Parking meter system

• US 20030135407A1
• Filed: 12/05/2002
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Reinhardt International Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Reinhardt International Pty Limited
• Inventors: Sizer, Geoffrey David, Szymanski, Jan, Kroon, Michael David, Reinhardt, Sydney James
• Application Number:
  US10/221,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20030135407A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• 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 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/24 for parking meters

Abstract

A system adapted for robust storage of parking meter information in a parking meter system is disclosed. The system comprises a plurality of cash boxes (106) and a corresponding plurality of parking meters (108), wherein the cash boxes (106) are periodically and substantially randomly, (i) mated with the corresponding plurality of parking meters (108) for a collection period, and (ii) subsequently collected from said corresponding plurality of parking meters (108). The system comprises parking meter storage means (102) for storing by each parking meter (108) (i) current information relating to a current collection period and (ii) historic information relating to a number of previous collection periods into each cash box (106) which is successively mated with said each parking meter (108), retrieval means (118) for retrieving all information carried by said each cash box (106) after removal of said each cash box (106) from a corresponding parking meter (108) and storage means (134) for storing said all information into a system data store, thereby to perform repetitive and thus robust storage of individual information records.

Claims

1. A method of reconstructing information in a parking meter system comprising a first plurality of cash boxes and a second plurality of parking meters, wherein a number of the first plurality of cash boxes are periodically and substantially randomly (i) mated with the corresponding number of the second plurality of parking meters for a collection period, and subsequently (ii) collected from said corresponding number of parking meters, the method comprising, for a current collection period, the steps of:

reading, from a memory store in a first collected cash box, data comprising (i) a parking meter specific collection sequence identifier which is updated each time a cash box is mated with a corresponding parking meter, (ii) a meter identifier for the corresponding meter from which the first collected cash box has been collected, (iii) current audit data for cash collected in the first collected cash box during the current collection period, and (iv) historic audit data for cash collected by said corresponding meter in a number of previous collection periods;

storing the data in a system memory store;

comparing the collection sequence identifier with preceding collection sequence identifiers for the corresponding parking meter, the previous collection sequence identifiers having been stored in the system memory store; and

reconstructing audit data associated with a missing collection sequence number preceding the collection sequence number, said reconstruction being dependent upon historic audit data stored in the system memory store, wherein said audit data associated with the missing collection sequence number includes data indicating cash collected in the corresponding parking meter during a collection period associated with the missing collection sequence number.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the current audit data includes a current credit balance for cashless funds collected by said corresponding meter during the current collection period, the historic audit data includes historic credit balances for cashless funds collected by said corresponding meter in a number of previous collection periods, and wherein said reconstructed audit data associated with the missing collection sequence number includes data indicating a credit balance for cashless funds collected in the corresponding parking meter during a collection period associated with the missing collection sequence number.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein a current credit balance for cashless funds collected by said corresponding meter during the current collection period, and historic audit data for historic credit balances for cashless funds collected by said corresponding meter in a number of previous collection periods, are acquired from the corresponding meter from which the first collected cash box has been collected by means of a portable data terminal capable of (i) communicating with said corresponding meter and (ii) storing the current credit balance and historic audit data for historic credit balances in the system store, and wherein said reconstructed audit data associated the missing collection sequence number includes data indicating a credit balance for cashless funds collected in the corresponding parking meter during a collection period associated with the missing collection sequence number.

2. A method of reconstructing information in a parking meter system comprising a first plurality of cash boxes and a second plurality of parking meters, wherein a number of the first plurality of cash boxes are periodically and substantially randomly (i) mated with the corresponding number of the second plurality of parking meters for a collection period, and subsequently (ii) collected from said corresponding number of parking meters, the method comprising, for a current collection period, the steps of:

reading, from a memory store in a first collected cash box, data comprising (i) a meter identifier for the corresponding meter from which the first collected cash box has been collected, (iv) current audit data for cash collected in the first collected cash box during the current collection period, and (iii) historic audit data for cash collected by said corresponding meter in a number of previous collection periods;

determining, for said corresponding meter (i) a substantially collection specific current signature dependent upon the current audit data, and (ii) substantially collection specific historic signatures dependent upon the historic audit data;

comparing the historic signatures to current signatures, which have been stored in the system memory, for preceding collection periods for the corresponding parking meter; and

reconstructing audit data associated with a missing signature associated with one of said preceding collection periods dependent upon historic audit data stored in the system memory store, wherein said audit data associated with the missing signature includes data indicating cash collected in the corresponding parking meter during a collection period associated with the missing signature.

