Allocating an area to a vehicle

Abstract

A method of directing a vehicle ( 100 ) to an allocated area ( 126 ) includes obtaining ( 204 ) data representing a current geographical location of the vehicle; using ( 208 ) the geographical location data to identify at least one destination location ( 122 ), each said destination location having a set of allocatable areas; checking ( 208 ) availability of the allocatable areas at the at least one destination location in order to allocate a said available allocatable area to the vehicle, and generating data for use in directing ( 214 ) the vehicle to the area allocated to the vehicle.

1 . A method of directing a vehicle ( 100 ) to an allocated area ( 126 ), the method including:
 obtaining ( 204 ) data representing a current geographical location of the vehicle;   using ( 208 ) the geographical location data to identify at least one destination location ( 122 ), each said destination location having a set of allocatable areas;   checking ( 208 ) availability of the allocatable areas at the at least one destination location in order to allocate a said available allocatable area to the vehicle, and   generating data for use in directing ( 214 ) the vehicle to the area allocated to the vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , including obtaining ( 202 ,  204 ) further data relating to the vehicle and using the further vehicle data to identify the at least one destination location ( 122 ). 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , including obtaining a fuel level of the vehicle ( 100 ) to identify ( 208 ) said destination locations ( 122 ) that are within range of the vehicle based on the fuel level. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , including obtaining ( 206 ) information relating to travel between the current geographical location and destination location ( 122 ), such as information relating to weather conditions, information relating to shipping lanes or charts, information relating to traffic conditions, information relating to road works, information relating to tolls or congestion charges. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , including obtaining ( 202 ) data relating to at least one user preference, the user preference data being used ( 208 ) to identify the at least one destination location ( 122 ). 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the user preference data includes a price range and the method compares the user price preference with information relating to prices of allocatable areas at the destination locations ( 122 ). 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the user preference data specifies that the method is to find ( 208 ) a said destination location ( 122 ) that is nearest to the current geographical destination of the vehicle ( 100 ). 
     
     
         8 . A method according to any one of the preceding  claim 1 , including presenting ( 210 ) information relating to the identified destination locations ( 122 ) and allowing the user to select ( 212 ) at least one of the identified destination locations. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the generated data for directing the vehicle ( 100 ) is used by a navigation or autopilot system to navigate or transport the vehicle to the destination location ( 122 ) having the allocated area ( 126 ). 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein upon arrival of the vehicle at the allocated area the method further uses the navigation or autopilot system to display precise coordinates of the allocated area on the navigation system, and/or the precise coordinates are used by the autopilot system to guide the vehicle to dock in the allocated area. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein a sensor arrangement fitted on/adjacent the vehicle and/or the allocated area is used to assist with docking the vehicle in the allocated area. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the sensor arrangement detects a position of the vehicle relative to at least one feature of the allocated area. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 1 , further including identifying and monitoring a said vehicle located in the allocated area. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , including monitoring whether the vehicle is approaching, or exceeding, its allocated time in the allocated area. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the monitoring is performed by at least one sensor located at or adjacent the allocated area. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein if it is detected that the vehicle is exceeding its allocated time in the allocated area then the method further includes imposing a penalty on a user of the vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the penalty comprises a financial penalty. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the penalty includes depriving the vehicle of a service at the allocated area, e.g. cut off fresh water;
 sewerage; electricity and/or fuel services.   
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 1 , including detecting if another vehicle is prevented from using the allocated area due to the first-mentioned vehicle exceeding its allocated time, and seeking an alternative allocatable area for the other vehicle. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 1 , further including computing an estimated time of arrival of the vehicle at the allocated area. 
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20 , further including updating the estimated time of arrival if a user of the vehicle interrupts, or makes a detour from, a route to the allocated area. 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21 , further including updating the estimated time of arrival based on weather condition and/or traffic/shipping lane information. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 1 , further including computing a cost value associated with travelling from the current geographical location to a said destination location. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein the computing of the cost value includes computing a cost of travel based on distance between the current geographical location and the destination location; en route weather conditions; en route traffic or shipping lane information; fuel usage; and/or weight of the vehicle (possibly including onboard materials, such as fuel, water and/or a number of people onboard). 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 24 , wherein the method uses a waterline monitoring device to compute the weight of the vehicle. 
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 23 , including using a reading from a foul sensor in the cost computation. 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle ( 100 ) comprises a waterborne vessel and the allocatable areas ( 126 ) comprise berths. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises a motor vehicle and the allocatable areas comprise parking spaces. 
     
     
         29 . A computer program element comprising: computer code means to make the computer execute a method according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         30 . A system ( 102 ,  110 ) adapted to direct a vehicle ( 100 ) to an allocated area ( 126 ), the system including:
 a location device ( 108 ) for obtaining data representing a current geographical location of the vehicle;   a device ( 102 ,  110 ) configured to use the geographical location data to identify at least one destination location ( 122 ), each said destination location having a set of allocatable areas ( 126 );   a device ( 102 ,  110 ) configured to check availability of the allocatable areas at the at least one destination location in order to allocate a said available allocatable area to the vehicle, and   a device ( 102 ,  110 ) configured to generate data for use in directing the vehicle to the area allocated to the vehicle.   
     
     
         31 - 32 . (canceled)