# US 12,190,730 B2 · Parking space management system

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- Number: US 12,190,730 B2
- Document ID: US12190730B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/113,669
- Filed: 2023-02-24
- Published: 2023-08-31
- Granted: 2025-01-07
- Earliest claimed: 2022-02-28
- Assignees: E Ink Corporation
- Applicants: E Ink Corporation
- Inventors: Zhen Bao; George G. Harris; Brian D. Bean
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12190730B2

## CPC

- G08G 1/142: {external to the vehicles}
- G08G 1/146: {where the parking area is a limited parking space, e.g. parking garage, restricted space}
- G09G 3/344: {based on particles moving in a fluid or in a gas, e.g. electrophoretic devices (electrophoretic devices per se G02F1/167)}
- G09G 2330/028: Generation of voltages supplied to electrode drivers in a matrix display other than LCD
- 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})
- G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00)

## Abstract

A parking space management system includes a bistable reflective display, such as an electrophoretic display, which is sunlight-readable and only requires power when the information on the display is updated. One or more detectors are configured to determine the presence of an object within a bounded space, such as a parking space, and communicate that status to the bistable reflective display, thereby causing the bistable reflective display to show the presence of an object within the bounded space to an observer. Such a system is easy to implement and will save drivers' time because they don't have to hunt for a parking spot. Such a system also reduces tailpipe emissions because it is not necessary to drive up and down multiple aisles of cars looking for an open parking spot.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A temporary parking space management system comprising:
an electrophoretic display;
a plurality of detectors configured to determine the presence of objects within bounded spaces;
a detection hub coupled to the plurality of detectors and configured to receive signals from the detectors and to relay the signals to the electrophoretic display; and
a plurality of photovoltaic panels, wherein
a first photovoltaic panel is operatively coupled to the electrophoretic display and configured to power the electrophoretic display, and
a second photovoltaic panel is operatively coupled to the detection hub and the plurality of detectors and configured to power the detection hub and detectors,
wherein the detection hub is configured to communicate with the electrophoretic display and cause the electrophoretic bistable reflective display to show the presence of an object within one of the bounded spaces to an observer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The parking space management system of claim 1, wherein the electrophoretic display comprises an active matrix backplane.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The parking space management system of claim 1, wherein the electrophoretic display comprises a plurality of segmented electrodes.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The parking space management system of claim 1, wherein the electrophoretic display is flexible.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The parking space management system of claim 1, wherein each detector is a camera, an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, or uses an inductive coil to determine the presence of a metallic object.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The parking space management system of claim 1, wherein the bounded space is a parking spot in a parking lot and the object is a vehicle.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The parking space management system of claim 1, wherein the detector hub communicates with the electrophoretic display wirelessly.