Parking lot safety apparatus and method
OwnerVivian Swaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method monitors availability of parking spaces in a parking lot and warns of a possible collision of a vehicle with an object in the parking lot. The method senses availability of vehicle parking spaces in an area of the parking lot and identifies one or more objects in or near a parking space, in between occupied parking spaces, or in a roadway portion of the area of the parking lot. Based on the sensing step, the availability of parking spaces in the area of the parking lot is identified. Based on the sensing step, the driver of the vehicle, the vehicle itself, and/or the one or more objects is warned of a possible collision between the vehicle and the one or more objects. An apparatus for performing the method is also provided.
Claims20
An apparatus, for monitoring availability of parking spaces in a parking lot and warning of a possible collision of a vehicle with an object in the parking lot, comprising:
- a controller;
- at least one sensor electrically connected with the controller and constructed and arranged to detect availability of vehicle parking spaces in the parking lot and to identify one or more objects in or near at least one open parking space, in between occupied parking spaces, or in a roadway portion of the parking lot;
- and
- at least one identifying module electrically connected with the controller, the identifying module, based on data from the at least one sensor, being constructed and arranged to identify an availability of parking spaces in an area of the parking lot;
- wherein, based on data from the at least one sensor, the controller is constructed and arranged to cause an information signal to warn the driver of the vehicle, the vehicle itself, and/or the one or more objects of a possible collision between the vehicle and the one or more objects;
- wherein the controller is constructed and arranged to cause the information signal when the at least one sensor detects that the one or more objects is in or near a parking space, is in between occupied parking space or in the roadway portion of the parking lot, and the vehicle is approaching the one or more objects.
(canceled)
A method of monitoring availability of parking spaces in a parking lot and warning of a possible collision of a vehicle with an object in the parking lot, the method comprising the steps of:
- sensing availability of vehicle parking spaces in an area of the parking lot and identifying one or more objects in or near parking spaces, in between occupied parking spaces, or in a roadway portion of the area of the parking lot;
- based on the sensing step, identifying an availability of parking spaces in the area of the parking lot;
- and
- based on the sensing step, warning the driver of the vehicle, the vehicle itself, and/or the one or more objects of a possible collision between the vehicle and the one or more objects;
- wherein the warning step occurs when the one or more objects is sensed in or near a parking space, in between occupied parking spaces, or in the roadway portion of the parking lot, and the vehicle is approaching the one or more objects.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.