Parking lot information system using image technology for identifying available parking spaces

摘要

A parking lot information system comprising a digital camera for obtaining an image of parking spaces in the parking lot where each parking space is marked with a visual identifier, a computer coupled to the digital camera for identifying available parking spaces by recognizing the identifiers marking the available parking spaces, and a display coupled to the computer for displaying information on the available parking spaces.

主权项

1. A parking lot information system, comprising:
a plurality of parking spaces in a parking lot; a digital camera for obtaining images of the parking spaces in the parking lot; a computer coupled to the digital camera for detecting vehicles in specific ones of the parking spaces from the images; the computer coupled to the display camera for: detecting unique vehicle identifiers from the images for vehicles occupying the parking spaces; indexing the unique vehicle identifiers to the parking spaces by using a mirror arrangement within each of the parking spaces, wherein the mirror arrangement reflects an image of a license plate of a vehicle parked in a corresponding parking space to the digital camera, and wherein the mirror arrangement is associated with a visual identifier of the parking space; responding to inquiries from remote devices, said inquiries being inquiries for specific ones of the vehicles occupying the parking spaces and for one or more available parking spaces, wherein the responding conveys messages providing parking location information to requestors; and allowing a requestor to select one of the available parking spaces.