Parking meter smart housing with electronic memory

• US 20030112151A1
• Filed: 12/12/2002
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: J.J. MacKay Canada Limited (137954 Canada Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: J.J. MacKay Canada Limited (137954 Canada Ltd.)
• Inventors: Erskine, Neil, Chauvin, Greg
• Granted Patent: US 6,747,575 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/308 using the Internet of Things
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3552 Downloading or loading of personalisation data
• 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 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/248 Housing construction casings for coin-freed apparatus G07F9/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

The invention is directed to an electronic parking meter and a method of configuring an electronic parking meter. In addition to a meter housing and an electronic metering mechanism within the housing, the parking meter includes a memory positioned within the housing separate from the electronic metering mechanism for storing configuration information associated with a pre-selected group of one or more electronic meters. When the electronic metering mechanism is replaced, the replacement metering mechanism that is inserted into the housing need only be coupled to the separate memory in order to have the configuration information of the specific meter downloaded into it. The configuration information includes parking meter location information and/or parking restriction information. The separate memory, which may include a real time clock chip and may alternately be located in the meter'"'"'s electronic lock, can also be used to store current meter status information that is accessible from the exterior of the meter housing.

Claims

1. An electronic parking meter comprising:

a meter housing;

electronic metering means within the housing;

memory means positioned within the housing separate from the electronic metering means for storing configuration information associated with a pre-selected group comprising one or more electronic meters; and

means for coupling the memory means to the electronic metering means for downloading the configuration information into the electronic metering means.

2. An electronic parking meter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the memory means includes means for storing parking meter status information.

3. An electronic parking meter as claimed in claim 2 wherein the memory means includes means for providing access to it from the exterior of the housing.

4. An electronic parking meter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the memory means includes a real time clock chip.

5. An electronic parking meter as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an electronic lock for providing access to cash accumulated within the meter housing, wherein the memory means is located within the electronic lock.

6. An electronic parking meter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the configuration information includes parking meter location and/or parking restriction information.

7. An electronic parking meter as claimed in claim 6 wherein the configuration information includes one or more of the following:

city defined post location number, street name and closest civic number, latitude &

longitude coordinates as defined by a GPS system, parking rates, parking time limit, allowed parking periods, payment required parking periods.

8. An electronic parking meter as claimed 1 wherein the pre-selected group of electronic meters is determined by location.

9. An electronic parking meter as claimed 8 wherein the pre-selected group of electronic meters is determined by geographical location.

10. A method of configuring an electronic parking meter having a replaceable electronic metering means within a meter housing, comprising:

positioning a memory means within the housing separate from the electronic metering means;

storing configuration information associated with a pre-selected group of one or more electronic meters within the memory means; and

coupling the memory means to the electronic metering means for loading the configuration information into the electronic metering means.

11. A method of configuring an electronic parking meter as claimed in claim 10, which further includes storing parking meter status information within the memory means.

12. A method of configuring an electronic parking meter as claimed in claim 11, which further includes accessing the memory means from the exterior of the meter housing.

13. A method of configuring an electronic parking meter as claimed in claim 10, which further includes providing a real time clock chip within the memory means.

14. A method of configuring an electronic parking meter as claimed in claim 10 wherein the pre-selected group of electronic meters are selected by location.

15. A method of configuring an electronic parking meter having a replaceable electronic metering means within a meter housing, comprising:

positioning a memory means within the housing separate from the electronic metering means, wherein configuration information associated with a pre-selected group of one or more meters is stored within the memory means; and

coupling the memory means to the electronic metering means for loading the configuration information into the electronic metering means.

16. A method of configuring an electronic parking meter as claimed in claim 15, which further includes storing parking meter status information within the memory means.

17. A method of configuring an electronic parking meter as claimed in claim 16, which further includes accessing the memory means from the exterior of the meter housing.

18. A method of configuring an electronic parking meter as claimed in claim 15, which further includes providing a real time clock chip within the memory means.

19. A method of configuring an electronic parking meter as claimed in claim 15 wherein the pre-selected group of electronic meters are selected by location.

20. A method of replacing an electronic metering means within a meter housing of an electronic meter, comprising:

removing the electronic metering means from the meter housing;

maintaining configuration information associated with the electronic meter in storage in the meter housing;

inserting a replacement electronic metering means within the meter housing; and

loading the configuration information stored in the meter housing into the replacement electronic metering means.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the configuration information is common to a group of electronic meters pre-selected by location.

22. A method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the configuration information is common to a group of electronic meters pre-selected by geographical location.

23. A method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the configuration information includes parking meter location and/or parking restriction information.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23 wherein the configuration information includes one or more of the following:

city defined post location number, street name and closest civic number, latitude &

longitude coordinates as defined by a GPS system, parking rates, parking time limit, allowed parking periods, payment required parking periods.