US-20260127964-A1 - Parking Location Navigation System and Method

US20260127964A1US 20260127964 A1US20260127964 A1US 20260127964A1US-20260127964-A1

Abstract

A community-driven computerized vehicle navigation system and method operates to direct vehicles to available parking spaces. Information on potential parking spaces is stored in a parking map database. Using a real time map server automotive navigation system (ANS) information, parking sign data and earth/street view images are processes, perhaps with an AI module, to generate individual parking space data that is stored in parking map database. Information from the map database is sent to a real time map server, which transmits it to a personal navigation device that is in the vehicle, which displays streets in the vicinity, GPS turn-by-turn directions and potential individual parking spaces. Users can indicate to the system the location of vacant individual parking spaces, which information is broadcast to other users in the vicinity. Information about metered parking and parking lots can also be uploaded to the system and displayed.

Inventors

Melissa Henry

Assignees

Melissa Henry

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241106

Claims (20)

1 . A community-driven computerized vehicle navigation system that operates to direct vehicles to available parking spaces, comprising: a parking map database; a real time map server that transmits turn-by turn directions to a personal navigation device that includes GPS guidance system, a transceiver and a display, the personal navigation device being located in a vehicle to guide the vehicle to an available parking space based on data in the parking map data base; a parking data input processor that receives information from which it generates data about potentially available parking spaces and stores it in the parking map database; automotive navigation system (ANS) data source for providing information for guiding a vehicle from one location to a destination location in the form of GPS turn-by-turn directions on a map; the ANS source providing its map information to the parking data input processor from which it is sent to the parking map database; an available parking space data source for providing information about potentially available parking spaces permitted on-street parking including time, date and street location, said available parking space data source providing its information to the parking data input processor where it is coordinated with the ANS information to form data for the parking map database which locates potential individual parking spaces on the GPS map data; and wherein said real-time map server transmits information about available parking spaces to the display on the personal navigation device so as to assign guidance of a user to an available parking space. parking data input processor compares the earth/street view data with the parking spaces to confirm their accuracy and to store confirmed information in the parking map database for transmission to and display on the personal navigation device, and to assign guidance of a user to an available parking space.
2 . The navigation system according to claim 1 wherein a user of the system can indicate one or more vacant individual parking spaces by pressing a location or locations on the display of the personal navigation device, which information is received by the real-time map server and stored in the map database.
3 . The navigation system according to claim 1 wherein said available parking space data source is a parking sign data source providing information about on-street parking areas including time, date and street location and further including a source of earth/street view data for providing images of a street from some point in the past, which is correlated with GPS map data, and wherein said parking data input processor compares the earth/street view data with the parking areas to confirm the accuracy of available parking spaces in the parking area and to store confirmed information in the parking map database.
4 . The navigation system according to claim 3 wherein free parking is allowed at the vacant parking space.
5 . The navigation system according to claim 1 wherein a user of the system can indicate leaving an individual parking space that was occupied by pressing a location on the display of the personal navigation device, which information is received by the real-time map server and stored in the map database.
6 . The navigation system according to claim 3 wherein the parking data input processor is coupled with or includes an artificial intelligence module, which separates potential parking areas into the individual parking spaces by predicting vehicle parking.
7 . The navigation system according to claim 3 wherein the parking data input processor uses the earth/street view data to refine the parking space data to remove spaces containing fire hydrants, bus stops and driveways from the available spaces.
8 . The navigation system according to claim 1 wherein the personal navigation device is one of a vehicle guidance system built into a vehicle, a smartphone, IPad and a tablet.
9 . The navigation system according to claim 1 wherein said available parking space data source is a municipal parking space source for providing information as to whether a timed fee for a designated parking space has expired or is about to expire, the municipal parking space information is provided to the parking data input processor where it is coordinated with the ANS information to form data for the parking map database which locates individual metered parking spaces on the GPS map data, and stores it in the parking map database.
10 . The navigation system according to claim 9 wherein the parking data input processor is coupled with or includes an artificial intelligence module, and wherein the artificial intelligence module is trained on the time left on the metered parking space and the time when is the charge for the space is refilled, as well as whether it was refilled by a Z-park user, in order to enhance the system's prediction of the likelihood of one of the parking spaces being available at a particular time.
11 . The navigation system according to claim 1 wherein said available parking space data source is a parking lot status source for providing information as to whether related parking lots are full or have space for cars, the parking lot status information is provided to the parking data input processor where it is coordinated with the ANS information to form data for the parking map database which locates parking lots that are not full on the GPS map data, and stores the parking lot status in the parking map database.
12 . The navigation system according to claim 1 wherein said available parking space data source is a source of real-time satellite images of parking spaces in the vicinity of the vehicle to determine whether the spaces are vacant or not, the real-time satellite image information is provided to the parking data input processor where it is coordinated with the ANS information to form data for the parking map database which indicates whether individual parking spaces are vacant on the GPS map data, and stores the vacant individual parking space information in the parking map database.
