or quantity · CPC title