Abstract:
A method and an apparatus for deciding a traveling direction in a space are provided. After receiving a starting signal from a mobile apparatus, a network node of a network apparatus generates a request signal and sends it to a processing apparatus. Then the processing apparatus decides the traveling direction and sends a direction signal comprising the traveling direction to the nearest network node to instruct a moving apparatus to move. The method, and apparatus are more convenient and more cost-effective system than those in the prior art.

Description:
This application claims the benefits of priority based on Taiwan Patent Application No. 096143854, filed on Nov. 20, 2007, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
     CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for deciding a traveling direction in a space; and more particularly, relates to a method and an apparatus for utilizing a plurality of network nodes to decide a traveling direction. 
     2. Descriptions of the Related Art 
     Nowadays, parking lots exist almost everywhere in metropolitan areas. These parking lots, no matter indoors or outdoors, are all evolving towards an automatic nature, and most of them have already charging fees in an automatic way. However, for large parking lots, guiding services are still required to help drivers to find an available parking space in a shortest time when entering a parking lot and to find their cars immediately when leaving there. This has become a main aspect to be researched for further improving parking services. 
     As the GPS technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated in recent years, some service providers in the art have attempted to adopt this technology in parking services. Unfortunately, application of GPS is only limited to outdoor parking lots where a good GPS signal can be received. Therefore, the parking guide services provided in this way are mostly limited to informing drivers where a parking lot is available, and fail to provide ideal and complete solutions of parking guide and car searching services for indoor parking lots. 
     Furthermore, parking guide services provided in conventional parking lots are mostly limited to informing drivers whether empty parking spaces exist in the parking lot, in a specific region and/or at a specific floor. Under such circumstances, drivers who have no means to know the precise position of an empty parking space; they have to spend time in searching the exact position of the available parking space, which is very inconvenient. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,107,942 discloses a parking guide management system. A method used by the system to detect an empty parking space is to install video cameras above parking spaces and acquire images the parking spaces periodically. Then, a comparison is made between associated images to determine if an individual parking space is empty. However, this method is disadvantageous in that it requires many video cameras, which tends to drive the cost considerably higher especially for large parking lots. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,650,250 discloses a parking guide system and a computer application thereof. This system indicates empty parking spaces to drivers by sensing the number of empty parking spaces and parking regions with empty parking spaces, and transmitting a graphic signal or a voice signal to the entrance. This method is disadvantageous in that drivers can only be informed of locations of empty parking spaces, but do not know traveling direction towards such parking spaces. Moreover, this method fails to provide a car searching service. 
     In summary, the prior art parking guide systems fail to provide precise information related to parking guide services, and are very expensive to implement. Furthermore, most of the prior art systems fail to provide a car searching service. In view of this, it is highly desirable in the art to provide a system for providing parking guide and car searching services with reduced cost and in a fast and convenient way. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One objective of this invention is to provide a method for deciding a traveling direction in a space. By deciding the traveling direction, this method can indicate a mobile apparatus to move to a specific position (i.e. an available position or a position it used previously), so that the mobile apparatus may move accordingly. 
     To achieve the objective, this method comprises the steps of: (a) receiving a starting signal from a mobile apparatus by a first network node in a plurality of network nodes; (b) generating a request signal in response to the starting signal by the first network node, the request signal including an identification code of the first network node; (c) transmitting the request signal to a processing apparatus by the first network node; and (d) receiving an indication signal from the processing apparatus by one of the network nodes, wherein the indication signal includes the traveling direction. 
     Another objective of this invention is to provide a method for deciding a traveling direction in a space. By deciding the traveling direction, this method can indicate a mobile apparatus to move to a specific position (i.e. an available position or a position it used previously), so that the mobile apparatus may move accordingly. 
     To achieve this, this method comprises the steps of: (a) receiving a request signal from a first network node in a plurality of network nodes, the request signal including an identification code of the first network node; (b) deciding the traveling direction according to the identification code of the first network node and a plurality of monitor messages, wherein each of the monitor messages corresponds to a position in the space, and each of the monitor messages indicates a usage status of the corresponding position; (c) generating an indication signal according to the identification code of the first network node and the traveling direction; and (d) transmitting the indication signal to one of the network nodes to indicate a mobile apparatus to move in accordance with the traveling direction. 
