Autonomous parking monitor

{
  "publication_number": "US9773413B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Autonomous parking monitor",
  "abstract": "Systems, methods, and devices for autonomous monitoring of parking areas are provided. In one aspect, a method for collecting information associated with a parking space includes providing a self-propelled autonomous data machine comprising one or more sensors. The autonomous data machine can be navigated to a location near a parking space for a vehicle. Parking information pertaining to the parking space can be obtained via the one or more sensors of the autonomous data machine. The obtained parking information can include at least occupancy data for the parking space. The parking information can be transmitted to a remote computing system configured to display the parking information to a user.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method for collecting information associated with a parking space, the method comprising: providing a self-propelled autonomous data machine comprising one or more sensors; navigating the autonomous data machine to a location within sensing range of the parking space for a vehicle; obtaining, via the one or more sensors, parking information pertaining to the parking space, the parking information including at least occupancy data for the parking space; and transmitting the parking information to a remote computing system configured to display the parking information to a user.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, wherein the parking information is displayed to the user along with information for structures in an environment of the parking space.",
    "3. The method of claim 1, wherein the autonomous data machine is capable of navigating to the location within the sensing range of the parking space autonomously without direct manual control by a user.",
    "4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors includes a vision sensor and at least one other type of sensor.",
    "5. The method of claim 1, wherein the parking information includes at least license plate information regarding a vehicle occupying the parking space when the vehicle occupies the parking space.",
    "6. The method of claim 5, further comprising comparing the license plate information with a white list, black list, or exclusion list of vehicles.",
    "7. The method of claim 5, further comprising displaying information about a threat associated with the license plate information when the license plate is detected by the autonomous data machine.",
    "8. The method of claim 1, wherein the parking information includes at least a visual image of the parking space captured by the one or more sensors of the autonomous data machine.",
    "9. A computing system for providing information associated with a parking space, the system comprising: a communication unit configured to receive parking information from a self-propelled autonomous data machine, wherein the autonomous data machine (1) comprises one or more sensors, (2) navigates to a location within sensing range of the parking space for a vehicle, and (3) obtains, via the one or more sensors, the parking information pertaining to the parking space, the parking information including at least occupancy data for the parking space; and a display configured to show the parking information to a user.",
    "10. The system of claim 9, wherein the display shows a parking utilization level for one or more parking sectors within a monitored area, wherein the monitored area comprises the parking space.",
    "11. The system of claim 10, wherein the parking utilization level is determined with aid of the autonomous data machine or one or more additional autonomous data machines that collect information about occupancy of one or more parking spaces within the monitored area.",
    "12. The system of claim 9, wherein the display shows vehicle identification information for one or more vehicles that are parked within a monitored area for a period of time that exceeds a predetermined time threshold, wherein the monitored area comprises the parking space.",
    "13. The system of claim 9, wherein the display shows a visual map of a monitored area, wherein the monitored area comprises the parking space.",
    "14. The system of claim 13, wherein the visual map includes a visual representation of one or more parking spaces within the monitored area and likelihood of availability information pertaining to the one or more parking spaces.",
    "15. The system of claim 9, wherein the parking information further includes a threat associated with the parking space.",
    "16. An autonomous data machine for collecting information associated with a parking space, the autonomous data machine comprising: one or more self-propulsion units configured to navigate the autonomous data machine to a location within sensing range of the parking space for a vehicle; one or more sensors configured to obtain parking information pertaining to the parking space, the parking information including at least occupancy data for the parking space; and a communication unit configured to transmit the parking information to a remote computing system configured to display the parking information to a user.",
    "17. The autonomous data machine of claim 16, further comprising one or more processors, individually or collectively configured to determine a presence of a threat based on the parking information obtained using the one or more sensors.",
    "18. The autonomous data machine of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively configured to determine a threat type based on the data collected using the one or more sensors.",
    "19. The autonomous data machine of claim 16, wherein the one or more sensors include two or more of the following types of sensors: vision sensors, lidar, inertial measurement units (IMUs), or GPS.",
    "20. The autonomous data machine of claim 16, wherein the one or more sensors include a camera configured to collect a visual image of the parking space, and wherein the parking information includes the visual image of the parking space."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Surveillance and monitoring of vehicle parking areas may be useful for a wide variety of applications, such as security, law enforcement, property management, urban planning, and commercial operations. Additionally, the ability to obtain real-time information regarding parking space occupancy may be beneficial to individual vehicle owners in terms of reducing the time and effort needed to locate available parking spaces.\n\nIn some instances, however, prior approaches for monitoring parking areas may be less than ideal. For example, prior methods for obtaining information related to parking space occupancy and other parking-related data may rely upon monitoring performed by human employees, thereby increasing personnel and labor costs, as well as reducing the efficiency and speed of data collection. Additionally, prior systems for automated or semi-automated parking surveillance may require the installation of specialized equipment in a specific parking area, thereby limiting the flexibility and applicability of such systems.\n\nThe present disclosure provides systems, methods, and devices for obtaining information related to parking areas. In some embodiments, an autonomous data machine having a plurality of sensors can be employed to monitor one or more parking spaces within a parking area. The approaches describe herein provide semi-autonomous and/or fully autonomous collection of parking information, thereby enhancing the convenience, efficiency, and availability of such data collection while reducing the need for human involvement.",
  "cpc": [
    "G08G 1/147",
    "G05D 1/0248",
    "G06V 20/10",
    "G06V 20/586",
    "G08G 1/012",
    "G08G 1/0129",
    "G08G 1/052",
    "G08G 1/141",
    "G08G 1/142",
    "G08G 1/144",
    "G08G 1/146"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G08G 1/14"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Knighscope Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "William Santana Li",
    "Phillip Wong",
    "Stacy Dean Stephens",
    "Mercedes Soria-Li",
    "Dominic A. Villa",
    "Aaron J. Lehnhardt",
    "Arne Stoschek"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-09-16",
  "publication_date": "2017-09-26",
  "grant_date": "2017-09-26",
  "priority_date": "2014-09-16",
  "application_number": "US-201514855724-A",
  "family_id": "59886871",
  "cited_by_count": 50,
  "citations": [
    "US6747687B1",
    "US7119715B2",
    "US20110178635A1",
    "US20120215383A1",
    "US8639644B1"
  ]
}