The present invention relates to systems for monitoring vehicle parking.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The conventional method of monitoring the payment on-street parking today uses sensors, such as cameras, or inspectors that need to patrol all over the street and check every car and ensure that the driver has paid. This method has low efficiency and high costs.

In addition, as a result of a shortage of parking spaces, much time can be spent searching for a free parking space.

US Patents 8,698,895 and 8,982,213 describe systems for monitoring a parking arena.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a parking enforcement system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a system and method for monitoring vehicle parking in a parking arena such as a parking lot, a street parking arena or a parking garage. The system comprises one or more first imaging devices and one or more second imaging devices. The first imaging devices capture images of vehicles entering the arena. The second imaging devices obtain images of a vehicle as it moves in the arena to a parking space in the arena.

Images obtained by the first and second imaging devices are communicated to a parking controller configured to analyze images obtained by the first imaging devices and determine an identity of the vehicle entering the arena. The identity of the vehicle may include, for example, a front and/or rear license plate of the vehicle. The parking controller is further configured to determine an identification of a vehicle in images obtained by one or more of the second imaging devices. The parking controller associates an identity of a vehicle determined from images obtained by one or more of the first imaging devices with the same vehicle in images obtained by one or more of the second imaging devices. Associating an identity of a vehicle in images from the first imaging devices with the vehicle in images from the second imaging devices may be performed by any one or more of several methods. For example, at least one first imaging device and at least one second imaging device may be positioned in or near the arena with an overlap in the field of view of the first imaging device and the second imaging device. A time stamp can be assigned to one or more frames obtained by a first imaging device to one or more frames obtained by the second imaging device. A frame from a first imaging device and second imaging device having the same time stamp would include the same vehicle, so that the identity of the vehicle obtained from an image of a first imaging device can be assigned to the vehicle in an image from the second imaging device having the same time stamp.

As another example of associating an identity of a vehicle in images from the first imaging devices with the vehicle in images from the second imaging devices, an external signal may be generated on a vehicle as the vehicle enters the arena. The external signal may be for example, a light spot formed on a vehicle as the vehicle enters the arena by a light source, such as a laser light source, directed onto the vehicle as it enters the arena. The light source may be in the visible range, the ultraviolet range or the infrared range. In this case, the parking controller could be configured to identify the presence of the external signal in an image obtained by at least one first imaging device, and to identify the external signal in an image obtained by at least one second imaging. The identity of the vehicle obtained from an image of a first imaging device can be assigned to the vehicle in an image from the second imaging device having the same external signal.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The system 100 comprises a parking arena 102 comprising one or more parking spaces

110. The arena 102 may be, for example, a section of a road where on-street parking is available, a parking lot or a parking garage. Typically, each parking space 110 in the arena is delineated by painted lines 104.

The system 100 includes one or more parking payment devices 200 that allow an individual to pay for parking of a vehicle in one of the parking spaces 110 of the system. Each parking space in the system 100 may have a dedicated parking payment device, or one such device may be used to facilitate payment for two or more, and possibly all, of the parking spaces in the arena. One or more of the parking payment devices may be in the form of a parking meter or a pay station that allows an individual to insert money or a credit card to effect payment of the parking. Alternatively or additionally, one or more of the parking payment devices may include a mobile communication device 106, such as a mobile phone, that is in contact with a payment collector 108 over a communication network, such as a mobile telephone network, indicated by the cloud 109.

The system 100 further comprises a parking controller 300 configured to communicate with each of the parking payment devices 200. For example, a pay station or parking meter can be provided with a transceiver that sends signals to the parking controller 300 and receives signals from the controller 300.

The system 100 further comprises one or more first imaging devices 114a and one or more second imaging devices 114b. The one or more first imaging devices 114a are configured to capture images of a vehicle 103 entering the arena 102. The one or more second imaging devices 114b are configured to obtain images of a vehicle 105 as it moves in the arena to a parking space in the arena. Any one or more of the imaging devices 114a and 114b may be, for example, a digital still and/or a video camera.

Images obtained by the first and second imaging devices are communicated to the parking controller 300. The parking controller 300 is configured to analyze images obtained by one or more of the first imaging devices 114a and determine an identity of the vehicle entering the arena. The identity of the vehicle may include, for example, a front and/or rear license plate of the vehicle.

