The present invention relates to parking systems, and more particularly, to
a smart vehicle parking system that assists a user in moving out a vehicle from a
5 congested parking space without facing any difficulty.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Vehicle parking has become a major concern in all metropolitan cities.
10 Although parallel parking is one of the best way to park the vehicle in an open
parking space, however the parallel parking is still a main challenge for all the
drivers. The main disadvantage of the parallel parking is that the vehicle is
surrounded with number of vehicles and makes it difficult for a user to get out
from a tight parking spot.
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[0003] Moreover, the user has no space to move the vehicle, which in turn leads
to paint scraping or cause damage to the tire of vehicles if the vehicle accidentally
moves ahead even a bit while starting the engine. In an instance, the user needs to
seek assistance from a parking assistant in order to get out from the parking. In
20 another case, the user needs to wait for surrounding vehicles to move out and
vacant the space. Further, in yet another instance, the user needs to turn out to
either side for giving the more space to front of the vehicle. However, while
turning out to the either side, the user may find difficulty if someone has parked
the vehicle behind the user’s vehicle.
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[0004] In order to solve aforementioned case, car lifting is done manually to assist
the user in moving out the vehicle from the parking space. However, human
intervention is required for lifting the vehicle which in turn increase manual
efforts. Also, manual work increases the cost required to spend on hiring labours.
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[0005] US8319663B2 discloses a parking assist system which, after a vehicle has
3
passed the side of a parking area formed between parked vehicles, assists parking
of the vehicle from a stopped position of the vehicle to the parking area, the
parking assist system comprising: a distance sensor that emits radio waves or
ultrasonic waves and detects the distance to the parked vehicles on the basis of the
5 reflected waves; parking area detecting apparatus that measures, when the vehicle
passes the parked vehicles and the side of the parking area, the distance to the
parked vehicles with the distance sensor and detects, after the vehicle has passed
the side of the parking area, the parking area on the basis of the measurement
result; parking target position calculating apparatus that calculates a parking target
10 position of the vehicle on the basis of the parking area that has been detected by
the parking area detecting apparatus; and vehicle trajectory calculating apparatus
that calculates, on the basis of the parking target position of the vehicle that has
been calculated by the parking target position calculating apparatus, vehicle
trajectories from a stopped position where the vehicle has stopped to the parking
15 target position.
[0006] According to the aforementioned prior arts, the conclusion that can be
drawn is that the existing approach is more focused on assisting the user to park
the vehicle in a limited space. However, such approach is unable to provide
20 assistance to the user in vacating the congested parking space.
[0007] In order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, there is an essential
requirement for developing a system that automatically assists the user in vacating
the congested parking space and helps in maintaining distance from adjacent
25 vehicles.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The principal object of the present invention is to overcome the
30 disadvantages of the prior art.
4
[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide an intelligent and user
friendly car parking system which reduces human intervention and traffic
congestion.
5 [0010] An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic vehicle
lifting mechanism which lifts and rotates the vehicle based on height of adjacent
parked vehicles to move out the vehicle from a cramped space.
[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide safe and secure
10 parking slots within limited area.
[0012] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present
invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following
detailed description of the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the
15 accompanying drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention relates to a smart vehicle parking system that
20 enables a user to scan a code at an entrance of a parking space and senses height
of the vehicle. Further, the user again scans the code associated with a vehicle key
in order to actuate a hydraulic pump for lifting and rotating the vehicle to a pre-set
height and at a pre-determined angle to move out the vehicle from the parking
slot.
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[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a smart vehicle
parking system, comprising a first scanner attached at an entry point of a parking
space, to allow a user to scan a code embedded within a vehicle key in order to
allot the parking space to the user, at least one sensor placed at the entry point of
30 the parking space, to detect height of vehicles entering into the parking space and
stores the height of the vehicles in a storage unit, a second scanner located at an
5
exit point of the parking space, for allowing the user to scan the code for
determining condition that the user is willing to move out the vehicle, a
microprocessor associated with the storage unit and the second scanner, to
determine height of multiple vehicles parked adjacent to the vehicle of the user, a
5 hydraulic controller connected with the microprocessor and the second scanner, to
activate a hydraulic pump in order to lift and rotate the vehicle to a pre-set height
and at a pre-defined angle based on determined height of adjacent vehicles as soon
as the aforesaid condition is determined.
10 [0015] While the invention has been described and shown with particular
reference to the preferred embodiment, it will be apparent that variations might be
possible that would fall within the scope of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
15
[0016] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention
will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended
claims, and accompanying drawings where:
Figure 1 is a block diagram representation of a smart vehicle parking system in
20 accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] The following description includes the preferred best mode of one
25 embodiment of the present invention. It will be clear from this description of the
invention that the invention is not limited to these illustrated embodiments but that
the invention also includes a variety of modifications and embodiments thereto.
Therefore, the present description should be seen as illustrative and not limiting.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative
30 constructions, it should be understood, that there is no intention to limit the
invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to
6
cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within
the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
[0018] In any embodiment described herein, the open-ended terms "comprising,"
5 "comprises,” and the like (which are synonymous with "including," "having” and
"characterized by") may be replaced by the respective partially closed phrases
"consisting essentially of," consists essentially of," and the like or the respective
closed phrases "consisting of," "consists of, the like.
10 [0019] As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” designate both the
singular and the plural, unless expressly stated to designate the singular only.
