Patent Application
20180197413
This application claims foreign priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) to DE Application 10 2017 200 196.8 filed Jan. 9, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The disclosure relates to a method to manage parking areas for vehicles with a system that registers available parking room on the basis of an entropy calculation.
In urban areas in particular, finding a parking space for a vehicle can entail a high expenditure of time and energy. One problem here is that of finding a suitable parking area with a free parking space. A further problem is that space is often wasted, i.e. not used effectively, between vehicles that have already been parked. Reasons for this include, for example, the fact that many drivers leave a large space between other vehicles standing in front of and behind the vehicle for the sake of conveniently leaving the parking space. A further problem is that relatively small vehicles frequently occupy parking spaces that would be more suitable for a larger vehicle. In other cases, a large vehicle occupies a parking space that would be more suitable for two smaller vehicles. Not least, occupancy of a parking area is a dynamic process, in which sections of non-usable parking room develop over the course of time on a parking area that was originally used optimally as a result of vehicles of different sizes driving away and newly arriving. The object therefore arises of managing parking areas more efficiently.
This object is fulfilled by a method having the features of the principal claim. Further advantageous embodiments and forms of the disclosure emerge from the subsidiary claims, the figures and from the exemplary embodiments.
A first aspect of the disclosure relates to a method to manage at least one parking area for vehicles by a system that is designed to register parking room available within the parking area and, on the basis of an algorithm that is implemented in the system, to ascertain a parking entropy, with the steps of
wherein P is the parking area,
pi is the ratio of the parking room classes c1, c2 and c3 in the parking area P,
log2 pi is a logarithm of pi to the base 2,
c: is the number of classes that have been determined for the parking area, where c=3,
A parking entropy is advantageously ascertained in the method according to the disclosure, on the basis of which a utilization of a parking area is assessed. In other words, the parking entropy permits an assessment of a parking space order in terms of utilization by parking vehicles. Through the definition of the parking space utilization, it is possible to assess, with the parking entropy, how optimum a use of a parking area is, wherein a non-usable parking space arises through non-optimum utilization. The parking entropy here has a similar form to the Shannon entropy and/or the Boltzmann entropy.
A region with parking spaces here is an urban region with a number of traffic routes in which, or in whose environment, facilities for parking vehicles are present. A size of non-usable parking areas is particularly advantageously reduced with the method.
A geographic zone is a zone within the said region, where a size of a zone is dynamically changeable as a function of a position of a vehicle seeking a parking space. A geographic zone can, for example, be three roads wide surrounding the vehicle, where the roads naturally change with movement of the vehicle. A geographic zone can also comprise a parking block, multiple floors of a parking block, or an underground facility for parking, when the searching vehicle approaches a parking space.
A parking area comprised within a geographic zone is exclusively provided for parking vehicles. Restrictions at certain times, caused for example by construction work, are possible here. The parking area does not comprise any sections in which parking is forbidden. A parking area can, for example, be a road with parking spaces or a conventional parking space. A parking area can here be assigned to more than one geographic zone. Parking areas can be stored in navigation maps and/or can be called up from particular servers.
The term parking room refers to area-related information for assessing a space inside the parking area that is usable for parking.
A used parking room c1 is currently occupied by parked vehicles, wherein, in addition to the dimensions of a vehicle, a front, rear and side surroundings that are required for the vehicle to leave the parking room are also included. A usable parking room c2 is bounded by two used parking rooms c1, or by one used parking room c1 and an edge of the parking area, where c2 is greater than a specific size that is suitable for parking a vehicle. A non-usable parking room c3 is bounded by two used parking rooms c1, or by one used parking room c1 and an edge of the parking area, where c3 is not greater than a specific size that is suitable for parking a vehicle. A classification is used to determine an a priori parking entropy, i.e. what the parking entropy is before the vehicle is parked. An a posteriori parking entropy is then ascertained for all or a plurality of usable parking rooms which the vehicle that is searching for a parking space could take.
The entropy ascertained is used as a measure of how homogeneous use of a parking area is in terms of three parking room classes. The entropy is equal to zero if all the parking rooms within a parking area belong to the same class of parking room c1 or c2. In this case the parking area has an ideal state. The parking area cannot exclusively consist of parking room of class c3.
Preferably vehicle-related data includes a size of the vehicle. The size here is advantageously included in the ascertainment of the usable parking room that is present, since the classification of the parking room into usable, occupied and non-usable can be refined in that way. The vehicle-related data furthermore includes a position (e.g. GPS data) of the vehicle.
Advantageously in the method on the basis of geographic zones ascertained, suitable parking regions, and a location of the vehicle, and a number of parking spaces suitable for the vehicle are selected. In other words, parking spaces that, for example, exhibit adequate usable parking room and whose entropy lies below a predetermined value, also referred to as a threshold value, are selected.
It is preferred here if an a posteriori entropy is ascertained in the parking area with reference to various parking spaces that could be taken by the vehicle, and is carried out with reference to the classification of the parking rooms.
Preferably one or more parking places are sought in the method, whose selection is based on a criterion that is based on at least one of the conditions:
or a combination of the conditions.
The said threshold value is here preferably a dynamic value that is a function of a current average parking entropy of the geographic zone, a current traffic conditions, a current need for parking space, a prediction of the need for parking space and/or a size of the available parking room.
Preferably, when the criterion of the lowest a posteriori entropy is satisfied by a plurality of parking positions, the parking position that can be reached with the lowest output of energy is preferred.