     Yet another objective of this invention is to provide a network apparatus for deciding a traveling direction in a space. This network apparatus can indicate a mobile apparatus to move to a specific position in accordance with the traveling direction. Consequently, the network apparatus provides more convenience in using the space. 
     To this end, this network apparatus comprises a plurality of network nodes, each of which corresponds to a position in the space. Each of the network nodes comprises a signal generator and a receiving/transmitting interface. The receiving/transmitting interface of a first network node of the network nodes is configured for receiving a starting signal from a mobile apparatus and transmitting a request signal to a processing apparatus in response to the starting signal, wherein the request signal comprises an identification code of the first network node. The receiving/transmitting interface of one of the network nodes is configured for receiving an indication signal from the processing apparatus, wherein the indication signal comprises the traveling direction. As a result, the mobile apparatus is capable of moving in accordance with the indication signal. 
     A further objective of this invention is to provide a processing apparatus for deciding a traveling direction in a space. This processing apparatus is configured to indicate a mobile apparatus to move to a specific position (i.e. an available position and/or a position it used previously), so that the mobile apparatus may move accordingly. 
     To this end, this processing apparatus comprises a storage apparatus, a receiving/transmitting interface, and a processing apparatus. The storage apparatus is configured for storing a plurality of monitor messages, each of which corresponds to a position in the space and indicates a usage status of the corresponding position. The receiving/transmitting interface is configured for receiving a request signal from a first network node in a plurality of network nodes, and transmitting an indication signal to one of the network nodes to indicate a mobile apparatus to move in accordance with the traveling direction, wherein the request signal comprises an identification code of the first network node and the indication signal comprises the traveling direction. The processor is configured for deciding the traveling direction according to the identification code of the first network node and the monitor messages, and generating the indication signal in accordance with the identification code of the first network node and the traveling direction. 
     Yet a further objective of this invention is to provide a system for deciding a traveling direction in a space. This system forms a wireless sensor network covering the space. To this end, this system comprises a mobile apparatus, the aforesaid network apparatus, and the aforesaid processing apparatus integrated therein to perform the aforesaid method. 
     In summary, this invention provides a system, an apparatus, and a method for deciding a traveling direction in a space. With this invention, it is possible to keep track of usage statuses of respective positions in the space, so that users can be informed how to use this space. For example, applications of parking guide and car searching services may adopt the present invention. However, this invention may also be applied in other spaces having similar requirements, but is not just limited to the parking application. 
     By using the apparatus and method of the present invention, the implementation cost of providing a traveling direction for a user can be reduced. Furthermore, as the wireless sensor network system are realized by network nodes having sensing capabilities, the aforementioned space is not limited to outdoor space, thus the present invention does not have the disadvantages of the GPS technology. 
     The detailed technology and preferred embodiments implemented for the subject invention are described in the following paragraphs accompanying the appended drawings for people skilled in this field to well appreciate the features of the claimed invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  depicts a first embodiment of this invention; 
         FIG. 1B  depicts a schematic view of a structure of a network node in accordance with this invention; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a flow chart of a method in accordance with a second embodiment of this invention; and 
         FIG. 3  depicts a flow chart of a method in accordance with a third embodiment of this invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIG. 1A  depicts a first embodiment of this invention, which is a wireless sensor network system for deciding a travel direction in a space  1 . The apparatuses comprised in the wireless sensor network system form a wireless sensor network. The signals generated by the wireless sensor network cover the space  1 . In this embodiment, a parking lot will be taken as an example of the space  1  to describe operation of the wireless sensor network system. 
