JP7834397B2 - Parking management system and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a technology for managing a plurality of parking lots using an information processing terminal of a user who selects and uses one of the plurality of parking lots , and/or a technology for managing a parking lot using an information processing terminal of a user who uses the parking lot .

Parking facilities with multiple parking spaces (also called "parking compartments") for vehicles are already widespread. These types of parking facilities can be classified in terms of the method of transporting vehicles to their target parking spaces: those where the user drives their vehicle to the target space themselves, and those where pallets or cages are mechanically moved to transport vehicles to the target parking space.

Furthermore, these parking spaces may be provided free of charge to users, or they may be available for a fee. Paid parking spaces can be classified into monthly rentals and hourly rentals (including daily rentals) based on the length of time they are rented to users.

Hourly parking lots can be classified into two types based on their management system: manned parking lots, where staff are permanently stationed on-site to manage and monitor the parking lot, and unmanned parking lots, where staff are not permanently stationed but are dispatched to the site sporadically.

Furthermore, hourly parking lots can be classified into two types based on their payment methods: pre-payment, where the user pays a fee corresponding to the planned parking time upon entry, and post-payment, where the user pays a fee corresponding to the actual parking time upon exit.

Several prior art documents disclosing the types of parking facilities described above were found.

Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that enables the complete automation of parking lot entry and exit processes using a GPS, computer, and communication device mounted on a vehicle, without requiring the installation of dedicated equipment within the parking lot, and without requiring users to operate their mobile devices or any in-parking lot equipment.

Specifically, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that measures the current location of a vehicle using a GPS-type positioning function installed in the vehicle the user is riding in, rather than in the user's communication device. It automatically detects the user's entry into a parking lot when the vehicle's location transitions from not matching any parking lot locations to matching one. Conversely, it automatically detects the user's departure from the parking lot when the vehicle's location subsequently transitions from matching a parking lot location to not matching one.

Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a technology that enables the complete automation of parking entry and exit processes by acquiring the user's location and behavior information using GPS and acceleration sensors installed in the user's mobile device, without requiring the installation of dedicated equipment within the parking lot, and without requiring the user to operate their mobile device or any in-parking facility. This technology uses this information to detect the user's entry and exit from the parking lot where they are currently located.

Specifically, Patent Document 2 discloses a parking management system for managing multiple parking lots, comprising: a reception means for receiving reservations for each parking lot from users; and a determination means for determining which parking lot the user will actually use, and for determining when the user will start and end their use of the parking lot, based on location information of the information and communication terminal received from the user's information and communication terminal and the user's behavior information.

More specifically, Patent Document 2 discloses a technology that uses the aforementioned acceleration sensor to determine whether a user is walking or riding in a vehicle. When the user transitions from riding in a vehicle and entering a parking lot to walking, it is determined that the user has entered the parking lot. Conversely, when the user transitions from walking within a parking lot to riding in a vehicle and leaving the parking lot, it is determined that the user has exited the parking lot.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-202542 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-256380 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-250734

According to the technology described in Patent Document 1, theoretically, it is possible to completely automate the process of entering and exiting parking lots. However, in order to adopt the technology described in Patent Document 1, the vehicle must be equipped with a positioning device such as GPS (positioning function), a computer (signal processing function), and a communication device for communicating with an external server (communication function); in other words, the vehicle must be highly functional (e.g., intelligent).

In contrast, according to the technology described in Patent Document 2, instead of equipping the vehicle with special equipment, a user's mobile terminal with signal processing, communication, positioning, and behavior detection functions is used. With the widespread availability of such mobile terminals today, the technology described in Patent Document 2 makes it possible to completely automate parking entry and exit processes without requiring the vehicle to be highly functional (e.g., intelligent).

However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 had a practical problem: it only focused on the relationship between the location information of the mobile device and the location information of the parking lot, attempting to identify the parking lot into which the user entered the vehicle. This resulted in a high probability of system malfunction.

Furthermore, the technology described in Patent Document 2 attempts to identify the parking lot into which a user entered by focusing on user behavior information in addition to the location information of the mobile device. However, despite the limitations of the mobile device's positioning accuracy, the user behavior information being considered is not specific to the parking lot, resulting in a practical problem where the system is still highly likely to malfunction.

Furthermore, neither Patent Document 1 nor 2 discloses a method of identifying the parking lot into which a user entered by focusing on the unique behaviors that occur in a vehicle while it is moving through the parking lot.

Incidentally, a prepaid hourly rental system is already known as a parking lot operation model. Under this model, at the entry stage where a user parks their vehicle, the user is granted the right to use the parking lot on the condition that they specify the effective parking time (the period they wish to park in) in hours, and prepay a parking fee commensurate with that effective parking time.

Patent Document 3 describes a conventional example of a prepaid parking system. This parking system is equipped with a payment system for users to prepay parking fees, and a dedicated exit gate management system that opens the exit gate and allows users to exit only after confirming that the correct parking fee has been paid upon entry.

Users of this parking lot will estimate the required length of time for their vehicle to be continuously parked in the lot upon entering, and will pay a parking fee corresponding to that length of time.

Furthermore, users of this parking lot can enter and exit the parking lot multiple times within the valid parking time, meaning they can re-enter the parking lot.

Incidentally, when operating a parking lot, regardless of whether the operating model is a prepaid hourly rental system or not, measuring or estimating the occupancy status, i.e., the availability, of the parking lot in real time and informing other potential users is advantageous for parking lot managers and landowners in that it contributes to improving the occupancy rate and increasing revenue. Furthermore, it is advantageous for users because it allows them to find parking in the necessary location at the necessary time, as available parking spaces can be announced to users in the surrounding area in a timely manner.

While high accuracy is desirable for such parking guidance, uncertainties may exist among the multiple factors that need to be considered when measuring or estimating parking availability.

For example, as mentioned above, a user of the prepaid parking system described in Patent Document 3 can enter and exit the parking lot multiple times within the valid parking time, i.e., re-enter the parking lot. In this case, the user may or may not actually re-enter the parking lot.

In this case, if the parking lot manager estimates the availability of a parking space by assuming a 0% chance of a user re-entering, the user may experience inconvenience when they actually try to re-enter and find no available spaces. On the other hand, if the manager estimates the availability of a parking space by assuming a 100% chance of a user re-entering, the parking lot's occupancy rate may decrease if the user does not actually re-enter.

Thus, when operating a prepaid parking lot that allows re-entry within the valid parking time, the accuracy of the parking lot availability estimate will vary depending on how the parking lot manager handles the uncertain factor of the probability that a user will actually re-enter the parking lot. This will affect both the parking lot's occupancy rate and user convenience.

Therefore, when operating a prepaid parking lot that allows re-entry within the valid parking time, it is desirable to provide parking guidance that balances improved parking lot utilization rates with enhanced user convenience.

Furthermore, when constructing the prepaid parking system described in Patent Document 3, it is necessary to install a payment system for users to prepay parking fees and an exit gate system that monitors the time users exit the parking lot and confirms whether or not the valid parking time has expired. Therefore, constructing this type of parking lot requires significant capital investment.

In contrast, it is desirable to implement a parking guidance system that, while limiting the installation or use of dedicated equipment for each individual parking space, references information obtainable from users' information processing terminals (e.g., mobile devices) (e.g., information that can estimate user behavior) to comprehensively estimate parking space availability by focusing on multiple users individually, rather than focusing on multiple spaces individually. This system then provides advance notice of the results to other potential users.

Based on the above findings, the present invention relates to a technology for managing multiple parking lots using an information processing terminal of a user who selects and uses one of the multiple parking lots , and/or a technology for managing said parking lots using an information processing terminal of a user who uses the parking lot , and in particular, aims to provide a technology that makes it possible to suppress the installation of dedicated equipment in parking lots.

To solve this problem, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a parking management system for managing multiple parking lots, each having multiple parking spaces ,
A parking information output unit is installed in each parking lot and outputs parking information to identify that parking lot,
A server that can communicate with the user information processing terminals in each parking lot.
Includes,
That server is
When the user enters any parking lot with their vehicle, the parking information output from the parking information output unit corresponding to that parking lot is used as entry parking information, and parking- related information for identifying the user, the vehicle, and at least one of the multiple parking spaces that the user wishes to use is used as entry parking-related information , respectively, received from the information processing terminal by the entry receiving unit.
When the goods are brought into storage, the storage time measurement unit measures the time of arrival in response to a reception from the information processing terminal,
When the user exits a parking lot with their vehicle, the exit receiving unit receives parking-related information from the information processing terminal as exit parking-related information to identify the user exiting, the vehicle being exited , or the parking space being exited .
When the goods are dispatched, the dispatch time measurement unit measures the dispatch time in response to a reception from the information processing terminal,
A parking management system is provided which includes a parking time calculation unit that calculates the length of the parking time based on the entry time and the exit time when the vehicle is being taken out of the parking lot, provided that the exit parking information matches the entry parking information.
Furthermore, according to a second aspect of the present invention, a parking management system that manages multiple parking lots, each having multiple parking spaces, not on a space-by-space basis but on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis,
A parking information output unit is installed in each parking lot and outputs parking information for identifying that parking lot, not for each individual parking space, within the parking lot itself.
A server that can communicate with the user information processing terminals in each parking lot.
Includes,
That server is
When the user enters any parking lot with their vehicle, the parking information output from the parking information output unit corresponding to that parking lot is received from the information processing terminal as parking information at the time of entry, and vehicle information including the license plate number of the vehicle being entered is received as vehicle information at the time of entry.
When the goods are brought into storage, the storage time measurement unit measures the time of arrival in response to a reception from the information processing terminal,
When the user exits a parking lot with their vehicle, the exit receiving unit receives vehicle information, including the license plate number of the vehicle being exited, from the information processing terminal as exit vehicle information.
When the goods are dispatched, the dispatch time measurement unit measures the dispatch time in response to a reception from the information processing terminal,
When the vehicle is taken out of the parking lot, if the vehicle information at the time of departure matches the vehicle information at the time of entry, a parking time calculation unit calculates the length of the parking time based on the entry time and the departure time.
A parking management system including this will be provided.

The present invention yields the following embodiments. Each embodiment is divided into sections, each section numbered, and references to the numbers of other sections are made as necessary. This is to facilitate understanding some of the technical features and combinations thereof that can be adopted by the present invention, and should not be interpreted as limiting the technical features and combinations thereof that can be adopted by the present invention to the following embodiments. In other words, it should be interpreted that there is no preclude from appropriately extracting and adopting technical features described in this specification that are not described in the embodiments below as technical features of the present invention.

Furthermore, the fact that each section is described in a format that references the numbering of other sections does not necessarily mean that the technical features described in each section cannot be separated and made independent from those described in other sections. It should be interpreted that it is possible to make the technical features described in each section independent as appropriate, depending on their nature.

(1) A method for managing multiple parking lots using an information processing terminal of a user who selects and uses one of the multiple parking lots,
The process of the information processing terminal acquiring the current location of the vehicle using the location acquisition unit of the information processing terminal while the user is riding in the vehicle with the information processing terminal,
The information processing terminal, in the state of being in the vehicle, acquires the dynamic behavior of the vehicle using the dynamic behavior acquisition unit of the information processing terminal, and based on the acquisition results, determines whether the vehicle exhibits a unique dynamic behavior that does not occur when the vehicle is driving on a normal road but occurs when it is driving within a designated parking lot.
A parking management method comprising: a parking lot identification step, on the condition that the information processing terminal determines that the vehicle exhibits the characteristic dynamic behavior, and then identifies one of the plurality of parking lots corresponding to the vehicle's current location as the parking lot selected by the user.

(2) A method for managing multiple parking lots using an information processing terminal of a user who selects and uses one of the multiple parking lots,
The information processing terminal, in a state where a user is riding in the vehicle with the information processing terminal, performs a position acquisition step of acquiring the current position of the vehicle by using the position acquisition unit of the information processing terminal,
The information processing terminal performs a high-frequency turning state determination step, in which, in the riding state, it determines whether or not the vehicle is in a high-frequency turning state in which it performs turning motion at a higher frequency than when the vehicle is driving on a normal road, based on the rotational motion state quantity of the vehicle acquired using the rotational motion state quantity acquisition unit of the information processing terminal,
A parking management method comprising a parking lot identification step, on the condition that the information processing terminal determines that the vehicle may be in the high-frequency turning state, and then identifying one of the plurality of parking lots corresponding to the vehicle's current location as the parking lot selected by the user.

(3) Furthermore,
The information processing terminal includes an in-vehicle mounting state determination step, which determines whether, in the state of being in the vehicle, the information processing terminal is not being carried by the user and is in an in-vehicle mounting state, fixedly mounted inside the vehicle, by using the proximity sensor of the information processing terminal.
The parking lot identification step, on the condition that the vehicle is in the high-frequency turning state and the information processing terminal is in the in-vehicle state, identifies the parking lot among the plurality of parking lots that corresponds to the vehicle's current location as the parking lot selected by the user, as described in paragraph (1) or (2).

(4) A method for managing multiple parking lots using an information processing terminal of a user who selects and uses one of the multiple parking lots,
The information processing terminal, in a state where a user is riding in the vehicle with the information processing terminal, performs a position acquisition step of acquiring the current position of the vehicle by using the position acquisition unit of the information processing terminal,
The information processing terminal performs a high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state determination step, in which, in the riding state, the information processing terminal determines, based on the acceleration and/or vibration state of the vehicle acquired using the acceleration acquisition unit and/or vibration acquisition unit of the information processing terminal, whether or not the vehicle may be in a high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state in which it accelerates and decelerates at a higher frequency than when it is driving on a normal road,
A parking management method comprising: a parking lot identification step, on the condition that the information processing terminal determines that the vehicle may be in the high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state, and then identifying one of the plurality of parking lots corresponding to the vehicle's current location as the parking lot selected by the user.

(5) Furthermore,
The information processing terminal includes an in-vehicle mounting state determination step, which determines whether, in the state of being in the vehicle, the information processing terminal is not being carried by the user and is in an in-vehicle mounting state, fixedly mounted inside the vehicle, by using the proximity sensor of the information processing terminal.
The parking lot management method according to paragraph (4), wherein the parking lot identification step determines that the vehicle may be in the high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state and that the information processing terminal may be in the in-vehicle state, and then identifies the parking lot corresponding to the vehicle's current location from among the plurality of parking lots as the parking lot selected by the user.

(6) A method for managing multiple parking lots using a portable information processing terminal for a user who selects and uses one of the multiple parking lots,
The information processing terminal performs an entry determination step in which, in the entry stage in which the user parks the vehicle into any of the parking lots, the user is in the vehicle with the information processing terminal, and the current position of the vehicle acquired by the position acquisition unit of the information processing terminal determines whether it has transitioned from being outside all spatial areas corresponding to all of the sites of the plurality of parking lots to being inside any of the spatial areas corresponding to any of the sites of any of the parking lots, thereby determining whether the user has entered any of the spatial areas corresponding to any of the parking lots.
The information processing terminal performs a high-frequency turning state determination step in which it determines whether or not the vehicle is in a high-frequency turning state in which it performs turning movements at a higher frequency than when it is driving on a normal road, based on the rotational motion state of the vehicle acquired using the rotational motion state acquisition unit of the information processing terminal at the entry stage and in the boarding state,
A parking management method comprising: an entry parking identification step in which the information processing terminal identifies one of the parking lots as the parking lot into which a user entered with a vehicle, when all of the following conditions are simultaneously met in the entry stage: the current position of the vehicle has entered a spatial area corresponding to one of the parking lots, and the vehicle may be in the high-frequency turning state.

(7) In place of or in addition to the high-frequency turning state determination step,
The information processing terminal includes a high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state determination step, which determines whether the vehicle may be in a high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state, where the vehicle accelerates and decelerates at a higher frequency than when the vehicle is traveling on a normal road, based on the low-frequency component of the vehicle's acceleration acquired using the acceleration acquisition unit of the information processing terminal, during the vehicle entry stage and in the vehicle's riding state.
The parking lot management method according to paragraph (6), wherein the aforementioned conditions include the condition that the vehicle may be in the high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state.

(8) Furthermore,
The information processing terminal includes an in-vehicle mounting state determination step, in the entry stage and in the boarding state, which uses the proximity sensor of the information processing terminal to determine whether the information processing terminal is not being carried by the user during boarding and whether it is possible that the information processing terminal is in an in-vehicle mounting state, where it is fixedly mounted inside the vehicle.
The parking management method according to paragraph (6) or (7), wherein the aforementioned conditions further include the condition that the information processing terminal may be in the state of being installed inside the vehicle.

(9) Furthermore,
The information processing terminal includes a step of determining whether or not the information processing terminal is fixedly held within the vehicle by using the proximity sensor of the information processing terminal while the vehicle is in the riding position.
The parking lot identification step, on the condition that the vehicle is determined to exhibit the characteristic dynamic behavior and that the information processing terminal is fixedly held inside the vehicle, identifies one of the plurality of parking lots corresponding to the vehicle's current location as the parking lot selected by the user, as described in paragraph (1).

(11) A method for managing a parking lot using an information processing terminal and a management server for each user who uses a prepaid hourly parking lot,
The information processing terminal performs a first transmission step in which, at the stage of the user entering the parking lot, the user transmits to the management server the effective parking time desired by the user for the parking lot, associating it with the user.
The information processing terminal determines whether the user left the parking lot while still inside the vehicle during the user's exit stage from the parking lot, and transmits boarding/exiting determination data associated with the user to the management server, and also determines whether the user performed an exit operation to the information processing terminal as an indication of their intention to exit the parking lot, and transmits exit operation determination data associated with the user to the management server, a second transmission step,
The management server includes a management table creation and update process which involves classifying, in real time, for each user the user's behavior in the parking lot into one of several predetermined types based on the effective parking time, boarding/exiting determination data, and exit operation determination data received from the information processing terminal, and the time of entry, and creating and updating a management table having a data structure that allows access to data representing the user's behavior pattern in the parking lot for each user, so that the user's behavior pattern is reflected as time-series time-related information according to that classification,
The aforementioned types include regular exits, which occur because the user's departure while in the vehicle is performed with the exit operation before the expiration of the valid parking time, and temporary exits, which occur because the user's departure while in the vehicle is performed without the exit operation before the expiration of the valid parking time.
A parking management method in which, if the aforementioned temporary exit is successful, the user is granted the right to re-enter the same parking lot as long as the valid parking time has not expired.

(12) The process of creating and updating the management table is as follows:
a) In the receiving stage, when a user receives goods, the received flag is turned ON,
b) In the outbound stage, if the regular outbound is completed, the regular outbound flag is turned ON,
c) In the dispatch stage, if the provisional dispatch is established, the provisional dispatch flag is turned ON,
d) The parking lot management method according to item (11), wherein at least one of the following is achieved: in the exit stage, the user is granted the right to re-enter the parking lot, and the re-entry permission flag is turned ON.

(13) A method for managing the parking lot using an information processing terminal and a management server for each user who uses the prepaid hourly parking lot,
The information processing terminal performs a first transmission step in which, at the stage of the user entering the parking lot, the user transmits to the management server the effective parking time desired by the user for the parking lot, associating it with the user.
The information processing terminal determines whether the user left the parking lot while still inside the vehicle during the user's exit stage from the parking lot, and transmits boarding/exiting determination data associated with the user to the management server, and also determines whether the user performed an exit operation to the information processing terminal as an indication of their intention to exit the parking lot, and transmits exit operation determination data associated with the user to the management server, a second transmission step,
A parking management method including a vacancy determination step in which the management server predicts whether the parking lot will be in a full state where no vacant parking spaces are available, an empty state where vacant parking spaces are available, or a congested state where it may be either full or empty, based on the effective parking time, boarding/exiting determination data and exit operation determination data received from the information processing terminal, and the time of entry, by focusing on the individual time-series behavior patterns of multiple users of the parking lot rather than the individual vacancy status of multiple parking spaces within the parking lot.

(14) The user is granted the right to re-enter the same parking lot as long as the valid parking time has not expired when the user leaves the parking lot in the vehicle during the exit stage. However, if the user performs the exit operation on the information processing terminal when leaving the parking lot in the vehicle during the exit stage, the right to re-enter the parking lot is lost.
The parking lot management method described in item (13), wherein the vacancy determination step determines the final determination result by comparing the result of the vacancy determination performed with the expectation of future re-entry with the result of the vacancy determination performed without the expectation of future re-entry.

(15) The parking lot management method described in paragraph (14), wherein the vacancy determination process determines the parking lot status as full when the vacancy determination is performed anticipating future re-entry, but determines the final determination result as vacant when the vacancy determination is performed without anticipating future re-entry, thereby determining the final determination result as congested.

(16) The vacancy determination process executes each determination cycle at predetermined time intervals, and in each determination cycle,
X1: The number of valid parking spaces, which is the number of users whose valid parking time does not expire during each judgment cycle,
X2: The number of confirmed exits, which is the number of users whose valid parking time did not expire during each judgment cycle and whose exit while in the vehicle was accompanied by the exit operation,
X3: A parking management method according to any one of paragraphs (13) to (5), which includes a first calculation step of calculating an uncertain number of exits, which is the number of users who, during each determination cycle, have not had their valid parking time expired and have made a provisional exit while the user was in the vehicle without performing the exit operation, and who have been granted the right to re-enter the same parking lot.

(17) The vacancy determination process is as follows:
The parking lot management method according to item (16), which includes a second calculation step of calculating the maximum number of parking spaces Y1 immediately after each judgment cycle as (X1 - X2), taking into account the expected number of future re-entries, and calculating the minimum number of parking spaces Y2 immediately after each judgment cycle as (X1 - (X2 + X3)), without taking into account the expected number of future re-entries.

(18) The vacancy determination process is as follows:
The parking lot management method described in paragraph (17), which includes the step of determining whether the operating status of the parking lot is full or empty based on the maximum number of parking spaces Y1 in each determination cycle, and if the determination result is full, but if the operating status of the parking lot is full or empty based on the minimum number of parking spaces Y2, and the determination result is empty, then determining the final determination result to be crowded.

(19) The vacancy determination process is as follows:
The parking lot management method according to item (17) or (18), which includes the step of determining whether the operating status of the parking lot is full or vacant based on the minimum number of parking spaces Y2, without considering the result of the previous determination cycle, and determining that the final determination result is vacant, thereby determining that the parking lot is vacant.

(31) A method by which a management server centrally manages multiple parking lots through communication with multiple mobile terminals of multiple users,
The aforementioned mobile terminal and management server perform an entry processing step that assists in the process of entering a parking lot for any user's vehicle to enter any parking lot,
The mobile terminal and the management server include an exit processing step that assists in the process of the vehicle leaving the parking lot,
The aforementioned exit process includes a behavioral analysis unit that determines whether the user exited the parking lot as a pedestrian without boarding a vehicle or boarded a moving vehicle and exited the parking lot, based on the user's position detected by the mobile terminal and the temporal change of that position, and the user's speed or acceleration detected or estimated by the mobile terminal.

Throughout this application, the phrase "location detected by the mobile device" may be interpreted to mean, for example, the location detected by the mobile device using signals received from a transmitter installed outside the parking lot (e.g., a satellite), or the location detected using signals received from a transmitter installed inside the parking lot (e.g., a short-range communication transmitter).

Furthermore, throughout this application, the phrase "the speed or acceleration detected by the mobile device" may be interpreted to mean, for example, the speed or acceleration detected by a speed sensor or acceleration sensor if the mobile device is equipped with such sensors.