5. A method of establishing validity of a parking citation in a parking meter system comprising a first plurality of cash boxes and a second plurality of parking meters, wherein a number of the first plurality of cash boxes are mated periodically with the corresponding number of parking meters for a collection period, the method comprising, for a current collection period, the steps of:

collecting the cash boxes at the conclusion of the current collection period;

reading, from a memory store in a first collected cash box, first data comprising a meter identifier, and operational data for the corresponding meter from which the first collected cash box has been collected;

receiving citation information for a vehicle, having allegedly been illegally parked, during a contested time in the current collection period, in a parking spot policed by the corresponding meter from which the first collected cash box has been collected, said citation information defining the contested period;

correlating the meter identifier, said first data and said citation information to thereby establish whether said corresponding meter was operative during the contested period; and

confirming validity of the citation if the corresponding meter was operative during the contested period.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein:

the periodic mating of cash boxes and the corresponding plurality of parking meters is substantially random;

said first data further comprises first historic operational data for the corresponding meter from which the first cash box has been collected;

said first data is stored in a system store; and

missing information associated with a missing cash box can be reconstructed from historic information in the system store for the corresponding meter to which the missing cash box was last mated.

8. A method according to claim 5, wherein said first data is acquired from the corresponding meter from which the first collected cash box has been collected by means of at least one of (i) a portable data terminal capable of communicating with said corresponding meter, and (ii) a removable memory module in said corresponding meter.

9. A method according to claim 5, wherein the operational data comprises a meter transaction log comprising, for the current collection period:

records of times and corresponding amounts of funds fed into the corresponding meter; and

records of times and corresponding amounts of funds refunded to a customer, and unrecognised coins rejected.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the meter performance measures include at least one of a battery condition, a tamper indication, an operational fault, and a maintenance event.

6. A method of establishing operational status of a parking meter at the time a citation is issued, in a parking meter system comprising a first plurality of cash boxes and a second plurality of parking meters, wherein a number of the first plurality of cash boxes are periodically (i) mated with the corresponding number of the second plurality of parking meters for a collection period, and subsequently (ii) collected from the corresponding number of parking meters, the method comprising, for a current collection period, the steps of:

reading, from a memory store in a first cash box collected at the conclusion of the current collection period, a meter identifier and operational data for the corresponding meter from which the first cash box has been collected;

receiving information for the citation for a vehicle having allegedly been illegally parked at the time the citation issued, in a parking spot policed by the corresponding meter from which the first collected cash box has been collected;

correlating the meter identifier, the operational information and said citation information to thereby establish whether said corresponding meter was operative when the citation issued; and

confirming validity of the citation if the corresponding meter was operative when said citation issued.

11. A method of establishing a maintenance schedule for a parking meter system comprising a first plurality of cash boxes and a second plurality of parking meters, wherein a number of the cash boxes are mated periodically with the corresponding number of parking meters for a collection period, the method comprising, for a current collection period, the steps of:

collecting at least some of the number of cash boxes at the conclusion of the current collection period;

reading, from memory stores in said at least some cash boxes first data comprising associated meter identifiers, and operational data for the corresponding meters from which cash boxes have been collected; and

deriving at least one of service and maintenance requirement data for the corresponding plurality of parking meters dependent upon said first data.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said first data is acquired from the meters corresponding to said at least some of the plurality of cash boxes by means of at least one of (i) a portable data terminal capable of communicating with said corresponding meters, and (ii) removable memory modules in said corresponding meters.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein:

the first data is stored in a system memory store for each of a plurality of collection periods; and

said at least one of service and maintenance requirement data are derived dependent upon the first data for the plurality of collection periods.

