ES2373284A1 - Improvements introduced in the invention patent with application number p200803569 "artificial vision system for the management of free and occupied squares and for comprehensive security in vehicle parking". (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Improvements introduced in the patent of invention with application number p200803569 "artificial vision system for the management of free and occupied spaces and for comprehensive security in car parks for vehicles" by the incorporation of a vehicle identification system for each of the squares that allows to detect the specific location of all vehicles parked in the parking lot or garage. Each camera (3) obtains images corresponding to one or more parking spaces. The system installed in the central computers (6) processes the images obtained by the cameras (3) and distributed by a bus-type wiring system (4), by means of recognition systems of characters and number plates, with a prior knowledge of the geometry and distribution of parking or garage. The license plate recognizer identifies the vehicle so that its location within the car park is stored in the data storage system (7). (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

Improvements introduced in the Invention Patent with nº P 200803569: "Artificial vision system for management of free and occupied places and for integral security in parking for vehicles. "

Technical sector

The present invention is part of the sector of the management systems of free and occupied parking spaces or garages for vehicles, as well as security systems and video surveillance that are installed in these.

State of the art

So far to measure the status of a parking space has individual sensors presence, usually of ultrasound, whose functionality only allows to establish the difference between free and busy by distance measurements. The use of these systems also implies the need to install as many sensors as parking spaces be there

If a video system is also required surveillance is necessary to add a series of additional cameras whose function only includes image capture and subsequent display on one or more monitors.

In the patent with application number P200803569, as well as in the US patent 6107942 a system based on image processing where each square is monitored by a camera to determine if said place is occupied or not. Without However, this system does not allow to identify the exact vehicle that There is parked in each square.

In US 7791501 B2, a vehicle identification and tracking system from images. However, this patent is very generic and not specific. the concrete technology that can achieve the achievement of purpose of vehicle identification. Proof of this is that currently these systems have not been physically installed in no parking in the world or have been done, has been very residual

Explanation of the invention.

The improvements introduced in this Application for Addition to the Patent with application number P200803569 "Artificial vision system for the management of free places and occupied and for integral security in parking for vehicles "shall apply in the same cases specified in the Main Patent The improvements that are introduced in this Addendum are due to the incorporation of an identification system of vehicles applied to each specific place that allows to know, not only if the square is empty or occupied, but, in the case that is occupied, the specific vehicle that is parked in she. Said system is applied to each digital camera (3) being able to recognize the state, empty or occupied, and the exact vehicle that there are parked, in the case of occupied places, of all places monitored by each camera.

The system subject to this Addendum will work inside parking lots or garages (1) where each vehicle that enters in this enclosure you can park in any garage that is available, since these places do not have to be necessarily nominative. The functionality of the system consists of identify which vehicle is parked at all times in each of the parking spaces. This implies knowing the specific location of all vehicles parked in the parking or garage.

Vehicle identification means: the ability of the system to recognize the license plate that every vehicle It exhibits in its front and back. Registration means: a plate, usually metallic, that contains a code Alphanumeric that is unique to each vehicle. For the term "recognize the license plate" means: the capacity of the system of transforming the alphanumeric characters of the license plate into the equivalent machine code that can be "understood" by a computer.

In the main patent, the teams in charge to process the images (6) of the distributed network of cameras (3), determine if the square is occupied or empty, based on techniques of artificial vision. The main improvement introduced in the current Addition Patent application focuses on incorporating a new system based on character recognizers and license plates installed in the central computers (6) responsible for image processing. Each camera (3) obtains images corresponding to one or several parking spaces. All Parking spaces are monitored by at least one camera. The system installed in the computers (6) processes the images through character recognition systems and license plates with prior knowledge of the geometry and distribution of parking or garage. The license plate recognizer identifies the vehicle, so that its location inside the parking lot is stored in the data storage system (7).

The occupation information is very useful for car park and garage managers. However, the identification and location of each and every vehicle that access the parking lot is much more useful since they can incorporate user support systems in the machines of Payment with information regarding the location of your vehicle, as well as the best way to get to this one.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 shows a general scheme of the invention in which its constituent elements can be observed. The global system is installed in a parking example (1), not limiting the invention, and comprises: (2) indicators luminous state square installable in each square of parking; (3) a distributed network of capable digital cameras to capture information from several parking spaces per camera; (4) a bus type wiring system for interconnection and feeding of all the elements of the system; (5) one or more central monitors for viewing all images captured by the cameras; (6) a set of central computers that are responsible for processing the images and generate the signals of activation of the other elements of the system; (7) a system of data storage to store moving images; (8) information panels of variable messages that can be installed in the entrance areas to the car parks.

Embodiment

A possible realization of the proposed improvement would be composed of an artificial vision system of license plate recognition installed on central computers (6) responsible for processing images captured by digital cameras (3) and distributed by the type wiring system bus (4). Optical license plate recognizers carry out a adaptive segmentation of the image to obtain an image binary This binary image is analyzed to look for areas of interest in which the registration may be located. Each zone of interest is processed through a recognition system of optical characters, which allows you to identify the characters Alphanumeric license plates. Through a parser High-level vehicle license identification is obtained. This system runs on the central computers (6) and is applied to each and every one of the digital cameras (3) distributed by the parking (1) so that all parking spaces remain monitored. This implies having the identification and location of all vehicles parked inside the parking or garage (1). This system can be reinforced to improve the detection rate of license plate recognizers through an artificial vision algorithm that takes as input the images from the entire network of cameras (3) installed in the parking (1) and to carry out a "follow-up of the vehicle "determining the zones or corridors through which said vehicle is moving at all times.

Claims (1)

1. Improvements introduced in the Invention Patent with application number P200803569 "Artificial vision system for the management of free and occupied spaces and for the integral security in car parks" characterized by a vehicle identification system for each of the places that allow to detect the specific location of all the vehicles parked in the parking lot or garage (1). Each camera (3) obtains images corresponding to one or several parking spaces. All parking spaces are monitored by at least one camera. The system installed in the central computers (6) processes the images obtained by the digital cameras (3) and distributed by a bus-type cabling system (4), by means of character and license plate recognition systems, with a prior knowledge of the geometry and distribution of squares and digital cameras through the parking lot or garage. The license plate identifier identifies the vehicle so that its location within the parking lot is stored in the data storage system (7). The execution of the vehicle identification system in all cameras provides information on the location of all vehicles parked in the parking lot or garage.