Furthermore, throughout this application, the phrase "the speed or acceleration estimated by the mobile device" may be interpreted to mean the first time derivative (the difference between the previous and current position values) or the second time derivative (the difference between the previous and current values of that difference) of the position detected by the mobile device, in cases where the mobile device does not have a speed sensor or acceleration sensor. This interpretation also applies to the angular velocity estimation unit and acceleration estimation unit described above.

(32) The outbound processing step is:
After the aforementioned entry, the mobile terminal performs an entry determination step in which it determines whether or not the user has entered the parking lot based on its own position detected by the mobile terminal and the temporal change of that position.
The method of paragraph (31), which includes, after it has been determined that the aforementioned entry has taken place, an exit determination step in which the mobile terminal determines, based on its own position and the temporal change of that position detected by the mobile terminal and its own speed or acceleration detected or estimated by the mobile terminal, whether the vehicle has left the parking lot because the user has boarded the moving vehicle and left the parking lot.

(33) The outbound determination process is:
A behavior type determination step that determines whether the user is stationary or moving, regardless of whether they are walking or riding in the vehicle, based on the temporal change of their own position detected by the mobile terminal,
When it is determined that the user is moving, a movement type determination step is performed to determine whether the user is walking without being in the vehicle or moving while riding in the moving vehicle, based on the acceleration of the user detected or estimated by the mobile terminal.
The method of paragraph (32), which includes an exit determination step of determining whether the user has exited the parking lot, whether on foot or while riding in the vehicle, based on the user's own position detected by the mobile terminal and the temporal change of that position.

(34) The mobile terminal includes an accelerometer that detects its own acceleration,
The aforementioned movement type determination step is:
The mobile terminal and/or the management server perform an intensity analysis step in which they measure the substantial maximum intensity that represents the waveform of acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor,
The method according to claim (33), wherein the mobile terminal and/or the management server extracts a plurality of frequency components from the waveform of acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor and measures the frequency of the frequency component with the largest amplitude.

(35) The method according to item (34), wherein the intensity analysis step determines that the user is walking if the measured effective maximum intensity is greater than the first threshold, and determines that the user is riding in the moving vehicle if the measured effective maximum intensity is less than or equal to the first threshold.

(36) The method according to item (34) or (35), wherein the frequency analysis step determines that the user is walking if the measured frequency is lower than the second threshold, and determines that the user is riding in the moving vehicle if the measured frequency is equal to or greater than the second threshold.

(37) The aforementioned mobile terminal is
An accelerometer that detects its own acceleration,
It includes a step count detection unit that detects the number of steps taken by the user per unit time based on the detection results of the acceleration sensor,
The method of item (33), wherein the movement type determination step is as follows: the mobile terminal and/or the management server determines that the user is walking if the detected number of steps is greater than a third threshold, and determines that the user is riding in the moving vehicle if the detected number of steps is less than or equal to the third threshold.

(38) The above-mentioned receiving process is,
The mobile terminal includes the step of receiving input from the user, which is the effective parking time, which is the time period during which the user wishes to park the vehicle in one of the aforementioned parking lots.
The aforementioned outbound processing further includes:
The process by which the mobile terminal receives input from the user regarding the exit operation performed by the user as an indication of the user's intention to exit the parking lot,
The method according to any one of items (31) to (37), which includes the step of: when the mobile terminal and/or the management server determines that a user has boarded the vehicle and left the parking lot, if the valid parking time has not expired, waiting for the user to actually exit the parking lot before treating it as an exit; and when the valid parking time has expired, treating it as an exit without waiting for the user to actually exit the parking lot.

In this example, the vehicle entry process may further include a step that enables the mobile terminal to receive a prepaid parking fee corresponding to the length of the entered valid parking time.

(39) Furthermore,
The process includes a re-entry determination step that determines whether the same user re-entered the same parking lot before the expiration of the valid parking time without actually performing an exit operation.
The method of paragraph (38), wherein if it is determined that the aforementioned re-entry has occurred, the execution of at least a substantial portion of the aforementioned entry processing steps is omitted.

(40) The method according to any one of items (31) to (39), wherein the parking process includes a parking determination step that determines, based on the user's position detected by the mobile terminal and the temporal change of that position, that the vehicle has entered one of the parking lots, provided that the user has moved from a position outside one of the parking lots to a position inside that parking lot.

(41) The receiving process is as follows:
An entry determination step in which, based on the location of the user detected by the mobile terminal and its change over time, the user determines that the vehicle has entered one of the parking lots, provided that the user has moved from a location outside one of the parking lots to a location inside one of the parking lots.
The method of (40), which includes a parking-related information transmission step in which, when it is determined that the vehicle has been parked, the mobile terminal transmits parking-related information to the management server, which includes vehicle information for identifying the vehicle and a valid parking time which is the time period during which the user wishes to park the vehicle in any of the parking lots, or related time information for identifying that valid parking time.

(42) Furthermore,
The mobile terminal and/or the management server monitor the actual elapsed time of the vehicle's parking time by sequentially calculating the remaining time of the effective parking time as time progresses,
The method of (41), which includes an extension processing step in which the mobile terminal and/or the management server respond to an extension request from a user prior to the expiration of the valid parking time and perform an extension processing to extend the valid parking time.

(43) The progress monitoring process is as follows:
Once the transmission of the parking-related information and the settlement of the prepaid parking fee are completed, the mobile terminal and/or the management server perform a remaining time calculation step, which calculates the remaining time by sequentially subtracting the valid parking time as time progresses.
The method of paragraph (42), further comprising the step of displaying remaining time, in which the mobile terminal and/or the management server voluntarily or in response to a request from a user displays the calculated remaining time on the screen of the mobile terminal.

(44) The method according to any one of items (31) to (43), further comprising a vacancy determination step in which the mobile terminal and/or the management server determines, based on the number of confirmed vehicle entry and the number of confirmed vehicle exit, whether or not there are unused vacant spaces among the multiple parking spaces in the parking lot.

(45) The vacancy determination process is as follows:
The aforementioned mobile terminal and/or the management server perform a subtraction step in which, each time a parking entry is confirmed, the number of vacant spaces, which is the number of unused vacant spaces among the multiple parking spaces in the parking lot, is subtracted by one.
The method of paragraph (44), which includes an addition step of adding one to the number of vacant rooms each time that the mobile terminal and/or the management server confirms an actual or deemed outbound operation.

(46) The outbound processing step further includes:
The method according to any one of items (31) to (45), wherein, at the user's exit stage, when it is determined that entry has taken place, the mobile terminal provides the user with a visual, auditory, or tactile stimulus to prompt the user to perform the exit operation.

(47) The outbound processing step is:
The method of any one of items (31) to (46), wherein, after it has been determined that the user has left the parking lot as a pedestrian, the remaining time of the valid parking period, which is the time period during which the user wishes to park the vehicle in any of the parking lots, is shorter than a predetermined time, the mobile terminal provides the user with a visual, auditory, or tactile stimulus to prompt the user to make an extension request to extend the valid parking period.

(48) A method by which a management server centrally manages multiple parking lots through communication with multiple mobile terminals of multiple users,
The aforementioned mobile terminal and management server perform an entry processing step that assists in the process of entering a parking lot for any user's vehicle to enter any parking lot,
The mobile terminal and the management server include an exit processing step that assists in the process of the vehicle leaving the parking lot,
The aforementioned receiving process is,
The mobile terminal includes the step of receiving input from the user, which is the effective parking time that the user wishes to park the vehicle in one of the aforementioned parking lots.
The aforementioned outbound processing is,
The process by which the mobile terminal receives input from the user regarding the exit operation performed by the user as an indication of the user's intention to exit the parking lot,
A method comprising the steps of: when the mobile terminal and/or the management server has a user remove the vehicle from the parking lot, if the effective parking time has not expired, waiting for the user to actually remove the vehicle and treating it as removed; and when the effective parking time has expired, treating it as removed without waiting for the user to actually remove the vehicle.

In this example, the vehicle entry process may further include a step that enables the mobile terminal to receive a prepaid parking fee corresponding to the length of the entered valid parking time.

(49) Furthermore,
The process includes a re-entry determination step that determines whether the same user re-entered the same parking lot before the expiration of the valid parking time without actually performing an exit operation.
The method of paragraph (48), wherein if it is determined that the aforementioned re-entry has occurred, the execution of at least a substantial portion of the aforementioned entry processing steps is omitted.

(50) A program executed by the computer of a mobile device in order to implement any of the mobile devices described in paragraphs (1) through (49).

The term "program" in this section can be interpreted, for example, as meaning a combination of instructions executed by a computer to perform its function, or it can be interpreted as including not only such combinations of instructions but also files and data processed according to each instruction, but it is not limited to these interpretations.

Furthermore, this program may achieve its intended purpose by being executed on a computer alone, or by being executed on a computer together with other programs, but is not limited to these two approaches. In the latter case, the program described in this section may, but is not limited to, be primarily data-based.

(51) A program executed by the computer of the management server in order to implement the management server described in any of paragraphs (1) through (49).

(52) A recording medium on which the program described in item (50) or (51) is recorded in a computer-readable format.

This recording medium can employ various formats, including, but is not limited to, magnetic recording media such as flexible disks, optical recording media such as CDs and CD-ROMs, magneto-optical recording media such as MOs, and unremovable storage such as ROMs.

(53) A system in which a management server centrally manages multiple parking lots through communication with multiple mobile terminals of multiple users,
The mobile terminal and the management server include an entry processing unit that assists in the entry process for any user's vehicle to enter any parking lot,
The mobile terminal and the management server include a parking exit processing unit that assists in the process of the vehicle leaving the parking lot,
The exit processing unit is a system that includes a behavioral analysis unit that determines whether the user exited the parking lot as a pedestrian without getting into a vehicle or exited the parking lot while riding in a moving vehicle, based on the user's own position detected by the mobile terminal and the temporal change of that position, and the user's own speed or acceleration detected or estimated by the mobile terminal.

(54) A system in which a management server centrally manages multiple parking lots through communication with multiple mobile terminals of multiple users,
The mobile terminal and the management server include an entry processing unit that assists in the entry process for any user's vehicle to enter any parking lot,
The mobile terminal and the management server include a parking exit processing unit that assists in the process of the vehicle leaving the parking lot,
The aforementioned storage processing unit is
The aforementioned mobile terminal includes an effective parking time input unit for inputting the effective parking time, which is the time period during which the user wishes to park the vehicle in any of the aforementioned parking lots.
The aforementioned retrieval processing unit is:
The aforementioned mobile terminal includes a departure operation input unit that inputs a departure operation performed by the user as an indication of their intention to move the vehicle out of the parking lot,
A system including a vehicle departure control unit which, when a user moves the vehicle out of the parking lot, waits for the user to actually exit the parking lot until the effective parking time has expired, and then, once the effective parking time has expired, exits the parking lot without waiting for the user to actually exit the parking lot.

In this example, the parking processing unit may further include a parking fee control unit that enables the mobile terminal to be paid a prepaid parking fee corresponding to the length of the entered valid parking time.

<1> A method for managing multiple parking lots using an information processing terminal of a user who selects and uses one of the multiple parking lots,
The process of the information processing terminal acquiring the current location of the vehicle using the location acquisition unit of the information processing terminal while the user is riding in the vehicle with the information processing terminal,
The information processing terminal, in the state of being in the vehicle, acquires the dynamic behavior of the vehicle using the dynamic behavior acquisition unit of the information processing terminal, and based on the acquisition results, determines whether the vehicle exhibits a unique dynamic behavior that does not occur when the vehicle is driving on a normal road but occurs when it is driving within a designated parking lot.
A parking management method comprising the step of identifying, on the condition that the information processing terminal is not being carried by the user and is fixedly installed inside the vehicle, the vehicle exhibits the characteristic dynamic behavior, and then identifying one of the plurality of parking lots corresponding to the vehicle's current location as the parking lot selected by the user.

<2> A method for managing multiple parking lots using an information processing terminal of a user who selects and uses one of the multiple parking lots,
The information processing terminal, in a state where a user is riding in the vehicle with the information processing terminal, performs a position acquisition step of acquiring the current position of the vehicle by using the position acquisition unit of the information processing terminal,
The information processing terminal, in the state of being in the vehicle, includes an in-vehicle mounting state determination step, which determines whether or not the information processing terminal is not being carried by the user and is in an in-vehicle mounting state, which is fixedly mounted inside the vehicle, by using the proximity sensor of the information processing terminal.
The information processing terminal performs a high-frequency turning state determination step, in which, in the riding state, it determines whether or not the vehicle is in a high-frequency turning state in which it performs turning motion at a higher frequency than when the vehicle is driving on a normal road, based on the rotational motion state quantity of the vehicle acquired using the rotational motion state quantity acquisition unit of the information processing terminal,
A parking management method comprising a parking lot identification step, on the condition that the information processing terminal determines that the information processing terminal may be in the in-vehicle state and that the vehicle may be in the high-frequency turning state, the parking lot among the plurality of parking lots that corresponds to the vehicle's current location is identified as the parking lot selected by the user.

<3>
The parking lot management method according to item <2>, wherein the rotational motion state quantity acquisition unit includes a gyro sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, a tilt sensor, or a gravity sensor.

<4> A method for managing multiple parking lots using an information processing terminal of a user who selects and uses one of the multiple parking lots,
The information processing terminal, in a state where a user is riding in the vehicle with the information processing terminal, performs a position acquisition step of acquiring the current position of the vehicle by using the position acquisition unit of the information processing terminal,
The information processing terminal, in the state of being in the vehicle, includes an in-vehicle mounting state determination step, which determines whether or not the information processing terminal is not being carried by the user and is in an in-vehicle mounting state, which is fixedly mounted inside the vehicle, by using the proximity sensor of the information processing terminal.
The information processing terminal performs a high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state determination step, in which, in the riding state, the information processing terminal determines, based on the acceleration and/or vibration state of the vehicle acquired using the acceleration acquisition unit and/or vibration acquisition unit of the information processing terminal, whether or not the vehicle may be in a high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state in which it accelerates and decelerates at a higher frequency than when it is driving on a normal road,
A parking management method comprising a parking lot identification step, on the condition that the information processing terminal determines that the information processing terminal may be in the in-vehicle state and that the vehicle may be in the high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state, the parking lot among the plurality of parking lots that corresponds to the vehicle's current location is identified as the parking lot selected by the user.

<5> The acceleration acquisition unit includes an acceleration sensor, as described in section <4> of the parking lot management method.

<6> A program executed by the computer of an information processing terminal in order to implement any one of the information processing terminals described in items <1> through <5>.

<7> A recording medium on which the program described in item <6> is recorded in a computer-readable format.

<8> A system for managing multiple parking lots using an information processing terminal of a user who selects and uses one of the multiple parking lots,
The information processing terminal is provided with a position acquisition unit that acquires the current location of the vehicle when the user is riding in the vehicle together with the information processing terminal,
The information processing terminal is provided with a dynamic behavior acquisition unit that acquires the dynamic behavior of the vehicle while it is in the riding state,
A parking management system including a parking lot identification unit that, based on the acquired dynamic behavior, determines whether the vehicle exhibits a unique dynamic behavior that does not occur when the vehicle is driving on a normal road but occurs when it is driving within a designated parking lot, and, on the condition that the information processing terminal is not carried by the user and the information processing terminal is fixedly installed inside the vehicle, determines that the vehicle exhibits the unique dynamic behavior, and identifies one of the plurality of parking lots corresponding to the vehicle's current location as the parking lot selected by the user.

According to the present invention, several further embodiments can also be obtained.

(1) A parking management system that manages a parking lot with multiple parking spaces on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis rather than on a per-space basis,
A parking lot identification device installed in the aforementioned parking lot, which outputs identification information for each parking lot, not for each individual parking space,
An exit detection device installed in the aforementioned parking lot, which detects whether a vehicle has left the parking lot not on a per-parking-space basis, but at the entrance/exit or exit of the parking lot,
This includes a management server that can communicate with the information processing terminals of users using the aforementioned parking lot,
The aforementioned information processing terminal is
By using the aforementioned parking identification device, a parking identification unit identifies the parking lot where the user is currently staying,
A transmission unit that transmits the identified parking lot to the management server,
A button display unit that displays buttons on a screen, wherein the buttons are operated by the user to issue a request related to the exit process for the user's vehicle to exit the parking lot,
The system includes a button operation data transmission unit that, when the button is operated by the user, transmits data to the management server indicating that the button has been operated,
The aforementioned information processing terminal or management server is
With respect to the identified parking lot, an exit determination unit determines whether or not the user's vehicle has exited the parking lot by using the exit detection device,
If the exit determination unit determines that the user has exited before the user has operated the button, the system includes an exit processing unit that treats the user's vehicle as having exited the identified parking lot.
The management server includes a parking management system that determines that the user has exited the identified parking lot if the exit determination unit determines that the user has exited after the user has operated the button, and the exit determination unit determines that the user has exited the parking lot.

(2) The parking management system described in item (1) is not installed in the parking lot, nor is it equipped with a gate device that opens and closes to prevent illegal vehicles from exiting the parking lot entrance/exit, nor with a wheel stop device that retracts to prevent illegal vehicles from exiting each parking space, nor with a ticket machine for issuing parking tickets to users, nor with a payment machine for users to pay parking fees, nor with a vehicle presence detection device for detecting whether or not a vehicle is present in each parking space.

(3) The information processing terminal is carried by the user or installed in the user's vehicle, as described in item (1) or (2).

(4) The parking management system according to any one of items (1) to (3), wherein the exit detection device is configured as a sensor installed at the entrance or exit of the parking lot.

(5) A program for causing a computer to function as an information processing terminal as described in any of items (1) through (4).

(6) A program for causing a computer to function as a management server as described in any of items (1) through (4).

(7) A recording medium on which the program described in item (5) or (6) is recorded in a computer-readable format.

(8) A system for managing parking spaces on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis,
An exit detection device that detects whether a vehicle has left the parking lot at the entrance or exit gate of the parking lot,
Includes a management server that can communicate with the user's information processing terminal,
The information processing terminal includes a button display unit that displays buttons on the screen,
The information processing terminal or management server is
An exit detection unit determines whether or not a vehicle has left the parking lot by using an exit detection device,
The system includes a processing unit that, if the exit determination unit determines that the user's vehicle has been exited before the user has pressed any buttons, treats the user's vehicle as having been released from the parking lot.
The management server determines that the user has exited the parking lot if the exit determination unit determines that the user has exited after the user has operated a button.

According to the present invention, several further embodiments can also be obtained.

(1) A parking management system that manages a parking lot with multiple parking spaces on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis rather than on a per-space basis,
A parking lot identification device installed in the aforementioned parking lot, which outputs identification information for each parking lot, not for each individual parking space,
This includes a management server that can communicate with the information processing terminals of users using the aforementioned parking lot,
The aforementioned information processing terminal is
By using the aforementioned parking identification device, a parking identification unit identifies the parking lot where the user is currently staying,
A button display unit that displays buttons on a screen, wherein the buttons are operated by the user to issue a request related to the exit process for the user's vehicle to exit the parking lot,
When the displayed button is operated by the user, the system includes a transmission unit that transmits to the management server parking information for identifying the identified parking lot not by individual parking space but by parking lot, and vehicle information entered by the user to identify the user's vehicle.
The aforementioned management server
A registration existence determination unit determines whether or not a combination of parking information and vehicle information identical to that received from the aforementioned transmission unit is registered in memory.
A parking fee transmission unit that calculates the parking fee to be charged to the user based on the identified parking lot and transmits the calculated parking fee to the information processing terminal,
The parking fee transmission unit operates selectively according to the determination result of whether or not the registration has been completed.
The parking management system further includes a settlement unit that enables the user to settle the parking fee received from the parking fee transmission unit by electronic payment using the information processing terminal.

(2) The parking management system described in item (1) is not installed in the parking lot, nor is it equipped with a gate device that opens and closes to prevent illegal vehicles from exiting the parking lot entrance/exit, nor with a wheel stop device that retracts to prevent illegal vehicles from exiting each parking space, nor with a ticket machine for issuing parking tickets to users, nor with a payment machine for users to pay parking fees, nor with a vehicle presence detection device for detecting whether or not a vehicle is present in each parking space.

(3) The parking management system described in item (1) or (2) below, wherein the parking lot is not equipped with a ticket issuing machine for issuing parking tickets to the user.

(4) The parking management system described in any of paragraphs (1) to (3) below, wherein the parking lot is not equipped with a payment machine for the user to pay the parking fee.

(5) The parking lot is a parking management system according to any one of items (1) to (4), wherein the method of payment of the parking fee by the user is either prepaid or postpaid.

(6) The parking management system described in any of items (1) to (5), wherein the information processing terminal is carried by the user or installed in the user's vehicle.

(7) The parking management system according to any one of items (1) to (6), wherein the button is operated by the user to issue a request related to the payment of the parking fee.

(8) A program for causing a computer to function as an information processing terminal as described in any of items (1) through (7).

(9) A program for causing a computer to function as a management server as described in any of items (1) through (7).

(10) A recording medium on which the program described in item (8) or (9) is recorded in a computer-readable format.

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating one of several parking lots centrally managed by a parking management system according to an exemplary first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view showing some of the multiple passenger compartments shown in Figure 1, with vehicles parked inside each compartment.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing an example of how the mobile terminals of users in each parking lot communicate with the management server in a remote management center in the parking management system shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 conceptually represents long-distance bidirectional communication between the user's mobile terminal shown in Figure 3 and the management server shown in the same figure, communication between the satellite and the mobile terminal, and short-distance unidirectional communication between the user and the transmitter installed in the parking lot shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a functional block diagram that conceptually represents the mobile device shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a functional block diagram conceptually representing the management server shown in Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a diagram that lists multiple programs (or modules) executed by the computer of the mobile terminal shown in Figure 5, and multiple programs (or modules) executed by the computer of the management server shown in Figure 6.

Figures 8(a) and 8(c) are time charts conceptually representing the first to third exemplary parking sequences implemented by the parking management system, respectively.

Figure 9 is a diagram that displays a list of multiple actions that a user can take during the parking entry stage in the parking management system, and the results that result from those actions.

Figure 10 is a diagram that displays a list of multiple actions that a user can take during the exit stage from the parking lot in the parking management system, and the results that result from those actions.

Figure 11 is a flowchart conceptually representing an example of a parking guidance program executed by a mobile terminal and a management server, respectively, in the parking management system, to guide multiple potential users to multiple available parking lots in association with a map.

Figure 12 is a flowchart conceptually representing an example of a parking entry processing program executed by a mobile terminal and a management server, respectively, to assist a user in entering a parking lot in the parking management system.

Figure 13 is a flowchart conceptually representing an example of a progress monitoring program executed by a mobile terminal and a management server, respectively, in the parking management system to monitor the actual elapsed parking time after a user enters a parking lot.

Figure 14 is a flowchart conceptually representing an example of a vacancy determination program executed by the management server in the aforementioned parking management system to determine whether or not there are vacant spaces in each parking lot based on information from each user's mobile terminal.

Figure 15 is a flowchart conceptually representing an example of an extension request processing program executed by a mobile terminal and a management server, respectively, in the parking management system to respond to an extension request from a user after the user has entered a parking lot and to extend the valid parking time.

Figure 16 is a flowchart conceptually representing part of an example of a parking exit processing program that is executed by a mobile terminal and a management server, respectively, to assist a user in exiting a parking lot after they have entered it, in the parking management system.

Figure 17 is a flowchart that conceptually represents the remaining part of the outbound processing program shown in Figure 16.

Figure 18 is a flowchart conceptually representing an example of a behavioral analysis program executed by a mobile terminal in the aforementioned parking management system to analyze the user's actions after the user enters a parking lot.

