DE-102024132714-A1 - DATA PROCESSING DEVICE FOR A PARKING SYSTEM

DE102024132714A1DE 102024132714 A1DE102024132714 A1DE 102024132714A1DE-102024132714-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a data processing device for a parking system, comprising: at least one receiving module configured for receiving an entry data record, containing an entry license plate sequence of a vehicle entering a parking device of the parking system, determined by a first license plate recognition device, and at least one raw entry signal detected by an entry signal detection device in an entry area of the parking device during the vehicle's entry; at least one storage module configured for storing the received entry data record in a data storage device, wherein the receiving module is configured for receiving an exit data record, containing an exit license plate sequence of a vehicle exiting the parking device, determined by a second license plate recognition device, and at least one raw exit signal detected by an exit signal detection device in an exit area of the parking device during the vehicle's exit; and at least one evaluation module configured for determining an entry data record corresponding to the received exit data record from the stored entry data records by performing a first and, optionally, a second operation. Comparison step.

Inventors

Norbert Miller

Assignees

SCHEIDT & BACHMANN GMBH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20241108

Claims (17)

Data processing device (100, 200) for a parking system (230), comprising: - at least one receiving module (106, 206) configured to receive an entry data record (488), containing an entry license plate chain (494) of a vehicle (274) entering a parking device of the parking system (230) as determined by a first license plate identification device (250), and at least one entry raw signal (498) detected by an entry signal detection device (240) in an entry area (236) of the parking device during the entry of the vehicle (274), - at least one storage module (110, 210) configured to store the received entry data record (488) in a data storage device (112, 212), - wherein the receiving module (106, 206) is configured to receive an exit data record (490), containing a second license plate identification device (252), a specified exit license plate chain (496) of a vehicle (274) exiting the parking device, and at least one exit raw signal (492) detected by an exit signal detection device (242) in an exit area (238) of the parking device during the vehicle's (274) exit, and - at least one evaluation module (108, 208), configured to determine an entry data record (488) corresponding to the received exit data record (490) from the stored entry data records by: - comparing, in a first comparison step, the exit license plate chain (496) of the exit data record (490) with the respective entry license plate chains (494) of the stored entry data records, and - comparing, in a second comparison step, the at least one exit raw signal (492) of the exit data record (490) with the Entry raw signal (498) of at least one entry data record (488) of the stored entry data records, which contains the entry identifier chain (494) that is most similar to the exit identifier chain (496) of the exit data record (490).
Data processing device (100, 200) according to Claim 1 , wherein - the evaluation module (108, 208) is set up to perform the second comparison step only if no entry license plate chain (494) identical to the exit license plate chain (496) was found in the first comparison step.
Data processing device (100, 200) according to Claim 1 or 2 , wherein - the evaluation module (108, 208) is set up to compare, in the second comparison step, the at least one exit raw signal (492) of the exit data record (490) with the at least one entry raw signal (498) of the entry data record (488) of the stored entry data records (488), which contains the entry identifier chain (494) that is most similar to the exit identifier chain (496) of the exit data record (490), without determining the data content of the at least one exit raw signal (492) and/or without determining the data content of the at least one entry raw signal (498).
Data processing device (100, 200) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the evaluation module (108, 208) is configured to identify an entry data record (488) corresponding to the received exit data record (490) from the stored entry data records (488), if - in the first comparison step it is determined that the entry string (494) of the corresponding entry data record (488) is identical to the exit string (496) of the received exit data record (490), or - in the second comparison step it is determined that the entry raw signal (498) of the corresponding entry data record (488) and the exit raw signal (492) of the received exit data record (490) satisfy a matching criterion.
Data processing device (100, 200) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the evaluation module (108, 208) is configured to determine a similarity factor between two identifier chains (494, 496) compared in the first comparison step, based on a measurement of a Levenshtein distance between the compared identifier chains (494, 496), - and the evaluation module (108, 208) is configured at least to determine those identifier chains (494, 496) that are most similar to each other, based on the determined similarity factors.
Data processing device (100, 200) according to Claim 4 and 5 , wherein - the evaluation module (108, 208) is set up to dynamically determine the match criterion, based on the similarity factor of the identifier strings (494, 496) that are most similar to each other.
Data processing device (100, 200) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the entry data set (488) contains a plurality of captured entry raw signals (498) transmitted by a corresponding plurality of transmitting devices (276, 278, 280), and/or - the exit data set (490) contains a plurality of captured exit raw signals (492) transmitted by a corresponding plurality of transmitting devices (276, 278, 280).
Data processing device (100, 200) according to Claim 7 , wherein - a transmitting device (276, 278, 280) is selected from the group comprising: - mobile terminal (276), - wheel sensor (278) of the vehicle (274), - vehicle control unit of the vehicle (274), - entertainment system (280) of the vehicle (274), - on-board computer of the vehicle (274) - Car-2-X interface of the vehicle.
Data processing device (100, 200) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: - the data processing device (100, 200) comprises at least one release module (220) configured to release an access device (226) arranged in the exit area (238), at least based on the evaluation result, and/or - the entry data record (488) contains an entry time of the vehicle (274), and - the data processing device (100, 200) further comprises a parking duration determination module (222) configured to determine the parking duration of the vehicle (274), based on the entry time of the vehicle (274) and a provided exit time of the vehicle (274).
