Parking lot monitoring system

• US 10,121,172 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2014
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Municipal Parking Services, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Municipal Parking Services, Inc.
• Inventors: Hudson, Thomas G., Caldwell, Joseph M., Gage, Richard C., Danko, Nataliia
• Primary Examiner(s): Gudorf, Laura
• Application Number:
  US14/214,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20140214500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,697 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/246 provided with vehicle proximity-detectors detecting hidden masses, e.g. metal detectors, G01V, e.g. G01V3/00; proximity switches per se H03K17/00; traffic control systems G08G1/00

Abstract

A parking lot management system and method may include capturing image data and time of entry of a vehicle entering the parking lot and transmitting the image data and time data to a remote networked computer system. A vehicle identification is determined from the image data. Time and image data of the vehicle exiting the parking lot is determined and transmitting the remote networked computer system. A parking violation is determined due to a parking time period expiring without the vehicle exiting the lot prior the parking period expiring. A violation notice is communicated to the person associated with the vehicle identified to be in violation. A parking kiosk adjacent the parking lot can be provided. The kiosk is coupled to the remote networked computer system and is configured to set parking time, calculate payment and receive payment.

Claims

1. A parking lot management system for a lot comprising a plurality of parking spaces for vehicles, the system comprising:

a kiosk comprising;

a weather resistant housing including first and second sides;

a processor disposed inside of the housing;

a memory disposed inside of the housing and coupled to the processor;

a network interface disposed in the housing and coupled to the processor;

a graphical user interface disposed in the housing and facing outward from the first side of the housing;

a kiosk camera disposed in the housing and facing outward from the first side of the housing;

a microphone disposed in the housing;

a speaker disposed in the housing; and

a payment acceptor disposed in the housing; and

a first lot camera located in the parking lot such that an entrance to the lot is within a field of view of the first lot camera, the first lot camera coupled to the processor of the kiosk and configured to transmit image data to the kiosk for vehicles entering the lot,

wherein the processor is configured to;

detect a vehicle entering the parking lot;

capture an identification of the vehicle entering the parking lot;

transmitting the identification to a remote computer system via the network interface;

time an initial grace period;

receive payment for a parking time period;

determine that a parking violation has occurred due to at least one of the initial grace period expiring without receiving payment for the parking time period and the parking time period expiring without the vehicle exiting the parking lot;

transmit a notice of the parking violation to the remote computer system via the network interface, the notice including the vehicle'"'"'s identification and a time of the violation;

transmit a time of the vehicle'"'"'s exit from the first parking space to the remote computer system via the network interface, and

receive updated parking rate parameters from the remote computer system via the network interface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first lot camera is located in the parking lot such that an exit to the lot is within the field of view of the first lot camera, the first lot camera configured to transmit image data to the kiosk for vehicles exiting the lot.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second lot camera located in the parking lot such that an exit to the lot is within the field of view of the second lot camera, the second lot camera configured to transmit image data to the kiosk for vehicles exiting the lot.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to accept payment of a fine for the parking violation via the payment acceptor and transmit notice of payment of the fine to the remote computer system via the network interface.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a parking meter disposed adjacent to at least one of the plurality of parking spaces, the parking meter including a meter camera disposed in the parking meter and facing outward towards the at least one adjacent parking space.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the kiosk is disposed adjacent to at least one of the plurality of parking spaces, the kiosk further including a meter camera disposed in the housing and facing outward from the second side towards the at least one adjacent parking space.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the kiosk is further configured to receive an emergency call request via an input to the kiosk and initiate a two-way video conference with an emergency services operator.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the kiosk is further configured to define a maximum parking time and display the maximum parking time on the graphical user interface.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to display via the graphical user interface, after a violation is determined, a notice that the fine can be paid at a discount rate prior to the vehicle exiting the first parking space.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a parking class from a plurality of parking classes for each vehicle entering the parking lot; and

set a parking rate corresponding to the determined class for each vehicle entering the parking lot.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

calculate a total parking fee in response to a selected amount of time, wherein the total parking fee comprises a first parking rate for a first portion of the selected amount of time and a second parking rate for a second portion of the selected amount of parking time, the second parking rate being different than the first parking rate;

display the first parking rate and first subtotal for the first portion of the selected amount of time on the graphical user interface;

display the second parking rate and a second subtotal for the second portion of the selected amount of time on the graphical user interface; and

display the total parking fee on the graphical user interface.

12. A method of monitoring and managing parking in a parking lot having an entrance and an exit, the method comprising:

sensing a vehicle entering the parking lot;

capturing image data of the vehicle entering the parking lot and transmitting the image data to a remote networked computer system;

recording a time of entry for the vehicle entering the parking lot and transmitting the time of entry to the remote networked computer system;

determining an identification of the vehicle entering the parking lot;

sensing the vehicle exiting the parking lot;

capturing image data of the vehicle exiting the parking lot and transmitting the image data to the remote networked computer system;

recording a time of exit for the vehicle exiting the parking lot and transmitting the time of exit to the remote networked computer system;

determining an identification of the vehicle exiting the parking lot;

determining that a parking violation has occurred due to a parking time period expiring without the vehicle exiting the lot prior the parking period expiring;

communicating notice of the parking violation to the remote networked computer system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the steps of capturing image data of the vehicle entering the parking lot and capturing image data of the vehicle exiting the parking lot are performed by a camera monitoring both the entrance and the exit.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising comparing the identification of the vehicle entering the parking lot to a database of vehicle identifications associated with a parking permit.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting the identification of the vehicle entering the parking lot to a law enforcement agency.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising defining a plurality of parking class rules and determining which class rule applies to the vehicle entering the parking lot.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing a parking kiosk adjacent the parking lot and coupled to the remote networked computer system, the parking kiosk comprising:

a weather resistant housing including first and second sides;

a processor disposed inside of the housing;

a memory disposed inside of the housing and coupled to the processor;

a network interface disposed in the housing and coupled to the processor;

a graphical user interface disposed in the housing and facing outward from the first side of the housing;

a kiosk camera disposed in the housing and facing outward from the first side of the housing, the kiosk camera coupled to the processor;

a microphone disposed in the housing;

a speaker disposed in the housing; and

a payment acceptor disposed in the housing.

18. A method of managing parking for a parking lot, the method comprising:

capturing image data of a vehicle entering the parking lot;

recording a time of entry for the vehicle entering the parking lot;

determining an identification of the vehicle entering the parking lot;

initiating a grace period following the vehicle entering the parking lot;

receiving a selection of a parking time quantity by a user by the user providing an input to a kiosk;

calculating a total parking fee in response to a selected amount of parking time;

receiving payment for the total parking fee;

stopping the grace period upon receipt of the payment for the total parking fee;

capturing image data of the vehicle exiting the parking lot;

recording a time of exit for the vehicle exiting the parking lot;

determining an identification of the vehicle exiting the parking lot;

determining that a parking violation has occurred due to calculating a parking time exceeding the selected amount of parking time;

communicating a notice of parking violation to a person associated with the identity of the vehicle; and

receiving updated parking rate parameters from a remote computer system.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the total parking fee comprises a first parking rate for a first portion of the selected amount of time and a second parking rate for a second portion of the selected amount of parking time, the second parking rate being different than the first parking rate.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

performing a self-diagnostic routine by the kiosk; and

reporting a result of the self-diagnostic routine to the remote computer system.