Colorado Patent of the Month – June 2022
You may have been to a parking garage that tells you which level has empty spaces so that you don’t drive up and down aimlessly. These systems are usually set up with a sensor in every parking space but this is extremely costly and time consuming. Other solutions, like camera systems, can be easily obscured by obstacles or inclement weather. ParkiFi, Inc. has tackled this problem, developing a solution which uses radar-based vehicle detection.
The radar system consists of a radar antenna, sensors, and a parking host system. Each antenna is positioned with a sufficient field-of-view across a section of a parking lot. Multiple sensors are used for larger parking spaces. The cameras can also serve a purpose for license plate recognition, allowing an identifier to be linked to a vehicle that enters the facility.
The host is configured to process data gathered from the sensors, determining which parking spaces are occupied or vacant. This is accomplished by processing the raw measurement data from the sensors as well as the entry/exit cameras. Vehicles can be tracked throughout the facility by following their license plate, and an overall occupancy rate can be tracked.
With all of this data, parking lots can be made less of a hassle for both users and owners. Occupancy tracking can be achieved without needing dozens or even hundreds of sensors installed throughout the facility. The real-time smart sensor technology allows drivers to find and pay for available parking spots much faster and with less frustration.
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