The invention relates to a system for prevention of unauthorized parking and real time parking place reservation comprising a mobile device and a parking barrier. The parking barrier is an electronic device used for prevention of an unauthorized parking while the mobile device uses wireless technology (Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy, WIFI, GSM, Zigbee or WiMAX) to control the parking barrier and reserve a parking place in real time.

Background to the invention

We have all been subject to the situation of being late to a meeting or wandering in the city in the hope of finding a parking space. The problem of acquiring a parking space is one of the results of overpopulation of cities. Because of the increase in housing capabilities the number of people per square mile has increased while the number of parking spaces has stayed the same. Parking is an indirect service required for personal mobility and access to locations. In places where demand is high (high concentration of people) and supply scarce (limited parking spaces), the need for regulation is extremely high. Every vehicle does 2.5 drives a day, and drives 1 hour in average, it is parked for 16 hours in front of the house, and 7 hours at other locations. During these 7 hours the drivers are mostly at work, about 45 minutes in shopping and more than an hour at locations that offer recreational or recreation services.

Parking space acquisition is the reason for 30% of traffic in cities. The average time it takes for a person to find a parking space is 21 minutes. More than 82% of drivers stated that they are displeased with the current parking space situation. There are numerous navigation applications but they cannot predict the time needed for the user to find a parking spot. The market is ready for a smart parking solution.

Summary of the invention

The parking barrier is self-supplied solar powered device with rechargeable batteries. The barrier comes with a power adapter used for battery recharging and power supply where sunlight is not abundant. In case of total battery discharge the barrier can be opened via mechanical keys that come together with parking barrier.

When parking barrier arm is lifted up (ramp is closed) the dimensions are (450x450x450) cm and when the barrier arms are lifted down (ramp is opened) dimension are (450x450x10) cm. Weight of 10kg makes it very practical and functional. It has adequate light reflectable signings to be noticeable by people as a sign of warning. It is made out of high quality steel, water proof, dust proof, rust proof and can withstand force of up to 6 tons.

Barrier drive contains consists of electric motor, gearbox, leadscrew, trust bearings, leadscrew nut, eye and barrier shaft: Barrier drive works as described in following text: Electric motor with gearbox drives leadscrew which axially moves leadscrew nut. Trust bearings hold tight leadscrew and on that way provide transition of all axial forces from leadscrew. Leadscrew nut with linear movement rotates eye for 90 degrees, on that way eye rotates barrier through barrier shaft.

After the user acquires a barrier, he needs to be authenticated in order to acquire all the administrative privileges for the barrier. When the authentication is completed the user is able to operate with the parking barrier. When the device battery reaches a dangerous level the owner is notified via mobile phone application. The operating range between smartphone and the parking barrier is 100 meters depending on weather conditions and other external influences. Mobile applications will be eligible for download from the associated online stores. Parking barrier has a built in magnetic chip which will be able to recognize car movement by detecting the magnetic distortion in Earth's magnetic field. Strength of Bluetooth signal coming from user's smartphone is not reliable information for detection of the vehicle presence because user can move near the ramp without being in the vehicle. On the other hand, magnetic chip itself can't recognize specific vehicle approaching or leaving, that is why combination of Bluetooth signal and the magnetic chip is an ideal combination. Magnetic chip will enable options of auto-close and auto-open which means that ramp will automatically detect car owner and behave accordingly without user intervention.

In addition, user will have the option of allowing other users to control his ramp. He will do that by sending them temporary keys which will enable them to control the parking barrier for the time period defined by the owner of the parking barrier. Ramp owner will also have the option of blacklisting unwanted users.

Parallel to the mobile application a web application is going to be developed. Web application will have all the functionalities like the mobile application except the ability to interact with the parking barrier. Using the web application customers will be able to order and purchase parking barriers, change barrier color, customize the sign on the barrier and preview the barrier sign. Also the customers will be able to order barrier installation on a parking space by presenting valid documentation.

There are many different ways how this system and parking barriers can be used.

If the user wants to use the parking barrier for his personal needs he can use the functionalities like ramp manipulation, auto close, auto-open and temporary key sending. If the user wants to list his ramp for renting, he has to sign a contract with company Amplifico, thus enable us to rent that parking barrier in his behalf with the price defined by the parking barrier owner himself. Every barrier listed for renting will be shown inside the mobile application on the map. Also, each barrier on the interactive map will contain relevant information: availability, price per hour, address, owner information, image, etc. Anyone with the application will be able to rent any available parking barrier in real time. User can combine personal mode of usage with commercial mode in which he lists his barrier for renting. In example, user can set his ramp to be in the commercial mode while he is at work, thus generate revenue for himself and set it back to the personal mode for time interval when he gets back home from work.

