Parking meter enforcement system

• US 20040254900A1
• Filed: 08/23/2004
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Reinhardt International Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Reinhardt International Pty Limited
• Inventors: Reinhard, Sydney James
• Application Number:
  US10/483,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20040254900A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/418
• 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: G07F 17/242 provided with token dispensing devices

Abstract

A parking citation (144) is disclosed, in relation to a vehicle (136) parked during a first time period in a parking space (108) associated with a parking meter (104), said citation comprising parking citation data (510) for the vehicle (136), and an automatically derived operational status (516) for the parking meter (104) during a time period in which a payment in respect of the first period could have been made, the operational status (516) on the citation (144) establishing whether the parking meter (104) was operative during the first time period. A method and a system for issuing the citation are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of issuing a parking citation against a vehicle that has been parked during a first time period in a parking space associated with a parking meter, said method comprising the steps of:

determining parking citation data for the vehicle;

automatically ascertaining an operational status for the parking meter during a second time period; and

issuing, depending upon the citation data and the operational status, the citation including the parking citation data and the operational status.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining parking citation data for the vehicle includes the steps of:

establishing a communications link between a portable enforcement terminal and a central system to thereby down-load contextual data for the parking meter from the central system to the terminal; and

establishing a communications link between the portable enforcement terminal and the parking meter to thereby down-load parking status data for the vehicle from the parking meter to the terminal.

3. A method according to claim 2, comprising a further step of manually entering data into the portable enforcement terminal.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of ascertaining the operational status for the parking meter comprises establishing a communications link between the portable enforcement terminal and the parking meter to thereby down-load the operational status from the parking meter to the terminal.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein after determining the citation data and prior to issuing the citation, said method comprises the further steps of:

establishing, depending upon the parking citation data, whether the vehicle has violated parking regulations; and

establishing, depending upon the operational status, whether the parking meter was operative during the first time period.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the parking citation data is dependent upon the parking status for the vehicle, identification data for the vehicle, and contextual data for the parking meter.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the operational status is dependent upon at least one of health of the parking meter and status of access panels of the parking meter.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said second time period is the same as the first time period.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said second time period extends from the time when the citation is being prepared backwards in time to a time when a previous payment was made.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the citation data and the operational status are established when the citation is issued.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the second time period is the time during which the citation is being prepared.

12. A method of issuing a parking citation against a vehicle that has been parked during a first time period in a parking space associated with a parking meter, said method comprising the steps of:

determining parking citation data for the vehicle;

automatically ascertaining an operational status for the parking meter during a second time period;

issuing, depending upon the citation data and the operational status, the citation including the parking citation data; and

storing an associated electronic citation file comprising the parking citation data and the operational status.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, comprising the further step of:

if the citation is contested, retrieving the associated electronic citation file as evidence that the parking meter was operative during the first time period.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the step of determining parking citation data for the vehicle includes the steps of:

establishing a communications link between a portable enforcement terminal and a central system to thereby down-load contextual data for the parking meter from the central system to the terminal; and

establishing a communications link between the portable enforcement terminal and the parking meter to thereby down-load parking status data for the vehicle from the parking meter to the terminal.

15. A method according to claim 14, comprising a further step of manually entering data into the portable enforcement terminal.

16. A method according to claim 12, wherein the step of ascertaining the operational status for the parking meter comprises establishing a communications link between the portable enforcement terminal and the parking meter to thereby down-load the operational status from the parking meter to the terminal.

17. A method according to claim 12, wherein after determining the citation data and prior to issuing the citation, said method comprises the further steps of:

establishing, depending upon the parking citation data, whether the vehicle has violated parking regulations; and

establishing, depending upon the operational status, whether the parking meter was operative during the first time period.

18. A method according to claim 12, wherein the parking citation data is dependent upon the parking status for the vehicle, identification data for the vehicle, and contextual data for the parking meter.

19. A method according to claim 12, wherein the operational status is dependent upon at least one of health of the parking meter and status of access panels of the parking meter.

20. A method according to claim 12, wherein the second time period is the same as the first time period.

21. A method according to claim 12, wherein said second time period extends from the time when the citation is being prepared backwards in time to a time when a previous payment was made.

22. A method according to claim 12, wherein the second time period is the time during which the citation is being prepared.

23. A method according to claim 12, wherein the parking citation data and the operational status are established when the citation is issued.

24. A parking meter system adapted for issuing a parking citation against a vehicle that has been parked during a first time period in a parking space associated with a parking meter, said system comprising:

means for establishing parking citation data for the vehicle;

means for automatically ascertaining an operational status for the parking meter during a second time period; and

means for issuing, depending upon the citation data and the operational status, the citation, said citation including the parking citation data and the operational status.

25. A system according to claim 24, further comprising:

a central system;

a portable enforcement terminal;

means for establishing a communications link between the portable enforcement terminal and the central system to thereby down-load contextual data for the parking meter from the central system to the terminal; and

means for establishing a communications link between the portable enforcement terminal and the parking meter to thereby down-load parking status data for the vehicle.

26. A system according to claim 25, the terminal further comprising means for manually entering data into the portable enforcement terminal.

27. A system according to claim 25, further comprising means for establishing a communications link between the portable enforcement terminal and the parking meter to thereby down-load the operational status for the parking meter.

28. A system according to claim 25, further comprising:

means for establishing, depending upon the parking citation data, whether the vehicle has violated parking regulations; and

means for establishing, depending upon the operational status, whether the parking meter was operative during the first time period.

29. A parking meter system according to claim 24, wherein the parking citation data is dependent upon a parking status for the vehicle, identification data for the vehicle, and contextual data for the parking meter.

