Patent Publication Number: US-2023141416-A1

Title: System and method for tracking egress times from a parking facility and providing action recommendations

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure pertains generally to systems for tracking traffic and more particularly to systems for tracking traffic flow within a parking structure. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many commercial buildings include parking structures, including surface parking lots, multiple level above-grade parking structures and below-grade parking garages, for example. Some parking structures may have space for hundreds or even thousands of vehicles parked within the parking structure. It will be appreciated that the time needed to exit a large parking structure, particularly when a large number of other vehicles are attempting to exit at the same time, can be substantial. Being able to determine egress time, or the time needed for a vehicle to travel from its parking spot to an appropriate exit, may be beneficial in helping an individual plan when to leave. As an example, a person may decide to spend a little extra time in the office, rather than wasting time trying to exit the parking structure during a busy time. Alternatively, they may decide to leave the office early, so they can arrive home in time for an upcoming remote meeting. Depending on where the person intends to go after leaving the parking structure, knowing that a particular parking structure exit would yield a shorter egress time may be helpful in planning their departure. A particular route out of the particular parking structure may involve less traffic, or a shorter wait at the exit gate to pay, for example. A need remains for a system for improving traffic management within and/or around a parking structure. 
     SUMMARY 
     This disclosure relates generally to systems for tracking traffic flow within a parking structure and for providing departure and/or route recommendations based thereon. In an example, a method includes receiving vehicle data regarding each of a plurality of vehicles in a parking facility over time, the vehicle data including a time t1 indicating when each of the vehicles leaves its corresponding parking spot in the parking facility, and a time t2 indicating when each of the plurality of vehicles reaches an exit of the parking facility. An egress time is determined for each of the plurality of vehicles based at least in part on the corresponding times t1 and t2. In some cases, a timestamp is assigned to each of the egress times, resulting in timestamped egress times. A current egress time of the parking facility is estimated based at least in part on the timestamped egress times. An action recommendation is determined for a driver associated with a particular vehicle currently parked in the parking facility based at least in part on the current egress time of the parking facility. The action recommendation is outputted for subsequent viewing by the driver of the particular vehicle. 
     In another example, a system includes an input port, an output port and a controller that is operably coupled with the input port and the output port. The input port is configured to receive vehicle data regarding each of a plurality of vehicles in a parking facility over time, the vehicle data including a time t1 indicating when each of the vehicles leaves its corresponding parking spot in the parking facility, and a time t2 indicating when each of the plurality of vehicles reaches an exit of the parking facility. The controller is configured to determine an egress time for each of the plurality of vehicles based at least in part on the corresponding times t1 and t2, assign a timestamp to each of the egress times, resulting in timestamped egress times, estimate a current egress time of the parking facility based at least in part on the timestamped egress times, and determine an action recommendation for a driver associated with a particular vehicle currently parked in the parking facility based at least in part on the current egress time of the parking facility. The output port is configured to output the action recommendation for subsequent viewing by the driver of the particular vehicle. 
     In another example, a device includes a display, a cellular transceiver and a controller that is operably coupled with the cellular transceiver. The controller is configured to transmit a time t1 via the cellular transceiver indicating when a particular vehicle carrying the device leaves a parking spot within a parking facility, transmit a time t2 via the cellular transceiver indicating when the particular vehicle reaches an exit of the parking facility, receive an action recommendation for a driver associated with the particular vehicle based at least in part an egress trend that is based at least in part on times t1 and t2 received from other vehicles, and display the action recommendation on the display. 
     The preceding summary is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of the features of the present disclosure and is not intended to be a full description. A full appreciation of the disclosure can be gained by taking the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure may be more completely understood in consideration of the following description of various illustrative embodiments of the disclosure in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic block diagram showing an illustrative parking system; 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic block diagram showing an illustrative device usable in the illustrative parking system of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic block diagram showing an illustrative device usable in the illustrative parking system of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  4    is a schematic block diagram showing an illustrative parking system; 
         FIG.  5    is a flow diagram showing an illustrative method; 
         FIG.  6    is a flow diagram showing an illustrative method; 
         FIG.  7    is a flow diagram showing an illustrative method; 
         FIG.  8    is a flow diagram showing an illustrative method; 
         FIG.  9    is a flow diagram showing an illustrative method; and 
         FIG.  10    is a flow diagram showing an illustrative method. 
