Method and system for managing a parking lot based on intelligent imaging

Managing a plurality of parking spaces using a camera which in a detection state determines if a parking space is occupied or vacant and enters an identification state in which a high resolution image of the license plate is taken if it is determined that the space is occupied, the license plate of the vehicle is stored in a storage device and at least one environmental aspect of the parking spaces in the car park is controlled by a plurality of devices in accordance with the occupancy of the spaces. The environmental aspect may be controlled by a lighting or ventilation system. An information terminal may receive a customer inquiry including a vehicle identifier and identify the location of the vehicle to a user of the terminal through comparison of the license plate and the identifier. There may be a gateway terminal that provides a user of the car park with a ticket that contains a vehicle identifier which may be provided at the information terminal to identify the vehicle. The vehicle identifier on the ticket may be acquired through a terminal camera capturing an identification image of the vehicle. A change/classification algorithm may be used to determine the occupancy.