Parking meter communications for remote payment with updated display

• US 10,664,880 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2019
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IPS Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IPS Group Incorporated
• Inventors: King, David William, Randall, Chad
• Primary Examiner(s): Girma, Fekadeselassie
• Application Number:
  US16/353,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20190251608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• 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: G07C 1/30 Parking meters registering or indicating waiting time of vehicles by means driven by the vehicle G07C5/02; coin-freed parking meters G07F17/24
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/24 for parking meters

Abstract

A parking meter receives data indicative of a remote payment being completed and displays an amount of time purchased by the remote payment for a parking session. The parking meter determines an amount of time remaining in the parking session and powers down at least a portion of a meter communication subsystem subsequent to receiving the data indicative of the remote payment being completed. The parking meter wakes up the powered down portion of the communication subsystem upon determining that the amount of time remaining is below a threshold time, and can receive an indication of additional time being paid for remotely, and can update the displayed time remaining to reflect the additional time.

Claims

1. A meter device comprising:

a) a clock;

b) a visual indicator;

c) a communication subsystem configured to provide two-way wireless communication; and

d) a controller module coupled to the clock, the visual indicator, and the communication subsystem, the controller configured to;

i) control the communication subsystem to receive data indicative of a first payment being completed,

ii) control the visual indicator to indicate an amount of time for a parking session purchased by the first payment,

iii) monitor the clock to determine a first amount of time remaining in the parking session,

iv) control the visual indicator to indicate the first amount of time remaining,

v) power down at least a portion of the communication subsystem subsequent to receiving the data indicative of the first payment being completed,

vi) periodically wake up the powered down portion of the communication subsystem,

vii) control the communication subsystem to receive data indicative of a second payment being completed remotely for additional time, and

viii) control the visual indicator to update the indicated time remaining to reflect the additional time in a second amount of time remaining.

2. The meter device of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator comprises a display, one or more lights, or a combination thereof.

3. The meter device of claim 1, wherein the first payment is a remote payment.

4. The meter device of claim 1, wherein the first payment is a non-remote payment.

5. The meter device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the communication subsystem to update the indicated time remaining to reflect the additional time prior to expiration of the time for the parking session purchased by the first payment.

6. The meter device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the communication subsystem to update the indicated time remaining to reflect the additional time at expiration of the time for the parking session purchased by the first payment.

7. The meter device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the communication subsystem to update the indicated time remaining to reflect the additional time subsequent to expiration of the time for the parking session purchased by the first payment.

8. The meter device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to, upon waking up the powered down portion of the communication subsystem, control the communication subsystem to transmit a message comprising the first amount of time remaining in the parking session to a remote management system.

9. The meter device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to, upon waking up the powered down portion of the communication subsystem, control the communication subsystem to transmit a message comprising the first amount of time remaining in the parking session to a wireless device of a user.

10. The meter device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to, subsequent to receiving the data indicative of the second payment being completed remotely for additional time:

a) monitor the clock to determine the second amount of time remaining, and

b) control the visual indicator to indicate the second amount of time remaining.

11. The meter device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the communication subsystem that is not powered down by the controller enables the communication subsystem to receive an incoming signal.

12. The meter device of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to:

a) control the portion of the communication subsystem that is not powered down to receive the incoming signal, and

b) wake up the powered down portion of the communication subsystem in response to receiving the incoming signal.

13. The meter device of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to:

a) control the communications subsystem to receive data indicative of third payment being completed remotely for additional time subsequent to receiving the incoming signal, and

b) control the visual indicator to update the indicated time remaining to reflect the additional time in a third amount of time remaining.

14. The meter device of claim 1, further comprising a reader device configured to read identification information from a user identifier in close proximity to the reader device;

wherein the controller is further configured to;

a) receive the identification information from the reader device, and

b) control the communication subsystem to transmit the identification information to a remote management system.

15. The meter device of claim 14, wherein the reader device is a RFID reader and the user identifier is a RFID tag.

16. The meter device of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to:

a) detect a presence of a vehicle in a parking space associated with the meter device, and

b) read identification information from the vehicle present in the parking space;

wherein the controller is further configured to;

a) control the communication subsystem to receive the identification information from the sensor, and

b) control the communication subsystem to transmit the identification information to a remote management system.

17. The meter device of claim 16, wherein the sensor comprises a RFID reader configured to read the identification information from a RFID tag associated with the vehicle.

18. A method of operating a parking meter comprising a clock, a visual indicator, and a communication subsystem, the method comprising:

a) receiving, by the communication subsystem, data indicative of a first payment being completed,

b) controlling the visual indicator to indicate an amount of time for a parking session purchased by the first payment,

c) monitoring the clock to determine a first amount of time remaining in the parking session,

d) controlling the visual indicator to indicate the first amount of time remaining,

e) powering down at least a portion of the communication subsystem subsequent to receiving the data indicative of the first payment being completed,

f) periodically waking up the powered down portion of the communication subsystem,

g) receiving, by the communication subsystem, data indicative of a second payment being completed remotely for additional time, and

h) controlling the visual indicator to update the indicated time remaining to reflect the additional time in a second amount of time remaining.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first payment is completed remotely.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first payment is completed locally at the meter device.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein updating the indicated time remaining to reflect the additional time is completed prior to expiration of the time for the parking session purchased by the first payment.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein updating the indicated time remaining to reflect the additional time is completed at expiration of the time for the parking session purchased by the first payment.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein updating the indicated time remaining to reflect the additional time is completed subsequent to expiration of the time for the parking session purchased by the first payment.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising, upon waking up the powered down portion of the communication subsystem, transmitting, by the communication subsystem, a message comprising the first amount of time remaining in the parking session to a remote management system.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising, upon waking up the powered down portion of the communication subsystem, transmitting, by the communication subsystem, a message comprising the first amount of time remaining in the parking session to a wireless device of a user.