     
    
    
     While the disclosure is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit aspects of the disclosure to the particular illustrative embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. 
     DESCRIPTION 
     The following description should be read with reference to the drawings wherein like reference numerals indicate like elements. The drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some of the figures, elements not believed necessary to an understanding of relationships among illustrated components may have been omitted for clarity. 
     All numbers are herein assumed to be modified by the term “about”, unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. The recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints includes all numbers subsumed within that range (e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, and 5). 
     As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include the plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term “or” is generally employed in its sense including “and/or” unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. 
     It is noted that references in the specification to “an embodiment”, “some embodiments”, “other embodiments”, etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is contemplated that the feature, structure, or characteristic may be applied to other embodiments whether or not explicitly described unless clearly stated to the contrary. 
       FIG.  1    is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative parking system  10  that may be deployed within a parking facility  12 , including surface parking lots, multiple level parking ramps and underground parking garages. The parking system  10  includes a parking server  14  that monitors conditions within the parking facility  12  and is adapted to provide users such as vehicle drivers with suggestions as to an optimal route out of the parking facility  12 , which parking structure exit may be best in terms of current congestion and/or the relationship of each parking structure exit to an optimal route to the driver’s next destination, what time they need to leave in order to reach their next destination by a particular time, and so on. 
     The parking server  14 , which may be an onsite computer or a cloud-based server, for example, may be configured to receive information from one or more external servers such as external server  16 . The external server  16  may include a source of traffic information for the roads and highways external to the parking structure. The external server  16  may include a source of weather information, including current weather and forecasted future weather. In some instances, the external server  16  may include or have access to a source of scheduling information for one or more of the drivers who have parked vehicles within the parking facility  12 . This may include calendar information, such as from a GMAIL calendar or an OUTLOOK calendar, for example. In some cases, the parking server  14  may function as both the parking server  14  and the external server  16 . 
     A plurality of vehicles  18  may be parked within the parking facility  12  at any particular point in time. The vehicles  18  are individually labeled as  18   a ,  18   b ,  18   c  and through  18   n . It will be appreciated that this is merely illustrative, as a large parking facility  12  may include hundreds or even thousands of vehicles  18  parked within the parking facility  12  at any point in time. As an example, large parking ramps located at major airports are large enough to hold thousands of vehicles  18 . 
     Each of the vehicles  18  may be configured to communicate with the parking server  14 . In some cases, each vehicle  18  may be equipped to communicate via a V2X (Vehicle to Everything) communications protocol. For some vehicles  18 , the V2X communications protocol may be factory-built into the vehicle  18 . For some vehicles  18 , the V2X communications protocol may be built into an add-on device that has been installed in the vehicle  18  or placed within the vehicle and powered using a USB port, for example. In some cases, the V2X communications protocol may be implemented in a mobile device that is carried by the driver, such as but not limited to a smartphone. These are just examples. 
     In some cases, the V2X communications protocol is implemented within a 5G cellular communications network. The vehicles  18  may communicate with the parking server  14 , and the parking server  14  may communicate with each of the vehicles  18 , using a 5G cellular communications network. In some instances, the parking facility  12  may extend the 5G cellular communications network into the parking facility  14  by placing one or more local cellular network nodes  20  within the parking facility  12 . The local cellular network nodes  20  may be configured to provide better cellular coverage to all parts of the parking facility  12  than may be available using the global 5G cellular communications network, particularly if the parking facility  12  is an underground parking garage. It will be appreciated that many parking ramps and parking garages are large structures built of steel-reinforced concrete. In some cases, the reinforcing steel may cause interference with the global 5G cellular communications network. 
