Closed parking lot for motor vehicles, equipment items therefor and management method

• US 20040012481A1
• Filed: 11/25/2002
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Brusseaux, Thierry
• Application Number:
  US10/296,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20040012481A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.7
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 6/42 Devices or arrangements peculiar to garages, not covered elsewhere, e.g. securing devices, safety devices , monitoring and operating schemes; centering devices
• 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: G07B 15/04 comprising devices to free a barrier, turnstile, or the like turnstiles with registering means G07C9/10; coin-freed aspects G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves

Abstract

The invention concerns a closed parking lot for motor vehicles (1) comprising means controlling entries and exits (2, 3, 5, 6), characterized in that said means controlling entries and exits (2, 3, 5, 6) co-operate with short range communication means, said short range communication means being adapted to interact with mobile radiotelephones (9) likewise equipped with short range communication means.

Claims

1. A closed parking lot for vehicles (1) with means controlling entries and exits (2,3;

5,6), characterised by the fact that the said means controlling entries and exits (2,3;

5,6) work along with short-range communication means that can interact with mobile radiotelephones (9) likewise equipped with short-range communication means.

2. A parking lot (1) as described in claim 1, characterised by the fact that it includes an automatic pay station (7), which works along with short-range communication means that can interact with mobile radiotelephones (9) likewise equipped with short-range communication means.

3. A parking lot (1) as described in claim 1 or 2, characterised by the fact that the said means controlling entries and exits (2,3;

5,6) work along with a management server that particularly supervises access to the said parking lot (1).

4. An entry or exit terminal (3, 6) that controls the opening or closing of an entry or exit barrier (2, 5) of a closed parking lot as described in any claim from 1 to 3, characterised by the fact that it includes short-range communication means that can interact with mobile radiotelephones (9) likewise equipped with short-range communication means.

5. An automatic pay station for a closed parking lot as described in any claim from 1 to 3, characterised by the fact that it includes short-range communication means that can interact with mobile radiotelephones (9) likewise equipped with short-range communication means.

6. A management method for a closed parking lot as described in any claim from 1 to 3, characterised by the fact that to enter the parking lot (1), a motorist with a said mobile telephone (9) uses the said telephone (9) to transmit a radio message asking for entry to the said parking lot (1) using the said short-range communication, where the said entry request message contains data relating to the identity of the motorist and can be processed by the said means controlling entries (2, 3) which means controlling entries enable the vehicle of the motorist to enter the parking lot (1) after verifying the content of the said message.

7. A management method for a closed parking lot as described in claim 6, characterised by the fact that to leave the parking lot (1), a motorist with a said mobile telephone (9) uses the said telephone (9) to transmit a radio message asking for exit from the said parking lot (1) using the said short-range communication, where the said exit request message contains data relating to the identity of the motorist and can be processed by the said means controlling exits (5, 6), which means controlling exits enable the vehicle of the motorist to leave the parking lot (1) after verifying the content of the said message.

8. A management method for a closed parking lot as described in claim 7, characterised by the fact that the said means controlling exits (5, 6) respond to the exit request message from the said mobile telephone (9) by generating a payment request radio message using the said short-range communication, which payment request message can be processed by the said telephone (9).

9. A management method for a closed park as described in claims 3 and 7, characterised by the fact that the said means controlling exits (5, 6), respond to the exit request message from the said mobile telephone (9) by generating a message to the management server asking it to charge the motorist.

10. A method as described in claim 9, characterised by the fact that the parking fees are debited from a prepaid account with the operator of parking lot (1).

11. A method as described in claim 10, characterised by the fact that the said prepaid account can be recharged with a prepaid card.

12. A method as described in claim 9, characterised by the fact that parking fees are charged to the motorist at the end of the month.

13. A method as described in any claim from 6 to 9, characterised by the fact that the said means controlling exits (5, 6) send the said mobile telephone (9) an electronic certificate with data relating to the parking time and fees.