14. A parking meter system comprising a first plurality of cash boxes and a second plurality of parking meters, wherein a number of cash boxes are, periodically and substantially randomly, (i) mated with the corresponding number of parking meters for a collection period, and subsequently (ii) collected from said corresponding number of parking meters, the system further comprising:

reading means for reading, from a memory store in a first cash box collected at the conclusion of a current collection period, data comprising (i) a parking meter specific collection sequence identifier which is updated each time a cash box is mated with a corresponding parking meter, (ii) a meter identifier for the corresponding meter from which the first collected cash box has been collected, (iii) current audit data for cash collected in the first collected cash box during the current collection period, and (iv) historic audit data for cash collected by said corresponding meter in a number of previous collection periods;

system storing means for storing the data in a system memory store;

comparing means for comparing the collection sequence identifier with an immediately preceding collection sequence identifier for the corresponding parking meter, the immediately preceding collection sequence identifier having been stored in the system memory store;

alerting means for providing an alert if the collection sequence identifier is not consecutive to the immediately preceding collection sequence identifier; and

reconstructing means for reconstructing audit data associated with a missing collection sequence number falling between the collection sequence number and the immediately preceding collection sequence number, said reconstruction being dependent upon historic audit data stored in the system memory store, wherein said audit data associated with the missing collection sequence number includes data indicating cash collected in the corresponding parking meter during a collection period associated with the missing collection sequence number.

15. A parking meter system comprising:

a first plurality of insertable cash boxes, each storing therein a cash box identity, a number of said cash boxes being substantially randomly and periodically (i) mated with a corresponding number of parking meter for a collection period, and subsequently (ii) collected from said corresponding number of parking meters;

said corresponding number of parking meters, each being adapted to acquire and store information including at least some of (i) current audit data for a present collection period, (ii) historic summary audit data for previous collection periods, (iii) collection sequence identifiers associated with said collection periods, (iv) a machine identifier, (v) a machine transaction log, (vi) a machine performance parameter log, and (vii) a machine utilisation data log;

each said parking meter being further adapted to communicate at least part of said information to a corresponding mated cash box; and

an audit system adapted to receive said at least part of said information from each of said plurality of cash boxes each time said cash boxes are collected from corresponding parking meter;

wherein the audit system is adapted to reconstruct lost information stored in a missing one of said plurality of cash boxes on the basis of information received from other of said plurality of cash boxes after a following collection from the parking meter which suffered a lost cash box.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein

said lost information relates to an amount of cash for a previous collection period contained in said missing cash box;

said missing cash box was collected from a specific parking meter and subsequently was one of lost and stolen prior to being coupled to the audit system; and

the lost information is reconstructed dependent upon (i) historic summary audit data from the specific parking meter, (ii) a sequence identifier associated with each said previous collection period relating to the specific parking meter, and (iii) a parking meter identifier for said specific parking meter.

17. A system according to claim 15, wherein

said lost information relates to a smartcard credit balance for a previous collection period, said balance being stored in said missing cash box;

said missing cash box was collected from a specific parking meter and subsequently was one of lost and stolen prior to being coupled to the audit system; and

the lost information is reconstructed dependent upon (i) historic summary smartcard audit data from the specific parking meter, (ii) a sequence identifier associated with each said previous collection period relating to the specific parking meter, and (iii) a parking meter identifier for said specific parking meter.

18. A system according to claim 15, wherein

each said parking meter is further adapted to communicate said at least part of said information to at least one of (i) a portable data terminal capable of communicating with said corresponding meter, and (ii) a removable memory module in said each parking meter;

said lost information relates to a smartcard credit balance for a previous collection period, said balance being stored in said at least one of (i) memory means in said each parking meter adapted for communicating with a portable data terminal, and (ii) a removable memory module in said each parking meter; and

the lost information is reconstructed dependent upon (i) historic summary smartcard audit data from the specific parking meter, (ii) a sequence identifier associated with each said previous collection period relating to the specific parking meter, and (iii) a parking meter identifier for said specific parking meter.

19. A system according to claim 15, wherein

the lost information relates to an operational status of a specific parking meter during a previous collection period, said status being stored in said parking meter performance parameter log;

said missing cash box was collected from the specific parking meter and subsequently was one of lost and stolen prior to being coupled to the audit system; and

the lost information is reconstructed dependent upon (i) a parking meter transaction log from the specific parking meter, (ii) a parking meter performance log from the specific parking meter, (iii) a sequence identifier associated with each said previous collection period relating to the specific parking meter, and (iv) a parking meter identifier for said specific parking meter.

20. A parking meter system comprising a first plurality of cash boxes and a second plurality of parking meters, wherein a number of the cash boxes are periodically mated with the corresponding number of parking meters for a collection period, and subsequently collected from said corresponding number of parking meters, the system further comprising:

reading means for reading, from a memory store in a first cash box collected at the conclusion of the current collection period, first data comprising a meter identifier, and operational data for the corresponding meter from which the first collected cash box has been collected;

citation means for receiving citation information for a vehicle, having allegedly been illegally parked, during a contested time in the current collection period, in a parking space policed by the corresponding meter from which the first collected cash box has been collected, said citation information defining the contested period; and

correlating means for correlating the meter identifier, said first data and said citation information to thereby establish whether said corresponding meter was operative during the contested period; and

confirming means for confirming validity of the citation if the corresponding meter was operative during the contested period.

