Innovative smart parking

management system and low

cost asset tracking with no
infrastructure deployment
Julien HENAUT PhD, Project Leader
Julien.henaut@sterela.fr
http://www.cewitt.ecs.soton.ac.uk/

CONTENTS
Sterela and parking related issues

How to design an efficient parking sensor system ?

Sensors networks Architecture

Antennas for buried applications

Low power electronics

Detection algorithms with a two step process

Conclusion

STERELA
Sterela is a French company with over 34 years of experience in traffic analysis
sensors
Sterela has 4 Strategic business units :
Defense
Meteorology
Services
I-traffic

Sterela group is a cluster of 3 SMEs:

Sterela, Survision and AFS2R
Sterela can support you on every step of the project: from the definition of the needs
to the supportability in operating conditions, including the installation of the sensors or
the definition of human machine interface
124 employees in 2013 (80 in 2010)
Turnover : 23.5 M in 2011/2012
5 implantations in France

INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS & SMART CITY

Make & Model Recognition

Hazardous Transport Detection

Industrial Weighing
Control System

Traffic analysis

Law Enforcement
Smart Parking
Management

Weigh in Motion

WHY IS SMART PARKING MANAGEMENT IMPORTANT ?

WHY IS SMART PARKING MANAGEMENT IMPORTANT ?

30% of city traffic is caused by drivers looking for an available parking spot. (IBM Global
Parking Survey)

6 out of 10 people have already abandoned their goal because of parking problems. (IBM
Global Parking Survey)

1 out of 4 people has already had an argument about parking. (IBM Global Parking Survey)

20 minutes is the average time to find a parking spot. (IBM Global Parking Survey)

23 000 parking spots have been removed in Paris to support the necessary urban renewal
(pedestrianization, tramway, bike access ...)

Only less than 2 hours are paid per space and per day for 5 to 6 hours of actual occupancy
(CERTU parking study).

1.1 sanction/spot/month very low sanction rate

The "fear of police" prompts to pay for parking only from 2 sanctions/spot/month (CERTU
parking study).

PARKING SENSORS
Parking sensors are the solution

Sensors are installed on each parking spot

Sensors gives information about the occupancy of parking lots

Car drivers can be guided directly to empty parking spots

Car park managers can collect data on the use of their parking

PARKING SENSORS
Parking sensors are the solution

Sensors are installed on each parking spot

Sensors gives information about the occupancy of parking lots

Car drivers can be guided directly to empty parking spots

Car park managers can collect data on the use of their parking

MESH NETWORKING

Mesh networking is the most popular architecture to connect parking sensors

This architecture reduces the number of relay nodes or infrastructure to deploy
One node should listen to other nodes and transmit an unknown amount of data
Lifetime of the node is not predictable: network maintenance problems
Very important knowledge about radio propagation required
to install the relay node

MESH NETWORKING

Out of service

Mesh networking is the most popular architecture to connect parking sensors

This architecture reduces the number of relay nodes or infrastructure to deploy
One node should listen to other nodes and transmit an unknown amount of data
Lifetime of the node is not predictable: network maintenance problems
Very important knowledge about radio propagation required
to install the relay node

MESH NETWORKING

Out of service

Mesh networking is the most popular architecture to connect parking sensors

This architecture reduces the number of relay nodes or infrastructure to deploy
One node should listen to other nodes and transmit an unknown amount of data
Lifetime of the node is not predictable: network maintenance problems
Very important knowledge about radio propagation required
to install the relay node

STAR NETWORKING

Out of service

Star networking is the solution to predict the systems lifetime

This architecture requires a large amount of relay nodes or very heavy
infrastructure deployment
If one sensor is out of service, only its data cannot be collected

Classic communication protocols (standard or proprietary) have a very

limited radio range.
Parking managers have to deploy and maintain lots of relay node during
the products lifetime

STAR NETWORKING

Out of service

Star networking is the solution to predict the systems lifetime

This architecture requires a large amount of relay nodes or very heavy
infrastructure deployment
If one sensor is out of service, only its data cannot be collected

Classic communication protocols (standard or proprietary) have a very

limited radio range.
Parking managers have to deploy and maintain lots of relay node during
the products lifetime

LONG RANGE AND HIGH SENSITIVITY STAR NETWORKING

Sensors use an already deployed radio communication network

Absolutely no relay node or concentrators to deploy or maintain during the products

lifetime

Parking operators do not need to deploy any infrastructure other than the sensor

No need for approval from heritage architects

(Btiments de France) in protected areas

THE solution leading to a massive market

penetration of real time parking information for
municipalities and parking operators.