Figure 19(a) is a waveform diagram showing the raw waveform during user walking, analyzed by the behavioral analysis program shown in Figure 18, and Figure 19(b) is a waveform diagram showing the waveform obtained as a result of performing intensity analysis processing on the raw waveform shown in Figure 19(a).

Figure 20(a) is a waveform diagram showing the frequency components obtained as a result of performing frequency analysis on the original waveform shown in Figure 19(a), and Figure 20(b) is a waveform diagram showing another frequency component obtained as a result of performing frequency analysis on the same original waveform.

Figure 21(a) is a waveform diagram representing the original waveform during user driving, analyzed by the behavioral analysis program shown in Figure 18, and Figure 21(b) is a waveform diagram representing the waveform obtained as a result of performing intensity analysis processing on the original waveform shown in Figure 21(a).

Figure 22(a) is a waveform diagram showing the frequency components obtained as a result of frequency analysis processing on the original waveform shown in Figure 20(a), and Figure 22(b) is a waveform diagram showing other frequency components obtained as a result of frequency analysis processing on the same original waveform.

Figure 23 is a flowchart conceptually representing an example of a behavioral analysis program executed by a mobile terminal to analyze the user's behavior after the user has entered a parking lot, in a parking management system according to an exemplary second embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 24 is a plan view visually illustrating an example of the execution result of step S1204 shown in Figure 12.

Figure 25 is a plan view that visually shows, for the convenience of explanation, an example of the execution results of steps S1205, S1212, and S1215 shown in Figure 12, all together.

Figure 26 is a plan view conceptually representing an example of how multiple data and multiple flags are stored for each user in the memory of the management server shown in Figure 6, as a parking lot status management table.

Figure 27 is a functional block diagram conceptually representing a parking management system according to an exemplary third embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 28 is a perspective view showing an example of how the mobile device shown in Figure 27 is placed and used inside a vehicle parked in a parking lot.

Figure 29 is a flowchart that conceptually represents only the steps that differ from those in the first and second embodiments of the parking entry processing program executed by the computer of the mobile terminal shown in Figure 27, extracted as a parking lot specific module for entry.

Figure 30 is a flowchart that conceptually represents only the steps that differ from those in the first and second embodiments of the exit processing program executed by the computer of the mobile terminal shown in Figure 27, extracted as an exit entry parking lot specific module.

Figure 31 is a flowchart that conceptually represents only the steps that differ from those in the first and second embodiments of the parking lot exit processing program executed by the computer of the mobile terminal shown in Figure 27, extracted as a parking lot specific module for exiting the parking lot.

Figure 32 is a schematic diagram illustrating the parking lot identification module for entry, parking lot identification module for exit, and parking lot identification module for exit, as shown in Figures 29-31, respectively.

Figure 33 is a graph that conceptually explains the principle of the high-frequency turning state determination process performed in the mobile terminal shown in Figure 27.

Figure 34 is a graph that conceptually explains the principle of the high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state determination process, which is arbitrarily performed in the mobile terminal shown in Figure 27.

Figure 35 is a time chart illustrating how the status (occupancy status) of each parking space changes over time for each user in a parking lot, in order to explain the operating principle of the parking lot status management table creation/update unit and the vacancy determination unit in a parking lot management system according to an exemplary fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 36 is a flowchart conceptually representing the table creation and update module for implementing the parking lot status management table creation and update section in the parking lot management system shown in Figure 35.

Figure 37 is a flowchart conceptually representing the vacancy determination module for implementing the vacancy determination unit in the parking management system shown in Figure 35.

Several exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]

First, referring to Figures 1 and 2, the parking management system 10 according to an exemplary first embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter simply referred to as "the system") is a system for managing multiple parking lots 20, each capable of accommodating multiple vehicles (Figure 1 shows only a representative parking lot 20 among these parking lots 20).

In this system 10, a parking management method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is implemented in which a remote management server 50 centrally manages multiple parking lots 20 through communication with the mobile terminals 90 of multiple users.

In one example, the system 10 allows the user to use the parking lot 20 on the condition that the user uses their mobile device 90 as a parking ticket and pays a prepaid parking fee corresponding to the length of the planned parking time. In another example, the system 10 allows the user to use the parking lot 20 on the condition that the user uses their mobile device 90 as a parking ticket and pays a prepaid parking fee corresponding to the length of the actual parking time.

Figure 1 shows a plan view of the parking lot 20. The parking lot 20 has multiple parking spaces (an example of the aforementioned parking spaces) 22 that allow for the simultaneous parking of multiple vehicles. This parking lot 20 has a single entrance/exit 24 (which serves as both an entrance and an exit). Figure 2 shows some of the multiple parking spaces 22 with vehicles parked in each space 22.

This parking lot 20 is unmanned, and furthermore, it is not equipped with a gate device that opens and closes as needed to prevent illegal vehicles from exiting the entrance/exit gate 24, nor with a wheel stop device that extends and retracts as needed to prevent illegal vehicles from exiting the parking spaces 22, nor with a ticket machine for issuing parking tickets to drivers or a payment machine for users to pay parking fees.

Furthermore, regarding the definition of the term "vehicle," it should be interpreted as encompassing not only automobiles, but also bicycles, motorcycles, and all other types of mobile vehicles.

As shown in Figure 1, there are two types of parking spaces within the parking lot 20. These are spaces for renting out a parking space 22 to each vehicle user on a daily basis (temporary parking spaces or daily rental spaces), and spaces for renting out a parking space 22 to each vehicle user on a monthly basis, subject to a prior contract (monthly rental spaces). Hereafter, when simply referring to "parking lot 20," it will mean only the temporary parking spaces within this parking lot 20.

This system 10 employs the aforementioned centralized management method for managing parking lots. Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, it comprises a mobile terminal 90 for each user in each parking lot 20, and a management server 50 installed in a management center 40 that centrally manages multiple parking lots 20.

The management center 40 is operated by a parking lot manager (for example, the owner of the land used as parking lot 20 who manages the parking lot 20 themselves, or a parking lot management company that is entrusted by the owner of another's land to manage the land as parking lot 20).

The user's mobile terminal 90 is a device carried by the user and possessing wireless communication capabilities, such as a mobile phone, smartphone, laptop computer, tablet computer, or PDA.

The mobile terminal 90 is an example of the aforementioned information processing terminal, but it is not a type of information processing terminal that is constantly carried by the user. The mobile terminal 90 is a portable terminal that is not carried by the user inside the vehicle, but is carried by the user outside the vehicle.

As shown in Figure 4, the mobile terminal 90 has a positioning function as an essential feature: it receives GPS (Global Positioning System) signals from multiple artificial satellites in outer space and measures its current location on a map (ground position).

Furthermore, in an optional embodiment, the mobile terminal 90 also receives, in addition to GPS signals (an example of an off-site transmitter), signals representing the position coordinates of a base station (another example of an off-site transmitter), and signals from transmitters 30 installed in the parking lot 20 (also called "on-site transmitters") that represent the transmitter ID unique to each transmitter 30.

In this optional embodiment, the mobile terminal 90 converts the transmitter ID, represented by the signal received from each transmitter 30, to the corresponding parking lot ID, which identifies the parking lot 20 where the transmitter 30 is supposed to be installed, according to a predefined rule (e.g., a conversion table) that represents the correspondence between the two.

As a result, the mobile terminal 90 identifies the transmitter 30 it detected this time from other transmitters 30, measures the location of the detected transmitter 30 (for example, its location on a map, the location of the parking lot where it is installed, etc.), and/or measures the strength of the signal received from the transmitter 30, thereby measuring the distance between the transmitter 30 and the mobile terminal 90.

The transmitter 30 is a device commonly known as a beacon device or radio beacon, which transmits a beacon signal as an identification signal. In one example, this transmitter 30 generates an identification signal representing the corresponding transmitter ID (or parking lot ID) by modulating the original signal, and then transmits the generated identification signal locally as an IR signal, Bluetooth® signal, NFC (Near Field Communication) signal, etc.

As shown in Figure 4, the mobile terminal 90 performs long-range bidirectional wireless communication with the management server 50 of the management center 40. Furthermore, in an embodiment where the transmitter 30 is installed in the parking lot 20, as shown in Figure 4, the mobile terminal 90 receives the aforementioned identification signal from the transmitter 30 installed in the parking lot 20 currently visited by the user, either in contact with the transmitter 30 or without contact, using a short-range unidirectional wireless communication method.

As shown in Figure 2, the user can operate the mobile terminal 90 inside the vehicle to perform positioning reception (GPS reception, reception from base stations, reception from the on-site transmitter 30, etc.) and communicate with the management server 50. In this configuration, the user can perform operations on the mobile terminal 90 for parking entry (including payment in the case of prepaid parking) and exit (including payment in the case of postpaid parking) from inside the vehicle, without being bothered by weather conditions such as temperature, wind, or rain.

In contrast, as shown in Figure 3, the user can perform positioning reception and communicate with the management server 50 by operating the mobile terminal 90 outside the vehicle. This configuration is useful, for example, when the user needs to approach and hold or touch the mobile terminal 90 to the on-site transmitter 30.

Next, referring to Figure 5, a functional block diagram, the hardware configuration of the mobile terminal 90 will be explained. The mobile terminal 90 is mainly composed of a computer 134 having a processor 130 and a memory 132 that stores multiple programs (also called "applications") executed by the processor 130.

This mobile terminal 90 further includes a display unit (e.g., a liquid crystal display) 136 for displaying information, a receiving unit 138 for receiving signals from the transmitter 30 and the management server 50, and a transmitting unit 140 for generating signals and transmitting them to the management server 50.

This mobile terminal 90 further includes an input unit 150 for inputting data and commands from the user. The input unit 150 includes, for example, an operation unit that can be operated by the user to input desired information (e.g., commands, data, etc.) into the mobile terminal 90. This operation unit may include, but is not limited to, a touchscreen displaying user-operable icons (e.g., virtual buttons), a user-operable physical operation unit (e.g., a keyboard, keypad, buttons, etc.), or a microphone for detecting sound.

This mobile terminal 90 further includes a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver 152. As is well known, the GPS receiver 152 receives multiple GPS signals from multiple GPS satellites and, based on these GPS signals, measures its position on Earth (latitude, longitude, and altitude) by triangulation.

Alternatively, or in addition to the above, the mobile terminal 90 may measure its position (latitude and longitude) on Earth by triangulation using the positions of multiple base stations.

In other words, the positioning unit 230 (an example of the position acquisition unit) of the mobile terminal 90 may be a GPS positioning unit or a base station positioning unit, each acting as an off-site transmitter, or it may be an on-site transmitter 30.

This mobile terminal 90 also incorporates an acceleration sensor 154 that detects its own acceleration (for example, the acceleration when the mobile terminal 90 undergoes translational motion). Because the acceleration sensor 154 is mounted on the mobile terminal 90, it vibrates integrally with the mobile terminal 90, and as a result, the acceleration acting on the acceleration sensor 154 itself is detected as equivalent to the acceleration acting on the mobile terminal 90.

The type of acceleration sensor 154 can be, for example, a semiconductor piezoresistive type, a capacitive type, or a thermal sensing type. In one example, the acceleration sensor 154 can be designed to individually detect accelerations Gx, Gy, and Gz in the three axes (X, Y, and Z), and output a single representative acceleration as a composite value Gr of these three detected values Gx, Gy, and Gz.

This acceleration sensor 154 detects an acceleration approximation of the acceleration acting on the user if the user is carrying a mobile device 90, and detects an acceleration approximation of the acceleration acting on the vehicle (e.g., longitudinal acceleration, longitudinal deceleration) if the user is riding in a vehicle.

Theoretically, the acceleration acting on the mobile terminal 90 can be calculated by taking the time derivative of the position measured based on the GPS signal mentioned above, calculating the velocity, and then taking the time derivative of that velocity. However, in terms of accuracy, the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 154 may be superior. In any case, this acceleration sensor 154 is an example of an acceleration acquisition unit that obtains the axial acceleration of a vehicle by detection or estimation.

This mobile terminal 90 can also optionally incorporate, though not shown, a light sensor for detecting light (e.g., sunlight) exposed to the mobile terminal 90, a sound sensor for detecting sound (e.g., vehicle engine noise) exposed to the mobile terminal 90, and a proximity sensor (an example of which will be detailed later) for detecting the approach of an object (e.g., a vehicle) to the mobile terminal 90.

Next, referring to Figure 6, a functional block diagram, the hardware configuration of the management server 50 will be described. The management server 50 is mainly composed of a computer 164 having a processor 160 and a memory 162 that stores multiple applications executed by the processor 160.

This management server 50 further includes a display unit (e.g., a liquid crystal display) 166 for displaying information, a receiving unit 168 for receiving signals from the mobile terminal 90, a transmitting unit 170 for generating signals and transmitting them to the mobile terminal 90, and a clock 172. This management server 50 does not directly receive signals from the transmitter 30, but effectively does so via the mobile terminal 90.

Next, referring to Figure 7, a functional block diagram, the software configurations of the mobile terminal 90's computer 134 and the management server 50's computer 164 will be conceptually explained.

As shown in Figure 7, the computer 134 of the mobile terminal 90 has the following characteristic parts (program execution unit or functional unit).

1. Parking Information Unit 200

This corresponds to an example of a parking guidance program executed by the mobile terminal 90 in system 10 to guide multiple potential users to multiple available parking lots 20, associating them with a map (see the left portion of Figure 11).

This parking information unit 200, and the parking information unit 300 described later, typically handles multiple potential users who are not currently in any of the parking lots 20 (users who intend to move to one of the parking lots and use it). In response to individual access requests from each user, the management server 50 individually distributes the necessary information to each user's mobile terminal 90.

Specifically, this parking information unit 200, and similarly the parking information unit 300 described later, responds to access from potential users and displays each existing parking lot 20 on the screen of each user's mobile terminal 90, along with occupancy information (acquired by the vacancy determination unit 306 described later) indicating the availability of available parking spaces.

As a result, the mobile terminal 90 automatically selects and displays on the screen only a small number of candidate parking lots 20 from among multiple parking lots 20 that are located near the user's current location (for example, a location measured by GPS). The location and type of the displayed candidate parking lots 20 change as the user moves.

2. Inbound Processing Unit 202

This is an example of a parking entry processing program executed by the mobile terminal 90 in system 10 to assist the user in performing the parking entry process at one of the parking lots (hereinafter also referred to as "selected parking lot") 20 selected by the user (see the left side of Figure 12). This parking entry processing unit 202, like the parking entry processing unit 302 described later, will not accept the user's parking entry process if the user is not currently at the selected parking lot 20.

This parking processing unit 202, like the parking processing unit 302 described later, includes a parking fee calculation unit that calculates parking fees. In one example, the parking fee calculation unit may use different rules for each parking lot 20, but will uniformly calculate parking fees for all users of the same parking lot 20 using the same rules. In another example, it may use different rules for each parking lot 20, and different rules for each user of the same parking lot 20. This applies regardless of whether the parking fee is prepaid or postpaid.

In the latter example, the parking fee will vary depending on the location within the 30 parking spaces and also on the individual user. As a result, it becomes possible to provide individualized service to users (for example, offering discounts based on individual usage history or charging higher parking fees than usual based on past violation history).

3. Monitoring Unit 204

This is an example of a progress monitoring program executed by the mobile terminal 90 in system 10 to individually monitor the actual parking time elapsed after each user begins parking in parking lot 20, and to individually notify each user of the result (remaining time out of the valid parking time) to their mobile terminal 90, regardless of whether the user is inside or outside parking lot 20 (see the left portion of Figure 13).

4. Extension Request Processing Unit 206

This corresponds to an example of an extension request processing program executed by the mobile terminal 90 in system 10 to individually extend the valid parking time in response to extension requests from each user via the mobile terminal 90, regardless of whether the user is inside or outside the parking lot 20 after the user has started parking in the parking lot 20 (see the left portion of Figure 15).

5. Outbound Processing Unit 208

This is an example of a parking exit processing program executed by the mobile terminal 90 in system 10 to assist the user in exiting the selected parking space 20 after the user has started parking in the selected parking space 20 (see the left-hand portions of Figures 16 and 17). This parking exit processing unit 208, like the parking exit processing unit 310 described later, will not accept a parking exit request from the user if the user is not currently in the selected parking space 20.

6. Behavior analysis section 210

This is a flowchart conceptually representing an example of a behavioral analysis program executed by the mobile terminal 90 to analyze the user's actions after the user enters the selected parking lot 20 for exit in system 10 (see the left portion of Figure 18).

This behavioral analysis unit 210 includes: 1) a position detection unit 212 that detects the user's presence within the parking lot 20 based on its own position measured by the mobile terminal 90; 2) a movement detection unit 214 that detects the user's movement within the parking lot 20 (regardless of whether the user is walking or riding in a vehicle); and 3) a riding detection unit 216 that detects the user's movement (driving) while riding in a vehicle based on the acceleration detected by an acceleration sensor 154 mounted on the mobile terminal 90 and vibrating integrally with it.

In one example, the movement detection unit 214 detects whether the user is moving within the parking lot 20 (whether walking or riding in a vehicle) based on whether or not there is a temporal change in its own position as measured by the mobile terminal 90.

In another example, the motion detection unit 214 determines that the user is stationary or stopped if the effective maximum value of the mobile terminal 90's speed, which is detected or estimated moment by moment, is less than or equal to a first reference value (for example, 1 km/h). Conversely, if the speed exceeds the first reference value, it determines that the user is moving.

In one example, the passenger detection unit 216 detects that a user is riding in the vehicle and moving (driving) based on the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 154 mounted on the mobile terminal 90 and vibrating integrally with it.

In this case, the passenger detection unit 216 includes an intensity analysis unit that sequentially measures the maximum intensity among multiple acceleration values belonging to the latest analysis window portion (latest time window segment) of the acceleration waveform detected by the acceleration sensor 154 as time progresses, and a frequency analysis unit that extracts multiple frequency components from the latest analysis window portion (latest time window segment) of the acceleration waveform detected by the acceleration sensor 154, and measures the frequency of the one with the maximum amplitude among those frequency components.

In another example, the passenger detection unit 216 determines that the user is walking if the effective maximum value of the user's speed, which is detected or estimated moment by moment by the mobile terminal 90, is less than or equal to a second reference value (for example, 10 km/h), while determining that the user is moving in a vehicle if the speed exceeds the second reference value.

This behavioral analysis unit 210 further includes, as an additional or alternative option, a step count detection unit 218 that detects the user's step count per unit time based on the detection results of the acceleration sensor 154.

The step count detection unit 218 is a program that, based on the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 154 of the mobile terminal 90 carried by the user, changes by an amplitude exceeding a predetermined value, detects that a vibration to be detected has occurred in the mobile terminal 90, and adds 1 to the cumulative vibration count.

An example of the step count detection unit 218 is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-296097, and a similar technology may be employed in the step count detection unit 218 of this embodiment.

Furthermore, in this behavioral analysis unit 210, the passenger detection unit 216 also functions as the movement detection unit 214, thus allowing the movement detection unit 214 to be omitted. In this case, to achieve the objective, the passenger detection unit 216 can refer to the speed of the mobile terminal 90 but not its acceleration.

7. Positioning Unit 230

This corresponds to an example of a positioning program (not shown) executed by the mobile terminal 90 to measure the location of the mobile terminal 90, i.e., the user's location, based on the GPS signal, base station, or identification signal from the in-site transmitter 30.

As described above, since the in-parking transmitter 30 is a short-range communication device, the positioning unit 230 performs positioning outside the parking lot 20 using GPS signals or base stations, while performing positioning inside the parking lot 20 using GPS signals, base stations, and/or the in-parking transmitter 30.

The on-site transmitter 30 is advantageous in that it guarantees stable reception and subsequent positioning to the mobile terminal 90 at all times, even in a parking lot 20 where GPS signal reception interference may occur due to its proximity to obstacles such as tall buildings.

Next, the software configuration of the computer 164 of the management server 50 will be conceptually explained with reference to Figure 7, which is a functional block diagram. However, the positioning unit 230 will consist only of a GPS positioning unit or a base station positioning unit, excluding the off-site transmitter 30.

1. Parking Information Unit 300

This corresponds to an example of a parking guidance program executed by the management server 50 in system 10 to guide multiple potential users to multiple available parking lots 20, associating them with a map (see the right-hand portion of Figure 11).

Specifically, the parking information unit 300 responds to access from each potential user and displays each existing parking lot 20, along with occupancy information (acquired by the vacancy determination unit 306, described later) indicating the availability of available parking spaces, on the screen of each user's mobile terminal 90.

2. Inbound Processing Unit 302

This corresponds to an example of a parking entry processing program executed by the management server 50 in system 10 to assist the user in performing the parking entry process at the selected parking lot 20 (see the right-hand portion of Figure 12).

3. Monitoring Unit 304

This is an example of a progress monitoring program executed by the management server 50 in system 10 to individually monitor the actual parking time elapsed after each user begins parking in parking lot 20, and to individually notify each user of the result (remaining time out of the valid parking time) to their mobile terminal 90, regardless of whether the user is inside or outside parking lot 20 (see the right-hand portion of Figure 13).

4. Vacancy Determination Unit 306

This corresponds to an example of a vacancy determination program executed by the management server 50 in system 10 to determine whether or not there are vacant spaces in each parking lot 20 based on information from each user's mobile terminal 90 (see Figure 14).

4. Extension Request Processing Unit 308

This corresponds to an example of an extension request processing program executed by the management server 50 in system 10 to individually extend the valid parking time in response to extension requests from each user via the mobile terminal 90, regardless of whether the user is inside or outside the parking lot 20 after the user has started parking in the parking lot 20 (see the right-hand portion of Figure 15).

5. Dispatch Processing Unit 310

This corresponds to an example of a parking exit processing program executed by the management server 50 in system 10 to assist the user in exiting the selected parking space 20 after the user has started parking in the selected parking space 20 (see the right-hand portions of Figures 16 and 17, respectively).

<Several examples of parking sequences>

Figure 8 shows several examples of parking sequences implemented using System 10, illustrated in time charts. These will be explained in detail below.

<First Parking Sequence>

Figure 8(a) conceptually illustrates a first exemplary parking sequence in System 10, in which, after the user parks their vehicle in a parking lot 20, and before the expiration of the valid parking time, the user performs an exit operation on the mobile terminal 90 (for example, the user taps a virtual "exit button" displayed on the screen of the mobile terminal 90, as described later (other operations such as touching, pressing, selecting, or giving a voice command)), and then the user gets into their vehicle and leaves the parking lot 20 (exits the parking lot).

Similarly, in other parking sequences described later, the entry stage begins when the user enters a parking lot 20 with the intention of parking (vehicle entering the parking lot), and ends when the user exits that parking lot 20. When the user enters a parking request (or entry request) into the mobile terminal 90, the remaining time of the valid parking time is deducted (countdown) and the actual parking time is increased (countup) at that moment.

In contrast, the exit stage begins when the user enters the parking lot 20 where the vehicle was initially parked, with the purpose of exiting (vehicle leaving the parking lot), and ends when the user exits the parking lot 20.

In the parking sequence shown in Figure 8(a), the user exits the parking lot 20 before the expiration of the valid parking time, and prior to this exit, the user performs the exit operation. As a result, the actual parking time begins with "entry (issuance of parking request, entry operation)" and ends with "exit operation." Therefore, in this parking sequence, the user's exit (together with the vehicle) at the exit stage represents the actual exit (actual departure).

