JP7582157B2 - Parking Management System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a parking lot management system.

In an autonomous vehicle equipped with solar panels, when the autonomous vehicle is parked in a parking lot, it is possible to charge the battery using only the power generated by the solar panel installed on the autonomous vehicle, or the battery can be charged using a charging device such as a quick charger installed in the parking lot. In this case, it is convenient to obtain appropriate information regarding battery charging, such as the state of sunlight irradiating the parking lot, the predicted amount of charge per unit time of the battery due to sunlight, the charging capacity and charging fees of the charging device installed in the parking lot, etc. Therefore, a navigation device is known that displays the distance to the parking lot, parking fees, etc. on a display screen inside the autonomous vehicle in addition to information regarding battery charging (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2011-158375 A

In the above-mentioned navigation device, the relationship between sunlight and autonomous vehicles is only considered for autonomous vehicles equipped with solar panels. However, some autonomous vehicles want to avoid an increase in the temperature of the vehicle body, and for these autonomous vehicles, it is desirable to avoid sunlight shining on the vehicle body in a parking lot as much as possible. However, the above-mentioned navigation device does not suggest anything about this.

According to the present invention, the sunlight intensity of each parking space in a parking lot at each time is obtained, and if the autonomously driven vehicle is a vehicle for which it is desired to avoid a rise in the temperature of the vehicle body, the autonomously driven vehicle is parked in a parking space with a low sunlight intensity, and if the autonomously driven vehicle is equipped with a solar panel and wishes to generate solar power using the solar panel while parked, the autonomously driven vehicle is parked in a parking space with a high sunlight intensity.In this parking lot management system, when an autonomously driven vehicle requests to enter a parking lot, registration of a planned departure time is requested, and a movement time is set for moving the parking location of the autonomously driven vehicle before the registered planned departure time, and if the autonomously driven vehicle is parked in a parking space with a high sunlight intensity when this movement time arrives, the autonomously driven vehicle can be moved to a parking space with a low sunlight intensity and parked in the parking space with a low sunlight intensity until the scheduled departure time, and if the autonomously driven vehicle is parked in a parking space with a low sunlight intensity when this movement time arrives, the autonomously driven vehicle can be moved to a parking space with a high sunlight intensity and parked in the parking space with a high sunlight intensity until the scheduled departure time .

It can park autonomous vehicles in the most optimal parking spaces.

1A and 1B are respectively a plan view and a side view of a schematic representation of an example of an automated parking lot. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the parking management server. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of an autonomous vehicle. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the degree of sunlight R. FIG. 5 is a table showing the sunlight intensity R. FIG. 6 is a flow chart for detecting the degree of sunlight and the degree of shade. FIG. 7 is a flow chart for predicting the degree of sunshine and shade. FIG. 8 is a flow chart for managing incoming and outgoing goods. FIG. 9 is a flowchart for performing automatic driving control.

Figure 1A is a plan view diagrammatically showing an automated parking lot, and Figure 1B is a side view of the automated parking lot shown in Figure 1A. With reference to Figures 1A and 1B, 1 indicates a facility such as a department store, 2 indicates an automated parking lot installed adjacent to facility 1, 3 indicates a boarding and disembarking area, and 4 indicates an automated vehicle parked at boarding and disembarking area 3. As shown in Figure 1A, a large number of parking spaces P are provided in the automated parking lot 2. In this automated parking lot 2, an automated parking service, that is, an auto valet parking service, is implemented in which an automated vehicle 4 that has arrived at the boarding and disembarking area 3 is automatically driven to enter an empty parking space P, and an automated vehicle parked in the parking space P is automatically driven to exit the boarding and disembarking area 3. Meanwhile, in Figure 1A, 5 indicates a parking management server located in a parking management facility. Note that this automated parking lot 2 can also park manually driven vehicles.

When a user of this automatic parking service parks his/her own vehicle, which is an autonomous vehicle, in the automatic parking lot 2, for example when the vehicle reaches the boarding/alighting area 3, the user transmits a request to enter the parking lot 2 from the user's mobile terminal via the communication network to the parking management server 5 along with information about the vehicle, including a vehicle ID for identifying the vehicle. When the parking management server 5 receives the request to enter the parking lot, it sets a driving route for the vehicle that will allow the vehicle to reach an empty parking space P from the boarding/alighting area 3 without coming into contact with other vehicles or pedestrians, and transmits this set driving route to the user's vehicle. When the user's vehicle receives the set driving route from the parking management server 5, it is driven autonomously along the set driving route from the boarding/alighting area 3 to the empty parking space P.

