US 5,748,107 AGranted

Method and apparatus for locating an available parking facility

AssigneeRobert Bosch GmbH

InventorsUlrich Kersken, Hinrich Claussen

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Abstract

In a method and an apparatus for finding an available parking lot, when information about an available parking lot is requested, a locating system first determines the current motor vehicle position, and finds the possible parking lots in a search area on the basis of this position. The data about parking lots are preferably transmitted using the TMC channel of the Radio Data System (RDS). If there are several cities in the search area, then a corresponding selection for a city can be made using an input device. Furthermore, districts with parking lots located in these districts can be selected, in order to find a parking lot as close to the destination as possible. In the case of P+R lots, the connections to the public transit system are also output, along with additional information, for example the train frequency. The apparatus is integrated into a car radio, so that the receiver part, input device, and displays of the car radio can be utilized.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A method for locating at least one available parking facility for a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

requesting parking data corresponding to the at least one available parking facility;
determining a current position of the motor vehicle using a locating system when the parking data is requested;
receiving the parking data related to the at least one available parking facility corresponding to at least one assigned town code;
predetermining a search area corresponding to the current vehicle position;
selecting the at least one assigned town code of at least one town positioned in the search area;
at least one of optically outputting and acoustically outputting at least one town name corresponding to the at least one selected town code;
selectively choosing at least one of a destination area and a district from the at least one town name using an input device, the destination area being divided into predetermined districts, the input device including a key arrangement, each of the districts being assigned to a key of the key arrangement, the key arrangement being associated with a geographical location of the districts;
selecting at least one message associated with the at least one available parking facility for the selected district;
and
outputting at least one of the at least one available parking facility corresponding to the at least one message.

7 more elements

An apparatus for locating at least one available parking facility for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a Radio Data System (RDS) transmitting RDS data and including an RDS receiver;
a message memory for storing at least one assigned town code corresponding to at least one town and for storing messages corresponding to the at least one available parking facility;
an input device including input keys and selecting at least one of a destination area and at least one district from the at least one assigned town code, the input keys of the input device being arranged as one of a key pad and a rocker key and being assigned to predetermined districts, the input keys including top keys, bottom keys and at least one further key;
a data output device receiving at least one assigned town code and outputting at least one town name corresponding to the at least one assigned town code;
a locating system determining a current position of the motor vehicle;
and
a controller connected to the locating system and selecting the at least one assigned town code corresponding to assigned data of the at least one available parking facility in the destination area using the RDS data,
wherein the top keys correspond to northern districts of the predetermined districts, and the bottom keys correspond to southern districts of the predetermined districts, and
wherein the at least one further key selects the destination area and requests a search for locating the at least one available parking facility.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/809,572Filed 24 Mar 1997
Priority: DE 44 33 982.823 Sep 1994
Granted: 5 May 1998
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

H04H 20/55
Arrangements specially adapted for specific applications, e.g. for traffic information or for mobile receivers: for traffic information
G07B 15/02
Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points: taking into account a variable factor such…
G08G 1/092
Traffic information broadcasting: coding or decoding of the information
G08G 1/093
Traffic information broadcasting: data selection, e.g. prioritizing information, managing message queues, selecting the information to be output