Data processing device (100, 200) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising: - at least one user database (227), configured for storing user data records, each containing at least one user identifier, one vehicle registration number and at least one data field for storing raw signal data records, - at least one update module (228), configured for adding the at least one entry raw signal (498) from a received entry data record (488) to the user data record whose identifier is identical to the entry registration number chain (494) from the received entry data record (488), and/or for adding the at least one exit raw signal (492) from a received exit data record (490) to the user data record whose identifier is identical to the exit registration number chain (496) from the received exit data record (490).
Data processing device (100, 200) according to Claim 10 , wherein - the evaluation module (108, 208) is configured to determine a user data record corresponding to the received exit data record (490) from the stored entry data records (488) by: - comparing, in a third comparison step, the exit license plate chain (496) of the exit data record (490) with the respective vehicle license plates of the stored user data records and - comparing, in a fourth comparison step, the at least one exit raw signal (492) of the exit data record (490) with the at least one raw signal data record of the user data record of the stored user data records, which contains the vehicle license plate that is most similar to the exit license plate chain (496) of the exit data record (496), at least if no vehicle license plate identical to the exit license plate chain (496) was determined in the third comparison step.
Parking system (230), comprising: - at least one data processing device (100, 200) according to any one of the preceding claims, - at least one first license plate identification device (250), configured to determine an entry license plate sequence (494) of a vehicle (274) entering a parking device, - at least one entry signal detection device (240), configured to detect at least one entry raw signal (498) in an entry area (236) of the parking device while the vehicle (274) is entering, - at least one second license plate identification device (252), configured to determine an exit license plate sequence (496) of a vehicle (274) exiting the parking device, and - at least one exit signal detection device (242), configured to detect at least one exit raw signal (492) in an exit area (238) of the parking device while the vehicle (274) is exiting.
Parking system (230) according to Claim 12 , further comprising - at least one access device (258) arranged at the entrance (232) of the parking device with at least one locking device (262), - wherein the entry signal detection device (240) comprises at least one first receiver (244) configured to provide a first detection field (264) in a passage device in front of the locking device, and comprises at least one second receiver configured to provide a second detection field (266) in the direction of passage behind the locking device.
Parking system (230) according to Claim 13 , comprehensive: a data set standardization module (107, 207) is set up - for receiving the entry license plate chain of a vehicle (274) entering a parking device of the parking system (230) as determined by the first license plate identification device (250), and - for receiving at least one first entry raw signal detected by the first receiver (244) in a first detection field (264) during the entry of the vehicle (274) in front of the barrier, and - for receiving at least one second entry raw signal detected by the second receiver (246) in a second detection field (266) during the entry of the vehicle (274) behind the barrier, - for generating the entry data set (488), containing as entry string (494) the entry license plate chain of the first entry data set and as entry raw signal (498) the intersection of the at least one detected first entry raw signal and the at least one detected second entry signal.
Parking system (230) according to Claim 12 , further comprising - at least one access device (258) arranged at the entrance (232) of the parking device without locking means, - wherein the entrance signal detection device (240) comprises at least one receiver configured to provide a third detection field (264), - wherein the first license plate identification device (250) comprises at least one camera (254) arranged at the entrance, - wherein a detection area of the camera (254) and the third detection field (264) overlap at least partially.
A method, in particular a computer-implemented method, comprising: - Receiving, by a receiving module of a data processing device (100, 200) of a parking system (230), an entry data set (488) containing an entry license plate chain (494) of a vehicle (274) entering a parking device, determined by a first license plate identification device (250), and at least one entry signal raw signal (494) detected by an entry signal detection device (240) in an entry area (236) of the parking device during the vehicle's (274) entry; - Storing, by at least one storage module (110, 210) of the data processing device (100, 200), the received entry data set (488) in a data storage device (112, 212); - Receiving, by the receiving module (106, 206), an exit data set (490) containing an exit license plate chain (496) of a vehicle (274) exiting the parking device, determined by a second license plate identification device (252), and at least one exit raw signal (492) detected by an exit signal detection device (242) in an exit area (238) of the parking device during the vehicle's (274) exiting, - Determining, by at least one evaluation module (108, 208) of the data processing device (100, 200), an entry data record (488) corresponding to the received exit data record (490) from the stored entry data records by: - Comparing, in a first comparison step, the exit license plate chain (496) of the exit data record (490) with the respective entry license plate chains (494) of the stored entry data records and/or - Comparing, in a second comparison step, the at least one exit raw signal (492) of the exit data record (490) with the entry raw signal (498) of the at least one entry data record (488) of the stored entry data records, which contains the entry identifier chain (494) that is most similar to the exit identifier chain (496) of the exit data record (490).
Computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by at least one processor (102, 202) of a data processing device (100, 200), cause the latter to execute and/or control the procedure described above.