21. A parking meter system comprising:

a plurality of insertable cash boxes, each storing therein a cash box identity, said cash boxes being substantially randomly and periodically (i) mated with a corresponding plurality of parking meters for a collection period, and subsequently (ii) collected from said corresponding plurality of parking meters;

said corresponding plurality of parking meters, each being adapted to acquire and store information including at least some of (i) current audit data for a present collection period, (ii) historic summary audit data for previous collection periods, (iii) collection sequence identifiers associated with said collection periods, (iv) a machine identifier, (v) a machine transaction log, (vi) a machine performance parameter log, and (vii) a machine utilisation data log;

each said parking meters being further adapted to communicate at least part of said information to a corresponding mated cash box;

an audit system adapted to receive said at least part of said information from each of said plurality of cash boxes each time said cash boxes are collected from corresponding parking meters;

a citation system adapted to receive information from a citation comprising, for a particular parked vehicle, (i) a parking legality status, (ii) at least one of a geographical location of a corresponding parking meter, a date and a time at which said parked vehicle was parked; and

(iii) at least one of a registration number, a vehicle colour, and a manufacturer for said vehicle; and

an enforcement management system adapted to correlate information from (i) said audit system, and (ii) the citation system, thereby establishing whether said meter was inoperative when the citation was made.

22. A parking meter system comprising a plurality of cash boxes and a corresponding plurality of parking meters, wherein the cash boxes are periodically mated with the corresponding plurality of parking meters for a collection period, and subsequently collected from said corresponding plurality of parking meters, the system further comprising:

reading means for reading, from memory stores in at least some of the plurality of cash boxes after collection, first data comprising associated meter identifiers, and operational data for the corresponding meters from which cash boxes have been collected; and

deriving means for deriving at least one of service and maintenance requirement data for at least some of the corresponding plurality of parking meters dependent upon said first data.

23. A parking meter system comprising:

a plurality of insertable cash boxes, each storing therein a cash box identity, said cash boxes being substantially randomly and periodically (i) mated with a corresponding plurality of parking meter for a collection period, and subsequently (ii) collected from said corresponding plurality of parking meter;

said corresponding plurality of parking meter, each being adapted to acquire and store information including at least some of (i) current audit data for a present collection period, (ii) historic summary audit data for previous collection periods, (iii) collection sequence identifiers associated with said collection periods, (iv) a parking meter identifier, (v) a parking meter transaction log, (vi) a parking meter performance parameter log, and (vii) a parking meter utilisation data log;

each said parking meter being further adapted to communicate at least part of said information to a corresponding mated cash box; and

an audit system adapted to receive said at least part of said information from each of said plurality of cash boxes each time said cash boxes are collected from corresponding parking meter;

wherein said audit system further comprises;

a performance management sub-system adapted to receive and analyse said part of said information, thereby deriving one of service and maintenance requirement data for the plurality of parking meters.

24. A parking meter system comprising:

a plurality of insertable cash boxes, each storing therein a cash box identity, said cash boxes being substantially randomly and periodically (i) mated with a corresponding plurality of parking meters for a collection period, and subsequently (ii) collected from said corresponding plurality of parking meters;

said corresponding plurality of parking meters, each being adapted to acquire and store information including at least some of (i) current audit data for a present collection period, (ii) historic summary audit data for previous collection periods, (iii) collection sequence identifiers associated with said collection periods, (iv) a machine identifier, (v) a machine transaction log, (vi) a machine performance parameter log, and (vii) a machine utilisation data log;

each said parking meters being further adapted to communicate at least part of said information to a corresponding mated cash box;

a performance management sub-system adapted to receive and analyse said part of said information from each of said plurality of cash boxes each time said cash boxes are collected from corresponding parking meters, thereby deriving one of service and maintenance requirement data for the plurality of parking meters.

