# US 2019/0378346 A1 · Dynamically managing parking space utilization > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0378346 A1 - Document ID: US20190378346A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/545,203 - Filed: 2019-08-20 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-16 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Mustansir Banatwala; David A. Brooks; Joseph A. Russo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190378346A1 ## CPC - G07B 15/02: taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems (G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24) - G06Q 10/00: Administration; Management - G06Q 30/0255: {based on user history} - G08G 1/017: identifying vehicles (G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence) - G08G 1/0175: {by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules} - G08G 1/14: indicating individual free spaces in parking areas - G08G 1/143: {inside the vehicles} - G08G 1/144: {on portable or mobile units, e.g. personal digital assistant [PDA]} - G08G 1/146: {where the parking area is a limited parking space, e.g. parking garage, restricted space} - G08G 1/147: {where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre} - 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} - G07B: TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - 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}) ## Abstract A method for dynamically managing parking space utilization including receiving a dynamic feed of available parking spaces across a set of sectors, each parking space associated with a parking control device, each sector having a preferred utilization rate; utilizing a processor to determine that a parking utilization rate of a first sector exceeds a preferred utilization rate for the first sector; upon receiving a location based parking space reservation request from a user, the request capable of being fulfilled from a plurality of sectors, providing a list of available parking spaces meeting the request including associated prices dynamically generated, wherein parking spaces in the first sector are priced higher than parking spaces in other sectors; and upon selection of one of the provided list of available parking spaces by the user, allocating the selected parking space to the user at the provided associated price and notifying the parking control device associated with the selected parking space. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for dynamically managing parking space utilization comprising: receiving a dynamic feed of available parking spaces across a set of sectors, each parking space associated with a parking control device, each sector having a preferred utilization rate; utilizing a processor to determine that a parking utilization rate of a first sector exceeds a preferred utilization rate for the first sector; and providing to a user a list of available parking spaces including associated prices dynamically generated, wherein parking spaces in the first sector are priced higher than parking spaces in other sectors. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: upon selection of one of the provided list of available parking spaces by the user, charging the selected parking space to the user at the provided associated price and notifying the parking control device associated with the selected parking space. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the parking utilization rate of the first sector is a utilization of parking spaces in that sector. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the preferred utilization rate for each sector is based on a traffic flow with that sector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a traffic feed from a traffic database; and modifying the associated prices based on the traffic feed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising dynamically generating a set of supply and demand-based models using criterion-based rules for pricing parking spaces to manage parking utilization rates in accordance with the preferred utilization rate for each sector. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining a parking space database in computer memory of available parking spaces by time and location; and wherein the parking space database is notified of the allocated parking space to the user. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether the parking utilization rate for the first sector exceeds the preferred utilization rate for the first sector; and upon such a determination providing a discount offer to the user of an allocated parking space in the first sector. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 further comprising receiving a parking incentive from a business user for a set of selected parking spaces; providing the parking incentives to the user in response to a user inquiry; and notifying the parking space database of the parking incentive for the allocated parking space. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 further comprising receiving a parking incentive from a business user for a set of selected parking spaces; providing the parking incentives to the user in response to the parking space inquiry; notifying the parking space database of the parking incentive for the allocated parking space; determining whether a parking utilization rate for the first sector exceeds the preferred utilization rate for the first sector; and upon such a determination providing a discount offer to the user of an allocated parking space in the first sector maintaining a parking space database in computer memory of available parking spaces by time and location; wherein the reservation request includes a time period for parking; and wherein the parking space database is notified of the allocated parking space to the user. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the list of available parking spaces is provided to the user in response to a parking space request from a user. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the parking space request from the user is received from a mobile device application. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the list of available parking spaces is provided to the user through the mobile device application. ### Claim 14 A computer implemented method (CIM) comprising: dynamically determining a number of available parking spaces in an area and an identity of a first currently-available smart parking meter associated with each available parking space to obtain a dynamic availability feed; responsive to each dynamic determination: calculating, for the parking space associated with the first currently-available smart parking meter, a price based, at least in part, upon the number of available parking spaces; and transmitting the calculated price for the parking space associated with the first currently-available smart parking meter to the given currently-available smart parking meter and to a parking application. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The CIM of claim 14, further comprising: receiving, from a first driver and through the parking app, payment of the calculated price in exchange for a privilege of parking a vehicle in the parking space associated with the first currently-available smart parking meter. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The CIM of claim 15 wherein the calculation of the price is further based upon a parking administrator application. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The CIM of claim 14 wherein the calculation of the price is further based upon a business application in proximity of the parking space associated with the first currently-available smart parking meter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The CIM of claim 14 wherein the calculation of the price is further based upon a dynamically updated traffic feed. ### Claim 19 A computer system comprising: one or more computer processors; one or more computer readable storage media; and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising: program instructions to receive a dynamic feed of available parking spaces across a set of sectors, each parking space associated with a parking control device, each sector having a preferred utilization rate; program instructions to determine that a parking utilization rate of a first sector exceeds a preferred utilization rate for the first sector; and program instructions to provide to a user a list of available parking spaces including associated prices dynamically generated, wherein parking spaces in the first sector are priced higher than parking spaces in other sectors. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The computer system of claim 19, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, to: upon selection of one of the provided list of available parking spaces by the user, charge the selected parking space to the user at the provided associated price and notifying the parking control device associated with the selected parking space.