WO2017045869A1 - Securing of a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

Parking system comprising a parking lot (105) that has a parking space (110) for parking a motor vehicle, an occupancy sensor (120) for sensing whether or not a motor vehicle is located in the parking space (110), and a processing device (130) for planning a use of the parking space by the motor vehicle, the processing device being designed to determine that a motor vehicle that had been parked in the parking space has been removed unexpectedly and then trigger an action.

Description

 Description title

 Securing a motor vehicle

State of the art

The invention relates to the safety of a motor vehicle. In particular, the invention relates to securing a motor vehicle in a parking lot. State of the art

In order to manage a parking lot with several parking spaces for parking motor vehicles, it is known to use an automated management system. Each parking space of the parking lot is assigned an occupancy sensor, which checks whether there is a motor vehicle on the parking space or not. A processing device can generate an occupancy map from the messages of all occupancy sensors, which can be retrievable, for example, via the Internet. In addition, the processing means may be arranged in known manner to manage a reservation or billing for the use of a parking space.

If a motor vehicle parked on a parking space in the parking lot is illegally removed or stolen, it may take a long time for an owner of the motor vehicle to notice the loss. For effective countermeasures it is often too late.

The invention is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved security of a motor vehicle against unauthorized removal from a parking lot. The invention achieves this object by means of the objects of the independent claims. Subclaims give preferred embodiments again. A method for securing a motor vehicle against unauthorized removal includes steps of scanning a parking lot of a parking lot by means of an occupancy sensor associated with the parking space, detecting that the motor vehicle has been removed from the parking space, determining that the removal was unplanned, and triggering an action.

Whether the removal of the motor vehicle was unplanned or not can be determined, for example, on the basis of information of a parking lot management system. If the vehicle was removed unplanned, it can be concluded that a possible theft attempt of the motor vehicle. In particular, the action may include means that can directly serve the replacement or damage minimization. By the method described, the removal of the motor vehicle can be detected promptly, so that the triggered action can show an improved effect.

In a preferred embodiment, the action is triggered if the motor vehicle is removed before the end of a planned shutdown period. If the parking space has been reserved or paid, for example, for a predetermined parking period, then a planned point in time at which the motor vehicle is removed from the parking space is usually within a relatively small time window before the scheduled time has expired

Of release. This time window may be predetermined or adjustable by a user. In one embodiment, this time window is, for example, 20 minutes, 15 minutes, 10 minutes or 5 minutes. The planned parking time can be easily provided, for example, by a parking management system.

In one embodiment, the action includes detecting a confirmation of a person responsible for the motor vehicle or the parking lot. In other words, confirmation of the impossibility of removing the motor vehicle from the parking space can be obtained. The person may include in particular a driver of the motor vehicle or a caretaker of the parking lot. If this person confirms the illegality or if the confirmation of the legitimacy of the removal remains unconfirmed for a predetermined period of time, the action can be triggered. This period of time may be, for example, 30 seconds or one minute. A false alarm can be effectively prevented in this way. In a further embodiment, the action includes establishing a physical barrier to leave the parking lot by the motor vehicle. For example, a barrier may be closed at an exit, an immobilizer may be extended from the parking lot floor, or a gate near the exit may be closed. In this way, the unplanned or unlawfully removed from the parking space motor vehicle can be kept in the parking area. In yet another embodiment, the action includes issuing a

Message. In particular, the message may be issued to a driver, a security guard or an official body such as the person. The notified person or group of persons may then deal appropriately with the remote motor vehicle.

In a preferred embodiment, additional information is recorded in the area of the parking area and recorded over a predetermined period of time. The message includes the additional information. As a result, a course of the removal of the motor vehicle from the parking space can be documented in an improved manner. In particular, the notified

Person or group of people immediately assess the situation better.

The information may include one of a camera image, an image sequence, a date, a time, and reservation information for using the parking space. Additional additional information may also be included. The information can also be processed automatically to extract important details. For example, the license plate of the motor vehicle can be read from the camera image or the image sequence. Likewise, an image section can be enlarged automatically, showing a driver of the motor vehicle.

However, the described alarm functionality can also be deactivated. For example, the action may not be triggered if a message about an upcoming planned distance is received prior to determining that the motor vehicle has been removed. This is equivalent to disabling the action. Both a corresponding activation and the described Deactivating can in different embodiments directly at the parking space, for example in the car or by operation of the occupancy sensor, at a central location, such as a reservation or billing terminal in the parking area, or by means of a mobile device, for example a smartphone, at any Position to be performed.

A computer program product comprises program code means for carrying out the method described above when the computer program product runs on a processor or is stored on a computer-readable medium.

An occupancy sensor for monitoring a parking space of a parking lot is set up to trigger an action if a motor vehicle parked on the parking space is removed unplanned.