<Second Parking Sequence>

Figure 8(b) conceptually illustrates a second exemplary parking sequence in System 10, in which, after the user parks their vehicle in a parking lot 20, the user leaves the parking lot 20 (exits the parking lot) by getting into their vehicle without performing the aforementioned exit operation on the mobile terminal 20, before the expiration of the valid parking time.

In this parking sequence, the user leaves parking lot 20 with their vehicle before the expiration of the valid parking time, and the user does not perform the aforementioned exit operation prior to their departure. In this case, when the valid parking time expires, the user is considered to have performed the exit operation. Therefore, in this case, the actual parking time matches the valid parking time. Thus, in this parking sequence, the user's departure (with the vehicle) at the exit stage signifies a provisional exit (temporary exit).

<Third Parking Sequence>

Figure 8(c) conceptually illustrates a third exemplary parking sequence in System 10, in which, after the user parks their vehicle in a parking lot 20, the user exits the parking lot 20 (leaving with the vehicle) before the expiration of the valid parking time without performing the aforementioned exit operation on the mobile terminal 90, and then subsequently parks the vehicle back in the same parking lot 20.

In this parking sequence, the first actual parking is completed, and the user exits the parking lot 20. Prior to this exit, although not illustrated, the user does not perform the exit operation before the expiration of the valid parking time. Therefore, the user is permitted to re-enter (re-entry is permitted without paying additional parking fees). The time period during which re-entry is permitted is defined between the timing of exiting the vehicle during the first actual parking and the timing of the expiration of the valid parking time.

Subsequently, the user parks the vehicle in the same parking lot 20 for a second actual parking session. Since re-entry is permitted this time, the user is not required to perform the parking procedures required during the first actual parking session (e.g., inputting the valid parking time, paying the parking fee), and is immediately permitted to park the vehicle in any available parking space. As a result, the second actual parking session begins.

Subsequently, as shown in the figure, if the user removes the vehicle from parking lot 20 without performing the aforementioned exit operation, the user is deemed to have performed the exit operation once the valid parking time expires. At that point, both the duration of the second actual parking and the overall actual parking time progression cease.

In contrast, although not shown in the diagram, if the user removes the vehicle from parking lot 20 after performing the aforementioned exit operation, the progression of the duration for the second actual parking and the overall actual parking time will end at the time the exit operation is performed.

Figure 9 displays a list of multiple actions that a user can take during the entry stage into the parking lot 20 in system 10, along with the consequences of those actions.

In a given entry stage, a user entering a parking lot 20 can be classified into two cases: the first entry and subsequent entries (second entry, third entry, and subsequent entries). In the case of a first entry, the user is treated as usual.

In contrast, cases involving re-entry can be classified into two categories: those where the user performed the aforementioned exit operation during the preceding exit stage, and those where the user did not.

In cases where the user performed the aforementioned outbound operation, the user will be treated the same way as the initial inbound transaction.

In contrast, in cases where the user has not performed the aforementioned exit procedure, if the valid parking time has not been exceeded and the user is still within the time limit at each point in time, the user will be permitted to re-enter the parking lot. On the other hand, if the valid parking time has been exceeded at that point in time, the user will be prohibited from re-entering the parking lot. As a result, the user will be treated the same as during their initial entry.

Figure 10 displays a list of multiple actions that a user can take during the exit stage from the parking lot 20 in system 10, along with the consequences of those actions.

In a given exit stage, a case in which a user enters a parking lot 20 can be classified into two cases: one in which the exit operation is performed within the valid parking time, and another in which the exit operation is not performed.

Cases where the aforementioned exit operation is performed within the time limit after entry are classified into two categories: cases where the user exited with the vehicle within the time limit, and cases where the user did not exit. In the former case, it is determined that the user exited the vehicle from parking lot 20.

In contrast, cases where users do not leave can be classified into three categories: cases where the time limit is still in effect, cases where only a small amount of time remains within the valid parking period, and cases where the valid parking period has expired and the time limit has been exceeded.

In cases where only a short amount of time remains, the user will be urged to extend their valid parking time. In cases where the time limit is exceeded, the user will be penalized for misconduct.

On the other hand, cases where the aforementioned exit operation is not performed after entry can be classified into two categories: cases where the user exits with the vehicle, and cases where the user does not exit.

Cases where a user leaves with their vehicle can be classified into two categories: cases where the user leaves within the allotted time, and cases where the user leaves after exceeding the allotted time. In the former case, the user is permitted to re-enter the parking lot. In the latter case, the user is considered to have performed the aforementioned exit operation at the time the allotted time expired.

In contrast, cases where users do not leave with their vehicles can be classified into three categories: cases where the time limit is still in effect, cases where only a small amount of time remains within the valid parking period, and cases where the valid parking period has expired and the time limit has been exceeded.

In cases where only a short amount of time remains, the user will be urged to extend their valid parking time. In cases where the time limit is exceeded, the user will be subject to some kind of penalty for violating the rules of parking lot 20.

Next, we will describe the various processes performed by the mobile terminal 90 and the management server 50, i.e., the various services provided to the user. However, we will use the example of a parking lot 20 that operates on a prepaid hourly rental system.

<Parking Information and Positioning>

As shown in Figure 11, the parking guidance unit 200 and positioning unit 230 of the mobile terminal 90, and the parking guidance unit 300 of the management server 50, execute their respective parking guidance programs.

Specifically, in step S1101, the mobile terminal 90 sends a request to the management server 50 to log in to the website operated by the management server 50.

Upon receiving the request, the management server 50 establishes communication between the mobile terminal 90 and the management server 50 in step S1151.

Subsequently, in step S1152, the management server 50 searches the memory 162 to obtain, for all or some of the multiple parking lots 20 managed by the management center 40, parking lot location data representing the map location of each parking lot 20 (for example, the latitude and longitude of one location representing each parking lot 20) and parking lot ID data representing the parking lot ID for identifying each parking lot 20.

Subsequently, in step S1153, the management server 50 obtains occupancy status data (or congestion data representing the degree of vehicle congestion within the parking lot 20) from the vacancy determination unit 304 for each parking lot 20, indicating whether or not vacancies exist.

Next, in step S1154, the management server 50 transmits a parking-related dataset to the mobile terminal 90, which includes the above-mentioned multiple parking location data for the multiple parking lots 20, multiple parking ID data for the multiple parking lots 20, and multiple occupancy status data for the multiple parking lots 20 (and, if a parking lot 20 has an in-parking transmitter 30, the transmitter ID of that transmitter 30).

In response, in step S1102, the mobile terminal 90 receives the parking lot-related data set and stores it in memory 132. This enables the mobile terminal 90 to convert the location of any of the parking lots 20 into a parking lot ID, and to convert the transmitter ID received from any of the on-site transmitters 30 installed in any of the parking lots 20 into a parking lot ID.

Next, in step S1103, the mobile terminal 90 measures the user's current location (longitude and latitude) based on the GPS signal received externally by the GPS receiver 152. This constitutes the positioning unit 230.

Next, in step S1104, the mobile terminal 90 uses the measured user's current location as a reference position (the position (latitude and longitude) of the display reference point) that the processor 130 references to in order to display the map on the screen of the display unit 136. Furthermore, the portion of the overall map that is large enough to be displayed at once within the window on the screen of the mobile terminal 90 and where the reference position is located is determined as the map display range (i.e., the area of the overall map that is displayed within the window at each moment).

As is well known, as a user moves on the ground over time, the aforementioned reference position also moves with them. As a result, the map's display area also moves across the overall map over time as the user moves, and consequently, the map image displayed within the window also changes over time.

Next, in step S1105, the mobile terminal 90 overlays the multiple parking lot locations 20 onto the map displayed on its screen, based on the received parking lot location data. Furthermore, based on the received occupancy status data, the mobile terminal 90 also displays occupancy information (for example, the character "満" meaning full, the character "混" meaning crowded, the character "空" meaning vacant, or a number representing the number of vacant spaces) associated with the display location of each parking lot 20.

This visual display makes it easy for each potential user to know the existence and location of the available parking spaces 20.

<Reproduction of parking lot status management table and user behavior patterns>

In this embodiment, the management server 50 references time-series behavioral information from the user's mobile terminal 90, which is linked to the parking lot 20 but not to the individual parking spaces 22 within that parking lot 20. This allows the operational status of the parking lot 20 to be analyzed comprehensively and in real-time (without delay) on a per-user basis, rather than on a per-parking-space basis.

In other words, in this embodiment, instead of focusing on individual parking spaces 22 within a parking lot 20 and considering whether each space 22 is vacant or not, the system focuses on multiple users who use multiple vehicles actually present in the parking lot 20. Data that allows for the reconstruction of each user's chronological behavioral pattern is associated with the user and recorded in a parking lot-specific status management table, along with the time and chronological order.

Therefore, time-series behavioral information from the user's mobile device 90 is generated, in which the user's actions are sequentially classified into one of several categories. The time-series data of these classified actions constitutes a parking lot status management table, as illustrated in Figure 26.

Here, "multiple classifications" include, for example, entry and exit. Furthermore, entry is classified into initial entry and repeat entry, and "exit" is classified into regular exit, deemed exit, and temporary exit. Examples of behavioral patterns of multiple users in the same parking lot 20 are shown in a time chart in Figure 35, according to the above behavioral classifications.

The parking lot status management table is updated in real time to reflect various data transmitted from the user's mobile terminal 90 to the management server 50. As a result, by observing the changes in each item in the parking lot status management table over time, it becomes possible to reproduce the user behavior patterns illustrated in Figure 35 in real time within the management server 50's computer 164.

<Various flags used in the parking lot status management table>

In the parking lot status management table, multiple flags are used to encode and classify various user actions related to parking lot 20 (so that they can be recorded as binary data).

1. Received/In Stock Flag

The "Parking Completed" flag is a flag that switches between two different statuses, located in the memory of the management server 50 (or mobile terminal 90), and stored in association with a user. It indicates whether (a) the user has fulfilled the predetermined parking conditions (e.g., entered the necessary personal information and parking-related information, and paid the required fees) and thus acquired the right to park in a specific parking lot 20, or whether a user with the re-entry right described below has re-entered the same parking lot 20.

This "Received" flag indicates that, in the first status (e.g., ON), receiving or re-receiving permission has been acquired, while in the second status (e.g., OFF), neither receiving nor re-receiving permission has been acquired. This "Received" flag is usually in the second status initially.

2. Re-entry permission flag

The re-entry permission flag is a flag that switches between two different statuses, located in the memory of the management server 50 (or mobile terminal 90), stored in association with the user, and indicates whether the user has acquired the right to park in the same parking lot 20 as the one they entered, because they have met the predetermined re-entry conditions (for example, before the expiration of the valid parking time and before an exit operation has been performed).

This re-entry permission flag indicates that re-entry permission has been acquired in the first status (e.g., ON), and that re-entry permission has not been acquired in the second status (e.g., OFF). This re-entry permission flag is usually in the second status initially.

3. Flag indicating that the item has been shipped.

The "Exited" flag is a flag that switches between two different statuses. It is stored in the memory of the management server 50 (or mobile terminal 90), associated with the user, and indicates whether the user a) exited the parking lot 20 with their vehicle in the vehicle before the expiration of the valid parking time and performed an exit operation, thus achieving a regular exit (corresponding to "actual exit" in Figure 8(a)), or b) exited the parking lot 20 with their vehicle in the vehicle before the expiration of the valid parking time but did not perform an exit operation, resulting in a provisional exit (see Figure 8), and subsequently, a deemed exit (see Figure 8) occurred because the valid parking time expired. When a regular or deemed exit occurs, billing for the user stops (actual parking time is determined) (see Figure 8).

This "Shipped" flag indicates that, in the first status (e.g., ON), a regular or deemed shipment has been confirmed, while in the second status (e.g., OFF), neither a regular nor deemed shipment has been confirmed. This "Shipped" flag is usually in the second status initially.

4. Regular Shipment Flag

The regular shipment flag is a flag that switches between two different statuses, is stored in the memory of the management server 50 (or mobile terminal 90), is associated with the user, and indicates whether or not a regular shipment has been made.

This regular shipment flag indicates that a regular shipment has been confirmed in the first status (e.g., ON state), and that a regular shipment has not been confirmed in the second status (e.g., OFF state). Normally, this regular shipment flag is in the second status initially.

5. Deemed Departure Flag

The deemed shipment flag is a flag that switches between two different statuses, is stored in the memory of the management server 50 (or mobile terminal 90), is associated with a user, and indicates whether or not a deemed shipment has occurred.

This deemed shipment flag indicates that a deemed shipment has been confirmed in the first status (e.g., ON state), while indicating that a deemed shipment has not been confirmed in the second status (e.g., OFF state). Normally, the deemed shipment flag is in the second status state initially.

6. Temporary Departure Flag

The temporary shipment flag is a flag that switches between two different statuses, is stored in the memory of the management server 50 (or mobile terminal 90), is associated with a user, and indicates whether or not a temporary shipment has been made.

This temporary shipment flag indicates that a temporary shipment has been confirmed in the first status (e.g., ON state), and that a temporary shipment has not been confirmed in the second status (e.g., OFF state). Normally, the temporary shipment flag is in the second status initially.

7. In-Driving Flag

The "In Driving" flag indicates, in its first status (e.g., ON), that the user is in the vehicle and moving (currently in the vehicle), while in its second status (e.g., OFF), it indicates that the user is not in the vehicle.

8. Walking Flag

This is a walking flag, where the first status (e.g., ON) indicates that the user is walking, while the second status (e.g., OFF) indicates that the user is not walking.

<Inbound Processing and Positioning>

As shown in Figure 12, the inventory processing unit 202 and positioning unit 230 of the mobile terminal 90, and the inventory processing unit 302 of the management server 50, execute their respective inventory processing programs.

The parking entry processing program on the mobile terminal 90 should preferably be activated manually or automatically by the user when the user enters any of the parking lots 20 for the first time or for subsequent parking, and when the user parks their vehicle in any of the available parking spaces 22 within that parking lot 20.

This is because, in the aforementioned parking guidance process conducted prior to the event, if there is a vacant space in any of the parking lots 20, and a user of a vehicle is directed to that space, there is a possibility that another vehicle may enter that space during that time. In that case, the parking lot 20 could become full.

Here, in order to automatically activate the aforementioned parking entry processing program, for example, the mobile terminal 90 can determine whether its measured current location exists within one of the parking spaces 20. If it determines that its location exists, and the mobile terminal 90's location does not change for a predetermined period of time (or the amount of change is below a standard value), it can determine that a vehicle has entered one of the parking spaces 22, and the mobile terminal 90 can automatically activate the parking entry processing program.

Similarly, or in addition to this, the aforementioned inventory processing program can be automatically started.

In the aforementioned inventory processing program, specifically, in step S1201, the mobile terminal 90 sends a request to the management server 50 to log in to the website operated by the management server 50. Upon receiving this request, the management server 50 establishes communication between the mobile terminal 90 and the management server 50 in step S1251.

Subsequently, in step S1202, the mobile terminal 90 measures the user's current location (longitude and latitude) based on the GPS signal (or identification signal received from the on-site transmitter 30) received by the GPS receiver 152 from an external source. This also constitutes the positioning unit 230.

Next, in step S1203, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the distance between the measured current location and the location (latitude and longitude) of each of the multiple parking lots 20 (this location information has already been downloaded to the mobile terminal 90 from the management server 50, as described above) is below a reference value. This determines whether the user has changed from a state where they were not in any of the multiple parking lots 20 to a state where they are in one of the parking lots 20, that is, whether the user has just entered one of the parking lots 20.

For example, in the previous execution of step S1203, the distance between the user's current location and any of the parking lot locations 20 was longer than the reference value. In the current execution, it is determined whether that distance is less than or equal to the reference value.

In this embodiment, regarding the method for determining whether or not entry has occurred, similar to the entry determination method in the exit stage, the method of determining whether or not a user has entered any of the parking lots 20 based on the user's behavior analysis, specifically on the condition that the user is in a vehicle and moving (driving), is not employed in the entry stage.

In other words, even in the entry stage, the system determines whether the user has entered any of the parking lots 20, regardless of whether they are walking or riding in a vehicle (without performing user behavior analysis using the acceleration sensor 154). This is because, similar to entry in the exit stage, it is common sense to assume that, by its nature, a user would not normally enter any of the parking lots 20 on foot in the entry stage.

However, instead, the present invention can be implemented in a manner in which, based on the results of user behavior analysis, it is determined whether or not the user has entered any of the parking lots 20, provided that the system determines that the user is in a vehicle and moving (is in motion).

Furthermore, in steps S1202 and S1203, if a parking transmitter 30 is installed in the relevant parking lot 20, the user's current location, i.e., the current location of the parking lot 20, may be obtained using the identification signal received from the parking transmitter 30 instead of the GPS signal.

If the user has not entered any of the parking lots 20, the determination in step S1203 is NO, and the process returns to step S1202. Steps S1202-S1203 are repeated until the user enters one of the parking lots 20.

If the user enters any of the parking lots 20, the determination in step S1203 becomes YES, and the process proceeds to step S1204.

In step S1204, as illustrated in Figure 24, the mobile terminal 90 displays information for identifying one of the parking lots 20 (e.g., the name and location of the parking lot) on its screen in a manner that makes it at least visually clear that it is the current parking lot 20, i.e., the parking lot currently selected by the user and where the user is actually staying (hereinafter referred to as the "current parking lot").

Next, in step S1205, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the user has entered a parking request (or entry request) to the mobile terminal 90 indicating their desire to use the current parking lot 20 at that location (by tapping a specific location on the screen or entering a specific voice command).

In the example shown in Figure 25, in step S1205, an entry button (such as an icon) is displayed on the screen of the mobile terminal 90, which the user operates to input a parking request (or entry request) into the mobile terminal 90.

Here, the following operations—the user entering a parking request (or entry request) into the mobile terminal 90, the user selecting the entry button on the screen of the mobile terminal 90 (see Figure 25), the user tapping a specific location on the screen of the mobile terminal 90 (for example, the current parking lot P3) (see Figure 24), and the user entering a specific voice command into the mobile terminal 90—each represent an entry operation as an expression of the user's intent.

If the user does not submit a parking request for the current parking lot 20, the determination in step S1205 is NO, and the process returns to step S1202. Steps S1202-S1205 are repeated until the user submits a parking request for any of the parking lots 20.

In response, if the user issues a parking request for the current parking lot 20, the determination in step S1205 becomes YES, and the process proceeds to step S1206.

In step S1206, the mobile terminal 90 reads the parking ID corresponding to the current parking lot 20 from the memory 132, and thereby determines the parking ID for this instance.

Next, in step S1207, the user inputs vehicle information into the mobile terminal 90 to identify their vehicle. An example of this vehicle information is the vehicle number (vehicle license plate number), which is a unique number for the vehicle (for example, a four-digit number (for example, 1234)). Another example of vehicle information is image data unique to the vehicle, which is image data acquired by the user by photographing the vehicle with the camera on the mobile terminal 90.

Subsequently, in step S1208, the mobile terminal 90 transmits to the management server 50 the determined parking lot ID along with a user ID (e.g., user ID, user's address and name, mobile terminal 90's telephone number, mobile terminal 90's email address, etc.) used to identify the user or the mobile terminal 90, the entered vehicle information, and parking operation data indicating that the user has performed a parking operation (operation of the parking button) on the mobile terminal 90 as an expression of intent (see the parking lot status management table shown in Figure 26).

In response, the management server 50 receives the user ID, parking ID, and vehicle information in step S1252. Subsequently, in step S1253, the management server 50 searches the memory 162 to determine whether the same combination of user ID, parking ID, and vehicle information has already been registered; that is, whether the same user has already parked the same vehicle in the same parking lot 20.

If the user is not registered, the determination in step S1253 will be NO, and the received combination of user ID, parking ID, and vehicle information will be registered in memory 162. This entry will then be treated as the first entry (hereinafter referred to as "treated as the first entry"), and the process will proceed to step S1209.

In contrast, if the vehicle is already registered, the determination in step S1253 will be YES, and the management server 50 will determine in step S1254 whether the valid parking time has expired, i.e., whether the time limit has been exceeded. Specifically, as described later, the management server 50 determines whether the time limit has been exceeded by the progress monitoring program shown in Figure 13. If the time limit has been exceeded, the determination in step S1254 will be YES, and the process will be treated as a first-time entry, in which case the process will proceed to step S1209.

In contrast, if the time limit has not been exceeded, the determination in step S1254 will be NO, and in step S1255, the management server 50 will refer to Figure 17 and execute the dispatch processing program (if executed prior to the inbound processing program shown in Figure 12) to determine whether or not re-entry is permitted for the vehicle and user.

The determination of whether re-entry is permitted is made, for example, by checking whether the re-entry permission flag associated with the user ID or parking ID (an OFF state indicates that the user is not granted the right to re-enter, while an ON state indicates that the user is granted that right) is ON in the memory 162 of the management server 50 (see Figure 26).

If re-entry is not permitted, the determination in step S1255 will be NO, and it will be treated as the first entry. In this case, the process will proceed to step S1209.

In contrast, if re-entry is permitted, the determination in step S1255 will be YES, and in step S1256, the management server 50 will send re-entry permission data indicating that re-entry is permitted to the user's mobile terminal 90.

In response, the mobile terminal 90 receives the re-entry permission data in step S1214, and then, in step S1215, displays data on the screen indicating that re-entry is permitted, as illustrated in Figure 25.

If re-entry is permitted, the mobile terminal 90 does not execute steps S1209-S1213, and the management server 50 does not execute steps S1257-S1264. As a result, the user's input of valid parking time and payment of parking fees are omitted.

In contrast, if re-entry is not permitted, i.e., if it is treated as an initial entry, in step S1209, the user inputs the valid parking time, which is the time period during which the user wishes to park their vehicle in the current parking lot 20, or related time information to identify that valid parking time, into the mobile terminal 90.

Here, the effective parking time may be defined, for example, by a number representing the length of time. Alternatively, the related time information may be defined by the scheduled departure time, since the actual entry time is automatically measured by the mobile terminal 90 or the management server 50. In this case, since the actual entry time is measured by the mobile terminal 90 or the management server 50, the length of the effective parking time can be automatically calculated.

Next, in step S1210, the mobile terminal 90 transmits the input effective parking time (the length of this time is a variable time that is extended when the user requests an extension) or related time information (hereinafter simply referred to as "effective parking time") to the management server 50.

In response, the management server 50 receives the transmitted valid parking time in step S1257.

Next, in step S1258, the management server 50 calculates the parking fee for the user based on the received valid parking time and other information, as a prepaid parking fee. Then, in step S1259, the management server 50 transmits the calculated parking fee amount to the mobile terminal 90.

In response, the mobile terminal 90 receives the transmitted parking fee amount in step S1211. Then, in step S1212, the mobile terminal 90 displays the received parking fee amount on the screen, as illustrated in Figure 25, along with related information, such as the length of the valid parking time, the scheduled departure time, and information representing the current parking lot 20 (e.g., name and location).

Next, in step S1213, the mobile terminal 90 enables the user to electronically pay the parking fee (for example, by accessing another payment server). Once the payment is complete, the mobile terminal 90 transmits this information to the management server 50.

In response, upon receiving confirmation of the payment completion, the management server 50, in step S1260, authorizes the user to park their vehicle in the current parking lot 20. Specifically, the determination of whether parking is permitted, i.e., whether the vehicle is officially parked, is made, for example, by checking whether the parked flag associated with the user ID or parking lot ID (an OFF state indicates that the user is not authorized to park in the current parking lot 20, while an ON state indicates that the user is authorized) is ON in the parking lot status management table (see Figure 26) in the management server 50's memory 162 (see Figure 26). Subsequently, in step S1261, the management server 50 measures the current time and determines the parking time as equal to that time.