Description

The invention relates to a data processing device for an (off-street) parking system. Furthermore, the invention relates to an (off-street) parking system and a method. Parking systems with at least one parking device are known from the prior art. A parking device is, in particular, a parking garage or a parking lot. Such parking systems are also referred to as off-street parking systems or facilities. Such a parking system typically has one or more access devices at a corresponding number of passageways to and/or from a parking facility. For example, an access device may be equipped with a locking mechanism, such as a barrier with a pivoting arm. Such an access device primarily controls or directs a vehicle's passage through a passageway where the access device is located, from a first area to another area. A parking system may include at least one access device to control a vehicle's passage from an uncontrolled area, such as a (public) road, into a controlled area, such as the parking area or parking facility. In other words, entry into the parking facility can be controlled by an access device at an entrance to the parking system. Alternatively or additionally, a parking system may include at least one access device to control a vehicle's passage from the controlled area into the uncontrolled area. In other words, exiting the parking facility at an exit can be controlled by an access device. An access device with a barrier or an access device without a barrier (also referred to as a free-flow system or free-flow access device) can be arranged at an entrance and/or exit. The entrance and/or exit can be structurally separated, for example, with separate lanes for entry and exit and separate access devices for each, or combined, for example, with an entrance and exit sharing a common lane and a common access device. Furthermore, several lanes in one direction can run parallel to each other at an entrance and/or exit, particularly with and without physical separation of the lanes. With known access control systems, entry into a parking facility is granted after a parking ticket, such as a short-term parking ticket, has been issued, based on a user action. The short-term parking ticket, particularly a paper ticket, is then paid for by the user at a machine at the end of the parking period and checked at the exit by a validator device of the access control system. If the check is successful, passage through the access point (in this case, exit) is authorized by a release module. However, if the validator device determines that the ticket has not yet been paid for, for example, or that payment was made too long ago, the access control system remains closed, and passage is blocked. In other words, passage through the access point is blocked by a release module. A constant concern with (off-street) parking systems is improving user comfort. In particular, manual user actions are considered user-unfriendly. Current technology already exists for parking systems that can reduce the required user actions. Parking systems are known in which a license plate recognition device is provided at each passage (in particular, at each passage), comprising at least one camera. The at least one camera of a license plate recognition device is configured to capture image data of the license plate of a vehicle passing through or driving through the respective passage. This includes, in particular, capturing the aforementioned image data before the vehicle passes through the passage. The license plate recognition device can include a camera and an image processing module connected to the camera. The image processing module can be configured to determine a license plate sequence from the captured image data. Such a license plate recognition device (with camera and image processing module) is also referred to as an LPR (License Plate Recognition) device. In an LPR license plate recognition device, the image of the vehicle license plate captured by the camera is evaluated by the image processing module, particularly using OCR (Optical Character Recognition), to determine the license plate sequence. The license plate number is a string of characters that the license plate recognition device determines from the camera image or image data, and which ideally is the string of characters that corresponds to the license plate number on the license plate attached to the vehicle. The vehicle is attached and depicted in the captured image data. In particular, in addition to image data, the respective license plate recognition device can also determine the time of passage (especially an entry or exit time). A data processing device may be set up to evaluate the aforementioned data. For example, the data processing device may be set up to determine the parking duration from the difference between the entry and exit times for the same license plate sequence or the same vehicle. Furthermore, access authorizations (e.g., long-term parking permits) m