For example, a known occupancy sensor can be extended with additional functionality to trigger the action. Additional information that is used to decide whether the removal is planned or unplanned can be provided, for example, via a data interface, in particular by a management system of the parking space. The occupancy sensor can scan the parking space with a relatively high measurement frequency, so that as little time passes between the removal of the motor vehicle and a possible triggering of an action. Measuring distances of less than one minute are therefore preferred. More preferred are measurement distances in the range of 10 seconds or less. For practical reasons, successive scans need not be less than about 1 second apart to allow for real-time processing. A parking system includes a parking lot with at least one parking space for

Parking a motor vehicle, an occupancy sensor for scanning whether a car is located on the parking space or not, and a processing device for planning a use of the parking space by the motor vehicle. In this case, the processing device is set up to determine that a parked on the parking space vehicle was unplanned removed and then trigger an action. The parking system and in particular the processing device are

preferably configured to perform the method described above. In particular, the processing means may comprise a programmable microcomputer capable of executing the program described above.

In this embodiment, it is preferable that the occupancy sensor be periodically caused by the processing means to perform a scan of the parking space. The sampling frequency of the occupancy sensor can be selected as described above. In the case of a self-controlling occupancy sensor which controls a sampling frequency of the parking space itself, nevertheless, the decision on the planned or unplanned removal of the motor vehicle from the parking space can be made by the processing device.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the attached figures, in which:

1 shows a system with a parking space and a motor vehicle; and

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method for securing the motor vehicle of FIG. 1. FIG.

1 shows a system 100. The system 100 comprises a parking space 105 with a plurality of parking spaces 110, which are each set up for parking a motor vehicle 15. Each parking space 1 10 is associated with an occupancy sensor 120, which is adapted to scan whether on the parking space 1 10 is a motor vehicle 1 15 or not. A management device 125 of the parking lot 105 collects signals from the occupancy sensors 120 and is usually set up to process a reservation and / or billing of a motor vehicle 15 temporarily parked on a parking space 110. For this purpose, a processing device 130 is provided, which is preferably connected by means of a communication device 135 to a network 140, which can optionally also be accessed by means of a remote device, for example of a mobile device 145. Through the mobile device 145, various functions of the management device 125 can be operated, as will be explained in more detail below. Both the communication of the processing device 130 with the mobile device 145 and with the occupation sensors 120 can be carried out partially or completely wirelessly. In a preferred embodiment, further devices of the parking lot 105 are connected to the processing device 130. In particular, a monitoring sensor 150, such as a camera or video camera for scanning one or more parking spaces 110 and / or a traffic route 155 may be provided. A physical lock 160 may be provided by the processing device

130 controllable. For example, the barrier 160 may include a barrier or gate that may close off a traffic route 155 leading from the parking lot 105. If the lock 160 is activated, a motor vehicle 15 can be physically prevented from leaving the area of the parking lot 105.

It is proposed to protect a motor vehicle 1 15, which is parked on a parking space 1 10 of the parking lot 105, against unauthorized removal or theft by being detected by the processing device 130 on the basis of samples of an occupancy sensor 120 when the motor vehicle 1 15 is removed from a parking space 1 10. The processing device 130 then determines whether this removal is scheduled or unplanned. Unplanned, the removal can be especially if the pitch 1 10 reserved or paid until a predetermined time. If the removal takes place before this time or within a predeterminable time interval before this time, then an unplanned removal can be assumed.

In this case, one or more actions may be triggered to secure the motor vehicle 15. The actions may include documentation of the removal operation or prevention of leaving the area of the parking lot 105 by the motor vehicle 15. In various embodiments, additional functions are provided that make it an authorized one

Help drivers to remove the motor vehicle 1 15 without triggering an action at any time from the pitch 1 10.

FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of a method 200 for securing the motor vehicle 15 on the area of the parking space 105 of FIG. 1. The procedure

200 is particularly for draining on a processing device such as Processing device 130 of the management device 125 of the parking lot 105 of FIG. 1 set up. Parts of the method can also run on the mobile device 145, for example.

In an optional step 205, a reservation of a parking space 1 10 for a predetermined motor vehicle 1 15 takes place. In a step 210, the motor vehicle 1 15 is parked on the parking space 1 10. These two steps can also be done in reverse order. Alternatively, the reservation may be made at a central location, such as an operator console, the manager 125, or by the mobile device 145. The mobile device 145 may also be installed on board the motor vehicle 15.

Preferably, in a step 215, an alarm is activated, in which the backup function described below is activated. The activation can again take place alternatively on the motor vehicle 1 15, on the mobile device 145 or a central operating element of the management device 125.

In a subsequent step 220, for example, periodically or event-controlled, scanned by means of the occupancy sensor 120, whether the motor vehicle 1 15 has been removed from the parking space 1 10. Scanning operations control may be initiated by occupancy sensor 120 or processing device 130 in various embodiments. The occupancy sensor 120 can follow any measuring principle, for example by means of a camera, a light barrier, a capacitive or inductive sensor or another device. In further embodiments, the occupancy sensor 120 can be provided, for example, above the motor vehicle 1 15, below the motor vehicle 15, at half height, in the area of the parking space 110 or an adjacent traffic route 155. It is also possible to provide a plurality of occupancy sensors 120 for scanning only one parking space 110, the occupancy sensors 120 being able to use the same or different measurement principles. An occupancy sensor 120 can also be used for scanning a plurality of parking spaces 110, for example a camera.

