Drone-Based Augmented Reality Parking Assistance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025035459-A1
Application number	US-202318360415-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 27, 2023
Priority date	Jul 27, 2023
Publication date	Jan 30, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods, computing systems, and technology for locating available parking spaces are presented. For example, a computing system may be configured to access data indicative of an available parking space identified by a drone. The computing system may be configured to determine, based on the data indicative of the available parking space identified by the drone, a location of the available parking space. The computing system may be configured to determine a route, for a vehicle, to the location of the available parking space. The computing system may be configured to generate content comprising information for navigating to the location of the available parking space. The computing system may be configured to output one or more signals to initiate a display of the content for a user via a user interface of a wearable display device, the content comprising the information for navigating to the location of the available parking space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computing system comprising:
a control circuit configured to:
access data indicative of an available parking space identified by a drone;
determine, based on the data indicative of the available parking space identified by the drone, a location of the available parking space;
determine a route, for a vehicle, to the location of the available parking space;
based on the route to the location of the available parking space, generate content comprising information for navigating to the location of the available parking space; and
output one or more signals to initiate a display of the content for a user via a user interface of a wearable display device, the content comprising the information for navigating to the location of the available parking space.

2 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein control circuit is configured to:
determine that the vehicle is approaching, or has entered, a parking area; and output one or more signals to initiate the drone to take-off from onboard the vehicle to search the parking area for one or more available parking spaces.

3 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the content comprises augmented reality content including a user interface element, the user interface element indicating the location of the available parking space.

4 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the wearable display device is a head-worn computing device, and wherein the user interface element indicating the location of the available parking space is visible in a field-of-view that comprises the available parking space.

5 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the data indicative of the available parking space identified by the drone comprises location data provided by the drone.

6 . The computing system of claim 5 , wherein the location data is indicative of a location of the drone.

7 . The computing system of claim 6 , wherein to determine the location of the available parking space, the control circuit is configured to determine the location of the available parking space based on the location of the drone.

8 . The computing system of claim 6 , wherein to determine the route, for the vehicle, to the location of the available parking space the control circuit is configured to determine a route to the location of the drone.

9 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the drone is positioned above the available parking space.

10 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
access map data associated with a parking area comprising the available space; and wherein to determine the route, for the vehicle, to the location of the available parking space, the control circuit is configured to determine the route based also on the map data associated with the parking area.

11 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the drone is included within a plurality of drones associated with the parking area.

12 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to:
determine that the available parking space is appropriate for the vehicle based on at least one of: (i) a type of the available parking space; (ii) a size of the available parking space; (iii) an orientation of the available parking space; (iv) a restriction associated with the available parking space; or (v) a preference of the user.

13 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
accessing data indicative of an available parking space identified by a drone; determining, based on the data indicative of the available parking space identified by the drone, a location of the available parking space; determining a route, for a vehicle, to the location of the available parking space; based on the route to the location of the available parking space, generating content comprising information for navigating to the location of the available parking space; and outputting one or more signals to initiate a display of the content for a user via a user interface of a wearable display device, the content comprising the information for navigating to the location of the available parking space.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further comprising:
determining that the vehicle is approaching, or has entered, a parking area; and outputting one or more signals to initiate the drone to take-off from onboard the vehicle to search the parking area for one or more available parking spaces.

15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein the content comprises augmented reality content including a user interface element, the user interface element indicating the location of the available parking space.

16 . The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein the wearable display device is a head-worn computing device, and wherein the user interface element indicating the location of the available parking space is visible in a field-of-view that comprises the available parking space.

17 . The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein the data indicative of the available parking space identified by the drone comprises location data provided by the drone.

18 . The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , wherein the location data is indicative of a location of the drone.

19 . The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , wherein determining the location of the available parking space, comprises determining the location of the available parking space based on the location of the drone.

20 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media that store instructions that are executable by a control circuit to:
access data indicative of an available parking space identified by a drone; determine, based on the data indicative of the available parking space identified by the drone, a location of the available parking space; determine a route, for a vehicle, to the location of the available parking space; based on the route to the location of the available parking space, generating content comprising information for navigating to the location of the available parking space; and output one or more signals to initiate a display of the content for a user via a user interface of a wearable display device, the content comprising the information for navigating to the location of the available parking space.

Assignees

• Mercedes Benz Group Ag

Inventors

• Saney Kavita
• Gee Kevin

Classifications

• G01C21/3685

  the POI's being parking facilities · CPC title

• B64U10/00

  Type of UAV · CPC title

• B64U2101/00

  UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications · CPC title

• G01C21/365 Primary

  Guidance using head up displays or projectors, e.g. virtual vehicles or arrows projected on the windscreen or on the road itself · CPC title