The parking controller is further configured to determine an identity of a vehicle in images obtained by one or more of the second imaging devices 114b. The parking controller 300 associates an identity of a vehicle determined from images obtained by one or more of the first imaging devices 114a with the same vehicle in images obtained by one or more of the second imaging devices 114b. Associating an identity of a vehicle in images from the first imaging devices with the vehicle in images from the second imaging devices may be performed by any one or more of several methods. For example, at least one first imaging device 114a and at least one second imaging device 114b may be positioned in the arena with an overlap in the field of view of the first imaging device and the second imaging device. A time stamp can be assigned to one or more frames obtained by a first imaging device to one or more frames obtained by the second imaging device. A frame from a first imaging device and second imaging device having the same time stamp would include the same vehicle, so that the identity of the vehicle obtained from an image of a first imaging device can be assigned to the vehicle in an image from the second imaging device having the same time stamp.

As another example of associating an identity of a vehicle in images from the first imaging devices with the vehicle in images from the second imaging devices, an external signal may be generated on a vehicle as the vehicle enters the arena. The external signal may be for example, a light spot formed on a vehicle as the vehicle enters the arena by a light source, such as a laser light source, directed onto the vehicle as it enters the arena. The light source may be in the visible range, the ultraviolet range or the infrared range. In this case, the parking controller 300 is configured to identify the presence of the external signal in an image obtained by at least one first imaging device, and to identify the external signal in an image obtained by at least one second imaging device. The identity of the vehicle obtained from an image of a first imaging device can be assigned to the vehicle in an image from the second imaging device having the same time external signal.

The parking controller 300 may also be configured to analyze images obtained by one or more of the second imaging devices to determine an identifier of a parking space where an identified vehicle has parked.

The parking controller 300 maintains a database of parking spaces 110 in the arena 102.

The parking controller 300 is configured to receive from each parking payment device data indicative of the identifier of the parking spot where a vehicle has been parked. When a vehicle has parked in one of the parking spaces 110, this is transmitted to the parking controller 300. The parking controller 300 records in an entry of the parking space data relating to the parking. Such data may include, for example, the license plate number of the parked vehicle, the time of the onset of parking, and the amount of purchased parking time. When the vehicle leaves the parking space, the settings of the controller can be reset to default settings.

The system 100 also includes an enforcement controller 124 that keeps track of parking violations for each of the parking spaces. A parking violation can occur in various ways such as: (1) an unpaid parking violation; (2) an expired parking scenario; and (3) another types of parking violation (such as illegal parking). In an unpaid parking violation, a vehicle is parked in one of the parking spaces 110 and, upon identification of the vehicle, a timer is activated. Payment for the parking must be effected within a predetermined amount of time referred to herein as the "grace period". If payment is not effected during the grace period, a violation for the vehicle is recorded.

In an expired parking violation, payment for parking for an amount of time was effected during the grace period however, the amount of purchased parking time has lapsed and the vehicle is thus parking in the parking space in excess of the purchased amount of time.

Illegal parking occurs, for example, when a car is parked in a place in which parking is forbidden, either by means of a local ordinance, or as indicated by a sign adjacent to the location of the illegal parking.

When a parking violation has occurred, a message is transmitted to the enforcement controller 124 over a communication network. The message contains data relating to the violation, such as the license plate of the vehicle, the parking space or the location of the parking (in the case of illegal parking), and the time and date of the violation. The message may also include one or more captured images of the license plate of the violating vehicle.

The enforcement controller 124 receives the message of the parking violation. The enforcement controller 124 maintains a database of vehicles 126. The enforcement controller processes the data included in the message to determine the identity of the owner of the violating vehicle, for example by searching the database of vehicles 126. Once the owner of the vehicle is identified, a summons may be automatically generated by the enforcement controller 124 and sent to the vehicle owner. The summons would typically detail the parking violation (e.g. type of violation, time date and location) and state that a fine is to be paid as a result of the parking violation.

The parking monitor may also monitor the movement of vehicles in the parking arena by continuously obtaining images of the vehicles in the arena from the imaging devices positioned in the arena. When a vehicle enters the arena and the license plate of the vehicle is detected, the parking monitor may send a message to a predetermined mobile device previously associated with the vehicle which directs the vehicle to an available parking space in the arena.

Since the parking controller 300 maintains a database of parking spaces 120 in the arena 102, the parking controller 300 can be configured to provide data relating to available parking spaces in the arena 102. A driver approaching or entering the arena 102 may use a smartphone application to receive a location of one or more available parking spaces in the arena. The parking controller 300 can also be configured to direct the driver to any one of the available parking spaces in order to avoid unnecessary roaming of vehicles in the arena 102 as they search for an available parking space.