The same is true when a user leaves the automated parking lot 2. For example, when the user reaches the boarding/alighting area 3, the user's mobile terminal sends a request to leave the parking lot via a communication network to the parking management server 5 along with a vehicle ID for identifying the vehicle. When the parking management server 5 receives the request to leave the parking lot, it sets a driving route for the vehicle that will allow the vehicle to reach the boarding/alighting area 3 from the parking space P where the vehicle is currently parked without coming into contact with other vehicles or pedestrians, and transmits this set driving route to the user's vehicle. When the user's vehicle receives the set driving route from the parking space P where the vehicle is currently parked to the boarding/alighting area 3, it is automatically driven along the set driving route.

Now, in the example shown in Figures 1A and 1B, as shown in Figure 1A, multiple infrastructure sensors 6 are installed in the automated parking lot 2 so that the state of the entire area within the automated parking lot 2 can be detected, and these infrastructure sensors 6 are installed at a position higher than the vehicle, as shown in Figure 1B. These infrastructure sensors 6 can be cameras or laser sensors, but the following explanation will be given taking an example of using cameras as the infrastructure sensors 6. In this case, each infrastructure sensor 6 captures images of all parking spaces P and all passages between parking spaces P within the automated parking lot 2, and the image signals captured by each infrastructure sensor 6 are transmitted to the parking management server 5. Based on these image signals, the parking management server 5 sets the driving route of the automated vehicle when entering and leaving the parking lot.

Figure 2 shows the parking management server 5 of Figure 1A. As shown in Figure 2, an electronic control unit 10 is provided within this parking management server 5. This electronic control unit 10 is made up of a digital computer and includes a CPU (microprocessor) 12, memory 13 consisting of ROM and RAM, and input/output ports 14, all connected to each other by a bidirectional bus 11. As shown in Figure 2, image signals captured by each infrastructure sensor 6 are input to the electronic control unit 10. Map data for the automated parking lot 2 is also stored in the memory 13 of the electronic control unit 10.

Figure 3 shows an example of an autonomous vehicle 20 with a solar power generation function. With reference to Figure 3, 21 is a vehicle drive unit for providing driving force to the drive wheels of the vehicle 20, 22 is a battery for supplying power to the vehicle drive unit 21, 23 is a solar panel installed on the roof of the vehicle 20, 24 is a charge control device for charging the battery 22 with the power generated by the solar panel 23, 25 is a braking device for braking the vehicle 20, 26 is a steering device for steering the vehicle 20, and 27 is an electronic control unit mounted in the vehicle 20. As shown in Figure 3, the electronic control unit 27 is a digital computer and includes a CPU (microprocessor) 29, a memory 30 consisting of ROM and RAM, and an input/output port 31, which are connected to each other by a bidirectional bus 28.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle 20 is equipped with various sensors 40 necessary for the vehicle 20 to perform automatic driving, that is, sensors that detect the state of the vehicle 20 and surrounding detection sensors that detect the surroundings of the vehicle 20. In this case, an acceleration sensor, a speed sensor, and an azimuth sensor are used as sensors that detect the state of the vehicle 20, and a vehicle-mounted camera that captures the front, side, and rear of the vehicle 20, a lidar, a radar, etc. are used as surrounding detection sensors that detect the surroundings of the vehicle 20. In addition, the vehicle 20 is provided with a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 41, a map data storage device 42, a navigation device 43, and an operation unit 44 for performing various operations. The GNSS receiver 41 can detect the current position of the vehicle 20 (for example, the latitude and longitude of the vehicle 20) based on information obtained from multiple artificial satellites. Therefore, the current position of the vehicle 20 can be obtained by this GNSS receiver 41. For example, a GPS receiver is used as this GNSS receiver 41.