25. A parking meter system according to claim 24, wherein:

each said parking meter is further adapted to communicate said at least part of said information to at least one of (i) a portable data terminal capable of communicating with said parking meter, and (ii) a removable memory module in said each parking meter; and

the performance management sub-system is further adapted to receive and analyse said part of said information from said at least one of said portable data terminal, and said removable memory module, thereby deriving one of service and maintenance requirement data for the plurality of parking meters.

26. A parking meter system according to claim 24, wherein:

the machine performance parameter log comprises indicators of remaining life of meter supply batteries; and

said performance management sub-system derives a battery replacement maintenance schedule for said plurality of parking meters dependent upon said indicators.

27. A parking meter system comprising:

a plurality of insertable cash boxes, each storing therein a cash box identity, said cash boxes being substantially randomly and periodically (i) mated with a corresponding plurality of parking meter for a collection period, and subsequently (ii) collected from said corresponding plurality of parking meter;

said corresponding plurality of parking meter, each being adapted to acquire and store information including at least some of (i) current audit data for a present collection period, (ii) historic summary audit data for previous collection periods, (iii) collection sequence identifiers associated with said collection periods, (iv) a parking meter identifier, (v) a parking meter transaction log, (vi) a parking meter performance parameter log, and (vii) a parking meter utilisation data log;

each said parking meter being further adapted to communicate at least part of said information to a corresponding mated cash box; and

an audit system adapted to receive said at least part of said information from each of said plurality of cash boxes each time said cash boxes are collected from corresponding parking meter;

wherein;

each of said plurality of parking meters is further adapted to (i) support communication established between the parking meter and a service terminal, said service terminal being used by a service technician, and (ii) to store a record of establishment of each said communication in a mated cash box; and

said audit system further comprises a service technician performance assessment sub-system adapted to receive each said record, and to correlate said at least part of said information and each said record against comparative information in a historic database, to thereby determine a performance of the service technician.

28. A multi-bay parking meter system comprising:

a plurality of multi-bay parking meters, each said parking meter being (i) associated with a number of parking bays, and (ii) adapted to download first and second information to a portable enforcement terminal, said first information relating to a parking status for vehicles parked in said associated parking bays, and said second information relating to contextual information about the parking meter and parking parameters; and

said at least one enforcement terminal being adapted to receive said first and second information, and further adapted to receive a user input, and to output an enforcement citation dependent upon at least one of the user input, the first information and the second information.

29. The multi-bay parking meter system according to claim 28, wherein:

said each parking meter is further adapted to download, to the enforcement terminal, operational data for said each parking meter; and

wherein

the system is further adapted to (i) receive information from the enforcement citation for a vehicle, having allegedly been illegally parked in a parking spot policed by said each parking meter, (ii) to correlate the citation information and the operational data to thereby establish whether said each parking meter was operative when the citation was issued, and (iii) to issue the citation if the corresponding meter was operative when the citation was issued.

30. The multi-bay parking meter system according to either of claims 28 and 29, wherein:

said each parking meter is further adapted to determine and download, to the enforcement terminal, at least one of (i) a time at which the enforcement terminal established contact with the parking meter, and (ii) a time period during which the enforcement terminal was in communication with the parking meter; and

wherein

the system is further adapted to compare said at least one of the time and the time period against corresponding stored historic data to thereby establish a performance measure for an enforcement officer using the enforcement terminal.

31. The multi-bay parking meter system according to any one of claims 28 to 30, wherein:

the system is further adapted to derive maintenance data for the parking meter dependent upon said operational data.

37. A multi-bay parking meter system according to either one of claims 28 and 32, wherein said contextual information includes at least one of a street address and a name of at least one nearest cross street.

38. A multi-bay parking meter system according to either one of claims 28 and 32, wherein said duration of stay for a vehicle parked in one of said associated parking bays represents a time remaining if the vehicle is legally parked, and a time elapsed, if the vehicle is illegally parked.

39. A multi-bay parking meter system according to either one of claims 28 and 32, wherein said second user input further comprises a statement concerning parking regulations for the one of said parking bays in which the vehicle is illegally parked.

40. A parking meter system according to claim 28, wherein the download of first and second information is performed using a direct communication link between the parking meter and the portable terminal device.

41. A parking meter system according to claim 28, further comprising:

a wide area data acquisition and communication sub-system adapted to acquire and store said first and second information associated with the one or more parking meters, and further adapted to communicate said first and second information to the one or more portable terminals;

wherein the download of said first and second information is performed using a communication link between the portable terminal devices and the communication sub-system.