     The illustrative parking system  10  includes a number of digital signs  22 , individually labeled as  22   a  and  22   b . While a total of two digital signs  22  are shown, it will be appreciated that this is merely illustrative, as the parking facility  12  may include any number of digital signs  22 . Digital signs  22  may be installed at various locations within the parking facility  12 . For example, there may be a digital sign  22  installed within each elevator lobby, or at various stair landings. In a multilevel parking ramp or underground parking garage, there may be digital signs  22  installed near where drivers pull from a parking level onto an exit path that leads to an exit from the parking facility  12  so that drivers can view whatever information is displayed on the digital sign  22  and decide whether to take that particular exit path, or to continue on to another exit path. 
       FIG.  2    is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative parking server  24  that may be considered as being an example of the parking server  14 . The illustrative parking server  24  includes an input port  26 . The input port  26  is configured to receive, over time, vehicle data regarding each of the plurality of vehicles  18  that are within the parking facility  12 . The vehicle data may include a time t1 that indicates when each of the vehicles  18  leaves its corresponding parking spot in the parking facility  12 , and a time t2 that indicates when each of the plurality of vehicles  18  reach an exit of the parking facility  12 . 
     A controller  28  is operably coupled with the input port  26 . The controller  28  is configured to determine an egress time for each of the plurality of vehicles  18  that is based at least in part on the corresponding times t1 and t2. In some cases, the egress time is equal to the difference between t2 and t1, for example. The controller  28  is configured to assign a timestamp to each of the egress times, resulting in timestamped egress times. The controller  28  is configured to estimate a current egress time of the parking facility  12  based at least in part on the timestamped egress times, and to determine an action recommendation for a driver associated with a particular vehicle  18  currently parked in the parking facility  12  based at least in part on the current egress time of the parking facility  12 . An output port  30  is operably coupled with the controller  28  and is configured to output the action recommendation for subsequent viewing by the driver of the particular vehicle  18 . 
     In some cases, the input port  26  may be configured to receive one or more of traffic information and weather information from, for example, the external server  16 , and the controller  28  may be configured to determine a recommended route based at least in part on one or more of the traffic information and the weather information. The action recommendation may include a recommended route for the particular vehicle  18  to exit the parking facility  12  and/or to travel to a desired destination. The action recommendation may include a recommended time to leave the parking facility  12  to reach the desired destination along the recommended route by a desired time. In some cases, the input port  26  may be configured to receive calendar information from a calendar associated with the driver of the particular vehicle  18 , wherein the calendar includes one or more of the desired destination and/or the desired time. 
       FIG.  3    is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative device  32  that may communicate with the parking server  14  or the parking server  24 . In some cases, the device  32  provides a vehicle  18  with V2X communications protocol functionality. The device  32  may be built into the vehicle  18 , or may be temporarily deployed within the vehicle  18 . The illustrative device  32  includes a display  34 , a cellular transceiver  36  and a controller  38 . In some cases, the display  34  may be a flat screen LCD display. In some instances, the display  34  may be a touch screen display, and thus the user is able to enter information via the touch screen display, if appropriate. The cellular transceiver  36  may be a 5G cellular transceiver, for example. The controller  38  is operably coupled with the cellular transceiver  36 . 
     The controller  38  may include a location service that determines a location of the device  32 . The location service may determine the location of the device  32  using one or more of GPS, cellular triangulation, WiFi hotspots, Bluetooth beacons, and/or any other suitable locating technique. When the cellular transceiver  36  is a 5G cellular transceiver, the location service may be able to determine the location of the device  32  very accurately, such as within inches or feet, and may do so with low latency, such as in 1 second or less. 