13 . The navigation system according to claim 12 further wherein the parking data input processor is coupled with or includes an artificial intelligence module, and wherein the artificial intelligence module is trained on the real-time satellite image information to improve its prediction of parking spaces.
14 . The navigation system according to claim 1 wherein parking map database further includes advertisements geolocated with the user's location which are sent to the real time map server and transmitted to the personal navigation device and shown on its display during the time the system operates to direct vehicles to available parking spaces.
15 . The navigation system according to claim 1 wherein the real time map server automatically sends arrival and/or departure messages to selected contacts when the user parks the vehicle or leaves a parking space.
16 . The navigation system according to claim 2 wherein the user is rewarded for indicating vacant individual parking spaces.
17 . The navigation system according to claim 5 wherein the user is rewarded for indicating when leaving an individual parking space that was occupied.
18 . The navigation system according to claim 16 where in the reward can be early or priority notice of a vacant free parking space in the user's vicinity.
19 . The navigation system according to claim 17 where in the reward can be early or priority notice of a vacant free parking space in the user's vicinity.
20 . The navigation system according to claim 1 wherein the system is installed in a self-driving car and wherein the information in the parking map database for display on the personal navigation device is downloaded to the personal navigation device, and the personal navigation device is connected to the driving controls of the self-driving car so as to drive the car and park it in an available parking space.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to vehicle navigation and direction systems and, more particularly, to vehicle direction systems that provide parking information. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION With the advent of global positioning satellite systems (GPS), one of the uses of GPS has been in vehicle directional guidance systems or automotive navigation systems (ANS) that provide a vehicle driver with precise directions as to how to travel from one location to another predetermined location. Initially these ANS were purpose built into the controls of a vehicle. However, more recently they are in the form of third party add on software applications. These add-on applications may reside on a cellphone whose display is used to guide a driver or on a cellphone that is connected to the vehicle's display system, e.g., Apple CarPlay®. The ANS systems, both purpose-built and third-party software are typically augmented with information other than mere directions. For example, they may show points of interest such as gas stations, stores and parking lots. Some of these third-party applications, such as Waze and Google Maps, provide the ability for the community of users to include additional information into the system which can be shared with other drivers. See U.S. Pat. No. 9,275,544 of Levine et al. This can include information about vehicles on the side of the road, police action, traffic cameras, etc. Any vehicle trip is not concluded until the vehicle has arrived at the desired location and been parked. In rural and other sparsely populated areas, parking spaces are typically available, likely without cost. However, in more densely populated areas, e.g., large cities and even rural business areas that are not associated with large parking areas, finding a parking space can be challenging. A great deal of city and urban traffic is created by vehicles searching for parking spaces. This creates traffic congestion and lost time and further adds to air pollution. According to the INRIX 2023 Global Traffic Report, motorists in all of the United States search for parking spots on streets, in lots or garages for an average of 17 hours a year. Americans pay more than $20 billion per year for parking, amounting to $97 per driver. New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, and Miami are the top cities in which parking quests endure the highest hours of wasted time, with 101, 96, 89, 88, and 70 hours per person each year. The indirect out-of-pocket expenses of searching for parking are much higher than this, with parking quests costing an estimated $345 per US citizen in wasted time, fuel, and emissions per driver. Certain cities are devastated by these indirect costs, such as New York City where parking searches amount to an estimated yearly $2,243 per driver in wasted time, fuel and emissions; and approximately $4.3 billion dollars in costs to the city. In addition, people typically overpay for metered parking, due to the difficulties in predicting how long they may need the space and fear of a parking ticket if the time runs out. Also, the difficulty of predicting how long it will take to find a free parking space causes them to surrender to a parking garage for fear of being late to an appointment. This can be very costly, as parking in Manhattan is estimated at $69 per day. Thirty percent of traffic in inner cities is caused by people looking for parking, contributing to 1.3 kg of CO2 emissions per parking search; with congestion increasing each year. An astronomical number of cars enter cities each day. For example, there are more than 900,000 vehicles entering Manhattan each day, with traffic moving an average of 7 miles per hour; forcing cities to implement measures such as congestion pricing. Transportation is one of the biggest contributors to a person's individual carbon footprint. Using a projection for the City of New York in Manhattan the 1.3 kg of CO2 emissions per parking search×900,000 cars equals a carbon footprint of 1,170,000 kg (1289.7 tons) of CO2 emission per day. This translates into a level of emission that significantly contributes to air pollution (including smog, carbon monoxide, and other toxins) and supercharges the natural greenhouse effect, with its devastating impact on global warming and the health of the planet and its inhabitants. It is estimated that the global CO2 footprint needs to see a decrease of 2 tons per year by 2050 to avert a critical 1.5-degree Celsius rise in temperature (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2023). This would be possible by effectively directing traffic through novel technological solutions. As part of indirect costs, congestion poses a threat to local shops and businesses. An overwhelming 60% of drivers avoid driving to these destinations due to parking costs and hassles. The mental toll of parking compounds the problem, with nearly two thirds of drivers in the US reporting finding parking a stressful experience, 42% having missed an app