# US 11,113,968 B2 · Method for mobile parking assistance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,113,968 B2 - Document ID: US11113968B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/956,289 - Filed: 2018-12-17 - Published: 2021-03-18 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-21 - Assignees: Continental Automotive GmbH - Applicants: Continental Automotive GmbH - Inventors: Stefan Bieger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11113968B2 ## CPC - B62D 15/027: {Parking aids, e.g. instruction means} - G08G 1/144: {on portable or mobile units, e.g. personal digital assistant [PDA]} - G08G 1/0108: {based on the source of data} - G08G 1/142: {external to the vehicles} - G08G 1/148: {Management of a network of parking areas} - G08G 1/149: {coupled to means for restricting the access to the parking space, e.g. authorization, access barriers, indicative lights} - B60R 25/24: using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user - G06V 20/586: {of parking space} - H04W 4/40: for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A method for assisting in the parking of a vehicle in a vacant parking area, wherein the position of at least one vacant parking area is calculated on the basis of a vehicle-to-vehicle and/or a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication from the current position of the vehicle and is conveyed to a navigation apparatus of the vehicle, wherein a parking process is started by virtue of a radio key of the vehicle being placed onto a smartphone display, so that a lens in the vehicle key captures a flashing code and the radio key returns the flashing codes to the vehicle by radio. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for assisting in the parking of a vehicle in a vacant parking area, wherein a position of at least one vacant parking area is calculated on the basis of a vehicle-to-vehicle and/or a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication from a current position of the vehicle and is conveyed to a navigation apparatus of the vehicle, characterized in that a parking process is started by virtue of a radio key of the vehicle being placed onto a smartphone display, so that a lens in the vehicle radio key captures a flashing code and the radio key returns the flashing code to the vehicle by radio. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, characterized in that the position of the vacant parking area is conveyed to the navigation apparatus when the vehicle is in a previously defined region with reference to the vacant parking area close to a barrier of a parking facility. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, characterized in that after the vehicle (11) has been parked on a selected vacant parking area, the position of the selected parking area is conveyed to a storage medium, which is transportable by the driver, a key of the vehicle and/or a cell phone of the driver and/or a chip card, is subsequently stored on the storage medium and is additionally displayed. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, characterized in that the navigation apparatus or the storage medium transmits the position of the selected parking area to a car park management system of the parking facility. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, characterized in that when the selected parking area is left, the position of the parking area, which has become vacant again, is transmitted to the car park management system of the parking facility. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, characterized in that the position of the at least one vacant parking area is calculated from a distance measurement from at least one vehicle or at least one infrastructure element to other vehicles or to other infrastructure elements that are arranged within a vicinity having a previously stipulated radius around the vehicle looking for a vacant parking area. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, characterized in that further information pertaining to the parking area situation, preferably about resident parking zones or no-stopping zones, is conveyed by the at least one infrastructure element and/or provided from a digital map of the navigation apparatus and used to calculate the position of the at least one vacant parking area. ### Claim 8 A driving assistance apparatus for parking a vehicle in a vacant parking area using a computing apparatus and a navigation apparatus, wherein a position of at least one vacant parking area is calculated by the computing apparatus on the basis of a vehicle-to-vehicle and/or a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication from a current position of the vehicle, and the calculated position of the vacant parking area is then conveyed to a navigation apparatus of the vehicle, characterized in that a parking process is started by virtue of a radio key of the vehicle being placed onto a smartphone display, so that a lens in the vehicle radio key captures a flashing code and the radio key returns the flashing code to the vehicle by radio. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The driving assistance apparatus of claim 8, characterized in that the position of the vacant parking area is conveyed to the navigation apparatus by the computing apparatus when the vehicle is in a previously defined region with reference to the vacant parking area close to a barrier of a parking facility. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The driving assistance apparatus of claim 8, characterized in that after the vehicle has been parked on a selected vacant parking area, the position of the selected parking area is conveyed by the navigation apparatus to a storage medium, which is transportable by the driver, on a key of the vehicle and/or a mobile phone of the driver and/or a chip card, is stored on the storage medium and is additionally displayed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The driving assistance apparatus of claim 8, characterized in that the navigation apparatus or the storage medium transmits the position of the selected parking area to a car park management system of the parking facility. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The driving assistance apparatus of claim 8, characterized in that when the selected parking area is left, the navigation apparatus transmits the position of the parking area, which has become vacant again, to the car park management system of the parking facility. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The driving assistance apparatus of claim 8, characterized in that the computing apparatus calculates the position of the at least one vacant parking area from a distance measurement from at least one vehicle or at least one infrastructure element to other vehicles or to other infrastructure elements that are arranged within a vicinity having a previously stipulated radius around the vehicle looking for a vacant parking area. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The driving assistance apparatus of claim 8, characterized in that the infrastructure element conveys further information pertaining to the car park situation, preferably about resident parking zones or no-stopping zones, to the computing apparatus and the computing apparatus uses this information to calculate the position of the at least one vacant parking area.