     In one example, the location service of the device  32  is configured to detect when the device  32  (and thus the vehicle) leaves a parking spot within the parking facility  12  and when the device  32  reaches an exit of the parking facility  12 . The controller  28  is configured to transmit a time t1 via the cellular transceiver  36  indicating when the corresponding vehicle  18  carrying the device  32  leaves the parking spot within the parking facility  12  and to transmit a time t2 via the cellular transceiver  36  indicating when the corresponding vehicle  18  reaches an exit of the parking facility  12 . The controller  38  is also configured to receive an action recommendation for a driver associated with the corresponding vehicle  18  based at least in part an egress trend that is based at least in part on times t1 and t2 received from other vehicles  18 , and to display the action recommendation on the display  34  of the device  32 . 
       FIG.  4    is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative parking system  40 . The illustrative parking system  40  may be considered as being an example of the parking system  10 . Features described with respect to the parking system  10  may be incorporated into the parking system  40 . Similarly, features described with respect to the parking system  40  may be incorporated into the parking system  10 . The illustrative parking system  40  includes a parking server  42  that may be considered as being an example of the parking server  14  or the parking server  24 . The parking server  42  includes a processor and memory, and is configured to create and maintain a map  44  of the parking structure and/or surrounding area. The map  44  may also be populated with current traffic conditions in and/or around the parking facility  12 . For example, the map  44  may include color coding showing slow traffic in the parking facility  12  in red, normally moving traffic in green and perhaps intermediate traffic in yellow. The map  44  may include displays of egress times in various parts of the parking facility  12 , for example. 
     As shown, inputs to the parking server  42  include a t1 exit time (e.g. time when a corresponding vehicle left a parking spot) and a t2 exit time (e.g. time when the corresponding vehicle reached the exit of the parking facility). The t1 exit time and the t2 exit time may be transmitted to the parking server  42  from each vehicle  18  exiting the parking facility  12  as well as occupant preferences. The t1 exit time and the t2 exit time are used by the parking server  42  to get a sense of current traffic levels, i.e., how long it takes for a vehicle  18  in a particular part of the parking facility  12  to exit the parking facility  12 . The occupant preferences include but are not limited to home address, address for a different destination on a particular day and time, restrictions such as a deadline for reaching a particular destination, for example. 
     In some cases, the parking server  42  communicates with cloud-based analytics  46 . The cloud-based analytics  46  may receive traffic, weather and history information  48 , such as from an external server such as the external server  16 . The cloud-based analytics  46  may receive egress time and egress time trend data from the parking server  42 . The cloud-based analytics  46  may also receive calendar information  50  from an external server such as the external server  16 . The cloud-based analytics  46  may output suggestions such as an optimal time to leave, an optimal path through the parking facility  12 , and/or perhaps the best route for the particular vehicle  18  to take in reaching their destination. This may include directing the particular vehicle  18  to a specific exit that either has less of a wait time, and/or aligns better with the best route for reaching their particular destination. 
     The suggestions or recommendations may be outputted to devices  52  of a user of a particular vehicle  18  in the parking facility  12 . The devices  52 , which may be considered as an example of the device  32 , may be built into the particular vehicles  18  or may be temporarily disposed within the particular vehicles  18 . In some cases, the devices  52  may represent smartphones belonging to the drivers of particular vehicles  18 , for example. 
       FIG.  5    is a flow diagram showing an illustrative method  60  that may be carried out via the parking system  10  or the parking system  40 . Vehicle data regarding each of a plurality of vehicles (such as the vehicles  18 ) in a parking facility (such as the parking facility  12 ) over time is received, the vehicle data including a time t1 indicating when each of the vehicles leaves its corresponding parking spot in the parking facility, and a time t2 indicating when each of the plurality of vehicles reaches an exit of the parking facility, as indicated at block  62 . In some cases, the vehicle data may be received from a plurality of V2X 5G devices each associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of vehicles in the parking facility. 
     An egress time for each of the plurality of vehicles is determined based at least in part on the corresponding times t1 and t2, as indicated at block  64 . A timestamp is assigned to each of the egress times, resulting in timestamped egress times, as indicated at block  66 . In some cases, the timestamp that is assigned to each of the egress times may correspond to the time t2 that was used in determining the corresponding egress time, but this is not required. 
