Apparatus And Method For Locating, Identifying And Tracking Vehicles In A Parking Area

Abstract

A method for use in the management of vehicle parking in a vehicle parking area having a plurality of vehicle parking spaces, the method comprising determining the locations of vacant vehicle parking spaces; and displaying the locations of vacant vehicle parking spaces to people seeking to park vehicles.

1 . A method for use in the management of vehicle parking in a vehicle parking area having a plurality of vehicle parking spaces, the method comprising: 
 determining the locations of vacant vehicle parking spaces; and    displaying the locations of vacant vehicle parking spaces to people seeking to park vehicles.    
   
   
       2 . A method for use in the management of vehicle parking in a vehicle parking area having a plurality of vehicle parking spaces, the method comprising: 
 determining one or more identifying features of each of a plurality of vehicles located in vehicle parking spaces;    receiving a request to locate a specific vehicle with at least one of said one or more identifying features;    determining one or more possible locations for said specific vehicle based on said at least one of said one or more identifying features and the determined one or more identifying features of each of a plurality of vehicles; and    displaying said one or more possible locations in response to said request.    
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said one or more identifying features comprise one or more of: the number plate, the colour, the make and the model of a vehicle.  
   
   
       4 . A system for use in the management of vehicle parking in a vehicle parking area having a plurality of vehicle parking spaces, the apparatus comprising: 
 a detection unit for determining the locations of vacant vehicle parking spaces; and    a display unit for displaying the locations of vacant vehicle parking spaces to people seeking to park vehicles.    
   
   
       5 . The system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the detection unit comprises a plurality of camera elements and an image processing unit for processing images obtained by the camera elements, each camera element surveying one or more of the vehicle parking spaces.  
   
   
       6 . The system as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein each camera element is arranged such that different cells of an image from the camera element is associated with one vehicle parking space, and the image processing determines the location of the vacant vehicle spaces based on individual cells of the images.  
   
   
       7 . The system as claimed in any one of  claims 4  to  6 , wherein the display unit comprises one or more audio display devices and/or one or more visual display devices.  
   
   
       8 . The system as claimed in any one of  claims 4  to  7 , wherein the display unit is arranged to communicate with one or more remote devices for facilitating displaying the locations of the vacant parking spaces.  
   
   
       9 . The system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the remote devices comprise on-vehicle devices.  
   
   
       10 . A system for use in the management of vehicle parking in a vehicle parking area having a plurality of vehicle parking spaces, the apparatus comprising: 
 a first detection unit for determining one or more identifying features of each of a plurality of vehicles located in vehicle parking spaces;    an interface unit for receiving a request to locate a specific vehicle with at least one of said one or more identifying features;    a processing unit for determining one or more possible locations for said specific vehicle based on said at least one of said one or more identifying features and the determined one or more identifying features of each of a plurality of vehicles; and    a display unit for displaying said one or more possible locations in response to said request.    
   
   
       11 . The system according to  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a second detection unit for determining the locations of vacant vehicle parking spaces; and    the display unit further displays the locations of vacant vehicle parking spaces to people seeking to park vehicles.    
   
   
       12 . The system as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the first and second detection units are implemented in a single detection unit.  
   
   
       13 . The system according to  claim 10  or  12 , wherein said one or more identifying features comprise one or more of: the number plate, the colour, the make and the model of a vehicle.  
   
   
       14 . The system as claimed in any one of  claims 10  to  13 , wherein the first and/or second detection units comprise a plurality of camera elements and an image processing unit for processing images obtained by the camera elements, each camera element surveying one or more of the vehicle parking spaces.  
   
   
       15 . The system as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein each camera element is arranged such that different cells of an image from the camera element is associated with one vehicle parking space, and the image processing determines the location of the vacant vehicle spaces based on individual cells of the images.  
   
   
       16 . The system as claimed in any one of  claims 10  to  15 , wherein the display unit comprises one or more audio display devices and/or one or more visual display devices.  
   
   
       17 . The system as claimed in any one of  claims 10  to  16 , wherein the display unit is arranged to communicate with one or more remote devices for facilitating displaying the locations of the vacant parking spaces.  
   
   
       18 . The system as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the remote devices comprise on-vehicle devices.  
   
   
       19 . A method for automatically providing the occupancy status of specific, individual car park spaces, and identifying the vehicles that occupy them, comprising: 
 processing one or more images of the car park spaces to provide information regarding the locations and numbers of empty and occupied car park spaces, and guidance information to their locations; and    processing one or more images of the vehicles occupying car park spaces, to identify one or more of their features, thereby to enable the accurate locating of the vehicles, and to provide guidance information to their locations.    
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the processing one or more images of the vehicles occupying car park spaces comprises processing said images of the vehicles to determine one or more of: the number plate, the colour, the make and the model of the vehicle in each image.  
   
   
       21 . A computer readable data storage medium having stored thereon computer code means for instructing a computer to execute a method for use in the management of vehicle parking in a vehicle parking area having a plurality of vehicle parking spaces, the method comprising: 
 determining the locations of vacant vehicle parking spaces; and    displaying the locations of vacant vehicle parking spaces to people seeking to park vehicles.    
   
   
       22 . A computer readable data storage medium having stored thereon computer code means for instructing a computer to execute a method for use in the management of vehicle parking in a vehicle parking area having a plurality of vehicle parking spaces, the method comprising: 
 determining one or more identifying features of each of a plurality of vehicles located in vehicle parking spaces;    receiving a request to locate a specific vehicle with at least one of said one or more identifying features;    determining one or more possible locations for said specific vehicle based on said at least one of said one or more identifying features and the determined one or more identifying features of each of a plurality of vehicles; and    displaying said one or more possible locations in response to said request.    
   
   
       23 . A computer readable data storage medium having stored thereon computer code means for instructing a computer to execute a for automatically providing the occupancy status of specific, individual car park spaces, and identifying the vehicles that occupy them, comprising: 
 processing one or more images of the car park spaces to provide information regarding the locations and numbers of empty and occupied car park spaces, and guidance information to their locations; and    processing one or more images of the vehicles occupying car park spaces, to identify one or more of their features, thereby to enable the accurate locating of the vehicles, and to provide guidance information to their locations.