Patent ID: 9262921
Filing Date: 2016-02-16
CPC Classification: G01C,G08G

Claim Text:
1. A method for assisting a driver to locate a parking space, comprising: identifying a user-selected destination, with a first navigation system of a first vehicle; acquiring parking availability information from a first space allocation device associated with a first parking zone, while a driver of the first vehicle is being guided by the first navigation system towards the user-selected destination, with a communication device which is integral with or associated with the first navigation system, the parking availability information including second parking availability information for at least one second parking zone associated with a respective second space allocation device that is spaced from the first space allocation device, wherein the second parking availability information for the at least one second parking zone is acquired from the respective second space allocation device by at least one communication device integral with or associated with a second navigation system of a respective second vehicle when the communication device of the second vehicle is in communication range of the second space allocation device but not within communication range of the first space allocation device, the second parking availability information being communicated to the first space allocation device by the at least one second navigation system of the respective second vehicle when the second vehicle communication device is in communication range of the first space allocation device but not in communication range of the second space allocation device; and selecting, with a processor, one of the at least one second parking zones based on the user-selected destination and acquired parking availability information.