     The wireless sensor network system comprises a mobile apparatus  11 , a network apparatus  12 , and a processing apparatus  13 , wherein the network apparatus  12  comprises a plurality of network nodes  121 ˜ 128 . All these apparatuses are provided with capability of transmitting and receiving wireless sensing signals. The mobile apparatus  11  of this embodiment may be a ticket card issued at an entrance gateway of the parking lot or a ticket card purchased in advance by the user. The mobile apparatus  11  is kept by the user in the space  1 , and the wireless sensor network system indicates a traveling direction through operation of the network apparatus  12  and the processing apparatus  13  in order to instruct the user to move in accordance with the travel direction. For example, this may be used in a parking lot for a parking guide service (i.e., guiding a user to find an available parking space along the traveling direction) and/or a car searching service (i.e., guiding a user to find the position a car was parked in the space  1  along the traveling direction). Operations of the wireless sensor network system are described by using parking guide and car searching services as examples. 
     In particular, the mobile apparatus  11  comprises a transmitter (not shown), a signal receiver (not shown), a parking button (not shown), and a car searching button (not shown). Each of the network nodes  121 ˜ 128  comprised in the network apparatus  12  comprises a receiving/transmitting interface and a signal generator respectively. For example, the network node  123  shown in  FIG. 1B  comprises a receiving/transmitting interface  141  and a signal generator  142 . Each of the network nodes  121 ˜ 128  corresponds to a position in the space  1  (i.e., the parking lot), respectively. More specifically, the network nodes  128 ,  127 ,  126 ,  125  in this embodiment correspond to the positions (i.e., parking spaces) A, B, C, D, respectively, while other network nodes correspond to other positions (e.g., walkway in the parking lot) in this space  1 . It should be noted that, in addition to the transmitting/receiving interface, each of the network nodes may further comprise a sensor (not shown) for sensing usage status of the corresponding position or an indicator (not shown) for indicating and/or broadcasting a traveling direction, which will be described in detail hereinafter. The processing apparatus  13  comprises a receiving/transmitting interface  131 , a processor  132 , and a storage apparatus  133 . 
     First, operations of the wireless sensor network system to decide a traveling direction towards an available position (a parking space) in the space  1 , i.e., a parking guide operation, are described. Please refer to both  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B . The transmitting/receiving interface of a first network node  121  in the network apparatus  12  transmits a trigger signal  102  continuously. Hence, when the mobile apparatus  11  approaches the entrance of the parking lot, the mobile apparatus  11  will be triggered by the trigger signal  102 . Once being triggered, the mobile apparatus  11  transmits a starting signal  101 , which will be received by the transmitting/receiving interface of the first network node  121  in response to. Generally, the first network node  121  is the entrance gateway of the parking lot. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the user may also press down a starting button (not shown) on the mobile apparatus  11  directly to send the starting signal  101 . 
     After the network node  121  receives the starting signal  101 , the signal generator thereof generates a request signal  103  in response to the starting signal  101 , wherein the starting signal  101  comprises an identification code of the first network node  121  and a code of the mobile apparatus  11 . The network node  121  then transmits the request signal  103  to the processing apparatus  13  via its receiving/transmitting interface. It should be noted that, if the distances between the network nodes  121 ˜ 128  and the processing apparatus  13  is too far, signals transmitted from the network nodes  121 ˜ 128  to the processing apparatus  13  will be relayed to the processing apparatus  13  instead of being transmitted directly. In this embodiment, the network node  121  transmits the request signal  103  via the network nodes  122 ,  123  successively to the processing apparatus  13 . 
     Upon the receiving/transmitting interface  131  of the processing apparatus  13  receiving the request signal  103  from the network node  121 , the processor  132  decides a traveling direction in response to the request signal  103 . In more details, the processor  132  determines at first whether a searching request is included in the request signal  103 , where the searching request represents a request by the mobile apparatus  11  for a parking guide service. Here, it is assumed that the request signal  103  includes a searching request. Then, the processor  132  reads a plurality of monitor messages from the storage apparatus  133 . Each of the monitor messages corresponds to one of the positions (i.e., the aforesaid parking spaces A, B, C, D) in the space  1  and stores a usage status of the corresponding position, i.e., each of the monitor messages stores a current usage status of the corresponding position. Thus, it can be known which positions (parking spaces) are currently available. On the other hand, if a position is occupied, the corresponding monitor message will include a code of the mobile apparatus associated with the parked car, so as to facilitate a car searching service. 
