PAY-BY-PHONE PARKING SYSTEM AIDED BY A VISION BASED MONITORING DEVICE

摘要

Methods and devices send, from an application to an image processor, an identity of a vehicle parking space and/or an identity of a vehicle parked in the vehicle parking space. Such methods and devices obtain an image of the parked vehicle, using a fixed camera, and send the image to the image processor. These methods and devices then confirm the identity of the vehicle parked in the vehicle parking space, and send a confirmation to the application. These methods and devices display the confirmation on the graphic user interface of the user portable computing device (using the application). These methods and devices automatically end the timed payment session for the vehicle parking space based on images of the scene obtained through the camera showing the identified vehicle not occupying the vehicle parking space, using the image processor.

主权项

1. A system comprising:
a camera obtaining images of a scene containing vehicle parking spaces, said camera being stationary and positioned to view said scene containing said vehicle parking spaces; an image processor operatively connected to said camera; and an application comprising a program of instructions operating on a user portable computing device, said application being in communication with said image processor over a computerized network, said application causing a graphic user interface of said user portable computing device to display a start timed parking option to begin a timed payment session for a vehicle parking space of said vehicle parking spaces within said scene at a beginning time, said application sending said image processor at least one of: an identity of said vehicle parking space; and an identity of a vehicle parked in said vehicle parking space in response to selection of said start timed parking option, said camera obtaining an image of said vehicle parked in said vehicle parking space in response to said selection of said start timed parking option and sending said image of said vehicle parked in said vehicle parking space to said image processor, said image processor confirming said vehicle being parked in said vehicle parking space, said image processor automatically ending said timed payment session for said vehicle parking space based on images of said scene obtained through said camera showing said vehicle not occupying said vehicle parking space, and one of said image processor and said application calculating a cost of said timed payment session based upon a duration between said beginning time and an ending time of said image processor automatically ending said timed payment session.