Alternatively or in addition to the lowest possible energy expenditure, when the criterion of the lowest a posteriori entropy is satisfied, the parking space whose use most reduces the non-usable parking room is preferred.
In the method, an arrangement of vehicles parked within the parking area is preferably optimized for a provision of usable parking room as a function of at least one of the following conditions, even if no vehicle requires a parking space at the time:
A value for the size of the vehicle can be specified here, for example a mean value that corresponds to an average vehicle size and/or expected size. It is also possible for different sizes to be given, e.g. compact car, mid-range car, truck and the like.
The disclosure is explained in more detail with reference to the Figures.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure.
Parking areas within a specific region are regulated and a parking space assigned to a vehicle that is seeking a parking space with the method according to the disclosure. A system is used for this which registers parking room within the parking areas and is in connection with the vehicle on the basis of an algorithm that is implemented in the system, and ascertains a parking room entropy.
The method can be illustrated in accordance with the illustration of
The system comprises a communication module 3, which is in connection with a vehicle 4. The vehicle 4, or its driver, is searching for a parking space. A connection is established between the vehicle and the system. The vehicle provides its position (e.g. GPS coordinates) and its size, in particular its length and width, to the system.
A classification module 5 classifies the parking areas into usable c1, used c2 and non-usable parking room c3. Data such as a size of the vehicle 4 can be included in the classification process.
A utilization module 6 determines a current utilization of the parking areas in terms of the classification of the parking rooms into c1, c2 and c3. The information can be fetched regularly from a central installation by which the parking areas are monitored, and/or from vehicles that are parked within the parking area (using the vehicle's on-board sensors or a communication system between the infrastructure and the vehicle).
A determination module 7 determines geographic zones 2 and suitable parking areas P for the vehicle that is to be parked. The determination module 7 chooses at least one suitable parking area on the basis of the classification of the parking rooms and the position of the vehicle 4. This means that the parking area satisfies specific criteria that make it suitable for parking, for example that a suitable space is available and the current parking entropy lies below a specific, predetermined threshold value. In other words, a preselection of suitable parking areas takes place.
A calculation module 8 ascertains the a posteriori parking entropy for each preselected parking area. This involves a calculation of which parking positions are suitable for the vehicle 4, wherein the classification of the parking rooms is taken into account.
A selection module 9 selects at least one, and in appropriate cases also a plurality of suitable parking positions for the vehicle. The selection is based here on at least one criterion for optimization, or on a combination of appropriate criteria. The lowest a posteriori parking entropy can, for example, be chosen as the criterion. A threshold value can, furthermore, be predetermined for the a posteriori parking entropy, e.g. 0.8, which the entropy must stay below. If a plurality of spaces can be used under both above-mentioned criteria, the space which requires a lowest energy expenditure for the vehicle to reach it and/or reduces a number of non-usable parking spaces is selected. It can also be a criterion that at least one usable space is present.
In an alternative form of embodiment, the selection module 9 can also optimize the arrangement of vehicles parked in the parking room for the provision of usable parking room, even if no vehicle requires a parking space at the time. The arrangement is optimized here if at least one of the following conditions applies: no usable parking spaces are available, a specific parking space is used, the parking entropy is above a threshold value, a particular traffic condition is present, there is a particular parking space requirement, and/or a specific parking space requirement is forecast.
The central unit 10 is, ideally, implemented in a control apparatus.
According to the form of embodiment of the method according to the disclosure illustrated in
Three classes of parking room, referred to as c1, c2 and c3, are determined in a third step S3. The three classes are used to classify parking room within at least one parking area P, wherein c1 represents used parking room, c2 usable parking room, and c3 non-usable parking room. The classification of the parking rooms can be carried out on the basis of measured values from static sensors, or also on the basis of values that are ascertained through sensors in the parking vehicles and are ascertained at other vehicles or a corresponding infrastructure. The classification is used to determine an a priori parking entropy. An a posteriori parking entropy is then ascertained for all or a plurality of parking rooms, which the vehicle that is searching for a parking space could take.
A parking room entropy is calculated in a fourth step S4. For this purpose, the formula
where P is the parking room, pi the ratio of the parking room classes c1, c2 and c3 in the parking room P, log2 pi is a logarithm of pi to the base 2, and c is the number of classes that have been determined for the parking room P, where c=3.
A homogeneous distribution of the parking room utilization is ascertained on the basis of the ascertained entropy in a fifth step S5. The system registers vehicle-related data, for example the size of the vehicle, i.e. in particular the dimensions of the length and width, in a sixth step S6. The system can, furthermore, register a current position of the vehicle. GPS data is, for example, transmitted from the vehicle to the system for this purpose.
In a seventh step S7, a parking space for which the lowest entropy value is ascertained is assigned within a parking room to the vehicle.
A geographic zone having two parking areas is illustrated by way of example in
If a parking area P is fully occupied or fully free, i.e. if it only has parking room classes c1 or c2, the entropy is equal to zero. In these cases the parking area has an ideal state. A parking area that only has used parking room c1 is illustrated in
Further examples of possible parking area utilizations are illustrated in
In
In
In
In
The parking entropy of the example in
A space is assigned to a vehicle that is looking for a parking space, which, under given circumstances, leads to the lowest possible entropy over the parking area. If the second vehicle were an incoming vehicle that is looking for a parking space, it would be assigned a parking space according to
While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the disclosure. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2017 200 196.8 | Jan 2017 | DE | national |