42. A parking meter system according to claim 28, wherein said first information relates to a parking legality status associated with the associated one or more parked vehicles.

43. A parking meter system according to claim 28, wherein said second information relates to at least one of a geographical location of said parking meter, a date and a time.

44. A parking meter system according to claim 28, wherein said user information relates to at least one of a vehicle registration number, a vehicle colour, and a vehicle manufacturer.

32. A multi-bay parking meter system comprising:

a plurality of multi-bay parking meters, each said parking meter being (i) associated with a number of parking bays and (ii) adapted to store and communicate information relating to a duration of stay for vehicles parked in each of said associated parking bays, to a portable enforcement terminal;

a central database adapted to store contextual information for said each parking meter; and

said portable enforcement terminal device which is adapted;

(i) to communicate with the central, database to thereby receive the contextual information;

(ii) to communicate with said each parking meter, thereby to receive said information relating to the duration of stay for parking bays associated with said each parking meter;

(iii) to receive a first input relating to a vehicle identifier for a vehicle which is allegedly illegally parked in one of said associated parking bays; and

(iv) to output an enforcement citation dependent upon the first input and the contextual information for said each parking meter.

33. The multi-bay parking meter system according to claim 32, wherein:

said each parking meter is further adapted to download, to the enforcement terminal, operational data for said each parking meter; and

wherein

the system is further adapted to (i) receive information from the enforcement citation for the allegedly illegally parked vehicle, (ii) to correlate the citation information and the operational data to thereby establish whether said each parking meter was operative when the citation was issued, and (iii) to validate the citation if the corresponding meter was operative when the citation was issued.

34. A multi-bay parking meter system according to either of claims 32 and 33, wherein:

said each parking meter is further adapted to determine and download, to the enforcement terminal, at least one of (i) a time at which the enforcement terminal established contact with said each parking meter, and (ii) a time period during which the enforcement terminal was in communication with said each parking meter; and

wherein

the system is further adapted to compare said at least one of the time and the time period against corresponding stored historic data to thereby establish a performance measure for an enforcement officer using the enforcement terminal.

35. A multi-bay parking meter system according to claim 34, wherein:

said performance measure relates to productivity of the enforcement officer, said productivity being dependent upon at least one of;

an average time interval between establishing contact with successive parking meters;

an average number of expired bays discovered during communication between the officer and successive parking meters; and

an average number of citations issued per collection period.

36. The multi-bay parking meter system according to any one of claims 32 to 34, wherein:

the system is further adapted to derive maintenance data for said each parking meter dependent upon said operational data.

45. A parking meter in a parking meter system comprising a plurality of cash boxes and a corresponding plurality of parking meters, wherein the cash boxes are periodically and substantially randomly, (i) mated with the corresponding plurality of parking meters for a collection period, and (ii) subsequently collected from said corresponding plurality of parking meters, the parking meter comprising:

parking meter storage means for storing by each parking meter (i) current information relating to a current collection period and (ii) historic information relating to a number of previous collection periods into each cash box which is successively mated with said each parking meter.

46. An insertable cash box adapted to mate with a parking meter in a parking meter system comprising a plurality of cash boxes and a corresponding plurality of parking meters, wherein the cash boxes are periodically and substantially randomly, (i) mated with the corresponding plurality of parking meters for a collection period, and (ii) subsequently collected from said corresponding plurality of parking meters, the cash box comprising:

storage means for storing from each parking meter to which the cash box is successively mated (i) current information relating to a current collection period and (ii) historic information relating to a number of previous collection periods.

47. A method of robustly storing parking meter information in a parking meter system comprising a first plurality of cash boxes and a second plurality of parking meters, wherein a number of cash boxes are periodically and substantially randomly, (i) mated with a corresponding number of parking meters for a collection period, and (ii) subsequently collected from said corresponding plurality of parking meters, the method comprising the steps of:

storing by each parking meter (i) current information relating to a current collection period and (ii) historic information relating to a number of previous collection periods into each cash box which is successively mated with-said each parking meter;

retrieving information carried by said each cash box after removal of said each cash box from a corresponding parking meter; and

storing said all information into a system data store, thereby to perform repetitive and thus robust storage of individual information records.

