Parking System for Detecting and Managing Occupied and Unoccupied Parking Spaces

Abstract

A multidimensional code (1), which has encoded information that can be read by scanning the code, for marking a parking space (11, 12, 13) in a parking lot (10), wherein the code (1) can be located in the parking space (11, 12, 13) and the encoded information contains the number (2) assigned to the parking space (11, 12, 13). The invention also relates to use of a multidimensional code (1) according to the invention in a parking structure (14), a parking robot (20), a parking system (40), use of a parking system (40) according to the invention in a parking structure (14), and a process for automatically transporting and parking vehicles (5) in a parking lot (10) that has parking spaces (11, 12, 13), wherein the parking spaces (11, 12, 13) are each marked with a multidimensional code (1) according to the invention.

Claims

1. A multidimensional code, which has encoded information that can be read by scanning the code, for marking a parking space in a parking lot, wherein the code can be placed in the parking space such that when the parking space is occupied with a vehicle, the code is concealed by the vehicle, and the encoded information contains the number assigned to the parking space.

2. The multidimensional code according to claim 1, characterized in that the code can be printed on the floor and/or wall surface of the parking space.

3. The multidimensional code according to claim 1, characterized in that the information contains the coordinates of the parking space and/or a rights of use for the parking space.

4. The multidimensional code according to claim 1, characterized in that the code is a Quick Response code.

5. Use of a multidimensional code according to claim 1 for marking parking spaces preferably in a parking structure.

6. A parking robot configured to transport a vehicle in a parking lot from a transfer area to a parking space and/or from the parking space to the transfer area, and to detect available parking spaces, which has an input interface configured to receive data regarding occupancy and/or driving lanes in the parking lot, a scanner configured to scan and read multidimensional codes according to claim 1 that are located in the parking spaces, and an output interface configured to output the available parking spaces based on the codes that have been read, wherein the parking robot is configured to position the vehicle in the parking space based on the codes that have been read.

7. The parking robot according to claim 6, characterized in that the parking robot is configured to navigate in the parking lot based on encoded coordinates of the parking spaces.

8. A parking system that has a parking lot with parking spaces, wherein the parking spaces are each marked with a multidimensional code according to claim 1, parking robots according to claim 6, and a parking evaluation device, wherein the parking evaluation device is configured to indicate the parking robots, driving lanes and/or numbers of available parking spaces and to update the driving lanes and/or the numbers of the available parking spaces based on the codes read by the parking robots.

9. The parking system according to claim 8, characterized in that the parking system has a fleet of parking robots.

10. Use of a parking system according to claim 8 in a parking structure.

11. A process for automatically transporting and parking vehicles in a parking lot that has parking spaces, wherein the parking spaces are each marked with a multidimensional code according to claim 1, which has the following steps: dropping off a vehicle in a transfer area, selection of an available target parking space in the parking lot with a parking evaluation device, provision of a parking robot by the parking evaluation device based on the selected target parking space transportation of the vehicle to the target parking space by the parking robot, scanning and reading the multidimensional codes by the parking robot during transport, and outputting the decoded information to the parking evaluation device parking the vehicle and outputting the occupancy of this parking space to the parking evaluation device based on the target parking space and the decoded information, continuation of the travel of the parking robot in the parking lot, and scanning and reading the multidimensional codes by the parking robot during the continued travel, and outputting the decoded information to the parking evaluation device in order to update the occupancy status of the parking lot.

12. The process according to claim 11, characterized in that the parking robot transports the vehicle from the target parking space to the transfer area based on the data in the parking evaluation device, and the parking robot outputs the number target parking space that has become available to the parking evaluation device.

13. The process according to claim 11, characterized in that the parking evaluation device dictates which driving lanes are available to the parking robot for transporting the vehicle.

14. The process according to any of the claim 11, characterized in that the parking evaluation device controls a fleet of parking robots and dictates which driving lanes are available to the parking robots in the fleet for transporting vehicles.

15. The process according to any of the claim 11, characterized in that a parking robot according to claim 6, and/or a parking system according to claim 8, are used for executing the process.

16. The multidimensional code according to claim 2, characterized in that the information contains the coordinates of the parking space and/or a rights of use for the parking space.

17. The multidimensional code according to claim 2, characterized in that the code is a Quick Response code.

18. Use of a multidimensional code according to claim 2 for marking parking spaces, preferably in a parking structure.

19. The process according to claim 12, characterized in that the parking evaluation device dictates which driving lanes are available to the parking robot for transporting the vehicle.