Big added value to this already innovative system will be handicapped parking options. Owner of the parking barrier will have the option to define his parking barrier as a barrier for handicapped person. Every handicapped person that wants to use the parking barrier meant for the handicapped person will have to register inside the mobile application. The handicapped person will send required documentation to Amplifico personnel via post, mail or inside application. After the documentation is validated with 3rd party who issued those documents, the handicapped person will be able to use parking barrier.

This is the first system in the world which physically prevents occupation of the parking places for handicapped person.

Since the law for handicapped person parking is different for each country, based on the GPS position of the user we will observe and also advise how to behave in each situation. Furthermore, handicapped parking permit can be permanent or temporary and that fact will also require monitoring from Amplifico side. Parking can be limited to any type of group defined by parking barrier owner. This is the first and only system in the world that enables real time parking reservation and physically prevents unauthorized parking simultaneously.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 a simplified diagram of parking place reservation

system using parking barrier and a mobile application.

Figure 2 a flow diagram showing possibilities for parking barrier implementation.

Figure 3 demonstrates moving of the parking barrier arm.

Figure 4 demonstrates behaviour of a parking barrier upon vehicle arrival.

Detailed description

As shown in Figure 1 smartphone has the role of bridge between the parking barrier and a remote server with exception of the personal mode usage. When used in the personal mode the smartphone application does not send data to the remote server and communication takes place just between the parking barrier and a smartphone via wireless technology.

In the personal mode user can control his own parking barrier with the smartphone by lifting the barrier arm up and down as shown in Figure 3. Each time that the user wants to send a command (lift up or lift down) to the parking barrier he will first receive the information about parking barrier's state, thus knowing if barrier is opened or closed which will disable command overwriting. Parking barrier owner will also be able to send the temporary keys via mobile application to the other smartphone users who have preinstalled application and give them the option to control his parking barrier.

For commercial mode there will be an interactive map with the pinpointed coordinates of all parking barriers. Default state of each parking barrier is available. When installing the parking barrier its coordinates will be sent to the remote server using GPS technology and later shown on the interactive map inside the mobile application. When somebody rents available parking barrier he will receive the digital key for it inside the mobile application and its state on the map will change to occupied so that everybody can see the current state of that parking barrier. User who rented parking barrier will also receive navigation instructions how to reach the wanted parking barrier. User can rent parking barrier for defined time period and extend it if possible. Upon time expiration the state of occupied parking barrier will change to available. Renting price for each parking barrier is defined by its owner and sent to the remote server together will all relevant data.

Figure 2 is a flow diagram showing the implementation possibilities for parking barrier. If the user wants to use parking barrier in personal mode all he has to do is install that parking barrier on desired position and connect with it. If he wants to use it in commercial mode and list it for renting so that other users can rent it for financial compensation he must sign a contract for legal reasons and give all the information he is asked regarding parking barrier in rental mode. Furthermore, if the user wants to rent a parking barrier for certain time period all he needs to do is select certain barrier and pay the rent for that time period. User can interchangeably use all of the previously stated modes.

A method for real time parking reservation comprising: download and installation of mobile application, selection of available unauthorized parking prevention electronic device inside mobile application and payment for rental of selected electronic unauthorized parking prevention device for specific time interval and manipulation of the unauthorized parking prevention electronic device inside payed time interval. According to the invention a method for generating revenue from parking place comprising: installation of the unauthorized parking place electronic device on a parking place and listing unauthorized parking place prevention lectronic device on an interactive map inside the mobile application.

Figure 4 demonstrates what happens when vehicle parks over the parking barrier. There are two options what can happen when vehicle approaches parking barrier, depending on defined user settings. If user enables auto-open option, the magnetic chip inside parking barrier will detect distortion in the magnetic field and the Bluetooth chip inside the parking barrier will identify user's smartphone which will automatically open the parking barrier. If the auto-open option is not enabled the user will open parking barrier with the mobile application by lifting the parking barrier arm down. When the car leaves parking places with parking barrier installed the mentioned method goes vice versa.