Subsequently, in step S1262, the management server 50 calculates the scheduled departure time (this time is a variable time that is updated when the user requests an extension) by adding the length of the received valid parking time to the determined entry time.

Next, in step S1263, the management server 50 registers the received effective parking time, the calculated parking fee amount, the determined entry time, and the calculated scheduled exit time in memory 162, associating them all with the current user ID, parking lot ID, and vehicle information combination. This creates a parking lot-specific status management table (see Figure 26).

Subsequently, in step S1264, the management server 50 transmits the registered information to the mobile terminal 90. Then, in step S1214, the mobile terminal 90 receives the registered information.

In response, the mobile terminal 90 receives the registered information in step S1214, and then, in step S1215, displays the data representing that information on the screen, along with data indicating that entry has been permitted (see Figure 25).

<Monitoring>

As shown in Figure 13, the progress monitoring unit 204 of the mobile terminal 90 and the progress monitoring unit 306 of the management server 50 execute their respective progress monitoring programs.

Specifically, in step S1351, the management server 50 selects the user of interest from among the multiple users registered in memory 162. Memory 162 contains various data such as user ID, parking lot ID, valid parking time, and scheduled departure time, all of which are associated with each other.

Next, in step S1352, the management server 50 measures the current time using the clock 172, and then, in step S1353, reads the scheduled departure time for the target user from memory 162.

Subsequently, in step S1354, the management server 50 calculates the remaining time of the valid parking period by subtracting the current time from the scheduled departure time. Then, in step S1355, it determines whether the calculated remaining time is 0 or less, i.e., whether the valid parking period has expired.

If the remaining time is greater than 0, the determination in step S1355 is NO, and step S1356 is skipped. As a result, the "time over" determination is not made, and in step S1358, another user is selected as the next target user. Then, the process returns to step S1352.

In contrast, if the remaining time is 0 or less, the determination in step S1355 becomes YES, and the management server 50 determines "Time Over" in step S1356. Subsequently, in step S1357, the "Time Over" determination result, along with the data representing the remaining time, is transmitted to the mobile terminal 90 of the current target user. Then, in step S1358, another user is designated as the next target user. The process then returns to step S1352.

In response, in step S1301, the mobile terminal 90 receives the "time over" determination result and the latest remaining time value from the management server 50. Next, in step S1302, it stores the data representing that determination in memory 132. Subsequently, in step S1303, the mobile terminal 90 displays the data indicating "time over" on the screen to notify the user.

Subsequently, in step S1304, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the remaining time is shorter than a non-zero reference value T0 (for example, a fixed value such as 1 hour, or a variable value such as approximately 10% of the effective parking time). It determines whether the remaining time is very short because the effective parking time is about to expire.

Furthermore, steps S1304 and S1305 are executed regardless of whether the mobile terminal 90 executed steps S1301-S1303 because the management server 50 executed step S1357.

If the remaining time is shorter than the reference value T0 (for example, 1 hour), the determination in step S1304 becomes YES, and in step S1305, the user receives visual, auditory, or tactile stimuli (for example, a specific message or button display, a buzzer sound, vibration of the mobile terminal 90, etc.) from the mobile terminal 90 to send an extension request to the management server 50 via the mobile terminal 90 to request an extension of the valid parking time.

Conversely, if the remaining time is not shorter than the reference value T0, the determination in step S1304 is NO, and step S1305 is skipped.

<Vacancy Assessment>

As shown in Figure 14, the vacancy determination unit 304 of the management server 50 executes the vacancy determination program.

Specifically, in step S1451, the management server 50 selects the target parking lot from among the multiple parking lots 20 registered in the parking lot status management table in memory 162 (hereinafter also simply referred to as "registered in memory 162"). As mentioned above, the parking lot status management table in memory 162 registers various data such as user ID, parking lot ID, valid parking time, and scheduled departure time, all of which are associated with each other.

Next, in step S1452, the management server 50 determines whether the latest entry permission for the target parking lot has been sent to any of the mobile terminals 90. If it is determined that this has been the case, in step S1453, the current value of the number of available spaces N, which is the total number of currently available parking spaces 22 (empty parking spaces 22) in the target parking lot, is read from memory 162.

The number of vacant spaces N is a counter that starts with the total number of hourly parking spaces 22 available in the target parking lot, and decreases by 1 each time a parking space (one rental, one vehicle) is entered, while increasing by 1 each time a parking space (one rental, one vehicle) is exited (actual exit and deemed exit).

Next, in step S1454, the management server 50 subtracts 1 from the number of vacant rooms N, and then in step S1455, updates memory 162 with that value. Subsequently, in step S1456, it determines whether the current value of the number of vacant rooms N is greater than 0 (or a baseline value greater than 0, taking a margin into account), that is, whether or not there are vacant rooms in the target parking lot.

If the current number of vacant rooms N is greater than 0, step S1457 determines that there are vacancies; otherwise, step S1458 determines that there are no vacancies.

Subsequently, in step S1459, the management server 50 registers the determination result in memory 162 or updates memory 162 to reflect the determination result, in either of the above cases. Then, in step S1460, another user is designated as the next target user. The process then returns to step S1452.

The above explains the case where the determination in step S1452 is YES because the entry of one parking space was confirmed. However, if the determination in step S1452 is NO because the entry of one parking space was not confirmed, the management server 50 determines in step S1461 whether the user's exit operation for one parking space has been confirmed (the "actual exit" flag is ON).

If a user's exit operation for one parking space is confirmed (the "Exited" flag is ON), the determination in step S1461 becomes YES, and in step S1462, the management server 50 reads the current value of the number of vacant spaces N from memory 162. Then, in step S1463, it increments the number of vacant spaces N by 1, and then proceeds to step S1455.

In contrast, if no user exit operation for one parking space is confirmed (the "actual exit" flag is OFF), the determination in step S1461 is NO, and the management server 50 determines in step S1464 whether or not a deemed exit for one parking space has been confirmed (the "deemed exit" flag is ON).

If the deemed shipment is confirmed, the determination in step S1464 becomes YES, and the process proceeds to step S1462. However, if the deemed shipment is not confirmed (the deemed shipment flag is OFF), the determination in step S1464 becomes NO, steps S1462 and S1463 are skipped, and the process then proceeds to step S1456.

In this example, there are two types of flags indicating that an item has been shipped: an actual shipped flag and a deemed shipped flag. However, it is not essential to use them separately; as will be explained later, a single shipped flag can be used for all items.

<Processing of extension request>

As shown in Figure 15, the extension request processing unit 206 of the mobile terminal 90 and the extension request processing unit 308 of the management server 50 execute their respective extension request processing programs.

Specifically, in step S1501, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the user has entered an extension request into the mobile terminal 90. If an extension request is entered, the process proceeds to step S1502; otherwise, it returns to step S1501.

If an extension request is entered, in step S1502, the mobile terminal 90 receives input from the user regarding the extension time, which is the length of the extension to be made from the valid parking time. Subsequently, in step S1503, the mobile terminal 90 transmits to the management server 50, associated with the user ID, that an extension request has been issued and the length of the requested extension time.

In response, the management server 50, in step S1551, receives information associated with the user ID, indicating that an extension request has been issued and the desired extension duration. Next, in step S1552, it calculates the extension fee corresponding to that duration. Then, in step S1553, it transmits the amount of the extension fee to the mobile terminal 90.

In response, the mobile terminal 90 receives the transmitted extension fee amount in step S1504, and then displays the received extension fee amount on the screen in step S1505. Subsequently, in step S1506, it enables the user to electronically pay the extension fee.

Next, in step S1507, the mobile terminal 90 transmits to the management server 50 that the payment has been completed.

In response, the management server 50 receives confirmation that the payment has been completed in step S1554, and then, in step S1555, grants the user permission to extend the valid parking time. Subsequently, in step S1556, the scheduled departure time is updated to a future date by extending the valid parking time. Next, in step S1557, the parking lot status management table in memory 162 is updated with this information. Finally, in step S1558, the extended valid parking time (latest valid parking time) and the updated scheduled departure time are transmitted to the mobile terminal 90.

In response, the mobile terminal 90 receives the latest transmitted valid parking time and scheduled departure time in step S1508, and then displays this information on the screen in step S1509. Afterward, the process returns to step S1501.

<Outbound Processing and Positioning>

As shown in Figures 16 and 17, the dispatch processing unit 208 and positioning unit 230 of the mobile terminal 90, and the dispatch processing unit 310 of the management server 50, execute their respective dispatch processing programs.

First, in step S1601 shown in Figure 16, the current location of the mobile terminal 90, i.e., the user's current location, is measured in the same manner as in step S1202 in Figure 12.

Next, in step S1602, similar to step S1203 in Figure 12, it is determined whether the user's state has changed from not being in any of the multiple parking lots 20 to being in one of the parking lots 20; that is, whether the user has just entered one of the parking lots 20.

If the user has not entered any of the parking lots 20, the determination in step S1602 is NO, and the process returns to step S1601. Steps S1601-S1602 are repeated until the user enters one of the parking lots 20.

If the user enters any of the parking lots 20, the determination in step S1602 becomes YES, and the process proceeds to step S1603.

In step S1603, the mobile terminal 90 reads the parking ID corresponding to the current parking lot 20 from memory 132, thereby obtaining the actual parking lot ID. Next, in step S1604, the parking ID corresponding to the parking lot 20 for which entry has been permitted, i.e., the current parking lot ID, is read from memory 132.

Subsequently, in step S1605, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the acquired actual parking ID and the current parking ID match. That is, it determines whether the user has entered the same parking lot 20 that they previously entered.

Next, in step S1606, the mobile terminal 90 transmits to the management server 50 that the user is currently staying in parking lot 20 for exit.

In response, the management server 50 receives a notification in step S1651 that the user is currently staying in parking lot 20 for exit. Next, in step S1652, it determines whether the progress monitoring program has determined that the user has exceeded the time limit. If it has, the determination in step S1652 becomes YES, and in step S1653, a predetermined penalty is imposed on the user.

On the other hand, if it is not determined that the "time limit has been exceeded," the determination in step S1652 will be NO, and in step S1654, the management server 50 will permit the user to exit the current parking lot 20. Subsequently, in step S1655, data indicating that the user's exit has been permitted is sent to the mobile terminal 90.

In response, in step S1607, the mobile terminal 90 receives data from the management server 50 indicating that the user's withdrawal has been authorized. Subsequently, in step S1608, a "withdrawal button" to be operated by the user is displayed on the screen. This prompts the user to perform a withdrawal operation by operating the "withdrawal button" to input their intention to withdraw the item into the mobile terminal 90.

Next, in step S1609, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the user has operated the "departure button". Assuming the user has operated the "departure button" (i.e., performed a departure operation), the determination in step S1609 is YES.

Subsequently, in step S1613, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether or not a "time over" was detected during the execution of the progress monitoring program. If a "time over" is detected, the determination in step S1613 becomes YES, and in step S1614, a predetermined penalty is imposed on the user.

Conversely, if it is not determined that "time has been exceeded," the determination in step S1613 will be NO. Subsequently, in step S1615, the mobile terminal 90 reads the driving flag (a flag in the ON state indicating that the user is in the vehicle and moving) stored in memory 132, which is managed by the behavioral analysis program shown in Figure 18.

Next, in step S1616, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the read "driving" flag is ON or NOT ON. If it is NOT ON, the process returns to step S1613. If it is ON (i.e., the user is in the vehicle and moving (driving)), in step S1617, the current location of the mobile terminal 90, i.e., the user's current location (for example, the current location of the vehicle the user is in), is measured in the same manner as in step S1601.

Next, in step S1618, the mobile terminal 90 determines, based on whether or not the user's position has changed over time as measured by the mobile terminal 90, whether or not the user has changed from being present in the parking lot 20 to not being present in the parking lot 20, that is, whether or not the user has just left the parking lot 20.

If the user has not yet left the current parking lot 20, the determination in step S1618 is NO, and the process returns to step S1613. Steps S1613-S1618 are repeated until the user leaves the current parking lot 20.

In other words, among those steps, steps S1615-S1618 are a group of steps (hereinafter referred to as the "exit determination step group") that determine whether or not the user has entered the vehicle and exited the current parking lot 20.

When the user exits the current parking lot 20 (in this case, while inside the vehicle), the determination in step S1618 becomes YES, and in step S1619, the mobile terminal 90 transmits data to the management center 50 indicating that the user performed the exit operation in step S1613, and data indicating that the user exited the parking lot 20 while inside the vehicle.

In response, in step S1656, the management server 50 receives data from the mobile terminal 90 indicating that the user has boarded a vehicle and left the parking lot 20. Subsequently, in step S1657, it determines that the departure is complete and sets the "Departed" flag to ON in the parking lot status management table, and further sets the "Regular Departure" flag to ON (see Figure 26).

Subsequently, in step S1658, the user is prohibited from re-entering the same parking lot 20, and the re-entry permission flag is turned OFF in the parking lot status management table (see Figure 26). Then, in step S1659, data indicating that the user has been prohibited from re-entering the same parking lot 20 is sent to the mobile terminal 90.

The above describes the case where the user has performed the exit operation. However, if the user has not yet performed the exit operation, the determination in step S1609 will be NO, and in step S1610, the mobile terminal 90 will determine whether or not the progress monitoring program has determined that "time has been exceeded," that is, whether or not the valid parking time has now expired.

If it is not determined that the "time limit has been exceeded," the determination in step S1610 will be NO, and the mobile terminal 90 will perform the same steps as the aforementioned exit determination steps in step S1621 to determine whether the user has boarded the vehicle and left the current parking lot 20. If the user has not yet boarded the vehicle and left the current parking lot 20, the determination in step S1621 will be NO, and the process returns to step S1609.

In contrast, if the user gets into a vehicle and leaves parking lot 20, the determination in step S1621 becomes YES, and subsequently, in step S1622, the mobile terminal 90 permits the user to re-enter the same parking lot 20. Then, in step S1623, data indicating that re-entry has been permitted is sent to the management server 50. Upon receiving this data, the management server 50 turns ON the re-entry permission flag associated with this user in the parking lot status management table in memory 162.

Subsequently, in step S1627 of Figure 17, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the progress monitoring program has determined that "time has been exceeded," that is, whether the valid parking time has now expired.

If it is not determined that the "time limit has been exceeded," the determination is NO, and the process returns to step S1627. However, if it is determined that the "time limit has been exceeded," the determination becomes YES, and in step S1629, the mobile terminal 90 considers that the user performed an exit operation at this timing, i.e., when the valid parking time expires, even though no actual exit operation occurred. Therefore, it determines that a deemed exit has occurred.

Next, in step S1630, the mobile terminal 90 prohibits the user from re-entering the same parking lot 20. Then, in step S1631, it sends data to the management server 50 indicating that deemed exit has occurred and data indicating that re-entry has been prohibited.

In step S1662, the management server 50 receives this data, and then, in step S1663, updates the parking lot status management table in memory 162 to reflect this data. As a result, the "Exited" flag is turned ON, the "Deemed Exited" flag is turned ON, and the "Re-entry Permitted" flag is turned OFF. Furthermore, the "Temporary Exited" flag is also turned OFF.

In contrast, if the user neither attempts to exit the parking lot nor leaves the parking lot 20 before the expiration of the valid parking time, then in step S1610 of Figure 16, if it is determined that the user has "exceeded the time limit," the determination is YES, and subsequently, in step S1610a, a predetermined penalty is imposed on the user.

<Behavior analysis>

As shown in Figure 18, the behavioral analysis unit 210 of the mobile terminal 90 executes a behavioral analysis program.

First, in step S1801, the mobile terminal 90 measures the user's current location in the same manner as in step S1202 in Figure 12.

Next, in step S1802, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the user is moving or not. Specifically, it calculates the amount of change between the user's current position, as measured, and the user's position (more precisely, the position of the mobile terminal 90) previously measured in the same manner and stored in the memory 132.

If the amount of change is greater than or equal to a baseline value, the system determines that the user is moving. Conversely, if the amount of change is less than the baseline value, the mobile terminal 90 determines in step S1818 that the user is stopped (stationary). Subsequently, in step S1819, the walking flag, which indicates the user is walking when it is ON, is turned OFF. Furthermore, in step S1820, the running flag is also turned OFF.

Furthermore, the determination of whether the user is moving by executing steps S1801 and S1802 may, if an in-parking transmitter 30 is installed in the parking lot 20, be performed alternatively or additionally by measuring the distance between the mobile terminal 90 and the in-parking transmitter 30 based on the signal strength received by the mobile terminal 90 from the transmitter 30, and determining whether the user is moving based on whether or not that distance changes over time.

If it is determined that the user is in motion, the mobile terminal 90 then, in step S1803, acquires a signal from the acceleration sensor 154 and, based on that signal, measures the raw waveform representing the time profile (time series) of the acceleration acting on the mobile terminal 90 (caused by user vibrations and/or vehicle vibrations).

As illustrated in Figures 19(b) and 21(b), the portion of the continuous original waveform covered by an analysis window with a predetermined time width, extending from the current time into the past, is the target of this analysis.

Figure 19(a) shows a graph of an example of the raw waveform of acceleration G measured when a user is walking with a central acceleration of 0 (a state where the low-frequency component of the acceleration waveform (the user's actual walking acceleration) is 0). On the other hand, Figure 21(a) shows a graph of an example of the raw waveform of acceleration G measured when a user is riding in a vehicle and moving with a central acceleration of 0 (a state where the low-frequency component of the acceleration waveform (the vehicle's actual driving acceleration) is 0).

Therefore, both Figure 19(a) and Figure 21(a) essentially show only the high-frequency components of the acceleration waveform of the mobile terminal 90. Here, the high-frequency components represent noise components when the low-frequency components are treated as the primary components, and conversely, the low-frequency components represent noise components when the high-frequency components are treated as the primary components.

Figure 19(b) shows a graph of the maximum intensity of the raw waveform measured during user walking, specifically the portion within the most recent analysis window. Figure 21(b) shows a graph of the maximum intensity of the raw waveform measured during user running, specifically the portion within the most recent analysis window.

Figure 20(a) shows a graph of the large-amplitude frequency components of the raw waveform measured during user walking, specifically the portion within the most recent analysis window. Figure 22(a) shows a graph of the large-amplitude frequency components of the raw waveform measured during user running, specifically the portion within the most recent analysis window.

Figure 20(b) shows a graph of the small amplitude frequency components of the raw waveform measured during user walking, specifically the portion within the most recent analysis window. Figure 22(b) shows a graph of the small amplitude frequencies of the raw waveform measured during user running, specifically the portion within the most recent analysis window.

Subsequently, in step S1804, the mobile terminal 90 performs intensity analysis. In one example, peak hold is performed on the upper portion of the measured original waveform (a waveform that oscillates up and down as it propagates) to obtain the envelope of the upper portion. Similarly, peak hold is performed on the lower portion of the original waveform to obtain the envelope of the lower portion.

Next, in step S1805, the mobile terminal 90 measures the substantial maximum intensity I that represents the measured original waveform.

In one example, as illustrated in Figures 19(b) and 21(b), the maximum intensity I is measured as the difference (approximate amplitude) between the maximum value of the upper envelope and the minimum value of the lower envelope. This example simplifies the calculation of the maximum intensity I compared to the example described later.

In another example (not shown in the diagram), the distance between the two acquired envelopes is sampled at regular time intervals, and the maximum intensity I is measured by selecting the substantially maximum of the multiple sample values for the distance, i.e., amplitude.

Subsequently, in step S1806, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the measured maximum intensity I is greater than the first threshold I0. If it is greater, the determination in step S1806 is YES.

Next, in step S1807, the mobile terminal 90 performs frequency analysis. Specifically, it performs signal processing on the measured original waveform, such as Fourier transform, high-pass filter, and low-pass filter. This extracts multiple frequency components from the original waveform.

Subsequently, in step S1808, the mobile terminal 90 measures the frequency F of the frequency component with the largest amplitude. In the example shown in Figure 20, "F1" is the frequency of the large-amplitude frequency component, and in the example shown in Figure 22, "F2" is the frequency of the large-amplitude frequency component.

Next, in step S1809, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the measured frequency F is smaller than the second threshold F0. If it is smaller, the determination in step S1809 is YES.

Subsequently, in step S1810, the mobile terminal 90 determines that the user is currently walking and not in a vehicle. Next, in step S1811, the walking flag, stored in memory 132, is turned ON. Then, in step S1812, the driving flag, stored in memory 132 while in the ON state, is turned OFF. Finally, the process returns to step S1801.

The above describes the case where the maximum intensity I is greater than the first threshold I0. However, if it is less than or equal to the first threshold I0, the determination in step S1806 is NO, and the mobile terminal 90 determines in step S1813 whether the walking flag is ON or OFF. If it is ON, in step S1814, it is determined that the user is running. If it is not ON, i.e., OFF, steps S1814-S1817 are skipped and the process returns to step S1801.

To explain this, under normal user behavior patterns, it is impossible for a user to immediately get into their vehicle after entering parking lot 20. Instead, the user first walks into parking lot 20, then walks further, then gets into a parked vehicle, and finally drives towards the exit of parking lot 20 while inside the vehicle.

To improve the accuracy of user behavior analysis by considering the expected behavioral patterns of such users, in this embodiment, if the walking flag is not ON and the determination in step S1806 or step S1809 is NO immediately afterward, the system does not determine that the user is running.

Following the execution of step S1814, in step S1815, the mobile terminal 90 determines that the user has just boarded the vehicle. This is because the user's behavior has just shifted from walking to running.

This immediate boarding determination may, for example, be used as a trigger to increment the number of vacant spaces N. In that case, as shown in the example in Figure 14, the existence of vacant spaces can be notified to other potential users earlier than when using the exit operation or deemed exit as a trigger for incrementing the count, thereby improving the occupancy rate of the parking lot 20.

Subsequently, in step S1816, the mobile terminal 90 turns on the "driving" flag, and then in step S1817, it turns off the "walking" flag. The process then returns to step S1801.

Furthermore, among the multiple steps in Figure 18, for example, all or part of steps S1802-1820 may be executed on the management server 50 instead of the mobile terminal 90 in order to reduce the processing load on the mobile terminal 90.

[Second Embodiment]

Next, a parking management system 10 and a parking management method according to an exemplary second embodiment of the present invention will be described. However, elements common to the first embodiment will be referenced using the same reference numerals or names, omitting redundant explanations, and only the different elements will be described in detail.

This embodiment is similar to the first embodiment described above, except that the behavioral analysis program shown in Figure 23 is executed instead of the behavioral analysis program shown in Figure 18.

The behavioral analysis program shown in Figure 23 has steps S2301-2303 and S2306-23016, which are common to steps S1801-1803 and S1810-1820 of the behavioral analysis program shown in Figure 18, respectively.

The behavioral analysis program shown in Figure 23 further includes step S2304, which replaces steps S1804, 1805, 1807, and 1808 of the behavioral analysis program shown in Figure 18.

The behavioral analysis program shown in Figure 23 further includes step S2305, which replaces steps S1806 and S1809 of the behavioral analysis program shown in Figure 18.

When the behavioral analysis program shown in Figure 23 is executed by the mobile terminal 90, in step S2304, the mobile terminal 90 detects the user's step count N based on a series of accelerations measured moment by moment by the acceleration sensor 154. This detection is performed by the mobile terminal 90 executing a step count detection algorithm.