Very low cost network thanks to a sensitivity

of -153dbm (Zigbee is -105dbm) :

The network supports millions of modules on

each receiving station

Receiving station cover around 30km2

If the network has not been deployed in an

area yet : the system can be deployed very
quickly as no more than 3 receiving stations
are necessary for a city of 500.000 inhabitants

INNOVATIVE HIGH GAIN ANTENNA (PATENTED)

Car sensors are aimed to be buried under the ground and should work with a car above it

The ground acts as a metal and the radio propagation is not very good

Very sensitive networks are not sufficient as receiving can be away by over 3km.

Systems should include a specifically designed antenna that radiated with a very low profile to
decrease reflexion and improve signal transmission

Typical radiation
pattern

INNOVATIVE HIGH GAIN ANTENNA (PATENTED)

Car sensors are aimed to be buried under the ground and should work with a car above it

The ground acts as a metal and the radio propagation is not very good

Very sensitive networks are not sufficient as receiving can be away by over 3km.

Systems should include a specifically designed antenna that radiated with a very low profile to
decrease reflexion and improve signal transmission

Radiation pattern when

antenna is in the ground

INNOVATIVE HIGH GAIN ANTENNA (PATENTED)

Car sensors are aimed to be buried under the ground and should work with a car above it

The ground acts as a metal and the radio propagation is not very good

Very sensitive networks are not sufficient as receiving can be away by over 3km.

Systems should include a specifically designed antenna that radiated with a very low profile to
decrease reflexion and improve signal transmission

Desired radiation pattern

to avoid ground effect

INNOVATIVE HIGH GAIN ANTENNA (PATENTED)

Car sensors are aimed to be buried under the ground and should work with a car above it

The ground acts as a metal and the radio propagation is not very good

Very sensitive networks are not sufficient as receiving can be away by over 3km.

Systems should include a specifically designed antenna that radiated with a very low profile to
decrease reflexion and improve signal transmission

Effect of a car on the

antenna

INNOVATIVE HIGH GAIN ANTENNA (PATENTED)

Car sensors are aimed to be buried under the ground and should work with a car above it

The ground acts as a metal and the radio propagation is not very good

Very sensitive networks are not sufficient as receiving can be away by over 3km.

Systems should include a specifically designed antenna that radiated with a very low profile to
decrease reflexion and improve signal transmission

Desired radiation pattern to optimize

radio communication even with a car

INNOVATIVE HIGH GAIN ANTENNA (PATENTED)

Car sensors are aimed to be buried under the ground and should work with a car above it

The ground acts as a metal and the radio propagation is not very good

Very sensitive networks are not sufficient as receiving can be away by over 3km.

Systems should include a specifically designed antenna that radiated with a very low profile to
decrease reflexion and improve signal transmission

Desired radiation pattern to optimize

radio communication even with a car

INNOVATIVE HIGH GAIN ANTENNA

Lambda/4 commercial
antenna

Proposed antenna

Difference

Antenna under the ground

9 dB

17 dB

~ 8 dB

Antenna at a 1.5m height

20 dB

26 dB

~ 6 dB

Without any metallic mass around the antenna

With a metallic plate that represent a car

MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF A PARKING SENSOR

Architecture :
A star network to achieve predictability of the autonomy
Antenna :
specifically designed antenna that radiated with a
very low profile to decrease reflexion and improve
signal transmission
Low power electronics :
Power consumption is under 150 W in mean by
taking one measure every second
Thanks to sending frame only, the system has a
very strong predictability
Car rate

30

1h

12h

Lifetime
(years)

6.5

10

13

Precise detection algorithms

Vehicle detection is very precise thanks to a unique
two steps algorithm

BEYOND THE SENSORS : A FULL SMART PARKING

MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITHOUT ANY INFRASTRUCTURE
Mobile application
guiding road users

Fully buried sensors on

every spot

Mobile application helping

enforcement detect over timed cars

WebTraffic (mysterela.fr) :
Parking use statistics

Data base /
post processing
Overtimed alert : sms,

Open data access : data can

be used anywhere you want

Sensors can be
glued or screwed

Communication with variable

message signs
Global application (Parkopedia
or dedicated client application)

CONCLUSION : ADVANTAGES OF OUR WITTY PARKING

MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
No infrastructure deployment other than the sensors (low cost)
No maintenance effort on the system during its lifetime (no
relay node or concentrator)
Antenna specifically designed to use the high sensitivity of
radio networks
Fully buried module (patented antenna to improve radio
communication)
Up to 10 years of lifetime
More than 98% accuracy thanks to a unique 2 steps algorithm

Julien HENAUT PhD, julien.henaut@sterela.fr

THANK

YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION