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Smart Parking Solution with Cloud, Mobile App and Web Dashboard

About the Client

The company is an early-stage startup focusing on developing smart city solutions to create intelligent and sustainable urban environments. They specialize in providing innovative solutions that optimize infrastructure, enhance connectivity, and improve residents' overall quality of life.
Customer
Confidential
Location
USA
Industry
Smart Cities

Company’s Request

The request was to build a proof of concept project in the field of smart cities.

Technology Set

TypeScript
Utilized for its robust typing system, TypeScript enhanced the development of the mobile app, ensuring more maintainable and error-free code.
React
Powered the web dashboard, offering a dynamic user interface that updates real-time information efficiently.
React Native
Enabled the creation of a cross-platform mobile application that functions seamlessly on both Android and iOS devices.
Redux
Managed the state across the web and mobile platforms, ensuring consistency and predictable behavior of the application.
CI - GitHub Actions
Automated the continuous integration process, improving code quality and streamlining the development workflow.
CD - Amplify Console
Facilitated continuous deployment, allowing updates to be pushed to the web dashboard and mobile app instantly.
LoRaWAN/Bluetooth 5.0
Handled the signal transmission from sensors to the cloud, ensuring reliable and secure data communication.
AWS (Amplify, AppSync, Cognito, DynamoDB, Lambda, S3)
Provided a comprehensive suite of services that supported backend processes, data storage, user authentication, and serverless computing needs.
GraphQL
Enabled efficient and flexible data retrieval for the web dashboard and mobile app, optimizing network usage by fetching exactly what's needed.

Solution

After the research phase, we created a complex turn-key solution for smart parking which can be implemented in any kind of parking lot, is flexible, easy-to-use (both for the operator and customers) and results in cost-savings for the owner.
The solution consists of sensors, Cloud, Web dashboard, and Mobile App. The signal transmission from the sensor to the Cloud is performed by LoraWan and Bluetooth 5.0.

The solution consists of sensors, Cloud, Web dashboard, and Mobile App. The signal transmission from the sensor to the Cloud is performed by LoraWan and Bluetooth 5.0.

Hardware

The Smart Parking node includes an external enclosure, the PCB, the battery, the antenna, and the internal enclosure piece.
The PCB is screwed to the base and the base is screwed to the external enclosure piece. The antenna is glued to the external enclosure and connects to the PCB via coax cable with u.FL connector.

The Smart Parking node can be equipped with a GPS module for outdoor parking. The GPS can ease the initial installation for big parking lots.
For indoor positioning on underground and multistorey parking lots, nodes are equipped with NRF52832 Bluetooth 5.0 enabled MCU. With installed mobile app nodes, indoor locations can be as accurate as outdoor GPS.

Power supply: Replaceable lithium-thionyl chloride AA batteries; the expected lifetime – 5-10 years (depends on settings and usage).
Radio protocol: LoRaWAN / Bluetooth 5.0.
Bluetooth position accuracy: < 3m.
GPS position accuracy: < 3m.
Operating temperature: -20 to +65 °C.

Cloud

The cloud is developed as Serverless Architecture using the latest AWS Services. This kind of architecture allows pay and scale as you go. The cloud receives slot status and notifies all subscribers in real-time. Also, it keeps all data for future analytics or predictions.

Web App

The Web app is targeted for employees who will operate the parking facility. Using the Amplify React component and AWS Cognito, we implemented the authorization of operators and customers (users). By using GraphQL and AWS AppSync, parking space status is visualized in real-time.
The Web app shows detailed statistics about parking spaces and cars: which parking spaces are the busiest/ which car make and models parked/which times are the busiest/ and what revenues are derived from each space.

The parking manager can see what car and plate numbers are parked in each space.
Parking owners can reduce costs on payments and tickets: our solution can be paperless (a user would just need to scan the QR code from their mobile phone).

Mobile App

Using React Native and Typescript, we developed a cross-platform application that is suitable both for Android and IOS. The Mobile App is targeted to help parking lot clients control the parking process (parking space status and all collateral information are updated in real-time so clients can use a smartphone without any data delay).

With Mobile App Users Can:

  1. Search for parking with some criteria (near user’s location, opening hours, cheapest, available slots, slots for EV, etc).
  2. Show directions to parking (Google Maps).
  3. Pay for parking directly in the mobile app.
  4. Make a reservation for a parking slot.
  5. Lock their car – make an alarm if a car moved without unlocking from the mobile app.
  6. See the parking space size (mid car/van/truck etc).
  7. Highlight free slots with LED lights.
  8. Get parking tickets with full information (show parking working hours, slot number, time and price for parking).

Value Delivered

Cost Savings
Serverless Architecture allows pay and scale as you go. The payment method, vandal protection, and control system are developed so that the client can reduce the number of staff required.
Enhancing User Experience for Users
Credit card payment options. The driver can easily find a free parking space via a mobile app or LED lights. Users can book parking spaces in advance. Parking ticket – shows parking working hours, space number, time and price for service.
Improving Workflow for Parking Provider
The web app shows detailed statistics about parking spaces and cars. (Which parking spaces are the busiest. Which make and model of cars are parked. Which time is the busiest.) There is also revenue reporting for each parking space The parking manager can see what car and plate numbers are parked in each space The provider can communicate with users via the web app.