     Subsequently, according to the identification code of the network node  121  included in the request signal  103 , the processor  132  knows the position of the network node  121 , i.e., speculates that the mobile apparatus  11  is now located near the network node  121 . Then according to the monitor messages and the position of the network node  121 , the processor  132  finds an available position that is nearest to the network node  121  (e.g., the position D), and decides a traveling direction according to this available position and the position of the network node  121 . 
     Finally, the receiving/transmitting interface  131  of the processing apparatus  13  transmits an indication signal  104  comprising the traveling direction to one of the network nodes  121 ˜ 128 , and more specifically, to the network node that is equipped with an indicator and that is nearest to the mobile apparatus  11 , which is the network node  121  in this embodiment. Similarly, transmissions between the network node  121  and the processing apparatus  13  are accomplished via other network nodes as well (i.e. via the network node  123  and the network node  122 ). 
     Upon the receiving/transmitting interface of the network node  121  receiving the indication signal  104 , the indicator thereof indicates the mobile apparatus  11  to move in accordance with the traveling direction to assist the mobile apparatus  11  to reach the available parking space, i.e., to a specific one of the positions, for example, the position D. In this embodiment, the indicator of the network node  121  is a display device, which operates by displaying the traveling direction to the mobile apparatus  11 . Indicators of other network nodes may be a broadcasting device, which operates by broadcasting the traveling direction. It should be noted that, the indicator used in this invention is not limited a display apparatus, a broadcasting apparatus, and/or a combination thereof, and any other apparatus capable of providing an indication may be used as an indicator of the network node. 
     It should be further noted that, network nodes corresponding to monitor messages stored in the storage apparatus  133  of the processing apparatus  13  are equipped with sensors. In this embodiment, the network nodes  125 ,  126 ,  127 ,  128  include a sensor respectively to monitor usage status of corresponding positions D, C, B, A, and transmit an update signal (not shown) to the processing apparatus  13  periodically. Similarly, if the distances between the network nodes  125 ,  126 ,  127 ,  128  and the processing apparatus  13  is too far so that signals cannot be transmitted directly, the update signal may be transmitted via other network nodes. The update signal includes an identification code of the network node and a usage status of the corresponding position, so that the processor  132  may update the corresponding monitor message stored in the storage apparatus  133  according to the update signal. As a result, the processor  13  can be informed if individual parking spaces are occupied by cars, thereby to decide a correct traveling direction. 
     In addition, upon receiving update signals from all network nodes and updating the monitor messages, the processor  132  periodically transmits the monitor messages to network nodes having an indicator, so as to provide messages related to available parking spaces. 
     Once the mobile apparatus  11  has followed the traveling direction to reach the specific position D, the receiving/transmitting interface of the corresponding network node  125  transmits an acknowledgement signal  106  to the processing apparatus  13 , wherein the acknowledgement signal  106  includes a code of the mobile apparatus  11  and an identification code of the network node  125 . The acknowledgement signal  106  informs the processing apparatus  13  that the mobile apparatus  11  has moved to the specific position D. According to the acknowledgement signal  106 , the processor  132  of the processing apparatus  13  records the identification code of the network node  125  corresponding to the code of the mobile apparatus  11 , i.e., records the parking position. Alternatively, the user may press down a parking button on the mobile apparatus  11 , so that the network node  125  that is nearest to the mobile apparatus  11  transmits the acknowledgement signal  106  to the processing apparatus  13  to inform the parking position. 
     Next, operations of the system to decide a traveling direction towards a previously occupied position, i.e., a car searching operation, will be described. Please refer to both  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B  together. First, a user in the space  1  (i.e., the parking lot) presses down a car searching button on the mobile apparatus  11  to transmit a starting signal  101 . Then, the receiving/transmitting interface of the network node  121  nearest to the mobile apparatus  11  receives the starting signal  101 , and the signal generator thereof generates a request signal  103  including an identification code of the network node  121  and a code of the mobile apparatus  11 . The request signal  103  is then transmitted to the processing apparatus  13  via the receiving/transmitting interface. The way in which the transmission is accomplished is just as described above and will not be described in detail. It should be noted that, in this case, the network node nearest to the mobile apparatus  11  is not necessarily the same as the aforesaid network node described in the parking guide process. In other words, a user may enter the space  1  via other entrances and presses down the car searching button anywhere in the space  1 . 