Furthermore, in step S2305, if the detected step count N is greater than the third threshold N0, it is determined in step S2306 that the user is walking. Conversely, if the detected step count N is less than or equal to the third threshold N0, and provided the walking flag is ON, it is determined in step S2310 that the user is running.

The reason for this is that when the user is running, the acceleration, or vibration, applied to the acceleration sensor 154 from the user and the vehicle is weaker than when the user is walking. Such weak acceleration, or vibration, is not detected by the step count detection algorithm performed in step S2304. Therefore, if the step count N is low, it is determined that the user is running; conversely, if the step count N is low, it is determined that the user is walking.

[Some exemplary effects obtained by the above-described embodiments]

1. Reduction of the costs and labor that parking lot managers should bear regarding the facilities of parking lot 20.

According to this embodiment, by using the user's mobile terminal 90 instead of the equipment installed in the parking lot 20, it is possible to determine at the exit stage whether the user left the parking lot 20 in their vehicle or left the parking lot 20 as a pedestrian without getting into their vehicle.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, it becomes unnecessary to install a dedicated sensor (e.g., a loop coil) in the parking lot 20 to electromagnetically detect the passage of a vehicle for exit detection.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, the costs and labor required for the manufacture or purchase, installation, and maintenance of equipment installed in the parking lot 20 can be easily reduced.

2. Reducing the operations and burdens required of the user during the outbound stage.

According to this embodiment, even if a user inadvertently forgets to perform the exit operation and exits the parking lot 20 during the exit stage, the vehicle will automatically be treated as having exited once the valid parking time has expired.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, even if a user inadvertently leaves the parking lot 20 without performing the aforementioned exit procedure, no additional operations, time-related burdens, or financial costs are imposed on the user. For example, the user will not be charged extension fees.

3. Improving the user experience for users who need to re-enter the same parking lot 20.

According to this embodiment, if a user intentionally delays the exit operation and exits the parking lot 20, they can re-enter the same parking lot 20 and use it intermittently multiple times until the valid parking time expires.

4. Improving the accuracy of the parking lot manager's estimation of the number of vacant spaces in parking lot 20.

1) First reason

In this embodiment, as described above, the vacancy determination unit 304 determines whether or not there are unused vacant parking spaces in the parking lot 20 based on the number of confirmed vehicle entry and exit entries.

Specifically, the vacancy determination unit 304 includes a subtraction unit that subtracts 1 from the number of vacant spaces N (the number of unused vacant spaces among the multiple parking spaces in the parking lot 20) each time a parking entry is confirmed, and an addition unit that adds 1 to the number of vacant spaces N each time an actual or deemed parking exit operation is confirmed.

However, if, instead, the addition unit were implemented in a manner that does not increment the number of vacant spaces N by 1 until an actual vehicle exit operation is confirmed, then even if a deemed exit is confirmed—that is, even if the vehicle whose exit is confirmed is not actually present in parking lot 20—the number of vacant spaces N would not increase. This would not accurately reflect the actual operating status of parking lot 20, resulting in vacant spaces in parking lot 20 being wasted and failing to improve the occupancy rate of parking lot 20.

In contrast, according to this embodiment, the addition unit increases the number of empty spaces N not only when an actual outbound operation is confirmed, but also when a deemed outbound operation is confirmed.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, the accuracy of estimating the number of vacant spaces N in the parking lot 20 is improved, preventing vacant spaces in the parking lot 20 from being wasted on parking, and thereby making it easier to increase the occupancy rate of the parking lot 20.

2) Second reason

Alternatively, the present invention can be implemented in a manner in which, at the exit stage, regardless of whether the user actually performs an exit operation, the vehicle is uniformly treated as having been exited once the effective parking time has expired, and the number of vacant spaces N is increased by 1.

This configuration may offer users an advantage in terms of improved usability, as it eliminates the need for manual retrieval operations.

However, this presents a potential drawback for the parking lot manager. This is because, unless the user is prompted to perform an exit operation to confirm their intention to leave, even if the user actually exits the parking lot 20 considerably earlier than the expiration of their valid parking time, resulting in a vacant parking space, the aforementioned addition unit will not add the number of vacant spaces N until the valid parking time expires. Therefore, the management server 50 cannot notify multiple potential users that a single vacant space has actually been added.

In contrast, according to this embodiment, as a general rule, the user is requested to perform an exit operation as an indication of their intention to exit the parking lot 20.

In order to make the user aware that an exit operation is required, in this embodiment, if the user enters the parking lot 20 for the purpose of exiting, but does not perform the exit operation, nor does he get into his vehicle and leave the parking lot 20, the user will be prompted via his mobile terminal 90 to enter an extension request into his mobile terminal 90.

The demand can be made visually (through specific messages or button displays), audibly (by emitting specific sounds), or tactilely (by vibrating the mobile device 90).

Therefore, according to this embodiment, even by requesting the user to perform a vehicle exit operation, the accuracy of estimating the number of vacant spaces N in the parking lot 20 is improved, preventing vacant spaces in the parking lot 20 from being wasted on parking, and thereby making it easier to increase the utilization rate of the parking lot 20.

5. Increased flexibility for parking lot managers when setting individual parking fees for each user.

According to this embodiment, the user communicates with the management server 50 via their mobile terminal 90. The management server 50 calculates parking fees for all users, but it is not essential to use a common fee calculation rule for all users.

This is because the management server 50 can respond individually to each user's mobile terminal 90, and the parking lot manager does not need to go to the parking lot 20 in order to update the price list on the price sign installed there.

The management server 50 may calculate parking fees flexibly or dynamically, for example, according to several rules such as the following:

1) Parking lot occupancy rate-based rule

The system flexibly calculates each user's individual parking fee by providing feedback each time to determine which of the multiple parking lots 20 they belong to, so that parking lots with low actual occupancy rates are charged lower fees, and parking lots with high actual occupancy rates are charged higher fees.

2) Time-based utilization rate response rule

For each of the 20 parking spaces, the system flexibly calculates individual parking fees for each user, based on feedback on the current time of day. Lower fees are charged during periods of low occupancy, and higher fees are charged during periods of high occupancy.

3) Time-of-day response rules

The system flexibly calculates each user's individual parking fee by providing feedback on the current time of day, so that the fee is lower during times when statistically low occupancy rates are expected for each of the 20 parking lots, and higher during times when statistically high occupancy rates are expected.

4) Usage history-responsive rules

The system flexibly calculates individual parking fees for each user by feeding back each user's actual usage frequency, so that the fee is higher when the user uses the parking space 20 infrequently and lower when they use it frequently.

5) Day-of-the-Week Response Rules

The system detects which day of the week it is each time, feeds this information back, and flexibly calculates each user's individual parking fee, so that the fee is lower on days when statistically low occupancy rates are expected for each of the 20 parking lots, and higher on days when statistically high occupancy rates are expected.

6) Weather-responsive rules

The system detects the weather conditions at each location and uses that information to flexibly calculate individual parking fees for each user. When the weather statistically predicts low occupancy rates for each of the 20 parking lots, the fee is lower; when the weather statistically predicts high occupancy rates, the fee is higher.

6. Parking lot managers can change parking fees in real time.

Generally, parking lots are equipped with fee signs to allow users to calculate their parking fees. These signs typically do not allow for remote adjustment of the displayed amount; instead, workers must physically go to the site to manually change the display panels. Therefore, as long as parking lots require fee signs, it is physically difficult to change the parking fee calculation rules in real time.

In contrast, according to this embodiment, the parking fee can be calculated individually by the management server 50 for each parking lot, each user, and each time slot, eliminating the need for fee signs installed in the parking lot 20 to calculate the parking fee.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, the parking lot manager can change the amount of parking fees in real time according to external and internal factors, such as the expected demand for their parking lot at that time (e.g., the number of users expected to use the parking lot from a geographical perspective) (example of an external factor), the actual occupancy rate of their parking lot at that time (example of an internal factor), and the actual occupancy rates of other adjacent parking lots (example of an external factor).

7. In response to the user's actions (movements, behaviors) in entering (entering with a vehicle in a vehicle) and/or exiting (leaving with a vehicle in a vehicle) the parking application on the user's mobile device 90 is automatically activated.

Specifically, for example, the user's mobile terminal 90 uses at least one of the following in the background: a GPS receiver 152 (a functional unit that detects the user's location and direction of movement) and an acceleration sensor 154 (a functional unit that determines whether the user is walking or running). The mobile terminal 90 then activates the vehicle entry and/or vehicle exit processing program upon detecting vehicle entry, and activates the vehicle exit processing program upon detecting vehicle exit.

8. Achieving both automation of entry and exit processing for parking lot 20 and clarification of user intentions.

In this embodiment, the mobile terminal 90 and the management server 50 do not completely automate the entry and exit process. When the user's mobile terminal 90 detects entry into any of the parking lots 20 (entering by vehicle), it displays an entry button on the screen to confirm the user's intention (see Figure 25). Similarly, when it detects exit from the same parking lot 20 (exiting by vehicle), it displays an exit button to confirm the user's intention (see Figure 25).

Furthermore, after the user selects the "In" button (an inbound operation), the inbound processing program changes the "Inbound" flag from OFF to ON (see Figure 26). Conversely, after the user selects the "Outbound" button (an outbound operation), the outbound processing program changes the "Outbound" flag from OFF to ON (see Figure 26).

This prevents the mobile terminal 90 and the management server 50 from performing actions contrary to the user's intentions, i.e., malfunctions.

9. In the receiving stage, user behavior analysis using the accelerometer 154 in the mobile terminal 90 is omitted.

During the vehicle entry stage, the mobile terminal 90 uses the GPS receiver 152 but does not use the accelerometer 154 to analyze the user's behavior. However, during the vehicle exit stage, it uses both the GPS receiver 152 and the accelerometer 154 to analyze the user's behavior.

Therefore, user behavior analysis using the accelerometer 154 in the mobile terminal 90 is performed only during the outbound stage. During the inbound stage, such analysis is omitted because the need for it is relatively low, thus preventing unnecessary power consumption.

[Third Embodiment]

Next, a parking management system 10 and a parking management method according to an exemplary third embodiment of the present invention will be described. However, elements common to the first and second embodiments will be referenced using the same reference numerals or names, omitting redundant explanations, and only the different elements will be described in detail.

As shown in Figure 27, in this embodiment, the mobile terminal 90 further incorporates a gyro sensor (or yaw rate sensor) 156 that detects its own angular velocity (for example, rotational speed around an axis fixed to the mobile terminal 90). Since the gyro sensor 156 is mounted on the mobile terminal 90, it rotates integrally with the mobile terminal 90. As a result, the gyro sensor 156 detects the angular velocity of rotational motion around each measurement reference axis (X, Y, Z) as equivalent to the angular velocity acting on the mobile terminal 90.

Specifically, when the user is carrying (wearing) the mobile device 90, the gyro sensor 156 tends to move in conjunction with the user. Therefore, it detects the angular velocity acting on the user or a corresponding approximation (such as a value that changes in conjunction with the angular velocity).

In contrast, when the user of the mobile terminal 90 is riding in a vehicle, the gyro sensor 156 tends to move in conjunction with the vehicle. Consequently, during vehicle turns, the gyro sensor 156 tends to perform yaw motion (rotational motion around the vehicle's vertical centerline) in conjunction with the vehicle. Therefore, the gyro sensor 156 detects the angular velocity acting on the vehicle (e.g., the vehicle's yaw rate, the vehicle's turning angular velocity, etc.) or a corresponding approximation. In other words, the gyro sensor 156 is an example of a rotational motion state quantity acquisition unit that acquires the rotational motion of the vehicle by detection or estimation.

Furthermore, regarding the layout, when the user of the mobile terminal 90 is in the vehicle, the gyro sensor 156 may be placed in a specific location within the vehicle, such as a recess 182 (e.g., a storage pocket) in an interior component, such as the dashboard 180, located approximately in the center of the vehicle, as illustrated in Figure 28. In this case, the gyro sensor 156 tends to move integrally with the vehicle rather than with the user, and therefore, during vehicle turns, it can detect the angular velocity acting on the vehicle (e.g., the vehicle's yaw rate, the vehicle's turning angular velocity, etc.) with higher accuracy than when the user is wearing the mobile terminal 90 inside the vehicle.

In the example shown in Figure 28, the mobile terminal 90 is ideally positioned in a recess 182 in the dashboard 180, which opens upwards, such that one of the measurement reference axes of the gyro sensor 156 is approximately parallel to the vehicle's vertical centerline. According to this example, the gyro sensor 156 can detect the vehicle's yaw rate with sufficient accuracy thanks to its installed position and orientation.

For example, if we focus on the measurement reference axis of the gyro sensor 156 in the direction parallel to the thickness direction of the mobile terminal 90 (the direction perpendicular to the screen), then, as shown in the example in Figure 28, when the mobile terminal 90 is placed in the recess 182 in a position where it is facing almost directly upwards, the measurement reference axis currently under consideration and the vertical centerline of the vehicle become approximately parallel to each other.

Incidentally, regardless of whether the user carries it or not, when the mobile terminal 90 is installed inside a vehicle, the reference axis of the gyro sensor 156 may include components that are not parallel to the vehicle's vertical centerline. In this case, the angular velocity detected by the gyro sensor 156 will not exactly match the vehicle's yaw rate.

However, as long as the gyro sensor 156 is fixedly held within the vehicle and its measurement reference axis includes a component parallel to the vehicle's vertical centerline, it is easy to predict that a certain correlation will exist between the angular velocity detected by the gyro sensor 156 and the vehicle's yaw rate.

Therefore, unless there are special circumstances, it is easy to assume that the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by the gyro sensor 156 will be larger when the vehicle is turning than when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line. Consequently, regardless of the orientation of the mobile device 90 inside the vehicle, it is reasonable to use the gyro sensor 156 as a sensor that only needs to be able to distinguish whether or not the vehicle is turning.

Furthermore, the gyro sensor 156 can be replaced with a sensor that detects the angular acceleration of the mobile terminal 90 (e.g., the derivative of the yaw rate), or with a sensor that detects the angle of the mobile terminal 90 (e.g., the yaw angle) (e.g., the geomagnetic sensor 157, tilt sensor, gravity sensor, etc., described later).

As shown in Figure 27, this mobile terminal 90 also incorporates a geomagnetic sensor (also called a magnetic force sensor) 157. This geomagnetic sensor 157 utilizes the Earth's magnetic field to detect the orientation of the mobile terminal 90 relative to absolute space (for example, the angle from magnetic north). Therefore, if the mobile terminal 90 is fixed to the vehicle, the geomagnetic sensor 157 can sequentially detect the vehicle's orientation relative to absolute space. When used inside a vehicle (ideally in a fixed position), both the gyro sensor 156 and the geomagnetic sensor 157 function as motion sensors or dynamic behavior acquisition units that detect the vehicle's dynamic behavior.

For example, as shown in Figure 28, when the mobile terminal 90 is placed in the recess 182 with its orientation facing almost directly upwards, the measurement reference axis of the geomagnetic sensor 157 and the vertical centerline of the vehicle become approximately parallel to each other. In this case, the geomagnetic sensor 157 can detect the vehicle's yaw angle, that is, its orientation relative to absolute space when viewed from directly above.

If the frequency of changes in direction (for example, the frequency of changes in the sign of the direction) is high, it indicates that the vehicle has been turning frequently. In other words, this geomagnetic sensor 157 is an example of a rotational motion state quantity acquisition unit that acquires the rotational motion of a vehicle by detecting or estimating it.

Furthermore, the rotational motion state acquisition units in some of the above examples can indirectly detect the vehicle's rotational motion as the user's rotational operation of the vehicle's steering wheel switch (see Figure 28). For this purpose, the mobile terminal 90 may, for example, be mounted on the steering wheel switch so as to rotate integrally with it.

As shown in Figure 27, this mobile terminal 90 also incorporates a proximity sensor 158. This proximity sensor 158 is, for example, a capacitive type, and detects changes in capacitance between itself and the object being detected. The detected change in capacitance varies depending on the size of the object being detected and the distance d to the object.

Here, the detection target can be the user themselves, the vehicle, or objects including parts within the vehicle (regardless of whether they are made of metal or synthetic resin). The proximity sensor 158 detects the distance d between the mobile terminal 90 and objects located around it, relative to the terminal's position. This detected value is independent of the vehicle's behavior, because even if the vehicle's behavior changes, the distance between the proximity sensor 158 and the surrounding objects remains constant.

In the example shown in Figure 28, the object to be detected is a detectable member (such as a screen or cover) 184 that is fixedly, detachably, or retractably mounted on the dashboard 182. This detectable member 184 is positioned within the range detectable by the proximity sensor 158 and, for example, is positioned to at least partially cover the screen of the mobile device 90 from the front. The non-detectable member 184 may have a shape or layout that does not substantially obstruct the user's ability to view the screen of the mobile device 90 while operating the vehicle.

Furthermore, when the proximity sensor 158 detects a target member 184 fixed to the vehicle (acting as a stationary member inside the vehicle), if the distance d detected by the proximity sensor 158 does not change over time and is stationary, it can be estimated that the mobile terminal 90 is placed in the same position relative to the vehicle. Conversely, if the distance d detected by the proximity sensor 158 changes over time and is non-stationary, it can be estimated that the mobile terminal 90 is placed in a position that fluctuates relative to the vehicle. A typical example of such a position is the user's body.

Therefore, by combining the proximity sensor 158, i.e., the mobile terminal 90, with the detection target member 184 fixed to the vehicle, it is possible to estimate whether or not the mobile terminal 90 is being carried by a user.

By using the proximity sensor 158 inside the vehicle, it becomes possible to distinguish whether the mobile terminal 90 is being carried by the user while riding in the vehicle, or whether it is not being carried but is permanently placed somewhere inside the vehicle.

As a specific example of the algorithm for making this distinction, if the time profile (time-series data) of the capacitance change (or distance) detected by the proximity sensor 158 is non-stationary, and/or the detected distance d is longer than the threshold d0 (for example, because the proximity sensor 158 cannot detect the non-detectable member 184), it is determined that the mobile terminal 90 is likely to be carried by the user while riding.

In contrast, if the time profile of the capacitance change (or distance) detected by the proximity sensor 158 is substantially steady, and/or the detected distance d does not exceed the threshold d0 (for example, as shown in Figure 28, the proximity sensor 158 continuously detects the non-detectable member 184), it is possible to determine that the mobile terminal 90 is likely not being carried by the user while riding in the vehicle, but is fixedly placed somewhere inside the vehicle (a specific location on the dashboard 182).

Furthermore, while it is possible to determine whether the time profile of the capacitance change (or distance) detected by the proximity sensor 158 is substantially steady, it is also possible to implement the system in a manner that does not determine whether the detected distance d exceeds the threshold d0. If the detected waveform is steady, it is reasonable to assume that the mobile terminal 90 is fixedly installed in the vehicle, given that the user is not wearing the mobile terminal 90 and the mobile terminal 90 remains stationary despite the user's body movements. This is because, in this scenario where the main discussion revolves around whether or not the vehicle entered the parking lot 20, simply knowing that the mobile terminal 90 is stationary is sufficient. Moreover, this embodiment eliminates the need to attach additional components such as the detection target member 184 to the vehicle.

On the other hand, when the mobile terminal 90 is carried by the user while riding, the accuracy of the acceleration sensor 154, gyro sensor 156, and geomagnetic sensor 157 in detecting the corresponding vehicle behavior is low. However, when the mobile terminal 90 is fixedly placed somewhere inside the vehicle while riding, the accuracy of the acceleration sensor 154, gyro sensor 156, and geomagnetic sensor 157 in detecting the corresponding vehicle behavior is high.

Therefore, the proximity sensor 158 can be used to ensure that the acceleration sensor 154, gyro sensor 156, and geomagnetic sensor 157 can detect their respective vehicle behaviors with high accuracy.

The system 10 according to this embodiment has the same features (program execution unit or functional unit) as shown in Figure 7, except for the receiving processing unit 202, the shipping processing unit 208, and the behavioral analysis unit 210. Furthermore, the receiving processing unit 202 executes the same receiving processing program as shown in Figure 12, except for step S1203 in Figure 12. The shipping processing unit 208 executes the same shipping processing program as shown in Figures 16 and 17, except for steps S1602, S1615-S1618 (the shipping determination step group), and S1621 in Figure 16, and step S1627 in Figure 17.

Figure 29 shows a modified example in which step S1203 of the parking process program shown in Figure 12 should be replaced. This modified example is represented as a parking lot identification module at the time of entry, which identifies the parking lot into which the user entered the vehicle during the entry stage.

This parking lot identification module for vehicle entry performs a parking lot identification method that includes the following multiple steps:

A. Entry judgment process

In the parking entry stage, as illustrated in Figure 32, it is determined whether the current position CP, measured by the positioning unit 230 (a GPS positioning unit or base station positioning unit using a coordinate system fixed to the Earth), has transitioned from being outside all spatial regions SP centered on the reference coordinate point RP (longitude, latitude) for all parking spaces 20 to being within any spatial region SP centered on the reference coordinate point RP (longitude, latitude) for any of the parking spaces 20. Based on this, it is determined whether the current position CP has entered any spatial region SP corresponding to any of the parking spaces 20.

In the example shown in Figure 32, the vehicle AM moves from its current position CP1 outside the spatial region SP to its current position CP2 inside the spatial region SP. As a result, it is determined that the current position CP has entered the spatial region SP at that point.

The spatial region SP may be defined using multiple coordinate points (for example, a set of coordinate points defining the boundary line of the site) to geometrically accurately reflect the boundary line or equivalent of the corresponding parking lot 20. However, in this case, the size of the data required for the definition increases, necessitating increased communication load and memory capacity on the mobile terminal 90.

In contrast, in the example shown in Figure 32, one spatial region SP is defined as one circular region (which may be a collection of multiple circular regions). This single circular region has a radius r centered on a single reference coordinate point RP. Therefore, one spatial region SP is defined using only relatively small datasets: data representing the reference coordinate point RP and data representing the radius r. Consequently, this example saves communication load and memory capacity on the mobile terminal 90.

However, if a single spatial region SP is defined as at least one circular region, it is usually difficult for a single spatial region SP to completely and adequately cover the entire site of a corresponding parking lot 20.

Specifically, in the example shown in Figure 32, in order to prioritize the complete coverage of the non-circular area of the corresponding parking lot 20, one circular area ends up including parts outside the parking lot 20's site.

Therefore, if the system uses only the location information (positioning unit 230) acquired by the mobile terminal 90 to determine which parking lot 20 the vehicle has entered, there is a risk that it may incorrectly determine that the vehicle AM has entered a parking lot 20 even if the vehicle AM is located outside the premises of that parking lot 20.

Furthermore, our research has revealed that, generally speaking, vehicles of any type exhibit unique behaviors when traveling within a parking lot that do not exist when traveling on a normal road.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, each parking space 20 typically has multiple parking spaces arranged closely together. In this situation, users need to select one of these spaces to enter the parking space 20 from the adjacent road. Therefore, it was found that vehicles perform turning movements (left steering, right steering, counter-steering, steering hold, etc.) and acceleration/deceleration movements (braking, acceleration, deceleration, starting, stopping, reversing, etc.) more frequently within each parking space 20 than when driving on a normal road.

Based on this understanding, in this embodiment, the determination that a vehicle AM has entered a parking lot 20 guided by the location information (positioning unit 230) acquired by the mobile terminal 90 is not made solely based on the condition that the vehicle AM transitions from being located outside all spatial areas SP of all parking lots 20 to being located within any spatial area SP of any of the parking lots 20.

