Predicting that a parking space is about to be vacated

Abstract

A method implementable in a mobile device includes determining a driving or walking motion state of the mobile device associated with a user from at least a motion type of sensor on the mobile device and storing a parking location for a vehicle associated with the mobile device, received from a location type of sensor on the mobile device, when the mobile device changes from a driving state to a walking state.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method implementable in a mobile device, the method comprising:
 determining a driving or walking motion state of said mobile device associated with a user from at least a motion type of sensor on said mobile device; and   storing a parking location for a vehicle associated with said mobile device, received from a location type of sensor on said mobile device, when said mobile device changes from a driving state to a walking state.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  and also comprising:
 detecting an approach event indicating that said mobile device is heading back to said parking location; and 
 transmitting a “returning to parking spot” indicator to a parking system upon said detecting. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  and wherein said motion type of sensor is at least one accelerometer. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  and wherein said motion type sensor is a low accuracy continually active, sensor to provide a preliminary motion state and a high accuracy sensor, activated for a short period of time, to provide a definitive motion state. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1  and wherein said location type of sensor is a GPS (global positioning system) sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 2  and wherein said detecting comprises determining when a distance from said parking location is reducing and when said distance is within a predetermined proximity. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1  and wherein said motion sensor is a low accuracy sensor and said location sensor is a high accuracy sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1  and wherein said motion sensor is a low accuracy sensor to provide an initial driving estimate and a high accuracy sensor to provide a final driving state decision. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1  and also comprising:
 identifying when said device is picked up by a user of said device; and 
 using said identifying to move said mobile device into a maybe parked state. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9  and wherein said identifying comprises sensing when a 3D position of said device has changed significantly. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1  and also comprising declaring said parked state for said vehicle once a walking state for said device has been declared. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11  and also comprising counting steps of said user in said walking state and determining said parked location of said vehicle using information about said steps. 
     
     
         13 . A method implementable in a computing device, the method comprising:
 receiving information regarding a first person's movements towards a parked car; and   providing to at least one second user an indication that the car of said first person is about to vacate a parking spot close to the current location of said at least one second user.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13  and wherein said providing comprises finding members of a community which are driving in an area close to said parking spot. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14  and wherein said providing comprises reducing the number of members found in said step of finding to a minimum number. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 13  and also comprising enabling said second user to reserve a spot about to be vacated by said first user. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16  and also comprising enabling payment by said second user to said first user for said spot.