Electronic system for parking management and personal guidance

Abstract

A parking management and personal guidance system operates in conjunction with a reservation system which stores and manages reservation information in connection with prescheduled activities. Parking management is effected by accessing reservation information using personal identification information and identifying to the driver of a vehicle an available parking space which is near to the pedestrian exit of the parking facility which is closest to the prescheduled activity indicated in the reservation information. Personal guidance is also effected from the parking facility to the prescheduled activity, such as to an assigned seat, including guidance in-between, such as on public transportation. Theft prevention in the parking facility is also provided.

Description

[0001] The present application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09 / 577,151, filed May 24, 2000, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates in general to a parking management and personal guidance system for persons traveling to a predetermined activity; and, more particularly, the invention relates to an electronic system which aids a driver of a vehicle in finding an available parking space in a large parking area or garage using previously stored information as to the destination of the driver at which a predetermined activity is to take place, directs the driver from the parking space to the designated destination, guides the driver as to his / her movements during the predetermined activity, aids the driver in finding the parked vehicle after the driver returns to retrieve the vehicle, provides a means of communication to obtain help at the parking space in the case of an emergency, automatic...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0018] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved parking management system and method which employs central control features of the type provided, for example, in the Goheen system.

[0019] It is an object of the present invention to provide a parking management system and method which is capable of selecting and visually indicating one or a plurality of parking spaces in a parking facility to the driver of a vehicle to allow the driver to park the vehicle at a location which is closest to a desired destination in the vicinity of the parking facility.

[0022] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a parking management system and method which provides an increased security against theft of a vehicle parked in a parking facility by ensuring that a person who attempts to leave the parking facility in a vehicle is the same person who arrived at the parking facility in that same vehicle.

[0029] Finally, a small display is provided in the vicinity of each seat or seat row on which the name of the passenger assigned to the respective seats can be displayed. As the passenger boards the plane, the ID # of the passenger is forwarded to main storage to access the passenger file. The passenger file is updated to indicate that the passenger has boarded and the seat assignment of the passenger is retrieved and forwarded to the gate, from which the seat information is forwarded to the appropriate seat display to allow the boarding passenger to easily identify his / her seat.

Problems solved by technology

As larger airports, arenas, stadiums, halls, shopping malls and various centers for sports events and the performing arts are being built to accommodate ever increasing numbers of people who wish to view or otherwise participate in activities associated with these venues, the problems involved in providing convenient parking for large numbers of cars have increased tremendously.

Even with the availability of public transportation in some cases, these problems have persisted, since most people prefer the convenience of travel in their own vehicles.

In the case of a sporting event, for example, parking attendants will direct drivers so as to progressively fill a large parking area without regard to whether a parking space to which a driver is directed is convenient to the entrance closest to his or her seat, and this makes it difficult to find one's way to that gate and seat, not to mention the difficulty in finding the vehicle when leaving.

Additional problems occur when parking at an airport.

If they have a vehicle to park, there is the problem of finding a parking place in the parking garage without too much driving back and forth.

Another problem with airport parking occurs when returning on a flight.

Often a passenger will forget where his vehicle is parked, particularly in a complex multi-level parking facility.

Such parking garages will have signs instructing people to write down the location of their vehicle when they park, so that they will be able to find the vehicle later when they return, but it is not uncommon for people to ignore such advice or lose the note they wrote with the identity of the parking location.

There is also a problem of theft of vehicles from a parking garage.

In those parking facilities where an attendant is provided only at the exit to collect parking fees, security can be a substantial problem unless there is some way to match the parking ticket with the vehicle itself.

Where travel between gates on a monorail or tram is provided, it can be confusing to a passenger not familiar with the airport to determine what stop to get off at to reach the departure gate.

Further, passengers who board a plane sometimes have trouble finding their seats even though they have a seat number printed on their boarding pass.

Attendants are available to aid such passengers, but some people still sit in the wrong seats, causing confusion and possible delay of the flight.

However, this scheme has numerous problems, the most likely of which is that the person who is parking the vehicle may not actually park it in the space assigned to him / her, which would completely confuse the system.

Further, Farmont provides no guidance or aid to a driver after he / she leaves the parking area.

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