48. A system adapted for robust storage of parking meter information in a parking meter system comprising a first plurality of cash boxes and a second plurality of parking meters, wherein a number of cash boxes are periodically and substantially randomly, (i) mated with a corresponding number of parking meters for a collection period, and (ii) subsequently collected from said corresponding number of parking meters, the system comprising:

parking meter storage means for storing by each parking meter (i) current information relating to a current collection period and (ii) historic information relating to a number of previous collection periods into each cash box which is successively mated with said each parking meter;

retrieval means for retrieving information carried by said each cash box after removal of said each cash box from a corresponding parking meter; and

storage means for storing said all information into a system data store, thereby to perform repetitive and thus robust storage of individual information records.

49. A method of robustly storing parking meter information in a parking meter system comprising a first plurality of cash boxes and a second plurality of parking meters, wherein a number of the cash boxes are periodically and substantially randomly, (i) mated with a corresponding number of the second plurality of parking meters for a collection period, and (ii) subsequently collected from said corresponding number of parking meters, the method comprising, for a representative one of the number of parking meters, the steps of:

storing by the representative parking meter information, comprising individual information records, relating to both a current collection period and a number of previous collection periods, into each cash box which is successively mated with said representative parking meter;

retrieving information carried by said each cash box after removal of said each cash box from the representative parking meter; and

storing said information into a system data store, thereby to perform repetitive and thus robust storage of said individual information records.

50. A system adapted for robustly storing parking meter information in a parking meter system comprising a plurality of cash boxes and a corresponding plurality of parking meters, wherein the cash boxes are periodically and substantially randomly, (i) mated with the corresponding plurality of parking meters for a collection period, and (ii) subsequently collected from said corresponding plurality of parking meters, the system comprising:

first storing means for storing by each parking meter information, comprising individual information records, relating to both a current collection period and a number of previous collection periods into each cash box which is successively mated with said each parking meter;

retrieving means for retrieving information carried by said each cash box after removal of said each cash box from a corresponding parking meter; and

second storing means for storing said information into a system data store, thereby to perform repetitive and thus robust storage of said individual information records.

51. A method of establishing validity of a parking citation, for a vehicle which was allegedly illegally parked during a collection period, in a parking meter system comprising at least a cash box and a parking meter to which the cash box can be mated for the collection period, the method comprising the steps of:

reading, from a memory store in the cash box which has been collected at the conclusion of the collection period, data from the parking meter; and

correlating the data to the parking citation to thereby establish whether said parking meter was operative during the current collection period.

52. A system adapted for establishing validity of a parking citation, for a vehicle which was allegedly illegally parked during a collection period, in a parking meter system comprising at least a cash box and a parking meter to which the cash box can be mated for the collection period, the system comprising:

reading means for reading, from a memory store in the cash box which has been collected at the conclusion of the collection period, data from the parking meter; and

correlating means for correlating the data to the parking citation to thereby establish whether said parking meter was operative during the current collection period.

53. A method of establishing a maintenance schedule for a parking meter system comprising at least a cash box and a corresponding parking meter to which the cash box can be mated for a collection period, the method comprising the steps of:

reading, from a memory store in the cash box, which has been collected from the parking meter, operational data for the parking meter; and

deriving at least one of service and maintenance data for the parking meter dependent upon said operational data.

54. A system adapted for establishing a maintenance schedule for a parking meter system comprising at least a cash box and a corresponding parking meter to which the cash box can be mated for a collection period, the system comprising:

reading means for reading, from a memory store in the cash box, which has been collected from the parking meter, operational data for the parking meter; and

deriving means for deriving at least one of service and maintenance data for the parking meter dependent upon said operational data.

55. A multi-bay parking meter system comprising:

at least one multi-bay parking meter adapted to communicate first and second information to a portable terminal device, said first information relating to a parked vehicle, and said second information relating to contextual information about the parking meter; and

at least one portable terminal device responsive to the communication, and further adapted to receive a user input, and to output an enforcement citation dependent upon the user input, the first information and the second information.

56. A multi-bay parking meter system comprising:

a plurality of multi-bay parking meters, each said parking meter being (i) associated with a number of parking bays and (ii) adapted to store information relating to vehicles parked in said parking bays;

a central database adapted to store contextual information for said plurality of multi-bay parking meters; and

said portable terminal device being adapted;

(i) to communicate with the central database to thereby receive the contextual information;

(ii) to communicate with one of said multi-bay parking meters, thereby to receive information for vehicles parked in corresponding parking bays; and

(iii) to output an enforcement citation for a vehicle which is illegally parked in one of said parking bays dependent upon corresponding contextual information for the designated parking meter.