Magnetic field communication arrangement and method for monitoring the presence of vechicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9367050-B2
Application number	US-201314032471-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2013
Priority date	Dec 16, 2009
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

An automotive communication method includes installing a sensor within a vehicle such that the sensor is submerged in a liquid during operation of the vehicle and/or substantially surrounded by a metallic structure during operation of the vehicle. A long wave magnetic signal is transmitted from the sensor. The signal is indicative of a condition sensed by the sensor. The signal is wirelessly received at a controller disposed within the vehicle. Receipt of the signal at the controller is responded to by adjusting a display and/or a setting within the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of monitoring the presence of vehicles within a predetermined space, said method comprising the steps of:
periodically broadcasting a respective long wave magnetic identification signal from each of a plurality of vehicles, each of the identification signals uniquely identifying the vehicle from which the signal is broadcasted;
using a plurality of long wave magnetic signal readers to receive the identification signals from the vehicles, each of the long wave magnetic signal readers being associated with at least one parking space of a plurality of parking spaces within a parking lot;
detecting the presence of a vehicle in a parking space in response to the long wave magnetic signal reader associated with the parking space receiving the long wave magnetic identification signal from one of the vehicles; and
automatically responding to the received identification signals by recording the identifications of the vehicles in association with each of the portions of the predetermined space and/or transmitting a response signal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the automatically responding step includes transmitting a response signal that is indicative of a respective monetary fee to be charged to each of the vehicles whose identification signals are received.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the automatically responding step includes transmitting a response signal that is indicative of whether a vehicle whose identification signal is received is authorized to park in the portion of the predetermined space.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the long wave magnetic identification signal is broadcast from each of the plurality of vehicles while the vehicle's engine and ignition are turned on and while the vehicles's engine and ignition are turned off.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the long wave magnetic signal readers is associated with at least two parking spaces,
wherein each of the long wave magnetic signal readers is configured to communicate an occupancy state of the at least two parking spaces associated with the long wave magnetic signal reader to a controller, and
wherein the controller is configured to operate a display so as to visually indicate the parking spaces of the plurality of parking spaces of the parking lot which are not occupied by a vehicle.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Jain Vivek
• Venkatraman Lakshmi
• Hogenmueller Thomas

Classifications

• G08G1/017

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

• G05B11/01 Primary

  electric · CPC title

• G01F23/22

  by measuring physical variables, other than linear dimensions, pressure or weight, dependent on the level to be measured, e.g. by difference of heat transfer of steam or water (involving the use of floats G01F23/30) · CPC title

• G08G1/07

  Controlling traffic signals · CPC title

• G01K1/024

  for remote indication · CPC title