Apparatus and method for monitoring illegally parked/stopped vehicles

1 . An apparatus for monitoring illegally parked/stopped vehicles, the apparatus comprising:

a server communication circuit; and

a server processor functionally connected to the server communication circuit, the server processor configured to:

receive location information of a plurality of parking/stopping monitoring areas,

generate a patrol route for a movable camera device to collect captured images based on the location information of the parking/stopping monitoring areas,

in relation to generating the patrol route, group the plurality of parking/stopping monitoring areas according to a number of the movable camera devices,

provide the patrol route to the movable camera device,

receive, from the movable camera device, first captured images of the parking/stopping monitoring areas included in the patrol route and second captured images of the parking/stopping monitoring areas after a specified time has elapsed, and

determine that a vehicle commonly detected in the first and second captured images is an illegally parked/stopped vehicle.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the server processor is configured to:

in relation to generating the patrol route, identify a current location of the movable camera device and select the parking/stopping monitoring area closest to the current location of the movable camera device as a parking/stopping monitoring start area of the patrol route.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the server processor is configured to:

in relation to generating the patrol route, add other parking/stopping monitoring area to the patrol route within the specified time that allows return to the parking/stopping monitoring start area after the first captured image is collected from the parking/stopping monitoring start area.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the server processor is configured to:

if there is at least one remaining parking/stopping monitoring area that is not included in the patrol route among the plurality of parking/stopping monitoring areas, select a specific parking/stopping monitoring area from among the at least one remaining parking/stopping monitoring area and generate another patrol route that includes the specific parking/stopping monitoring area.

5 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the specified time includes a maximum parking/stopping possible time set in the parking/stopping monitoring start area.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the server processor is configured to:

obtain a vehicle number of the vehicle from the first captured images when collecting the first captured images, collect a phone number of a registered user terminal corresponding to the vehicle number, and send a warning message regarding the illegally parked/stopped vehicle to the user terminal based on the phone number.

7 . A method for monitoring illegally parked/stopped vehicles, performed by a server processor of a monitoring apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving location information of a plurality of parking/stopping monitoring areas;

generating a patrol route for a movable camera device to collect captured images based on the location information of the parking/stopping monitoring areas;

providing the patrol route to the movable camera device;

receiving, from the movable camera device, first captured images of the parking/stopping monitoring areas included in the patrol route and second captured images of the parking/stopping monitoring areas after a specified time has elapsed; and

determining that a vehicle commonly detected in the first and second captured images is an illegally parked/stopped vehicle,

wherein generating the patrol route includes:

grouping the plurality of parking/stopping monitoring areas according to a number of the movable camera devices.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein generating the patrol route includes:

identifying a current location of the movable camera device; and

selecting the parking/stopping monitoring area closest to the current location of the movable camera device as a parking/stopping monitoring start area of the patrol route.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein generating the patrol route includes:

adding other parking/stopping monitoring area to the patrol route within the specified time that allows return to the parking/stopping monitoring start area after the first captured image is collected from the parking/stopping monitoring start area.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

checking whether there is at least one remaining parking/stopping monitoring area that is not included in the patrol route among the plurality of parking/stopping monitoring areas;

if there is the at least one remaining parking/stopping monitoring area, selecting a specific parking/stopping monitoring area from among the at least one remaining parking/stopping monitoring area; and

generating another patrol route that includes the specific parking/stopping monitoring area.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the specified time includes a maximum parking/stopping possible time set in the parking/stopping monitoring start area.

12 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

obtaining a vehicle number of the vehicle from the first captured images when collecting the first captured images;

collecting a phone number of a registered user terminal corresponding to the vehicle number; and

sending a warning message regarding the illegally parked/stopped vehicle to the user terminal based on the phone number.