Parking control system for managing a covered or non-covered parking facility

• US 20040050625A1
• Filed: 05/07/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Chiptec International NV
• Original Assignee: Chiptec International NV
• Inventors: Van Der Valk, Robert Willem
• Application Number:
  US10/416,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20040050625A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 186/53
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• 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: 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 parking control system for managing a covered or non-covered parking facility comprises entrance control means (10, 30) which are able to co-act with an issued access means (1) to register and optionally facilitate entry to the parking facility. Charging means and payments means (40) are further provided for associating a parking fee to a presented access means after expiry of a certain parking period and for transacting payment thereof. The payment means are coupled to data storage means (2, 20) in which a parking credit associated with the access means can be registered. A parking fee associated with the access means can be deducted from this parking credit, wherein different users of the system are able to register and top up the parking credit in the data storage means.

Claims

1. Parking control system for managing a covered or non-covered parking facility, comprising entrance control means which are able to co-act with an issued access means to register and optionally facilitate entry to the parking facility, charging means for associating a parking fee to a presented access means;

payment means for transacting and registering payment of a charged parking fee, and exit control means which are able to operate an exit barrier at an exit of the parking facility on the basis of a presented access means and the registration of payment or non-payment of a parking fee associated therewith, characterized in that the payment means are at least temporarily coupled to data storage means in which a parking credit associated with the access means can be registered, that the payment means are able to deduct a parking fee associated with the access means from a parking credit registered for the access means, and that different users of the system are able to register and top up a parking credit for an access means in the data storage means.

2. Parking control system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the data storage means comprise an electronically accessible memory which is integrated into the access means.

3. Parking control system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the access means comprise a card-shaped body.

4. Parking control system as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that a microprocessor able to co-act with the payment means is also integrated into the access means for the purpose of deducting a charged parking fee from a registered parking credit.

5. Parking control system as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the access means is suitable for electronic payment transactions and that a possibly remaining parking fee is paid by means of electronic payment.

6. Parking control system as claimed in claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the access means also comprise storage means for a value credit which can be accessed by the microprocessor to deduct therefrom a possibly remaining parking fee.

7. Parking control system as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the charging means and payment means and exit control means are combined in a joint housing which also comprises means for electronic interaction with a presented access means.

8. Parking control system as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the exit control means comprise a signal output by means of which a defined control signal is provided to the exit barrier.

9. Parking control system as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that display means are also provided in order to provide, on the basis of a presented access means, an indication of the users of the system who have registered or topped up a parking credit for the presented access means.