     Upon the receiving/transmitting interface  131  of the processing apparatus  13  receiving the request signal  103 , the processor  132  decides a traveling direction according to the request signal  103 . In more detail, the processor  132  determines whether a car searching request is included in the request signal  103 , i.e., whether the request is a car searching request. Subsequently, according to a code of the mobile apparatus  11  included in the request signal  103 , the processor  132  searches from the monitor messages the one including the code. A position corresponding to the network node  125  associated with the monitor message is the specific position, i.e., the position where the target car is parked. 
     At this point, the processor  132  can decide the traveling direction according to the identification code of the network node  125  corresponding to the code of the mobile apparatus  11  and the identification code of the network node  121 , i.e., decide the traveling direction according to the original parking position and the current position of the mobile apparatus  11 . Finally, an indication signal  104  including the traveling direction is transmitted by the receiving/transmitting interface  131  to a network node equipped with an indicator  123  and nearest to the mobile apparatus  11 , which is the network node  121  in this embodiment. The way that the transmission is accomplished is just as described above and will not be described in detail again. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the network node  121  may be replaced by other network nodes, and this will not be described in detail herein. 
     Upon the receiving/transmitting interface of the network node  121  receiving the indication signal  104 , the indicator thereof will indicate the indication signal  104  by displaying, broadcasting or a combination thereof, so as to indicate the mobile apparatus  11  to move in accordance with the traveling direction towards the original parking position. It should be noted that, the way described here is only for purpose of illustration, but is not just limited thereto. 
     With the configuration described above, the first embodiment provides a wireless sensor network system for deciding a traveling direction in a space. By use of the wireless sensor network system, it is possible to keep track of the usage statuses of individual positions, so that the user may be informed how to use this space, for example, as described for the parking guide and car searching services in this embodiment. Configuration of the first embodiment may also be applied to other spaces having similar requirements, but is not limited to parking lot applications. Furthermore, as the wireless sensor network system operates via network nodes having a sensing capability, the space using the present invention is not limited to outdoor spaces. Thus, the present invention can overcome the disadvantages of the GPS system. 
     A second embodiment of this invention is a method for deciding a traveling direction in a space, i.e., a method for deciding a traveling direction towards an available position. This method may be applied in the wireless sensor network system described in  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B , and is executed by a mobile apparatus  11 , a network apparatus  12  comprising a plurality of network nodes, and a processing apparatus  13  respectively. A flow chart of the second embodiment is depicted in  FIG. 2  in three columns, wherein the steps in the left column are executed by the mobile apparatus  11 , the steps in the middle column are executed by the network apparatus  12 , and the steps in the right column are executed by the processing apparatus  13 . 
     Initially, the network node  121  nearest to the mobile apparatus  11  executes step  221  to transmit a trigger signal  102  to trigger the mobile apparatus  11 . Then in step  211 , the mobile apparatus  11  transmits a starting signal  101  in response to the trigger signal  102 . Next in step  222 , the network node  121  nearest to the mobile apparatus  11  receives the starting signal  101 . In other embodiments, step  221  may be omitted, and the starting signal  101  is transmitted when a user presses down a starting button on the mobile apparatus  11 . 
     Subsequently, the network node  121  generates a request signal  103  in step  223  and transmits the request signal  103  to the processing apparatus  13  in step  224 . The ways to accomplish the transmission is just as described in the first embodiment, and will not be described in detail herein again. 