The information scanned by the occupancy sensor 120 is preferably stored in processed or unprocessed form by the manager 125. It is further preferred that sampled Information of the monitoring sensor 150, which temporally correlate with an occupancy or release process of a parking space 1 10, are also stored. For example, information from a time window of about 5 minutes before to about 10 minutes after a shutdown can be automatically saved. The information can be an area of the parking space

1 10 or also relate to another area of the parking lot 105.

In a conventional case, the motor vehicle 1 15 will be removed from the parking space 1 10 after a shutdown time. Preferably, in a step 225, the alarm is previously deactivated by, for example, the mobile device

145, from the motor vehicle 1 15 or at a central operating device of the management device 125 a corresponding message is entered. Subsequently, the motor vehicle 1 15 leave the parking space 230 and driven out of the area of the parking lot 100.

However, if it is determined in the activated alarm in step 220 that the motor vehicle 120 has been removed from the parking space 1 10, it is checked in a step 235 whether the removal was planned. The removal may, for example, be planned towards the end of a reserved parking time of the parking space 110. Removal may also be scheduled by notification to the manager 125, as described above. On the other hand, removal of the motor vehicle 1 15 from the parking space 1 10 can be classified as unplanned when a predetermined reservation period of the parking space 1 10 has expired. In this case, the removal of the motor vehicle 1 15 would be less likely to be an attempted theft than possibly a missed payment of a postpaid fee. This can be carried out again, for example by means of the mobile device 145, on board the motor vehicle 15 or on an operating console of the management device 125. By one of these actions, the removal of the motor vehicle 1 15 from the pitch 1 10 again considered to be planned.

In a step 240 is optionally a question to an authorized person, whether the removal of the motor vehicle 1 15 should be classified as authorized or unauthorized. The inquiry can be made, in particular, via the mobile device 145. In this case, the mobile device 145 is preferably assigned to a driver or owner of the motor vehicle 1 15. In another embodiment may the inquiry also take place, for example, in a security service or an operator of the parking lot 105. For this purpose, a fixed device or a mobile device 145 can be used. If the legitimacy of the removal is confirmed in step 240, then

Method 200 ends in a step 245. Otherwise, in a step 250, an action can be triggered, which in a first variant has a documentation of the removal of the motor vehicle 1 15 from the parking space 1 10 and in a second embodiment, preventing the leaving of the parking lot 105 by the motor vehicle 1 15 to the destination. Preferably, both types of actions are suitably performed.

Claims

claims 1 . A method (200) for securing a motor vehicle (15) against unauthorized removal, the method (200) comprising the steps of:  - Sampling (220) of a parking space (1 10) of a parking lot (105) by means of the parking space (1 10) associated with occupancy sensor;  - detecting (235) that the motor vehicle (1 15) has been removed from the parking space (1 10);  Determining (235) that the removal was unplanned; and  - triggering (250) an action. The method (200) of claim 1, wherein the action is triggered (250) if the motor vehicle (15) is removed before the expiration of a scheduled shutdown period. Method (200) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the action comprises the detection (240) of a confirmation of a person responsible for the motor vehicle (1 15) or the parking lot (105). The method (200) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the action comprises establishing (250) a physical lock against leaving the parking lot (105) by the motor vehicle (15). The method (200) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the action comprises outputting (250) a message. The method (200) of claim 5, wherein in the area of the parking lot (105) additional information is captured (220) and recorded over a predetermined past period of time, and wherein the message comprises the additional information. The method (200) of claim 6, wherein the information comprises one of a camera image, a sequence of images, a date, a time, and reservation information for using the parking space (1 10). The method (200) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the action is not triggered if a message about an upcoming scheduled distance is received prior to determining that the motor vehicle (15) has been removed. Computer program product with program code means for carrying out the method (200) according to one of the preceding claims, when the computer program product runs on a processing device (130, 145) or is stored on a computer-readable data carrier. 10. Occupancy sensor for monitoring a parking space (1 10) of a parking lot (105), wherein the occupancy sensor is adapted to trigger an action if a motor vehicle (1 15), which was placed in the parking space (1 10), unplanned removed , 1 1. Parking system (100), comprising:  - A parking lot (105) with at least one parking space (1 10) for parking a motor vehicle (1 15);  - An occupancy sensor (120) for scanning whether on the parking space (1 10) is a motor vehicle (1 15) or not; and  a processing device (130) for planning use of the Pitch (1 10) by the motor vehicle (1 15),  - wherein the processing device (130) is adapted to determine that a parked on the parking space (1 10) motor vehicle (1 15) was unplanned removed  - and then trigger an action (250).