20. The process according to any of the claim 12, characterized in that the parking evaluation device controls a fleet of parking robots and dictates which driving lanes are available to the parking robots in the fleet for transporting vehicles.

Description

[0044] The invention shall be explained comprehensively based on the following figures. Therein:

[0045] FIG. 1: shows an exemplary embodiment of a multidimensional code according to the invention,

[0046] FIG. 2: shows an exemplary embodiment of a parking robot according to the invention,

[0047] FIG. 3: shows an exemplary embodiment of a parking system according to the invention,

[0048] FIG. 4: shows an exemplary embodiment of a parking structure, and

[0049] FIG. 5: shows an exemplary embodiment of a process according to the invention.

[0050] The same reference symbols are used in the figures for identical elements, or elements having similar functions. The respective relevant elements are indicated by the associated reference symbols in the relevant figures.

[0051] FIG. 1 shows a multidimensional code 1 in the form of a Quick Response Code 4. The Quick Response Code 4 is in the shape of a square. The Quick Response Code 4 can be printed with known printing technology methods. In order to obtain a maximum contrast, the multidimensional code 1 is preferably printed in black and white. It is also possible to print the Quick Response Code 4 in color, wherein the colors preferably represent a further encoding possibility. The Quick Response Code 4 can be of any size. It is only necessary that a scanner 23 is able to distinguish and scan the entire Quick Response Code 4.

[0052] The Quick Response Code 4 has a positioning symbol 1a in three of the four corners. The Quick Response Code 4 can be read in any orientation due to the positioning symbols 1a. Information is decoded in cells 1c. The cells 1c are arranged in a two-dimensional field 1d. The cells 1c comprise data encoded in binary language for example. A time code 1b comprising alternating black and white squares along a diagonal through the Quick Response Code 4 simplifies the positioning of cells 1c in the Quick Response Code 4. A Quick Response Code 4 is described in general in EP 0 672 994 A1.

[0053] A parking robot 20 is shown in FIG. 2. The parking robot 20 has a base element 22. A vehicle 5 is accommodated, transported and/or positioned in a parking space 11 by the parking robot 20 with the base element 22. The parking robot 20 also has a drive device 25. The drive device 25 comprises electrically driven axles and wheels, for example. Furthermore, the parking robot 20 has a displacement element 26. The vehicle 5 arranged on the parking robot 20 using the displacement element 26. The parking robot 20 can be driven into position beneath a vehicle.

[0054] The parking robot 20 has scanners 23, each of which are located on the side of the drive device 25. When the parking robot 20 drives down driving lanes 16, the parking spaces, and thus the Quick Response Codes 4 are normally at a right angle to the parking robot 20. With scanners 23 mounted on the sides, the Quick Response Codes 4 are thus located in the direct lines of sight of the scanners 23. The scanners 23 are optical sensors that belong to the fundamental equipment of the parking robot 20.

[0055] The parking robot 20 receives data regarding occupancy and/or the driving lanes 16 in a parking lot 10 via an input interface 21. The parking robot 20 then outputs which parking spaces 11, 12, 13 are available via an output interface.

[0056] FIG. 3 shows a parking system 40. The parking system 40 has at least one parking lot 10. The parking lot 10 can be a level of a parking structure 14. Furthermore, the parking system 40 has a parking evaluation device 30. The parking evaluation device 30 is a server, for example, that communicates via a wireless communication device 31 with a transfer area 15 and a fleet of parking robots 20. The communication is wireless via WLAN. The parking system 40 is an Automated Valet Parking System enabling operation and management of a parking lot with parking robots 20 and with vehicles 5 driven by drivers.

[0057] The parking robots 20 move customer vehicles 5 from the transfer area 15 to a target parking space 11. If a vehicle driver needs the vehicle 5 that is parked in the target parking space 11, a parking robot 20 transports the vehicle 5 from the target parking space 11 back to the transfer area 15. The parking robot 20 also scans unoccupied and occupied parking spaces while transporting vehicles 5 to parking spaces 11, and transmits this information to the parking evaluation device 30. Occupancy of a parking space is detected by scanning the Quick Response Codes 4 printed on the floor 11a, 12a, 13a or a wall surface 11b, 12b, 13b of the parking space 11, 12, 13. The Quick Response Code 4 is scanned by the scanner 23 on the parking robot 20.