     A current egress time of the parking facility is estimated based at least in part on the timestamped egress times, as indicated at block  68 . In some cases, one or more egress time trends and/or patterns may be determined based at least in part on the timestamped egress times to help predict future egress times. An action recommendation is determined for a driver associated with a particular vehicle currently parked in the parking facility based at least in part on the current egress time of the parking facility (and/or on predicted future egress times), as indicated at block  70 . The action recommendation may include a recommended route for the particular vehicle to exit the parking facility. The action recommendation may include a recommended departure time from the parking facility. The action recommendation is outputted for subsequent viewing by the driver of the particular vehicle, as indicated at block  72 . 
       FIG.  6    is a flow diagram showing an illustrative method  74  that may be carried out via the parking system  10  or the parking system  40 . Vehicle data regarding each of a plurality of vehicles (such as the vehicles  18 ) in a parking facility (such as the parking facility  12 ) over time is received, the vehicle data including a time t1 indicating when each of the vehicles leaves its corresponding parking spot in the parking facility, and a time t2 indicating when each of the plurality of vehicles reaches an exit of the parking facility, as indicated at block  76 . An egress time for each of the plurality of vehicles is determined based at least in part on the corresponding times t1 and t2, as indicated at block  78 . A timestamp is assigned to each of the egress times, resulting in timestamped egress times, as indicated at block  80 . In some cases, the timestamp that is assigned to each of the egress times may correspond to the time t2 that was used in determining the corresponding egress time, but this is not required. 
     An egress time trend of the parking facility over time may be estimated based at least in part on the timestamped egress times, as indicated at block  82 . A current and/or future egress time of the parking facility is estimated based at least in part on the egress time trends, as indicated at block  84 . An action recommendation is determined for a driver associated with a particular vehicle currently parked in the parking facility based at least in part on the current egress time and/or a future egress time of the parking facility, as indicated at block  86 . The action recommendation may include a recommended route for the particular vehicle to exit the parking facility. The action recommendation is outputted for subsequent viewing by the driver of the particular vehicle, as indicated at block  88 . 
       FIG.  7    is a flow diagram showing an illustrative method  90  that may be carried out via the parking system  10  or the parking system  40 . Vehicle data regarding each of a plurality of vehicles (such as the vehicles  18 ) in a parking facility (such as the parking facility  12 ) over time is received, the vehicle data including a time t1 indicating when each of the vehicles leaves its corresponding parking spot in the parking facility, and a time t2 indicating when each of the plurality of vehicles reaches an exit of the parking facility, as indicated at block  92 . 
     An egress time for each of the plurality of vehicles is determined based at least in part on the corresponding times t1 and t2, and a timestamp is assigned to each of the egress times, resulting in timestamped egress times, as indicated at block  94 . An egress time trend of the parking facility over time is determined based at least in part on the timestamped egress times, as indicated at block  96 . A future egress time of the parking facility is estimated, based at least in part on the egress time trend, as indicated at block  98 . 
     A future action recommendation for a driver associated with a particular vehicle currently parked in the parking facility is determined, based at least on the future egress time of the parking facility, as indicated at block  100 . The future action recommendation is outputted for subsequent viewing by the driver of the particular vehicle, as indicated at block  102 . 
       FIG.  8    is a flow diagram showing an illustrative method  104  that may be carried out via the parking system  10  or the parking system  40 . Vehicle data regarding each of a plurality of vehicles (such as the vehicles  18 ) in a parking facility (such as the parking facility  12 ) over time is received, the vehicle data including a time t1 indicating when each of the vehicles leaves its corresponding parking spot in the parking facility, and a time t2 indicating when each of the plurality of vehicles reaches an exit of the parking facility, as indicated at block  106 . An egress time for each of the plurality of vehicles is determined based at least in part on the corresponding times t1 and t2, as indicated at block  108 . A timestamp is assigned to each of the egress times, resulting in timestamped egress times, as indicated at block  110 . In some cases, the timestamp that is assigned to each of the egress times may correspond to the time t2 that was used in determining the corresponding egress time, but this is not required. 
