# US 2021/0276542 A1 · Information processing apparatus, information processing method and system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0276542 A1 - Document ID: US20210276542A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/183,651 - Filed: 2021-02-24 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-05 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Yuko Mizuno; Misa Ejiri; Kazuyuki Kagawa; Yuta Oshiro; Katsuhito Kito - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276542A1 ## CPC - B60W 30/06: Automatic manoeuvring for parking - B62D 15/0285: {Parking performed automatically} - G08G 1/017: identifying vehicles (G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence) - G08G 1/143: {inside the vehicles} - G08G 1/146: {where the parking area is a limited parking space, e.g. parking garage, restricted space} - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - 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}) ## Abstract A controller of an information processing apparatus is programmed to obtain a size of a vehicle to be parked in a parking lot, obtain information of a current free space of the parking lot, secure from the current free space of the parking lot a parking space that the obtained size matches; and provide the vehicle with guidance information indicating the secured parking space for driving the vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information processing apparatus comprising a controller, wherein the controller performs: obtaining a size of a vehicle to be parked in a parking lot; obtaining information of a current free space of the parking lot; securing from the current free space of the parking lot a parking space that the obtained size matches; and providing the vehicle with guidance information for driving the vehicle to the secured parking space. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, the controller further performs updating the information of the current free space of the parking lot when a change occurs in the current free space of the parking lot. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, the guidance information is provided to a device that controls the vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, the guidance information is provided to a device with a displaying unit that is visible to a driver driving the vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the securing the parking space comprises: obtaining schedule information of the vehicle leaving the parking lot; and selecting the parking space to park the vehicle from the free space of the parking lot according to the obtained schedule information of the vehicle leaving the parking lot. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the selecting the parking space comprises: referencing a parking space of another vehicle having another schedule information of leaving the parking lot, the other schedule information satisfying a predetermined condition with respect to the obtained schedule information of the vehicle leaving the parking lot; and selecting the parking space associated with the parking space of the other vehicle so as to suppress free spaces in the parking lot from having a moth-eaten appearance. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the securing the parking space includes adjusting partition line data partitioning the parking space in the parking lot to match the obtained size. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the adjusting the partition line data comprises adjusting the partition line data to vary a length of the parking space corresponding to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle parked in the parking space. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller further performs switching between first partition line data of the parking lot and second partition line data of the parking lot partitioning the parking space into a size differing from a size of the parking space partitioned by the first partition line data according to at least a period of time. ### Claim 10 An information processing method executed by at least one computer, the information processing method comprising: obtaining a size of a vehicle to be parked in a parking lot; obtaining information of a current free space of the parking lot; securing a parking space in the current free space of the parking lot that the obtained size matches; and providing the vehicle with guidance information for driving the vehicle to the secured parking space. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The information processing method according to claim 10, further comprising updating the information of the current free space of the parking lot when a change occurs in the current free space of the parking lot. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein the guidance information is provided to a device that controls the vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein the guidance information is provided to a device with a displaying unit that is visible to a driver driving the vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein the securing the parking space includes: obtaining schedule information of the vehicle leaving the parking lot; and selecting a parking space to park the vehicle from the free space of the parking lot according to the obtained schedule information of leaving the parking lot. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The information processing method according to claim 14, wherein selecting the parking space comprises: referencing a parking space of another vehicle having another schedule information of leaving the parking lot, the other schedule information satisfying a predetermined condition with respect to the obtained schedule information of the vehicle leaving the parking lot; and selecting the parking space associated with the parking space of the other vehicle so as to suppress free spaces in the parking lot from having a moth-eaten appearance. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein the securing the parking space includes adjusting partition line data partitioning the parking space in the parking lot to match the obtained size. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The information processing method according to claim 16, wherein the adjusting the partition line data comprises adjusting the partition line data to vary a length of the parking space corresponding to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle parked in the parking space. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein the at least one computer switches first partition line data of the parking lot and second partition line data of the parking lot partitioning the parking space into a size differing from a size of parking space partitioned by the first partition line data according to at least a period of time. ### Claim 19 A system comprising an input device and an information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus comprising a controller, the controller executing: obtaining a size of a vehicle to be parked in a parking lot by the input device; obtaining information of a current free space of the parking lot; securing a parking space that the obtained size matches from the current free space of the parking lot; and providing the vehicle with guidance information for driving the vehicle the secured parking space. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system according to claim 19, wherein a display device is provided in the parking lot for displaying a partition line so that the partition line is visible to a driver who drives the vehicle and wherein the information processing apparatus provides the display device with the guidance information and the display device displays the secured parking space.