30. A system according to claim 24, wherein the operational status is dependent upon at least one of health of the parking meter and status of access panels of the parking meter.

31. A system according to claim 24, wherein said second time period is the same as the first time period.

32. A system according to claim 24, wherein said second time period extends from the time when the citation is being prepared backwards in time to a time when a previous payment was made.

33. A system according to claim 24, wherein the citation data and the operational status are established when the citation is issued.

34. A system according to claim 24, wherein the parking citation data and the operational status are established when the citation is issued.

35. A parking meter system adapted for issuing a parking citation against a vehicle that has been parked during a first time period in a parking space associated with a parking meter, said system comprising:

means for determining parking citation data for the vehicle;

means for automatically ascertaining an operational status for the parking meter during a second time period;

means for issuing, depending upon the citation data and the operational status, the citation, comprising the parking citation data; and

means for storing an associated electronic citation file comprising the parking citation data and the operational status, said electronic citation file serving as evidence that the parking meter was operative during the first time period.

36. A parking meter system according to claim 35, wherein the parking citation data is dependent upon a parking status for the vehicle, identification data for the vehicle, and contextual data for the parking meter.

37. A system according to claim 35, wherein the operational status is dependent upon at least one of health of the parking meter and status of access panels of the parking meter.

38. A system according to claim 35, wherein said second time period is the same as the first time period.

39. A system according to claim 35, wherein said second time period extends from the time when the citation is being prepared backwards in time to a time when a previous payment was made.

40. A system according to claim 35, wherein the parking citation data and the operational status are established when the citation is issued.

41. A parking citation for a vehicle parked during a first time period in a parking space associated with a parking meter, said citation comprising:

parking citation data for the vehicle; and

an automatically derived operational status for the parking meter during a time period in which a payment in respect of the first period could have been made, the operational status on the citation establishing whether the parking meter was operative during the first time period.

42. A parking citation according to claim 41, wherein said citation is at least one of:

a citation in paper form that is served on the vehicle when a citation status of the vehicle is determined; and

a citation in electronically storage form, said citation being stored for use if said citation is contested.

43. A parking citation according to claim 42, wherein the parking citation data and the operational status are established when the citation is served.

44. A computer program comprising at least one program element, said at least one computer program element comprising computer program code means to make at least one computer execute a procedure to perform at least one of issuing and substantiating a parking meter citation, said at least one computer program element comprising:

code for a determining step for determining parking citation data for the vehicle;

code for an ascertaining step for automatically ascertaining an operational status for the parking meter during a second time period; and

code for an issuing step for issuing, depending upon the citation data and the operational status, a citation including the parking citation data and the operational status.

45. A computer program according to claim 44, wherein the code for determining parking citation data for the vehicle includes:

code for establishing a communications link between a portable enforcement terminal and a central system to thereby down-load contextual data for the parking meter from the central system to the terminal; and

code for establishing a communications link between the portable enforcement terminal and the parking meter to thereby down-load parking status data for the vehicle from the parking meter to the terminal.

46. A computer program according to claim 45, wherein the code for ascertaining the operational status for the parking meter comprises code for establishing a communications link between the portable enforcement terminal and the parking meter to thereby down-load the operational status for the parking meter.

47. A computer program according to claim 44, further comprising:

code for establishing, depending upon the parking citation data, whether the vehicle has violated parking regulations; and

code for establishing, depending upon the operational status, whether the parking meter was operative during the first time period.

48. A computer program according to claim 44, wherein the parking citation data is dependent upon at least one of the parking status for the vehicle, identification data for the vehicle, and contextual data for the parking meter.

49. A computer program according to claim 44, wherein the operational status is dependent upon at least one of health of the parking meter and status of access panels of the parking meter.

50. A computer program according to claim 44, wherein said second time period is the same as the first time period.

51. A computer program according to claim 44, wherein said second time period extends from the time when the citation is being prepared backwards in time to a time when a previous payment was made.

52. A computer program according to claim 44, wherein the citation data and the operational status are established when the citation is issued.

53. A computer program according to claim 44, wherein the second time period is the time during which the citation is being prepared.

54. A computer program comprising at least one program element, said at least one computer program element comprising computer program code means to make at least one computer execute a procedure to perform at least one of issuing and substantiating a parking meter citation, said at least one computer program element comprising:

code for a determining step for determining parking citation data for the vehicle;

code for an ascertaining step for automatically ascertaining an operational status for the parking meter during a second time period;

code for an issuing step for issuing, depending upon the citation data and the operational status, the citation, comprising the parking citation data; and

code for a storing step for storing an associated electronic citation file comprising the parking citation data and the operational status.

55. A computer program according to claim 54, wherein the code for determining the parking citation data for the vehicle includes:

code for establishing a communications link between a portable enforcement terminal and a central system to thereby down-load contextual data for the parking meter from the central system to the terminal; and

code for establishing a communications link between the portable enforcement terminal and the parking meter to thereby down-load parking status data for the vehicle from the parking meter to the terminal.

56. A computer program according to claim 54, wherein the code for ascertaining the operational status for the parking meter comprises code for establishing a communications link between the portable enforcement terminal and the parking meter to thereby down-load the operational status from the parking meter to the terminal.

57. A computer program according to claim 54, further comprising:

code for establishing, depending upon the parking citation data, whether the vehicle has violated parking regulations; and

code for establishing, depending upon the operational status, whether the parking meter was operative during the first time period.

58. A computer readable medium, having a program recorded thereon, where the program is configured to make a computer execute a procedure to perform at least one of issuing and substantiating a parking meter citation in accordance with any one of the above methods.