     In step  231 , the processing apparatus  13  receives the request signal  103 . Next in step  232 , the processor  132  determines that a searching request is included in the request signal  103 , wherein the searching request represents an intention to search for an available position in the space. Thereafter, the processing apparatus  13  reads a plurality of monitor messages in step  233 , and finds a currently available position (i.e., a specific position) according to usage statuses recorded by the monitor messages and the identification code of the network node  121  included in the request signal  103 . Finally in step  235 , the processing apparatus  13  transmits an indication signal  104  including the traveling direction to a network node  121  equipped with an indicator and nearest to the mobile apparatus  11  in the network apparatus. The way to accomplish the transmission is just as described in the first embodiment, and will not be described in detail herein again. 
     After receiving the indication signal  104  in step  225 , the network node  121  can indicate the mobile apparatus  11  to move in accordance with the traveling direction. Once the mobile apparatus  11  reaches the specific position, the network node  125  nearest to the mobile apparatus  11  executes step  226  to transmit an acknowledgement signal  106  to the processing apparatus  13 . Thereafter, the receiving/transmitting interface  131  of the processing apparatus  13  receives the acknowledgement signal  106  in step  236  to record that the code of the mobile apparatus  11  corresponds to the identification code of the network node  125 . 
     In addition to the steps in  FIG. 2 , the second embodiment is able to execute all of the functions and operations provided in the parking guide service of the first embodiment. Those skilled in this field should be able to straightforwardly realize how the second embodiment performs these operations and functions based on the above descriptions of the first embodiment. Thus, no unnecessary detail is given here. 
     A third embodiment of this invention is a method for deciding a traveling direction in a space, i.e., a method for deciding a traveling direction towards a previously used position. This method is applied in the wireless sensor network system described in  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B , and is executed by a mobile apparatus  11 , a network apparatus  12  comprising a plurality of network nodes, and a processing apparatus  13 , respectively. A flow chart of the third embodiment is depicted in  FIG. 3  in three columns, wherein the steps in the left column are executed by the mobile apparatus  11 , the steps in the middle column are executed by the network apparatus  12 , and the steps in the right column are executed by the processing apparatus  13 . 
     First, the mobile apparatus  11  in the parking lot transmits a starting signal  101  in step  311 , and a network node  121  nearest to the mobile apparatus  11  receives the starting signal  101  in step  321 . Then, the network node  121  generates a request signal  103  in response to the starting signal  101  in step  322  and transmits the starting signal  101  to the processing apparatus  13  in step  323 . 
     Upon receiving the request signal  103  in step  331 , the processing apparatus  13  determines that the request signal  103  does not comprise a searching request. The processing apparatus  13  then executes step  333  to decide the traveling direction towards the previously used position according to an identification code of the network nodes  125  corresponding to a code of the mobile apparatus  11  included in the request signal  103 . Finally in step  334 , the processing apparatus  13  transmits an indication signal  104  including the traveling direction to a network node  121  equipped with an indicator and nearest to the mobile apparatus  11 . 
     After receiving the indication signal  104  from the processing apparatus  13  in step  324 , the network node  121  can indicate the mobile apparatus  11  to move in accordance with the traveling direction towards the originally used position. 
     In addition to the above steps, the third embodiment is able to execute all the functions and operations provided in the car searching service of the first embodiment. Those skilled in this field should be able to straightforwardly realize how the third embodiment performs these operations and functions based on the above descriptions of the first embodiment. Thus, no unnecessary detail is given here. 
     In summary, this invention provides a wireless sensor network system, an apparatus, and a method for deciding a traveling direction in a space. With this invention, it is possible to keep track of usage statuses of respective positions in the space, so that users can be informed how to use this space. For example, this invention may be applied in parking guide and car searching services. This invention may also be applied in other spaces having similar needs. Furthermore, as the wireless sensor network system operates via network nodes having a sensing capability, the use thereof is not just limited to outdoor spaces, thus the present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the GPS technology. 
     The above disclosure is related to the detailed technical contents and inventive features thereof. People skilled in this field may proceed with a variety of modifications and replacements based on the disclosures and suggestions of the invention as described without departing from the characteristics thereof. Nevertheless, although such modifications and replacements are not fully disclosed in the above descriptions, they have substantially been covered in the following claims as appended.