[0058] The Quick Response Code 4 encodes the number 2 assigned to the parking space, and the rights of use for this parking space. It can be determined which parking spaces are occupied on the basis of the numbers assigned to the parking spaces. If parking spaces 30 and 33 are unoccupied, for example, or not recorded as occupied, then the parking spaces assigned the numbers 31 and 32 must be occupied. The parking robot 20 is better able to determine its position in the parking lot 10 based on the coordinates of the respective parking spaces 11, 12, 13 that are encoded in the Quick Response Code 4, e.g. via Simultaneous Localization and Mapping, abbreviated as SLAM. This is advantageous for precise indoor navigation.

[0059] The parking evaluation device 30 is configured to store the occupancy status of all of the parking spaces 11, 12, 13 in the parking lot 10 by communicating with the parking robots 20. After a parking robot 20 has picked up a vehicle 5 in the transfer area 15, the parking evaluation device 30 determines the target parking space 11 for this parking robot 20. While the parking robot 20 is underway to the target parking space 11, the status of the target parking space 11 can be subsequently modified by the parking evaluation device. This is advantageous, e.g., when the original parking space 11 becomes occupied by a vehicle 5 driven by a driver, and the occupancy of this parking space 11 is conveyed to the parking evaluation device by another parking robot 20 passing this parking space 11.

[0060] It may also be the case that the parking robot 20 reaches its target parking space 11 only to discover that this target parking space 11 is already occupied by a vehicle driven by a driver, without the parking evaluation device 30 being informed of this. In this case, the parking robot 20 continues, and searches for the next unoccupied target parking space 11 in the immediate vicinity and reports the occupancy to the parking evaluation device 30.

[0061] The parking evaluation device 30 selects various target parking spaces 11 for various parking robots 20, in particular such that the entire parking lot 10 of the parking structure 14 is constantly and uniformly monitored by parking robots 20. This means that the parking evaluation device 30 may not necessarily select the next available parking space 11 for a parking robot 20, but instead may also allow a parking robot 20 to drive a further distance in the parking lot 10.

[0062] The main advantage of this parking system 40 in comparison with existing Automated Valet Parking Systems is that, with a given infrastructure of a parking system, expensive equipping of the parking system with further sensors is not necessary. The parking system 40 be easily integrated in an existing parking structure 14 by printing parking spaces 11, 12, 13 with Quick Response Codes 4 and using existing parking robots 20.

[0063] The parking structure 14 is shown in FIG. 4. This parking structure 14 has four levels, each of which comprises a parking lot 10. The parking robots 20 drive through parking lots on different levels. It may also be the case that there is a separate fleet of parking robots 20 for each level.

[0064] The process steps are shown in FIG. 5. In step S1, a vehicle 5 is given over in the transfer area. By way of example, a driver drives his vehicle 5 into a parking structure 14 and surrenders his vehicle to the parking system 40 in the transfer area.

[0065] In step S2, an available target parking space 11 in the parking lot 10 is selected by the parking evaluation device 30.

[0066] Depending on the selected target parking space, a parking robot 30 is provided by the parking evaluation device 30 in step S3.

[0067] In step S4, the parking robot 20 transports the vehicle 5 to the target parking space 11.

[0068] During transport, the parking robot 20 scans and reads multidimensional codes printed on the parking spaces 11, 12, 13, and supplies decoded information to the parking evaluation device 30 in step S5. The vehicle 5 is parked in step S6, based on the selection of the target parking space 11 and the decoded information, and this occupancy is conveyed to the parking evaluation device 30. After the vehicle 5 has been placed in the parking space 11, the parking robot 20 continues traveling in the parking lot 10 in step S7, and scans and reads multidimensional codes 10 thereby. Decoded information is supplied to the parking evaluation device 30 in step S8, in order to update the occupancy information for the parking lot 10. As a result, the occupancy status of the parking lot 10 is detected dynamically.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0069] 1 multidimensional code

[0070] 1a positioning symbol

[0071] 1b time code

[0072] 1c cell

[0073] 1d field

[0074] 2 number

[0075] 3 object

[0076] 4 Quick Response Code

[0077] 5 vehicle

[0078] 10 parking lot

[0079] 11 parking space

[0080] 11a floor surface

[0081] 11b wall surface

[0082] 12 parking space

[0083] 12a floor surface

[0084] 12b wall surface

[0085] 13 parking space

[0086] 13a floor surface

[0087] 13b wall surface

[0088] 14 parking structure

[0089] 15 transfer area

[0090] 16 driving lane

[0091] 20 parking robot

[0092] 21 input interface

[0093] 22 base element

[0094] 23 scanner

[0095] 24 output interface

[0096] 25 drive device

[0097] 26 displacement element

[0098] 30 parking evaluation device

[0099] 31 communication device

[0100] 40 parking system

[0101] S1-S8 process steps