Meanwhile, the map data storage device 42 stores map data and the like necessary for the vehicle 20 to perform automatic driving. These various sensors 40, the GNSS receiver 41, the map data storage device 42, the navigation device 43, and the operation unit 44 are connected to the electronic control unit 27. The vehicle 20 is also equipped with a communication device 45 for communicating with the parking management server 5, and as shown in FIG. 2, the parking management server 5 is provided with a communication device 15 for communicating with the vehicle 20. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle drive unit 21 is composed of an electric motor driven by the battery 22, and the drive wheels of the vehicle 20 are driven and controlled by the electric motor according to the output signal of the electronic control unit 27. The braking control of the vehicle 20 is performed by the braking device 25 according to the output signal of the electronic control unit 27, and the steering control of the vehicle 20 is performed by the steering device 26 according to the output signal of the electronic control unit 27.

Now, in order for the solar panel 23 to efficiently generate solar power while the autonomous vehicle 20 is parked in the autonomous parking lot 2, the vehicle 20 needs to be parked in a parking space P that is exposed to sunlight. To do this, it is necessary to determine which parking space P is actually exposed to sunlight. On the other hand, some autonomous vehicles 20 need to avoid a rise in the temperature of the vehicle body, such as vehicles that operate an air conditioning function, a refrigeration function, or a freezing function while parked, and vehicles that are equipped with items such as fresh food that do not like to be heated up. For such vehicles 20 that need to avoid a rise in the temperature of the vehicle body, it is desirable to park them in a parking space P that is not exposed to sunlight. Thus, there are autonomous vehicles 20 that need a parking space P that is exposed to sunlight, and vehicles that prefer a parking space P that is not exposed to sunlight.

In this case, it is possible to identify sunny areas and shaded areas in all parking spaces P and all passages between parking spaces P in the automated parking lot 2 from the images captured by each infrastructure sensor 6. Therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention, sunny areas and shaded areas are identified from the images captured by each infrastructure sensor 6 in order to park the vehicle 20 in a parking space P that is actually in the sun or in a parking space P that is actually not in the sun, depending on the characteristics of the vehicle 20.

These sunny and shady areas can also be identified from the current position of the sun using a three-dimensional precision map of the automated parking lot 2 created using, for example, SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) technology. This three-dimensional precision map is created by, for example, comparing a local map of the area around the automated parking lot 20 detected by a sensor that detects the periphery of the automated vehicle 20 with a three-dimensional reference precision map of the automated parking lot 2 stored in the memory 13 of the parking management server 5, and successively correcting the three-dimensional reference precision map. In this way, sunny and shady areas can also be identified using SLAM technology, but below, the present invention will be described focusing on the case where sunny and shady areas are identified from images captured by each infrastructure sensor 6.

Next, an overview of the present invention will be described based on a specific example with reference to Figures 1A, 4, and 5. First, referring to Figure 1A, area X surrounded by a dashed line (only the periphery of the area is shaded) indicates an area shaded by facility 1 at noon on a certain day, and area Y surrounded by a dashed line (only a part of the periphery of the area is shaded) indicates an area shaded by facility 1 in the evening of the same day. In this way, the positions of shaded areas X and Y change throughout the day, and also change with the difference in seasons such as spring, summer, autumn, and winter. In addition, the shaded area changes when a construction object that blocks sunlight is installed in or around the automatic parking lot 2. Therefore, the sunny area in the automatic parking lot 2 cannot be determined only from the weather.

Therefore, in an embodiment of the present invention, sunny areas and shaded areas are identified from images captured by each infrastructure sensor 6. In this case, if the ratio of the area of each parking space P that is exposed to sunlight is called the sunlight degree R (%) and the ratio of the area that is not exposed to sunlight is called the shade degree S, in an embodiment of the present invention, the sunlight degree R and shade degree S of each parking space P are calculated from the images captured by each infrastructure sensor 6. In this case, since the shade degree S is expressed as S=100%-R (%), in reality, for example, only the sunlight degree R is calculated from the images captured by each infrastructure sensor 6, and the shade degree S is calculated from the calculated sunlight degree R. Fig. 4 shows the change in the sunshine degree R in representative parking spaces _P1 , _P2 , Pn, and Pm among the parking spaces P shown in Fig. 1A from 6:00 to 18:00 on a certain day, and Fig. 5 shows a list of the change in the sunshine degree R in representative parking spaces _P1 , _P2 , Pn, and Pm during a part of the time period from 6:00 to 18:00 on the same day. Note that in the example shown in Fig. 5, the change in the sunshine degree R every 10 minutes is shown.