[0020] The present invention relates to a smart vehicle parking system which
eliminates the problem of manually reversing a vehicle in order to move out the
15 vehicle from the parking space. The system calculates height of the adjacent
parked vehicles to lift the vehicle up to a pre-defined height accordingly. The
present invention provides a system that aids the vehicle to move out from the
parking space easily without the use of expensive sensors.
20 [0021] Hence, such system enhances the parking services to upgrade the nature of
life of the people. Moreover, the system saves the time and provides hassle free
service to move out the vehicle from the parking space. The present system is
power efficient as the hydraulic pump generates flow based on power
requirement, wherein the power requirement depends on the height of the adjacent
25 vehicles.
[0022] Referring to Figure 1, a block diagram of a smart vehicle parking system is
illustrated. The system includes a first scanner placed at a first point of a parking
space, to enable a user to scan a code embedded within a vehicle key of the user to
30 allot a parking space to the user. The first point refers to an entry point. The code
may be a bar code or a quick response (QR) code.
7
[0023] The system also includes a microprocessor for efficient usage of a parking
slot. The microprocessor at the entrance controls and verifies a scanned code by
checking if the vehicle with same code has been already used to enter into the
parking space. The microprocessor further stores verified scanned code in a
5 storage unit that is hosted locally or remotely. The storage unit may include a
cloud based storage.
[0024] Moreover, the system also includes at least one sensor placed at the entry
point of the parking space. The sensor may include an infrared sensor. The sensor
10 detects height of multiple vehicles entering into the parking space. The
microprocessor stores the height of the multiple vehicle corresponding to the
scanned code in the storage unit.
[0025] Further, based on the height of the vehicle, the microprocessor searches
15 availability of at least one parking slot. In a case, upon getting the availability of
the parking slot, the microprocessor generates a ticket number for the user to allot
the available parking slot. Such ticket number is displayed on a display unit that is
also installed at an entry point of the parking space.
20 [0026] Further, the microprocessor activates a servo motor installed within
parking gate to lift a barricade upon assigning the ticket number to the vehicle of
the user. The system also includes a second scanner placed at a second point of
the parking space, and enables the user to scan the code of the vehicle key for for
determining condition that the user is willing to move out said vehicle. The
25 second point refers to an exit point.
[0027] Upon scanning the code by the user from the second scanner, the
microprocessor fetches the height of the vehicles that are parked adjacent to the
vehicle of the user from the storage unit and compare the height of the vehicle of
30 the user with the adjacent vehicles to determine a lifting height of a hydraulic
pump installed within the parking slot.
8
[0028] Further, the system includes a hydraulic controller coupled to the
microprocessor, and activates the hydraulic pump to lift and rotate the vehicle to a
pre-set height and at a pre-defined angle as soon as the aforementioned condition
is determined. The pre-set height is measured by its vertical distance and above
5 the height of the adjacent vehicles. The pre-defined angle may include a straight
angle (180-degree angle).
[0029] Moreover, the microprocessor calculates parking fees of the vehicle, when
the vehicle of the user moved out from the parking space. The parking fees is
10 calculated based on parking time. The parking fees is deducted from an account of
a user linked to the code present in the vehicle key of the user. Upon deduction of
the parking fees, the microprocessor opens the barricade for the user to exit the
vehicle. In one exemplary case, the system aids the user in getting out the vehicle
from the parking space when the vehicle is parked in between the two vehicles. In
15 another exemplary case, the system aids the user in getting out the vehicle from
the parking space when someone parked the vehicle just behind the vehicle of the
user.
[0030] The present invention aids in moving the vehicle when someone has
20 parked the vehicle just behind the vehicle of the user. Further, the present system
does not move or extend the suspension system while lifting the vehicle.
Moreover, the present system is capable of rotating the vehicle in any direction at
a pre-defined angle. Furthermore, the present system eliminates human
intervention by automatically moving out the vehicle from a cramped space.
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[0031] According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the
microprocessor installed within the system may disable at least one of adjacent
vehicles during rotation of the vehicle in order to avoid collision between the two
vehicles. In such case, length of the vehicle may be calculated to determine a
30 number of adjacent vehicles that are required to be disabled.
9
[0032] Although the field of the invention has been described herein with limited
reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in
a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as
alternate embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in
5 the art upon reference to the description of the invention

We Claim:
1) A smart vehicle parking system, comprising:
i) a first scanner placed at a first point of a parking space, and is
configured to enable at least one user to scan a code associated with
5 a vehicle key of said user to allot a parking space to said user;
ii) at least one sensor positioned at said first point of the parking space,
wherein said sensor is used to detect height of vehicles entering into
said parking space and stores the height of the said vehicles in a
storage unit;
10 iii) a second scanner located at a second point of said parking space, and
allowing said user to scan the code for determining condition that the
user is willing to move out said vehicle;
iv) a microprocessor associated to said storage unit and said second
scanner, wherein said microcontroller is configured to determine
15 height of the vehicles parked adjacent to said vehicle of said user
upon scanning said code at said second scanner; and
v) a hydraulic controller connected with said microprocessor and said
second scanner, to activate a hydraulic pump installed within the
parking space in order to lift and rotate said vehicle to a pre-set
20 height and at a pre-defined angle based on determined height of
adjacent vehicles as soon as the aforesaid condition is determined.
2) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said scanned code is stored in said
storage unit.
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3) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first point and said second
point refers to an entry point and an exit point of said parking space.
4) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises an infrared
30 sensor.
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5) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein number allotted for parking space is
displayed on one or more display units mounted on an entry point of said parking
space.