Automatic detection of parking level in multi-level structure

Abstract

Implementations of the present invention contemplate utilizing the communicative connections between a telematics service provider (TSP), a communication device, and a telematics unit in a vehicle parked in a multilevel parking garage to determine location information of the vehicle and to provide such information to a subscriber of the TSP. A subscriber of a TSP may transmit a request for information pertaining to the location of a vehicle parked within a multilevel parking structure from a communication device. Upon the receipt of such a request, the TSP provides the information requested by the subscriber. In various implementations, the providing of such information by the TSP may involve querying the telematics unit in the vehicle or querying a database storing location information pertaining to one or more vehicles and may further involve performing calculations to derive the information requested by the communication device. In some implementations, the information requested by the communication device includes but is not limited to a floor number, or level, of the parking garage on which the telematics-equipped vehicle is parked.