Next, a method for detecting the degree of sunlight R and the degree of shade S will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 shows a routine for detecting the degree of sunlight R and the degree of shade S. This routine is repeatedly executed in the electronic control unit 10 of the parking management server 5.
6, first, in step 50, it is determined whether or not it is time to detect the degree of sunlight R and the degree of shade S. In an embodiment according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5, the degree of sunlight R and the degree of shade S are obtained every 10 minutes, and for example, the times 6:00, 6:10, and 6:20 are set as the detection times of the degree of sunlight R and the degree of shade S. If it is determined in step 50 that it is not time to detect the degree of sunlight R and the degree of shade S, the processing cycle is terminated, and if it is determined that the detection time of the degree of sunlight R and the degree of shade S has arrived, the process proceeds to step 51.

In step 51, the detection signals, i.e., image signals, of each infrastructure sensor 6 are acquired. Next, in step 52, it is determined from these image signals whether sunny areas and shaded areas can be distinguished. For example, when it is sunny, it is determined that sunny areas and shaded areas can be distinguished, and when the sun is not shining, such as when it is cloudy, it is determined that sunny areas and shaded areas cannot be distinguished. If it is determined in step 52 that sunny areas and shaded areas cannot be distinguished, the processing cycle ends, and if it is determined that sunny areas and shaded areas can be distinguished, the process proceeds to step 53.

In step 53, based on the map data of the automated parking lot 2 stored in the memory 13 of the electronic control unit 10 of the parking management server 5, the sunlit area on the planar map of the automated parking lot 21 as shown in FIG. 1A is identified from the image signals of each infrastructure sensor 6 acquired, and the sunlit degree R and shade degree S of each parking space P are calculated from the identified sunlit area and the position of each parking space P. When the sunlit degree R and shade degree S are calculated, the process proceeds to step 54, and the sunlit degree R and shade degree S of each parking space P stored in the memory 13 of the electronic control unit 10 of the parking management server 5 are updated. Therefore, in the memory 13, if the sunlit area is identifiable, the sunlit degree R and shade degree S of the current actual parking space P are stored, and if the sunlit area is not identifiable, the sunlit degree R and shade degree S of each actual parking space P when the sunlit area was identifiable, that is, the latest sunlit degree R and shade degree S of each actual parking space P are stored.

Fig. 7 shows another routine that can be used instead of the routine shown in Fig. 6 to obtain the degree of sunlight R and the degree of shade S. The routine shown in Fig. 7 shows a routine for predicting the degree of sunlight and the degree of shade using a three-dimensional precise map of the automated parking lot 2 created using, for example, SLAM technology, and this routine is also executed in the electronic control unit 10 of the parking management server 5.
7, first, in step 60, the three-dimensional precise map of the automated parking lot 2 stored in the memory 13 of the parking management server 5 is read. Next, in step 61, sunny areas and shaded areas are identified on the three-dimensional precise map of the automated parking lot 2 based on the current position of the sun calculated from the date and time, and the degree of sunshine R and degree of shade S of each parking space P are calculated from these identified sunny areas and shaded areas.

Next, we will explain the method of entry and exit when a user of the automatic parking service parks the automatically driven vehicle 20 in the automatic parking lot 2. Figure 8 shows an entry and exit management routine for implementing the method of entry and exit from the automatic parking lot 2, and this routine is repeatedly executed in the electronic control unit 10 of the parking management server 5.

Referring to FIG. 8, first, in step 70, it is determined whether or not a request to enter the automated parking lot 2 has been made. When it is determined that a request to enter the automated parking lot 2 has been made, the process proceeds to step 71, where the vehicle information registered by the user at the time of the request to enter is acquired. This vehicle information includes information on whether the autonomous vehicle 20 is a vehicle for which it is desired to avoid an increase in the body temperature, such as a vehicle that operates an air conditioning function, a refrigeration function, or a freezing function while parked, a vehicle carrying items such as fresh food that are sensitive to an increase in temperature, information that the autonomous vehicle 20 is equipped with a solar panel and wishes to generate solar power using the solar panel while parked, and information on a vehicle ID for identifying the autonomous vehicle 20.

