Automatic Detection of Parking Level In Multi-Level Structure

摘要

Implementations of the present invention contemplate utilizing the communicative connections between a telematics service provider (TSP), a communication device, and a telematics unit in a vehicle parked in a multilevel parking garage to determine location information of the vehicle and to provide such information to a subscriber of the TSP. A subscriber of a TSP may transmit a request for information pertaining to the location of a vehicle parked within a multilevel parking structure from a communication device. Upon the receipt of such a request, the TSP provides the information requested by the subscriber. In various implementations, the providing of such information by the TSP may involve querying the telematics unit in the vehicle or querying a database storing location information pertaining to one or more vehicles and may further involve performing calculations to derive the information requested by the communication device. In some implementations, the information requested by the communication device includes but is not limited to a floor number, or level, of the parking garage on which the telematics-equipped vehicle is parked.

主权项

1. A method, implemented through the use of a telematics unit of a vehicle, for determining a present location of the vehicle within a multi-level parking structure, the method comprising:
determining that the vehicle is operating, within a multi-level parking garage; determining a number of circles traversed by the vehicle on a spiraling vehicle ramp in the multi-level parking garage; determining, based at least partly upon the number of circles traversed, a first value identifying a level of the multi-level parking garage at which the vehicle is located.