     In the example show, a speed and/or location of each of the vehicles while in the parking facility is monitored, as indicated at block  112 . An egress time trend of the parking facility over time may be estimated based at least in part on the speed and/or location of each of the vehicles while in the parking facility and/or at least in part on the timestamped egress times, as indicated at block  114 . In some cases, the speed and/or location of each of the vehicles may be tracked via location services that use 5G. An action recommendation is determined for a driver associated with a particular vehicle currently parked in the parking facility based at least in part on the current egress time of the parking facility, as indicated at block  116 . The action recommendation may include, for example, a recommended route for the particular vehicle to exit the parking facility, a recommended route to a desired destination, and/or a recommended time to leave the parking spot to reach a desired destination by a desired time. The action recommendation is outputted for subsequent viewing by the driver of the particular vehicle, as indicated at block  118 . 
       FIG.  9    is a flow diagram showing an illustrative method  120  that may be carried out via the parking system  10  or the parking system  40 . Vehicle data regarding each of a plurality of vehicles (such as the vehicles  18 ) in a parking facility (such as the parking facility  12 ) over time is received, the vehicle data including a time t1 indicating when each of the vehicles leaves its corresponding parking spot in the parking facility, and a time t2 indicating when each of the plurality of vehicles reaches an exit of the parking facility, as indicated at block  122 . An egress time for each of the plurality of vehicles is determined based at least in part on the corresponding times t1 and t2, as indicated at block  124 . A timestamp is assigned to each of the egress times, resulting in timestamped egress times, as indicated at block  126 . In some cases, the timestamp that is assigned to each of the egress times may correspond to the time t2 that was used in determining the corresponding egress time, but this is not required. 
     A current egress time of the parking facility may be estimated based at least in part on the timestamped egress times, as indicated at block  128 . One or more of traffic information and weather information may be accessed, as indicated at block  130 . In some cases, a calendar of the driver of the particular vehicle may be accessed, where the calendar provides one or more of the desired destination and the desired time, or the driver may directly provide this information, as indicated at block  132 . A recommended route is determined for a particular vehicle based at least in part on one or more of the traffic information and the weather information, as indicated at block  134 . The recommended route may include a recommended exit from the parking facility and/ a path for the vehicle to take to reach their desired destination after exiting the parking facility. Calendar information may also play a part. For example, the calendar information may provide a desired time of arrival at the desired destination. When so provided, a recommended departure time may be provided along with the recommended route to help ensure that the driver reaches the desired destination by the desired time of arrival. The recommended route and/or recommended departure time is outputted for subsequent viewing by the driver of the particular vehicle, as indicated at block  136 . 
       FIG.  10    is a flow diagram showing an illustrative method  140  that may be carried out via the parking system  10  or the parking system  40 . In some cases, the illustrative method  140  may be carried out in a cloud-based server, such as the cloud-based analytics  46  shown in  FIG.  4   . Egress time and trend data may be received from the parking server, as indicated at block  142 . The occupant home address may be pulled from memory, or the driver may be prompted for this information, as indicated at block  144 . Possible routes from the parking facility to the occupant home address may be built, as indicated at block  146 . Weather information and traffic information along the possible routes may be retrieved, as indicated at block  148 . 
     The time that will be required to reach home or another destination may be determined, as indicated at block  150 . Scheduling information may be pulled from a calendar source, as indicated at block  152 . In the example shown, a determination is made at decision block  154  as to whether the user has enough time to reach their home or other destination in time to participate in their next scheduled meeting in their calendar. If there is enough time to get home, control passes to block  156  and the user is provided with a suggested time to leave the office so that they reach home in time for the scheduled meeting. If, however, there is not enough time to reach home, control passes to block  158  and the user is suggested to wait at the office to take the meeting. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present disclosure may be manifested in a variety of forms other than the specific embodiments described and contemplated herein. Accordingly, departure in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure as described in the appended claims.