In this embodiment, the system determines that vehicle AM is located in the parking lot 20 guided by the location information only when multiple conditions, including the condition described later, and the condition that vehicle AM performs high-frequency turns (or, in lieu of or in addition to, high-frequency acceleration and deceleration), are simultaneously met.

B. Boarding Status Determination Process

During the vehicle entry stage, the acceleration of the mobile terminal 90 is detected using an acceleration sensor 154 (an example of the acceleration acquisition unit), and based on the amplitude and/or frequency of the high-frequency component in the detected acceleration waveform, it is determined whether or not the user may be riding in the vehicle AM.

Furthermore, when considering the function and application of the acceleration sensor 154, if the amplitude and/or frequency of the acceleration waveform (vibration waveform) generated in the mobile terminal 90 are detected using the acceleration waveform detected by the acceleration sensor 154, then the acceleration sensor 154 constitutes an example of a vibration acquisition unit. Conversely, if the acceleration sensor 154 is used to detect the acceleration (axial acceleration) of the translational motion of the mobile terminal 90, then the acceleration sensor 154 constitutes a typical example of an acceleration acquisition unit.

As mentioned above, Figure 21(a) shows an example of the acceleration waveform of the mobile terminal 90 when the user is walking with a central acceleration of 0, and Figure 21(a) also shows an example of the acceleration waveform of the mobile terminal 90 when the user is riding in a moving vehicle with a central acceleration of 0 .

Thanks to this passenger status determination process, the in-vehicle placement status determination process, high-frequency turning status determination process, and high-frequency acceleration/deceleration status determination process, described later, are designed to run only when the user is in a vehicle AM and walking within any of the parking lots 20. Therefore, if the user is not in the vehicle AM and is walking within the parking lot 20, these processes are either not executed, or if executed, their results are ignored.

As a result, this occupancy status determination process allows the parking lot 20 to be completely unmanned, and eliminates the need to install special equipment in the parking lot 20. Despite this, it suppresses system malfunctions and improves the reliability of the system's determination results.

However, it is possible to implement the present invention without performing this passenger status determination step.

C. In-vehicle installation status determination process

During the vehicle entry stage, the proximity sensor 158 is used to determine, as illustrated in Figure 28, whether the mobile terminal 90 is not being carried by the user while the vehicle is in use, and whether it is likely to be permanently installed inside the vehicle AM.

Thanks to this in-vehicle mounting state determination process, the high-frequency turning state determination process and the high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state determination process, described later, are either not executed or, if executed, their results are ignored, because the accuracy of these determination processes may decrease when the user is riding in the vehicle AM and carrying the mobile terminal 90.

As a result, this in-vehicle placement status determination process, similar to the passenger status determination process, suppresses system malfunctions and improves the reliability of the system's determination results.

However, it is possible to implement the present invention without performing this in-vehicle placement condition determination step.

D. High-Frequency Turning State Determination Process

During the vehicle entry stage, the angular velocity (especially the yaw rate θ) of the rotational motion (especially the yaw motion) of the mobile terminal 90 is detected using a gyro sensor 156 or a geomagnetic sensor 157 (both being examples of the rotational motion state quantity acquisition unit). Based on the frequency of change in the detected angular velocity, it is determined whether or not the vehicle may be in a high-frequency turning state, where it is turning at a frequency higher than that expected when the vehicle is driving on a normal road.

Here, the frequency of change in angular velocity is equivalent to, for example, the frequency of change in the sign of the angular velocity (e.g., the direction of yaw motion), that is, the number of steering wheel reversals performed by the user per unit time (see Figure 28).

To explain in more detail, in the example of the parking lot 20 shown in Figure 1, a vehicle traveling on the adjacent road enters the parking lot 20 through the entrance/exit 24, drives through the parking lot 20, and, with one of the parking spaces 22 as the target parking space 22, enters that parking space 22. For example, a scenario can be envisioned where the vehicle travels from left to right on the adjacent road, then turns left to enter the parking lot 20, and then turns right to enter one of the five parking spaces 22 on the right side as the target parking space 22 and park.

In this scenario, as illustrated in Figure 33 (θ: yaw angle, Δθ: yaw rate), the user operates the vehicle's steering wheel switch.
1) Turn left just before the entrance/exit gate 24.
2) Turning the steering wheel back immediately after passing through the entry/exit gate 24,
3) turning right just before entering the parking space, and 4) turning back immediately after entering the parking space, are required, making a total of four steering (reversal) maneuvers. Generally, the number of times a user reverses the steering wheel SW when a vehicle travels the same distance on the road is less than this. The dimensions of each parking space 22 are, for example, 2.5m wide and 5.0m deep, so the approximate distance a vehicle travels from near the entrance/exit 24 on the adjacent road to the target parking space 22 can be estimated.

Based on these findings, the high-frequency turning state determination step determines whether the vehicle may be in a high-frequency turning state, that is, whether the vehicle exhibits a unique dynamic behavior that does not occur when the vehicle is driving on a normal road but does occur when it is driving within a parking lot 20. This determination is made by determining whether the frequency of change n in the angular velocity (yaw rate Δθ) (for example, the total number of peaks and valleys that appear per unit time in the graph of Figure 33 representing the yaw rate Δθ) exceeds a threshold n0.

Specifically, the high-frequency turning state determination step determines whether the vehicle may be in a high-frequency turning state by determining, for example, whether the number of times n the sign of the angular velocity changes from positive to negative and from negative to positive, per observation time Δt (in seconds) of angular velocity (e.g., 20 seconds, 30 seconds, 40 seconds), exceeds a threshold n0 (e.g., 4 times, 6 times, 8 times, or an intermediate value between these numbers).

Alternatively, if the ratio n/Δt (the number of turns n divided by the observation time Δt) exceeds a predetermined value (for example, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, or an intermediate value between these), it may be determined that the vehicle is potentially in a high-frequency turning state.

Furthermore, this high-frequency rotation state determination process may be implemented using a geomagnetic sensor 157 or another sensor (e.g., a tilt sensor, gravity sensor, etc.) in addition to or instead of the gyro sensor 156 to achieve the same function.

E. Entrance parking lot identification process

In the receiving stage, there are four conditions, namely,
1. The first condition is that the current location CP has entered the spatial area SP corresponding to one of the parking lots 20,
2. The second condition is that the user may be riding in the vehicle AM,
3. A third condition is that the mobile terminal 90 is not carried by the user and may be permanently installed inside the vehicle AM,
4. If all of the fourth conditions, that the vehicle AM may be in the high-frequency turning state, are met simultaneously, then one of the parking lots 20 is identified as the parking lot into which the user entered in the vehicle.

F. High-Frequency Acceleration/Deceleration State Determination Process

The high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state determination step may be performed instead of, or in addition to, the aforementioned high-frequency turning state determination step.

This high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state determination process, during the vehicle entry stage, uses an acceleration sensor 154 to detect the acceleration of the mobile terminal 90. Based on the frequency of changes in the low-frequency component of the detected acceleration waveform, it determines whether the vehicle AM is in a high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state, where it accelerates or decelerates (starting (acceleration from 0 speed), stopping (deceleration to 0 speed), acceleration, deceleration, etc.) at a frequency higher than that expected when the vehicle AM is driving on a normal road.

In the same scenario described above using the parking lot 20 shown in Figure 1 as an example, the user operates by pressing the accelerator pedal and brake pedal (not shown).
1) Slow down before the entrance/exit gate 24,
2) Acceleration immediately after entering the entry/exit gate 24,
3) Slowing down before reaching the parking space,
4) Accelerating immediately after entering the parking space, and 5) Decelerating to stop the vehicle in the parking space, the vehicle's driving state needs to be switched between deceleration and acceleration five times. Generally, when a vehicle travels the same distance on the road, the number of times a user switches between deceleration and acceleration is less.

Figure 34 shows an example of an acceleration waveform acquired when a vehicle accelerates and decelerates. As mentioned earlier, this acceleration waveform has both low-frequency and high-frequency components.

As mentioned above, the high-frequency components are shown in Figures 19(a) and 21(a), and these components vary depending on whether the user is walking or riding in a vehicle.

Specifically, Figure 19(a) reflects the shock waves received by the mobile terminal 90, which is attached to the user's body and moves integrally with it, via the user's feet and other parts of their body, when the user's feet make contact with the road surface while the user is walking. On the other hand, Figure 21(a) reflects the shock waves received by the mobile terminal 90, which is attached to the user's body and moves integrally with it, when the vehicle's tires roll over uneven road surfaces while the user is driving (riding in a vehicle), via the tires, suspension system, and seat, which are vehicle components with higher shock absorption capabilities than the feet and body.

In contrast, the low-frequency component represents the actual acceleration of the user or vehicle. Therefore, in high-frequency acceleration/deceleration conditions, the low-frequency component is taken as the primary component to focus on, representing the time profile (time history) of the vehicle's acceleration.

Based on these findings, the high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state determination step uses the acceleration sensor 154 to detect the acceleration of the mobile terminal 90, and determines whether the vehicle may be in a high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state by determining whether the change frequency m of the low-frequency component in the detected acceleration waveform is higher than the threshold m0.

Specifically, the high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state determination step determines whether the vehicle may be in a high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state by determining, for example, whether the number of times m in which the sign of acceleration changes from positive to negative and from negative to positive, per acceleration observation time Δt (in seconds) (e.g., 20 seconds, 30 seconds, 40 seconds), exceeds a threshold m0 (e.g., 4 times, 6 times, 8 times, or an intermediate value between these numbers).

Alternatively, if the ratio m/Δt (the number of occurrences m divided by the observation time Δt) exceeds a predetermined value (for example, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, or an intermediate value between these), it may be determined that the vehicle is potentially in a high-frequency acceleration/deceleration state.

1. Parking lot identification module upon entry

Returning to Figure 29, the entry parking lot identification module is explained as follows: After step S1202 shown in Figure 12 (the positioning unit 230, which is a GPS positioning unit or base station positioning unit, measures the current location CP of the mobile terminal 90), in step S2901, it is determined whether the current location CP1, which was measured during the previous execution of step S1202, was outside all spatial areas SP corresponding to all parking lots 20, or whether the current location CP2, which was measured during the execution immediately preceding step S1202, is within any of the spatial areas SP corresponding to any of the parking lots 20.

In other words, it is determined whether the user has moved from outside all spatial areas SP corresponding to all parking spaces 20 into any spatial area SP corresponding to any of the parking spaces 20, that is, whether they have just entered any spatial area SP.

Here, the spatial region SP corresponding to each parking lot 20 is jointly defined by the reference coordinate point RP (a function of the identification code of the parking lot 20) and the radius r (a function of the identification code of the parking lot 20) assigned to that parking lot 20, thereby defining one spatial region SP in absolute space. The combination of the reference coordinate point RP and the radius r associated with the parking lot 20 is stored in the memory 132 of the mobile terminal 90 as spatial region description data.

The spatial domain description data is downloaded in advance from the management server 50 for either all parking lots 20, or only for those parking lots 20 located near the current location of the mobile terminal 90 (for example, those within a predetermined distance from the current location).

Here, determining whether the current position is within the spatial region SP corresponding to each parking lot 20 can be done, for example, by calculating the distance D between the current position and the reference coordinate point of each parking lot 20. If this distance D is less than or equal to the radius r corresponding to each parking lot 20, it is determined that the current position is within the spatial region SP. If this distance D is greater than the radius r corresponding to each parking lot 20, it is determined that the current position is outside the spatial region SP.

If the result is NO, the process returns to step S1202. If the result is YES, in step S2902, one parking space 20 corresponding to the relevant spatial area SP is selected as a candidate for the parking space 20 entered by the user during the parking entry stage.

Next, in step S2905, the distance d is detected using the proximity sensor 158. Then, in step S2906, it is determined whether the distance d is shorter than the threshold d0 and whether the time profile of the distance d is steady over time.

If the determination in step S2906 is NO, it is determined that the mobile terminal 90 may be being carried by the user, and in step S2907, a warning message to the user is output from the mobile terminal 90 as an image or sound. This warning is intended to urge the user to place the mobile terminal 90 in a designated location inside the vehicle, for example, on the dashboard 180. The process then returns to step S1202.

In contrast, if the determination in step S2906 is YES, then in step S2908, it is determined that the mobile terminal 90 is not being carried by the user and may be permanently placed in a designated location inside the vehicle. That is, it is determined to be in an indoor-mounted state. In this case, the execution of the aforementioned high-frequency turning state determination process is permitted and initiated.

Specifically, in step S2909, the angular velocity of the mobile terminal 90, that is, the angular velocity (yaw rate) of the vehicle in this case, is detected by using the gyro sensor 156.

Next, in step S2910, the frequency of change in the direction (positive or negative) of the angular velocity (e.g., the number of times the user reversed the vehicle's steering wheel switch per unit time, the frequency of the angular velocity waveform, etc.) n is calculated from the waveform of the angular velocity detection value over a certain period of time. For example, this frequency of change n is the number of times the user reversed the vehicle's steering wheel switch within the past 5, 10, or 20 seconds.

Subsequently, in step S2911, it is determined whether the change frequency n is higher than the threshold n0. The threshold n0 is, for example, 2, 4, or 6.

If the frequency of change n is less than or equal to the threshold n0, the determination in step S2911 is NO. In this case, it is determined that there is a high probability that the vehicle is traveling on a normal road, and the process then returns to step S1202.

In contrast, if the change frequency n is higher than the threshold n0, the determination in step S2911 becomes YES, and in step S2912, it is determined that the vehicle may be in a high-frequency turning state.

Next, in step S2913, it is determined that the user has actually entered the candidate parking lot by getting into the vehicle. Then, in step S2914, the candidate parking lot is identified as the parking lot 20 where the user is currently located, i.e., the parking lot into which the user entered during the parking stage. Next, the process proceeds to step S1204 in Figure 12.

Subsequently, in step S1208, the mobile terminal 90 transmits the user ID, parking ID, vehicle information, and boarding/entry data indicating that the user boarded a vehicle and entered parking lot 20 at the entry stage to the management server 50. In response, the management server 50 receives this information from the mobile terminal 90 in step S1252.

2. Parking lot identification module upon exit.

Figure 30 shows a modified example in which step S1602 of the exit processing program shown in Figure 16 should be replaced. This modification is represented as an exit entry parking lot identification module that identifies the parking lot into which the user entered on foot during the exit stage.

To explain this exit-and-entry parking lot identification module, after the execution of step S1601 shown in Figure 16, in step S3001, similar to step S2901 described above, it is determined whether the user has moved from outside all spatial areas SP corresponding to all parking lots 20 into any spatial area SP corresponding to any of the parking lots 20.

If the result is NO, the process returns to step S1601. If the result is YES, in step S3002, one parking space 20 corresponding to the relevant spatial area SP is selected as a candidate for the parking space 20 into which the user entered during the exit stage.

Next, in step S3003, the acceleration waveform is acquired using the acceleration sensor 154 in the same manner as in step S2903 described above. Furthermore, high-frequency components are extracted from this acceleration waveform, and their frequency F is calculated.

Subsequently, in step S3004, it is determined whether the calculated frequency F is higher than the threshold F0.

If frequency F is lower than threshold F0, the determination in step S3004 is NO, and the system is determined to be in a riding state, returning to step S1601. However, if frequency F is greater than or equal to threshold F0, the determination in step S3004 is YES, and in step S3005, the system is determined to be in a walking state.

Next, in step S3006, it is determined that the user has actually walked into the candidate parking lot. Then, in step S3007, that candidate parking lot is identified as the parking lot 20 where the user is currently located, i.e., the parking lot into which the user entered during the exit stage. Next, the process proceeds to step S1603 in Figure 16.

3. Parking lot identification module upon exit.

Figure 31 shows a flowchart illustrating two variations of the exit processing program shown across Figures 16 and 17: a first variation in which sections S1615-S1618 (first replacement section) in Figure 16 should be replaced, and a second variation in which section S1621 (second replacement section) in Figure 16 should be replaced. These variations are represented as an exit parking lot identification module that identifies the parking lot from which the user exited during the exit stage.

In the first modified example, if the determination in step S1613 of Figure 16 is NO, the execution of this exit parking lot identification module is started. In the second modified example, if the determination in step S1610 of Figure 16 is NO, the execution of this exit parking lot identification module is started.

In each of the modified versions, when the execution of this exit parking lot identification module begins, first, in step S3101, the positioning unit 230, which is either a GPS positioning unit or a base station positioning unit, measures the current location CP of the mobile terminal 90. Next, in step S3102, it is determined whether the current location CP1 measured during the previous execution of step S3101 was within one of the spatial areas SP corresponding to one of the parking lots 20, or whether the current location CP2 measured during the execution immediately preceding step S3102 is outside of that spatial area SP.

In other words, it is determined whether the user has moved from one of the spatial areas SP corresponding to one of the parking lots 20 to the outside of that spatial area SP, that is, whether or not they have just exited one of the spatial areas SP.

If the determination in step S3102 is NO, the process proceeds to step S1613 for the first modified example, and to step S1609 for the second modified example.

In response to this, if the determination in step S3102 is YES, then in step S2902, one parking lot 20 corresponding to the spatial area SP to which the user's current position was located immediately before is selected as a candidate parking lot 20 from which the user exited during the exit stage.

Next, in step S3104, the acceleration waveform is acquired over a certain period of time (analysis window) using the acceleration sensor 154, as illustrated in Figure 34. Furthermore, high-frequency components are extracted from this acceleration waveform using a digital high-pass filter. Then, the frequency F (for example, the frequency F1 or F2 of the large-amplitude frequency component shown in Figures 20(a) and 22(a)) is calculated from these high-frequency components.

Subsequently, in step S3105, it is determined whether the calculated frequency F is lower than the threshold F0 (which is equivalent to the second threshold F0).

If frequency F is greater than or equal to threshold F0, the determination in step S3105 is NO, and the system is determined to be in a walking state. The system then proceeds to the appropriate step among S1613, S1609, and S1628. However, if frequency F is lower than threshold F0, the determination in step S3105 is YES, and the system is determined to be in a riding state in step S3106.

Next, in step S3107, it is determined that the user has actually boarded a vehicle and exited the candidate parking lot. Then, in step S3108, the candidate parking lot is identified as the parking lot from which the user boarded a vehicle and exited during the exit stage. Following this, the first modified example proceeds to step S1619, and the second modified example proceeds to step S1622.

Subsequently, in the first modified example, the mobile terminal 90, in step S1619, further transmits exit operation data (corresponding to a combination of exit operation detection data indicating that an exit operation occurred and exit operation detection data indicating that the user entered the vehicle and exited the candidate parking lot) to the management server 50, indicating that the user entered the vehicle and exited the parking lot at the exit stage. In response, the management server 50 receives this exit operation data from the mobile terminal 90 in step S1656. The management server 50 then sets the current time as the exit time, updates the parking lot status management table to reflect the exit time, and further updates the exited flag to ON.

Furthermore, in the second modified example, in step S1623, the mobile terminal 90 further transmits data indicating that the user, at the exit stage, boarded the vehicle and exited the candidate parking lot without performing an exit operation (corresponding to a combination of exit operation discrimination data indicating no exit operation and boarding/exit discrimination data indicating that the user boarded the vehicle and exited). The management server 50 receives this data from the mobile terminal 90. The management server 50 then updates the parking lot status management table so that the re-entry flag is turned ON.

Comparison of the first and second embodiments with this embodiment.

According to the first and second embodiments, in the vehicle entry stage, the user's location information is referenced, but neither the user's behavior information nor the vehicle's behavior information is referenced during the vehicle entry process. In contrast, in the vehicle exit stage, the user's location information and user behavior information (whether walking or riding) are referenced, but the vehicle's behavior information is not referenced during the vehicle exit process.

As a result, according to the first and second embodiments, in the entry stage, it is not possible to distinguish whether the user entered one of the parking lots 20 on foot or by vehicle (in fact, in the entry stage, it is not usually conceivable that the user would enter one of the parking lots 20 on foot). However, in the exit stage, it is possible to distinguish whether the user left the used parking lot 20 on foot or by vehicle.

However, if it is unnecessary to distinguish whether the user walked out of parking lot 20 or got into a vehicle to leave (for example, if re-entry within the valid parking time is not permitted), then it becomes unnecessary to refer to user behavior information not only in the entry stage but also in the exit stage.

In contrast, according to this embodiment, unlike the first and second embodiments, in the vehicle entry stage, the user's location information and vehicle behavior information (e.g., high-frequency turning, high-frequency acceleration/deceleration) are referenced, but the user's action information is not referenced when the vehicle entry process is performed.

Therefore, unlike the first and second embodiments, this embodiment also references vehicle behavior information. As a result, the reliability of the system 10 is improved compared to the first and second embodiments, in terms of the technology for identifying the parking lot currently in use by the user, even though it does not depend on the equipment installed in the parking lot 20.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, similar to the first and second embodiments, in the exit stage, the user's location information and behavior information are referenced, but the vehicle's behavior information is not referenced when the exit process is performed. Therefore, it becomes possible to distinguish whether the user exited the parking lot 20 on foot or by getting into a vehicle.

However, it is not essential to refer to user behavior information during the vehicle entry and/or exit processes when implementing the present invention. This is because, if the user is required to place their mobile terminal 90 in a designated location within their vehicle in order to use the parking lot 20, the aforementioned vehicle entry and/or exit processes will be performed with the mobile terminal 90 present within the vehicle, and therefore these processes do not require user behavior information.

Furthermore, the technical concept of performing parking and/or exit processing by referring at least the user's location information and vehicle behavior information (e.g., high-frequency turning, high-frequency acceleration/deceleration) during the parking entry and/or exit stages can be applied to any parking lot 20, regardless of its operating model. For example, it can be applied to both prepaid and postpaid hourly rental systems.

[Fourth Embodiment]

Next, a parking management system 10 and a parking management method according to an exemplary fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. However, elements common to the first to third embodiments will be referenced using the same reference numerals or names, omitting redundant explanations, and only the different elements will be described in detail.

Figure 35 is a time chart illustrating how the status (occupied, operational) of each parking space 22 changes over time for each user in a parking lot 20, in order to explain the operating principles of the parking lot status management table creation/update unit and the vacancy determination unit in this system 10. Figure 36 is a flowchart conceptually representing the management table creation/update module for implementing the management table creation/update unit in this system 10.

The system 10 according to this embodiment is designed to manage a prepaid, time-based parking lot 20, similar to the first to third embodiments.

Specifically, in the parking entry stage, as shown in the upper part of Figure 36, in step S3601, the user enters their user ID into the mobile terminal 90. Next, in step S3602, the mobile terminal 90 selects the parking lot 20 to be entered (the parking lot into which the user entered while in their vehicle). That is, for example, following the algorithm shown in Figure 29, the mobile terminal identifies the entered parking lot 20 by referring to the user's location information and vehicle behavior information.

Next, in step S3603, the user ultimately signals their intention to enter parking lot 20 to the management server 50 by operating the entry button on the mobile terminal 90. Then, in step S3604, the user enters the valid parking time into the mobile terminal 90.

Next, in step S3605, the mobile terminal 90 transmits the above-mentioned information to the management server 50: the user ID, the parking lot ID representing the parking lot 20 into which the vehicle was parked (an example of the "parking lot identification data" mentioned above), the valid parking time, and parking operation data indicating that the user performed the parking operation (an example of the "first transmission step" mentioned above).

Subsequently, in step S3606, the user pays a prepaid parking fee corresponding to the length of the effective parking time via the mobile terminal 90. Then, in step S3607, the user exits the vehicle while leaving it parked in the parking lot 20, and then walks through the parking lot 20 to exit through the entrance/exit 24.

