Automatic Car Parking System Based on Microcontroller and RFID Sensor

 This project is about the development of Automatic Car Parking System Based on Micro-controller and RFID and IR Sensor.

Automatic Car parking system using Microcontroller and RFID

In this article we will learn how to develop an automatic car parking system which will have following features:

Detects the incoming Vehicles or Cars ,whether the vehicle have proper authenticity or not, it will be implanted through the readout of Tag on the car or Thumb impression of driver of car or use of Lapel card. So there are three options for the implementation of checking of register vehicle allowed to use the car parking space.

1. Inward and outward counting of Vehicles mechanism, to find out how many vehicles are in car parking at any time and how much space is empty. It is necessary to calculate space availability real time, to avoid problems of car parking for driver of car.
2. Use of GSM modules, to assist the driver of car to properly park the car in availed free space in whole car parking allocated for it.
3. SMS the car driver about the parking slot.
4. To reject the un-authorized vehicle, the officials will be alert by means of SMS.
5. Proper illumination of areas of free and busy spaces with help of sensors and lights.
6. Use of larger LCDs for better indication of space availability.

Introduction of automatic car parking system

In this microcontroller project we are going to use the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology Cards for identification purpose. As we know that the wireless communications is an immerging field in science and engineering and that the RFID are now no longer much costly rather this technology is cheap, easily available and best suitable for application like this. In addition to RFID technology, here we will sue GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) modem for sending SMS (Short Message Service) to key person in the automatic car parking for the proper implantation of object of this project.

The main focus of the project is quantification and automatic indication of car parking slot to save the time, electronic gadgets and sensor are efficiently used. Similar thought will also be workable at the collection of tool taxes at motor–ways, tool plazas and precious time can be saved if automation is applied there. The RFID Implementation is consist of two modules for its complete functionality which are listed below:

1. The part installed at the vehicle which is the transport module also called active tag.
2. The second part of RFID will be installed at counters also called the base module.

The communication between these two modules with each other is implanted on high frequency ranging in the 902 - 928 MHz frequency. This speed of communication is fast enough to save the time and fulfill the indebted purposes of system. The microcontroller works as the central processing unit in this project. The heart i.e. MCU will communicated with all other gadgets or modules used in the system which are linked to each other and heart as shown in block diagram.

Block diagram of Automatic Car Parking System Based on Microcontroller and RFID Sensor

The RFID devices will be issued to the cars to apply same on suitable places on wind/main screen to share the information of car and driver effectively. The IR sensor will be installed on terminal strip. The information gathered from car will be send to central data base station, where it will be processed and on acknowledgement, the gate will be opened automatically otherwise SMS to security officials to reroute the unauthorized car.

 Components used in automatic Car parking system:

1. Microcontroller: Here it is choice of user to select the appropriate microcontroller for its application it could be any starting from Intel 8051 family microcontroller, PIC (Peripheral Interface Controller), AVR(Alf and Vegard's RISC processor), Arduino, Atmega or even larger microcontroller can be used. If it is just educational purposed project then small microcontroller will also serve the job. If it is real and larger application then efficient microcontroller shall be used.
2. LCD (Liquid Crystal Display): To demonstrate the empty space, a small alphanumeric LCD is enough. On later stage larger LCD could be used. 
3. EPROM: To store the terminal data, sensors data, EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-only Memory) will be required. This is temporary storage which remains there till the process completion.
4. Infrared sensor: Infrared sensors or devices are electronic components used in various applications. Here we will use these to sense the obstacles means the arrival of car at gates.
5. RFID Reader & RFID Tag: The RFID tag uses barcode strips made of magnetic material. The metal pin series on barcodes presents digital information which is very much exclusive to a specific tag. The Radio waves transfers the data from the RFID Tag to a RFID Reader. Each RFID tag corresponds to a unique number which will be called Electronic Code Number or card number simply. As the tag ID will require small storage therefore this information can be easily stored in EEPROM. These RFID tags or the data on cards can be edited or updated using computer program and associated card updater system. The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader generates the radio waves to decode and transfer the data from the RFID tag.
6. IR sensors: To detect the presence of car at gates and in parking space. If a car is already parked it will be detected it IR sensor and database will be updated accordingly.
7. Motors: To open or close the gates.
8. LED( Light Emitting Diode) and light bulbs: These are use to indicate the empty spaces or filled spaces of car parking.
9. Buzzers: Alarm will be generated to announce the emergency conditions.
10. GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) module: To transmit the SMS to key personnel associated with car parking system. The SMS will be received on their mobile phone. Like driver will get SMS (Short Message Service) where he should park his car in car parking. The security staff will get SMS on arrival of un-authorized vehicle.

key words: Microcontroller, Arduino Uno, RFID, Tag, GSM, IDE (Integrated Development Environment) programmable circuit board, open-source electronics platform.