Next, in step 72, it is determined whether the autonomous vehicle 20 that has requested entry is a vehicle that prefers to be parked in the sun or in the shade. In this case, if the autonomous vehicle 20 is a vehicle that desires to generate solar power using a solar panel while parked, it is determined to be a vehicle that prefers to be parked in the sun, and if it is a vehicle that wishes to avoid a rise in the body temperature, such as a vehicle that operates an air conditioning function, a refrigeration function, or a freezing function while parked, or a vehicle that is loaded with items such as fresh food that do not tolerate a rise in temperature, it is determined to be a vehicle that prefers to be parked in the shade.

If it is determined in step 72 that the self-driving vehicle 20 for which an entry request has been made is neither a vehicle that prefers sunny areas when parking nor a vehicle that prefers shade, the processing cycle ends. In contrast, if it is determined in step 72 that the self-driving vehicle 20 for which an entry request has been made is a vehicle that prefers sunny areas when parking or a vehicle that prefers shade when parking, the process proceeds to step 73. When making a request to enter the automated parking lot 2, the scheduled departure time is requested to be registered, and in step 73, this registered scheduled departure time is acquired. Next, in step 74, a movement time is set for moving the parking location of the self-driving vehicle 20 before the scheduled departure time. This movement time is set, for example, 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time.

Next, in step 75, if the self-driving vehicle 20 that has requested entry is a vehicle that prefers to park in the sun, an empty parking space P with a high degree of sunlight R, preferably an empty parking space P with a degree of sunlight R of 100 percent, is searched for between the entry time and the movement time based on the list shown in FIG. 5, and the empty parking space P with a high degree of sunlight R is set as the movement destination. On the other hand, if the self-driving vehicle 20 that has requested entry is a vehicle that prefers to park in the shade, an empty parking space P with a low degree of sunlight R, preferably an empty parking space P with a degree of sunlight R of zero percent, is searched for between the entry time and the movement time based on the list shown in FIG. 5, and the empty parking space P with a low degree of sunlight R, i.e., an empty parking space P with a high degree of shade S, is set as the movement destination.

Next, in step 76, a driving route is set based on the map data of the automatic parking lot 2 stored in the memory 13, indicating the path along which the automatic vehicle 20 should travel from the boarding/alighting area 3 to the set destination. Next, in step 77, based on the map data of the automatic parking lot 2 stored in the memory 13 and the image signal of the infrastructure sensor 6, a driving trajectory of the automatic vehicle 20 within a certain distance range from the current position that allows the automatic vehicle 20 to travel without coming into contact with other vehicles or pedestrians within the path along which the automatic vehicle 20 can travel is determined. Furthermore, in step 77, the driving speed of the automatic vehicle 20 when traveling on the driving trajectory is determined. Next, in step 78, an automatic driving execution command is issued for the automatic vehicle 20, and then in step 79, the set destination, driving route, driving trajectory, driving speed, and automatic driving execution command are transmitted from the parking management server 5 to the automatic vehicle 20.

When an automatic driving execution command is sent from the parking management server 5 to the automatic driving vehicle 20, automatic driving control of the automatic driving vehicle 20 is started. FIG. 9 shows an automatic driving control routine for performing automatic driving control of the automatic driving vehicle 20, and this routine is repeatedly executed by the electronic control unit 27 mounted on the vehicle 20.

Referring to FIG. 9, first, in step 90, the destination set in the parking management server 5 is acquired, then, in step 91, the driving route set in the parking management server 5 is acquired, and in step 92, the driving track and driving speed set in the parking management server 5 are acquired. Next, in step 93, the driving control of the autonomous vehicle 20 is performed along the set driving track based on the detection results of a camera, a lidar, a radar, etc. that captures the front of the autonomous vehicle 20, so as not to come into contact with other vehicles or pedestrians. Next, in step 94, it is determined whether the autonomous vehicle 20 has reached the destination. If it is determined that the autonomous vehicle 20 has not reached the destination, the process returns to step 93, and the autonomous driving of the autonomous vehicle 20 continues. On the other hand, if it is determined in step 94 that the autonomous vehicle 20 has reached the destination, the process proceeds to step 95, and the autonomous driving control of the autonomous vehicle 20 ends.