In the first to third embodiments, neither the mobile terminal 90 nor the management server 50 has an algorithm to determine whether the user walked out of the parking lot 20 during the entry stage. However, they may execute an algorithm similar to the one shown in steps S3101-S3105 of Figure 31, thereby automatically determining whether the user walked out of the parking lot 20.

In response, the management server 50 receives various information transmitted from the mobile terminal 90 in step S3605 in step S3651. Subsequently, in step S3652, it creates a parking lot status management table (hereinafter simply referred to as the "management table") as shown in Figure 26, in the same manner as in the first to third embodiments (this is an example of the "management table creation and update process" described above).

Subsequently, in step S3653, the management server 50 initializes the status of various flags in the management table. The reason for initializing the status of the various flags is that, in this case, the process is in the receiving stage. Specifically, the received flag is initialized to ON, but the re-receiving permission flag, temporary outbound flag, outbound flag, regular outbound flag, and deemed outbound flag are all initialized to OFF.

Next, in the exit stage, as shown in the lower part of Figure 36, first, in step S3611, the user enters their user ID into the mobile terminal 90. Then, in step S3612, the mobile terminal 90 selects the parking lot 20 from which the user is attempting to exit (the parking lot into which the user entered on foot for the purpose of exiting). That is, for example, following the algorithm shown in Figure 30, the mobile terminal identifies the parking lot 20 from which the user is attempting to exit by referring to the user's location information and behavioral information.

Next, in step S3613, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the current parking ID of parking lot 20 matches the parking ID of the entry parking lot 20 that is stored in the management table associated with the user.

If a match is found, in step S3614, the mobile terminal 90 creates exit operation determination data indicating whether the user operated the exit button on the mobile terminal 90, that is, whether an exit operation was performed as an expression of intent.

Next, regardless of whether an exit operation was performed, in step S3615, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether or not it has exited the parking lot 20, following an algorithm similar to that shown in steps S3101 and S3102 in Figure 31.

If it is determined that the user has left the vehicle, in step S3616, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether the user is in a state of being in the vehicle, following an algorithm similar to that shown in steps S3104-S3106 of Figure 31.

Subsequently, in step S3617, the mobile terminal 90, based on the determination results from steps S3615 and S3616, creates boarding/exiting determination data indicating whether the user exited the parking lot 20 while still in the vehicle. This boarding/exiting determination data, along with the exit operation determination data, is then transmitted to the management server 50, associated with the user (this is an example of the "second transmission step" described above).

In response, in step S3671, the management server 50 receives boarding/exiting determination data and exit operation determination data from the mobile terminal 90, associating them with the user. Subsequently, in step S3672, the management server 50 determines whether the valid parking time (e.g., scheduled exit time) in the management table has expired at the current time measured by the clock 172, i.e., whether the time has been exceeded.

If it is determined that the time has been exceeded, in step S3673, the management server 50 updates the management table by updating the status of various flags (this is an example of the "management table creation and update process" described above).

Specifically, the management server 50 determines that a temporary exit has occurred if the received boarding/exit determination data indicates that the user has exited while in the vehicle, the received exit operation determination data indicates that no exit operation was performed, and the valid parking time has not expired at the time of receipt of the data. The server then switches the temporary exit flag from OFF to ON, and further switches the re-entry permission flag, which indicates that the user is granted the right to re-enter the same parking lot, from OFF to ON.

Furthermore, if the received boarding/exit determination data indicates that the user is leaving while in the vehicle, and the received exit operation determination data indicates that an exit operation is performed, and the valid parking time has not expired at the time of receipt of the data, the management server 50 determines that a legitimate exit has been completed, switches the legitimate exit flag from OFF to ON, and further switches the exited flag from OFF to ON.

Furthermore, after determining that a provisional vehicle has been released, the management server 50 determines whether the valid parking time has expired at the time of reception. If it has expired, it determines that a deemed vehicle release has been completed and switches the state of the deemed vehicle release flag from OFF to ON. In this case as well, similar to the case where a regular vehicle release is completed, it switches the state of the vehicle release flag from OFF to ON.

Furthermore, the management server 50, while the re-entry permission flag is ON, determines whether the valid parking time has expired at the time of reception. If it has expired, it switches the state of the re-entry permission flag from ON to OFF in order to revoke the re-entry permission.

Furthermore, to conserve memory capacity (such as memory 162), the management server 50 may delete the corresponding user's behavior pattern from the management table in each judgment cycle if a regular or deemed shipment is successful. In that case, in the example shown in Figure 35, at time t5, the data for user number 1 will not exist in the management table.

In the first to third embodiments, as shown in Figure 7, the management server 50 has a vacancy determination unit 304. This vacancy determination unit 304 may be mounted on a mobile terminal 90, but in any case, for each parking lot, it determines whether or not there are unused vacant spaces among the multiple parking spaces in the parking lot 20, based on the number of confirmed entries and exits.

Specifically, the vacancy determination unit 304 deducts one from the number of unused vacant spaces within each parking lot 20 each time a vehicle entry is confirmed, and adds one to the vacancy count each time an actual exit operation (regular exit) or deemed exit is confirmed.

In the first to third embodiments, the mobile terminal 90 receives occupancy status data (also referred to as congestion data representing the degree of vehicle congestion in the parking lot 20, parking status data representing the parking lot status, parking lot operation status data, parking lot occupancy status data, etc.) from the occupancy determination unit 304 of the management server 50 for each parking lot 20, distinguishing whether there are vacancies or not. That is, whether the parking lot is currently full (no vacancies) or vacant (at least one vacancy exists).

In the first to third embodiments, if a user leaves the parking lot 20 by getting into their vehicle before the valid parking time expires, and does not perform the exit operation at that time (temporary exit), the user is granted the right to re-enter the same parking lot 20, whether actively or effectively, until the valid parking time expires.

On the other hand, in the first to third embodiments, it is possible to distinguish whether the user left the parking lot 20 by getting into the vehicle (together with the vehicle) or by walking out of the parking lot 20 (leaving the vehicle parked in the parking lot 20).

Here, if a user performs the aforementioned temporary exit, there are two possibilities: the user may exercise their right to re-enter the parking space before the valid parking time expires and actually re-enter the space; or the user may not exercise that right and not actually re-enter the space, resulting in the vehicle being treated as having been deemed to have been exited once the valid parking time expires.

If the former possibility is given more weight than the latter, and the vacancy determination for parking space 20 is made conservatively (prioritizing the user's interests), then, as a result, "even if a temporary vehicle is taken out, the vehicle is still considered to be present in parking space 20 for that user, and the vacancy determination is made accordingly." This could lead to the unnecessary creation of vacant spaces in parking space 20 that are not being used by other users.

In contrast, if the latter possibility is given more weight than the former, and the vacancy determination for parking lot 20 is made boldly (prioritizing the parking lot manager's interests), the result will be that "when a temporary exit occurs, it is assumed that the user will not re-enter the parking lot, and the vacancy determination is made accordingly." Therefore, even if the same user tries to re-enter parking lot 20, there is a risk that no vacancies will exist, and they will be unable to re-enter.

Given these circumstances, the system 10 according to this embodiment, when determining whether a parking space is vacant or full without considering the expected number of future re-entries, will determine that the space is vacant. However, if the system determines that the space is full when considering the expected number of future re-entries, it will ultimately determine that the space is congested. This effectively balances the interests of both the user and the parking lot manager.

Here, we will briefly explain the algorithm used by this system 10 to determine room vacancy.

This system 10 repeatedly determines the vacancy status of each parking space 20 for each user, at predetermined time intervals Δt. The reason this vacancy determination is performed per user, rather than per parking space 22, is that in this embodiment, it is unnecessary to manage which parking space 22 each user is parked in.

Here, the "time interval Δt" is typically set to be shorter than the minimum parking time required for a vehicle to enter and exit a parking space 20. In other words, it is set so that a vehicle does not enter and exit a parking space 20 within a single time interval Δt. For example, it might be 1 minute, 5 minutes, or 10 minutes.

However, the time interval Δt is a trade-off: a shorter interval allows for more accurate monitoring of the actual status of the parking lot 20, but increases the processing load on the management server 50. Therefore, it should be set to strike a good balance between monitoring accuracy and processing load.

Furthermore, this system 10 determines the vacancy status of each parking lot 20 by determining whether the operating status of each parking lot 20 falls into one of three operating states: a full state where no parking spaces 22 are available, an empty state where some parking spaces 22 are available, or a congested state where it is possible that the parking lot is either full or empty.

Specifically, this system 10 performs vacancy determination for each parking space 20 for each user, repeatedly at predetermined time intervals, by referring to the management table exemplified in Figure 26.

This system 10 observes changes in the user's behavior patterns toward the parking lot 20 in accordance with the latest contents of the management table for each judgment cycle.

Specifically, in each judgment cycle, the system 10, based on the contents of the management table, for each parking lot 20,
X1: The number of valid parking spaces, which is the number of users whose valid parking time does not expire during each judgment cycle,
X2: The number of confirmed exits, which is the number of users whose valid parking time did not expire during each judgment cycle and whose exit while in the vehicle was accompanied by the exit operation,
X3: During each judgment cycle, the number of uncertain exits is calculated, which is the number of users who are granted the right to re-enter the same parking lot because the effective parking time has not expired and the user has left the parking lot in the state described above without performing the exit operation.

Here, the uncertain number of exits X3 may not match the number of users who actually re-entered the parking lot afterward. If they do match, the calculated value of the actual number of parking spaces Y is:
Y = X1 - X2
However, if they do not match, the calculated value of the actual number of parking spaces Y is:
Y = X1 - (X2 + X3).

Thus, the calculated value of the actual number of parking spaces Y is fluid and fluctuates depending on the number of users who actually re-entered the parking lot.
Ymin <= Y <= Y max

Based on the relationship between the three calculated values X1, X2, and X3 and the total number of parking spaces 22 in each parking lot 20 that are allocated for hourly rental to users (the total number of parking spaces 22 scheduled for hourly rental to users, from a state where no hourly rentals are being made to users) Z, the system 10 predicts, according to a predetermined determination rule, whether the operating status of each parking lot 20 immediately after each determination cycle is full, empty, or congested.

Here, "total number Z" may be defined as the sum of all n of the multiple parking spaces 22 allocated to each parking lot 20. Alternatively, if some of these parking spaces 22 are not for hourly rentals, but for example, for monthly contract holders, as illustrated in Figure 1, then the total number Z may be defined as a number less than n.

Furthermore, the "predetermined decision rule" is defined as one decision rule selected from multiple potential decision rules, or a combination of multiple decision rules.

Here, the "potential multiple decision rules" are classified into two categories: decision rules that do not assume the occurrence of uncertain outgoing items x 3, i.e., future re-entries (rules that do not assume re-entries), and decision rules that do assume them.

First, according to an example of a determination rule that does not assume re-entry, the number of users using each parking lot 20 at each time, i.e., the maximum number of parking spaces Ymax, is
Ymax=X1-(X2+X3)
It is defined by the following formula.

Furthermore, if the condition Ymax < Z is met, parking lot 20 is determined to be vacant. Conversely, if the condition Ymax = Z is met, parking lot 20 is determined to be full.

Next, according to an example of a determination rule that assumes re-entry, the number of users using each parking lot 20 at each time, i.e., the minimum number of parking spaces Ymin, is
Ymin = X1 - X2
It is defined by the following formula.

Furthermore, if the condition Ymin < Z is met, parking lot 20 is determined to be vacant. Conversely, if the condition Ymin = Z is met, parking lot 20 is determined to be full.

One example of a "potential determination rule" is that, in each determination cycle, if the occupancy status of parking lot 20 is determined to be either full or empty based on the maximum number of parking spaces Y1, the determination result is set to full. However, if the occupancy status of parking lot 20 is determined to be either full or empty based on the minimum number of parking spaces Y2, and the determination result is empty, then the final determination result is set to congested.

Another example of a "potential determination rule" is that, in each determination cycle, if the determination result from the previous determination cycle was full or congested, this is not taken into consideration, and if the occupancy status of parking lot 20 is determined to be full or empty based on the minimum number of parking spaces Y2, then the final determination result is determined to be congested.

In any case, according to this system 10, it is not possible to definitively determine whether the operating status of each parking lot 20 is empty or full. In fact, if there is a possibility of fluctuation between empty and full, the parking lot 20 is determined to be in a congested state, neither empty nor full.

This means that users who are informed that parking lot 20 is crowded can arrive at the location prepared for the possibility of not finding a vacant space, but still hope to find one. Even if they don't find a vacant space when they arrive, they won't feel too upset.

Figure 37 is a flowchart conceptually representing the vacancy determination module, which is executed by the processor 160 of the management server 50 to perform the vacancy determination unit 304 of the system 10, which determines vacancy status according to the algorithm described above.

This vacancy detection module performs one detection cycle for each different parking lot 20 after the aforementioned time interval Δt has elapsed.

In each vacancy determination cycle of this vacancy determination module, first, in step S3701, the parking lot 20 to be executed this time is selected from among the multiple parking lots 20 managed by the management server 50, and the management table corresponding to the selected parking lot 20 is read from memory 162.

Next, in step S3702, the number of users whose scheduled departure time (the rightmost position of the solid or dashed line in Figure 35) is in the future from the current time (for example, t5) is counted as the number of valid parking spaces X1, and this value is stored in memory 162 in association with parking lot 20.

For example, in the scenario shown in Figure 35, at time t5, the number of valid parking spaces X1 is counted as "5," based on the valid parking times of five users, numbered 2-4, 6, and 7, respectively.

Next, in step S3703, the number of users whose regular departure flag transitioned from OFF to ON during the current judgment cycle (between time t4 and time t5 for time t5) is counted as the confirmed departure count X2 in the management table, and this value is stored in memory 162 in association with parking lot 20.

For example, in the scenario shown in Figure 35, the number of confirmed shipments X2 is counted as "1" due to a regular shipment by user number 4 between time t4 and time t5.

Subsequently, in step S3704, the number of users with the temporary departure flag ON in the management table is counted as the number of uncertain departures X3, and this value is stored in memory 162 in association with parking lot 20.

For example, in the scenario shown in Figure 35, at time t5, the number of uncertain shipments X3 is counted as "2," due to provisional shipments for two users, numbered 6 and 7, respectively.

Furthermore, although the user with number 5 has experience with provisional shipments, they were subsequently treated as having made a deemed shipment, and the provisional shipment flag was turned OFF. Therefore, they are not included in the count of uncertain shipments (x3).

Subsequently, in step S3706, the maximum number of parking spaces Ymax is calculated using the counted number of valid parking spaces X1 and the number of confirmed exits X2, and this value is stored in memory 162 in association with parking lot 20.

For example, in the scenario shown in Figure 35, at time t5, the maximum number of parking spaces Ymax is calculated to be 4 (= 5 - 1).

Next, in step S3707, the minimum number of parking spaces Ymin is calculated using the counted number of valid parking spaces X1, the number of confirmed exits X2, and the number of uncertain exits X3, and this value is stored in memory 162 in association with parking lot 20.

For example, in the scenario shown in Figure 35, at time t5, the minimum number of parking spaces Ymin is calculated to be 2 (= 5 - (1 + 2)).

Subsequently, in step S3708, it is determined whether the maximum number of parking spaces Ymax is less than the total number Z. If the maximum number of parking spaces Ymax is less than the total number Z, that is, if the calculated value of the actual number of parking spaces Y, assuming re-entry, is less than the total number Z (empty state), then in step S3709, it is determined that parking lot 20 is empty.

In contrast, if the maximum number of parking spaces Ymax is greater than or equal to the total number Z, that is, if the calculated value of the actual number of parking spaces Y is not determined to be less than the total number Z (empty state) when considering re-entry, then in step S3710, it is determined whether the minimum number of parking spaces Ymin is less than the total number Z.

If the minimum number of parking spaces Ymin is less than the total number Z, that is, if the calculated value of the actual number of parking spaces Y is less than the total number Z (empty) only when re-entry is not considered, then in step S3712, it is determined that the parking lot 20 is congested.

In contrast, if the minimum number of parking spaces Ymin is equal to or greater than the total number Z, that is, if the calculated value of the actual number of parking spaces Y is equal to or greater than the total number Z, then in step S3711, it is determined that the parking lot 20 is full.

In this embodiment, the user's mobile terminal 90 is used for determining the vacancy status. However, since the mobile terminal 90 does not always move with the vehicle, the behavior of the mobile terminal 90 does not always coincide with the behavior of the vehicle.

Therefore, in this embodiment, at least during the exit stage, the sensor function installed in the mobile terminal 90 is used to distinguish whether the user exited the parking lot 20 by getting into the vehicle (exiting with the vehicle) or by walking out (the user exiting alone while the vehicle remained parked).

Therefore, according to this embodiment, the vacancy determination can be performed using the user's mobile terminal 90 without installing dedicated equipment in the parking lot 20. However, this is not essential for carrying out the present invention.

In other words, the vacancy determination may be performed using dedicated equipment such as vehicle presence sensors (e.g., proximity sensors, reflected light sensors, etc.) installed for each parking space 22 in the parking lot 20, license plate cameras installed for each parking space 22 in the parking lot 20 (in this case, the parking lot may be managed per vehicle, not per user), or vehicle passage detection sensors installed at the entrance/exit gate 24 of the parking lot 20 (in this case, the parking lot may be managed per user, not per parking space 22). Alternatively, it may be performed using dedicated equipment such as the toll payment device and exit gate management device described in Patent Document 3 (in this case, the parking lot may be managed per user).

In short, the present invention can be applied to any type of prepaid parking lot, as long as re-entry is permitted within the valid parking time.

In other words, in this embodiment, as described above, instead of focusing individually on multiple parking spaces 22 within a parking lot 20 and considering whether each parking space 22 is available or not, the system focuses individually on multiple users using multiple vehicles that are actually present in that parking lot 20 at each given moment. Data (various flags, etc.) that allows for the reconstruction of each user's chronological behavioral pattern is recorded in a parking lot status management table (Figure 26), associated with the user and linked to time and chronological order.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the number of users actually present in the parking lot 20 at each moment is determined as the actual number of parked spaces in the parking lot 20. In addition, vacancy determination is performed assuming re-entry after temporary exit, and vacancy determination is performed assuming no such occurrence, and the actual number of parked spaces in the parking lot 20 in the future is predicted for each possibility.

If the predicted value does not exceed the number of available parking spaces Z in the parking lot 20, it is determined to be vacant. If the predicted value matches, it is determined to be full. Furthermore, based on a comparison between a vacancy determination that anticipates re-entry after temporary exit and a vacancy determination that does not anticipate this, the determination result is changed from vacant to crowded to avoid disappointing users who expect that determination result.

Furthermore, while the above-described embodiments are some specific examples of applying the present invention to parking services for automobiles, the present invention can also be applied to parking services for bicycles or motorcycles, for example.

Furthermore, while the above-described embodiments are some specific examples of applying the present invention to a communication environment in which a user's portable terminal 90, which may be carried by the user or installed in a vehicle, is used as the "user information processing terminal" in the present invention, the present invention can also be applied to a communication environment in which, for example, a computer installed in the user's vehicle having communication functions and vehicle behavior information acquisition functions is used as the "user information processing terminal" in the present invention.

In other words, the "user information processing terminal" in this invention may be an information processing terminal intended to be carried by the user, or an information processing terminal installed in a vehicle.

However, when applying the present invention to a communication environment in which such an in-vehicle computer is used as the "user information processing terminal" in the present invention, since the in-vehicle computer always moves with the user's vehicle, it becomes unnecessary to distinguish whether the "user information processing terminal" in the present invention is moving with the walking user's body or moving with the vehicle separately from the user's body, or whether it is being carried by the user or installed inside the vehicle.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, these are merely examples, and the present invention can be implemented in various modified and improved forms based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, starting with the embodiments described in the [Summary of the Invention] section above.

Claims (10)

A parking management system for managing multiple parking lots, each having multiple parking spaces ,
A parking information output unit is installed in each parking lot and outputs parking information to identify that parking lot,
A server that can communicate with the user information processing terminals in each parking lot.
Includes,
That server is
When the user enters any parking lot with their vehicle, the parking information output from the parking information output unit corresponding to that parking lot is used as entry parking information, and parking- related information for identifying the user, the vehicle, and at least one of the multiple parking spaces that the user wishes to use is used as entry parking-related information , respectively, received from the information processing terminal by the entry receiving unit.
When the goods are brought into storage, the storage time measurement unit measures the time of arrival in response to a reception from the information processing terminal,
When the user exits a parking lot with their vehicle, the exit receiving unit receives parking-related information from the information processing terminal as exit parking-related information to identify the user exiting, the vehicle being exited , or the parking space being exited .
When the goods are dispatched, the dispatch time measurement unit measures the dispatch time in response to a reception from the information processing terminal,
A parking management system including a parking time calculation unit that calculates the length of parking time based on the entry time and the exit time when the vehicle is being taken out of the parking lot, provided that the exit parking information matches the entry parking information. A parking management system that manages multiple parking lots, each having multiple parking spaces, on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis rather than on a space-by-space basis,
A parking information output unit is installed in each parking lot and outputs parking information for identifying that parking lot, not for each individual parking space, within the parking lot itself.
Includes a server that can communicate with the user information processing terminals of each parking lot,
That server is
When the user enters any parking lot with their vehicle, the parking information output from the parking information output unit corresponding to that parking lot is received from the information processing terminal as parking information at the time of entry, and vehicle information including the license plate number of the vehicle being entered is received as vehicle information at the time of entry.
When the goods are brought into storage, the storage time measurement unit measures the time of arrival in response to a reception from the information processing terminal,
When the user exits a parking lot with their vehicle, the exit receiving unit receives vehicle information, including the license plate number of the vehicle being exited, from the information processing terminal as exit vehicle information.
When the goods are dispatched, the dispatch time measurement unit measures the dispatch time in response to a reception from the information processing terminal,
A parking management system including a parking time calculation unit that calculates the length of parking time based on the entry time and the exit time when the vehicle exits the parking lot and the vehicle information at the time of entry matches the vehicle information at the time of entry. The parking management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the parking information output unit includes a transmitter installed in each parking lot that transmits a signal specific to the corresponding parking lot as a signal representing the parking information . The parking management system according to claim 2 , wherein the vehicle information includes vehicle image data obtained as image data specific to the vehicle by photographing the vehicle . The aforementioned server,
The parking management system according to claim 1 or 2, which includes a parking identification unit that enables the identification of a parking lot where the user may be staying, based on the current location measured by a positioning unit of the information processing terminal, which is an off-site transmitter installed outside each parking lot, or the current location measured based on a signal received by the information processing terminal from an on-site transmitter installed inside each parking lot, when the user enters or exits the parking lot. A program for functioning as the server described in claim 1 or 2 . A program executed by the computer of the user's information processing terminal of the parking management system described in claim 1,
The aforementioned information processing terminal has multiple functions,
When entering the parking area, the function transmits the parking-related information to the server as the parking-related information at the time of entry.
When the vehicle is taken out, the function transmits the parking-related information to the server as the parking-related information at the time of departure.
Includes,
A program executed by the computer to realize those functions . A program executed by the computer of the user information processing terminal of the parking management system according to claim 2 ,
The aforementioned information processing terminal has multiple functions,
When the vehicle is brought into the depot, the function transmits the vehicle information to the server as the vehicle information at the time of arrival.
The function includes transmitting the vehicle information to the server as the vehicle information at the time of departure when the vehicle is released from storage.
A program executed by the computer to realize those functions. A recording medium in which the program described in claim 7 is recorded in a computer-readable format. A recording medium on which the program described in claim 8 is recorded in a computer-readable format.