Mechanical parking system for vehicles and method for controlling the same
View Patent ↗An exemplary mechanical parking system includes platforms for parking vehicles, a switch electrically connected to the platforms, cameras mounted on the platforms, a data processing device electrically connected to the cameras and the switch, and an alarm electrically connected to the data processing device. When any one of the platforms is switched to move, the cameras capture photos/videos for an environment of the mechanical parking system and send the photos/videos to the data processing device continuously. The data processing device analyzes whether there is a person appearing in the photos/videos and decides whether the movement of the platform should be stopped via the switch. After the danger is precluded, the movement of the platform is restored and the cameras start to work again, until the parking of the car is finished.
1. A mechanical parking system comprising:
a movable platform for parking a vehicle thereon;
a switch electrically connected to the platform for controlling movement of the platform;
a camera for monitoring an environment of the mechanical parking system; and
a data processing device electrically connecting the camera and the switch, the data processing device configured for receiving monitoring data from the camera and controlling the switch to thereby control moving of the platform according to the monitoring data received;
wherein the camera is configured for taking images selected from the group consisting of photos and videos of the environment when the platform is moving, and the data processing device is configured for determining whether there is a person present in any of the images; and if there is no person present in any of the images, the platform keeps moving until the platform reaches a predetermined position.
2. The mechanical parking system of claim 1 , wherein, if there is a person present in an image, the data processing device controls the switch to stop movement of the platform.
3. The mechanical parking system of claim 2 , wherein the camera is mounted on the platform.
4. The mechanical parking system of claim 3 , further comprising another three cameras, wherein each corner of the platform has one of the cameras mounted thereon.
5. The mechanical parking system of claim 4 , wherein each camera has a capturing angle equal to or larger than 120 degrees.
6. The mechanical parking system of claim 1 , wherein the platform is a lifting platform.
7. The mechanical parking system of claim 6 , wherein when the platform is lifted, a free space is left below the platform for lowering of the platform.
8. The mechanical parking system of claim 1 , wherein the platform is a horizontally movable platform.
9. The mechanical parking system of claim 2 , further comprising a frame, wherein the platform is hung from the frame by a plurality of arms.
10. The mechanical parking system of claim 9 , wherein the frame has an alarm mounted thereon, the alarm being electrically connected to the data processing device.
11. The mechanical parking system of claim 10 , wherein the data processing device is further configured to activate the alarm to issue an alert when the data processing device stops the movement of the platform.
12. A method for controlling movement of a platform of a mechanical parking system, the method comprising:
monitoring an environment of the mechanical parking system by taking images selected from the group consisting of photos and videos;
determining whether there is a person in or near the mechanical parking system by performing image analysis of the images; and
controlling movement of the platform to continue the movement or stop the movement according to the analysis result wherein the action of monitoring the environment is implemented by a camera, the action of analyzing the images is implemented by a data processing device, and the action of controlling movement of the platform is implemented by the data processing device through a switch; and
wherein when the data processing device detects no person in the images when the platform is moving, the data processing device does not send any signal to the switch and the platform keeps moving until reaching the predetermined position.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein when the data processing device detects that a person is in or near the mechanical parking system and stops the movement of platform, the person is required to leave an capturing area of the camera before the movement of the platform can be continued.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the switch is required to be manipulated by a human operator to continue the movement of the platform after the platform is stopped by the data processing device.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein an alarm is electrically connected to the data processing device.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the data processing device activating the alarm to issue an alert when the data processing device stops the movement of the platform.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the platform is movable along vertical directions.
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the platform is movable along horizontal directions.