Returning again to FIG. 8, if it is determined in step 70 that a request to enter the automated parking lot 2 has not been made, the process proceeds to step 80, where it is determined whether the current time has reached the travel time set in step 74. If it is determined that the current time has not reached the travel time set in step 74, the processing cycle ends. In contrast, if it is determined that the current time has reached the travel time set in step 74, the process proceeds to step 81.

In step 81, for example, if it is currently summer and the autonomous vehicle 20 is parked in an empty parking space P with a large degree of sunlight R, an empty parking space P with a small degree of sunlight R, preferably an empty parking space P in the shade, is searched for between the present time and the scheduled departure time based on the table shown in Fig. 5, and an empty parking space P with a small degree of sunlight R, preferably an empty parking space P in the shade, is set as a new destination location. On the other hand, if it is currently winter and the autonomous vehicle 20 is parked in an empty parking space P with a large degree of shade S, an empty parking space P with a large degree of sunlight R is searched for between the present time and the scheduled departure time based on the table shown in Fig. 5, and an empty parking space P with a high degree of sunlight R is set as a new destination location.

Next, in step 82, a driving route from the current parking space P to the set new destination is set based on the map data of the automatic parking lot 2 stored in the memory 13. Next, in step 83, a driving trajectory and driving speed of the automatic driving vehicle 20 that does not come into contact with other vehicles or pedestrians are determined based on the map data of the automatic parking lot 2 stored in the memory 13 and the image signal of the infrastructure sensor 6. Next, in step 78, an automatic driving execution command is issued for the automatic driving vehicle 20, and then, in step 79, the set new destination, driving route, driving trajectory, driving speed and automatic driving execution command are transmitted from the parking management server 5 to the automatic driving vehicle 20. When the automatic driving execution command is transmitted from the parking management server 5 to the automatic driving vehicle 20, the automatic driving control routine shown in FIG. 9 is executed, and the automatic driving of the automatic driving vehicle 20 is performed to the set new destination.

In this way, in an embodiment of the present invention, information regarding whether a parking space P in a parking lot is in the sun or in the shade is acquired, and based on the acquired information, the autonomous vehicle 20 can be selectively parked in a parking space P in the sun or in the shade depending on the characteristics of the autonomous vehicle 20. In this case, the driving route of the autonomous vehicle 20 in the automated parking lot 2 can also be changed depending on the characteristics of the autonomous vehicle 20. That is, if the autonomous vehicle 20 is a vehicle that prefers the sun when parking, the driving route can be set to a driving route that passes through a sunny area, and if the autonomous vehicle 20 is a vehicle that prefers the shade when parking, the driving route can be set to a driving route that passes through a shaded area.

1 Facility 2 Automated parking lot 3 Boarding/disembarking area 5 Parking management server 6 Infrastructure sensor 20 Automated driving vehicle P Parking space

Claims (1)

A parking lot management system in which the sunlight intensity of each parking space in a parking lot at each time is obtained, and if the autonomous vehicle is a vehicle in which it is desired to avoid a rise in the temperature of the vehicle body, the autonomous vehicle is parked in a parking space with a low sunlight intensity, and if the autonomous vehicle is equipped with a solar panel and wishes to generate solar power using the solar panel while parked, the autonomous vehicle is parked in a parking space with a high sunlight intensity. When an autonomous vehicle requests to enter a parking lot, registration of a planned departure time is requested, and a movement time is set for moving the parking location of the autonomous vehicle before the registered planned departure time, and if the autonomous vehicle is parked in a parking space with a high sunlight intensity when the movement time arrives, the autonomous vehicle can be moved to a parking space with a low sunlight intensity and parked in the parking space with a low sunlight intensity until the scheduled departure time, and if the autonomous vehicle is parked in a parking space with a low sunlight intensity when the movement time arrives, the autonomous vehicle can be moved to a parking space with a high sunlight intensity and parked in the parking space with a high sunlight intensity until the scheduled departure time .

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