Distributed parking space detection, characterization, advertisement, and enforcement

A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored therein, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:

• receive first information from a vehicle that has parked in a managed parking structure;
• utilize the first information from the vehicle to determine a probabilistic location of the vehicle within the managed parking structure;
• responsive to determining the probabilistic location of the vehicle within the managed parking structure using the first information from the vehicle, update an occupied parking space evidence data structure with a vehicle identifier of the vehicle as being associated with the location of the vehicle within the managed parking structure;
• receive a request from the vehicle as to available parking spaces, wherein the request identifies user preferences and at least one of a location or a destination of the vehicle;
• compare the user preferences from the vehicle to characteristic information associated with one or more unoccupied parking spaces, wherein the characteristic information comprises a height of the parking space, a width of the parking space, a length of the parking space, whether the parking space is a disabled-only parking space, whether the parking space is an e-charging parking space, a distance from the parking space to a sidewalk, an ambient temperature associated with the parking space, and presence of shade associated with the parking space;
• identify a subset of the one or more unoccupied parking spaces that match the user preferences;
• and
• relay the subset of the one or more unoccupied parking spaces to the vehicle, wherein, upon receiving the subset of the one or more unoccupied parking spaces, a parking assist system in the vehicle the subset of one or more unoccupied parking spaces to a driver of the vehicle.

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• receive first information from a vehicle that has parked in a managed parking structure;
• utilize the first information from the vehicle to determine a probabilistic location of the vehicle within the managed parking structure;
• responsive to determining the probabilistic location of the vehicle within the managed parking structure using the first information from the vehicle, update an occupied parking space evidence data structure with a vehicle identifier of the vehicle as being associated with the location of the vehicle within the managed parking structure;
• receive a request from the vehicle as to available parking spaces, wherein the request identifies user preferences and at least one of a location or a destination of the vehicle;
• compare the user preferences from the vehicle to characteristic information associated with one or more unoccupied parking spaces, wherein the characteristic information comprises a height of the parking, space, a width of the parking space, a length of the parking space, whether the parking space is a disabled-only parking space, whether the parking space is an e-charging parking space, a distance from the parking space to a sidewalk, an ambient temperature associated with the parking space, and presence of shade associated with the parking space;
• identify a subset of the one or more unoccupied parking spaces that match the user preferences;
• and
• relay the subset of the one or more unoccupied parking spaces to the vehicle, wherein, upon receiving the subset of the one or more unoccupied parking spaces, a parking assist system in the vehicle presents the subset of one or more unoccupied parking spaces to a driver of the vehicle.