Parked vehicle re-location and advertising/promotion/coupon distribution device

• US 20050228583A1
• Filed: 04/13/2005
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Patrick J. Capuano
• Original Assignee: Patrick J. Capuano
• Inventors: Capuano, Patrick J.
• Application Number:
  US11/104,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20050228583A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A device or system of devices which a person can use to easily remember the location of a vehicle in a parking garage, parking lot, street or other such area used for parking or storing vehicles. The device or system of devices can also be used by a destination-operator to notify a person of the business at that destination, sales, services, etc. in order to attract a prospective destination-utilizer to that destination. The device or system of devices may provide coupons or other transaction-inducing indicators for use at one or more destinations. The device or system of devices may include a paper scroll which extrudes from the device or system of devices, which paper scroll may describe the location of a vehicle, the best exit path to reach the vehicle from one or more parking-utilizing destinations, and an advertisement and/or coupon and map for one or more parking-utilizing destinations. The device or system of devices may also utilize basic technologies such as paper, paper-rolls, printers and the like to perform its functions. The device or system of devices may utilize any of the following technologies to perform it'"'"'s functions, including but not limited to electronics, radio-frequency identification tags, radio-wave, laser, micro-wave, infra-red data transfer, or any other technology that may be useful. The device may also be used to keep track of the location of goods which have been placed in an indoor or outdoor storage facility. The device may also be used to help patrons of events such as indoor or outdoor concerts, athletic events, rallies and the like keep track of their seat location and retrieve instructions for returning to the seat after leaving the seat to purchase food, drinks, use the bathrooms, or engage in other such activities. While patrons at these events have tickets with seat numbers, the tickets often do not have maps and it is easy to get lost in a crowded facility where many areas look the same. The device provides information to the immediate user, and also a space for advertising or promotions for businesses.

Claims

1. A method of reminding a driver of a parked vehicle of where the vehicle was parked, comprising:

in a vicinity where a driver has parked a vehicle, disposing a container from which is dispensed a physical item or electronic beam of data on which is stated or transmitted a location in which the vehicle has been parked.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic beam of data utilizes infra-red or other applicable signal technology to transfer the parking location and other information directly to a page on the vehicle parker'"'"'s cell phone, PDA, or other similar device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical item being dispensed is paper.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the physical item is caused to be dispensed by manually pressing a button or waving past a light, motion or other sensor.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the electronic beam is either continually emitted or is activated by manually pressing a button or waving past a light, motion or other sensor.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein a keypad receives input by a vehicle parker inputting a specific parking space designation, and the input is printed onto the dispensed paper which the vehicle parker receives to carry with him or her.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein a keypad receives input by a vehicle parker inputting a specific parking space designation, and the input is encoded into the transmitting beam of information which the vehicle parker receives in his or her cell phone, PDA or other device.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the dispensed paper includes both the location of the parked vehicle and a map and/or instructions indicating how to return to the parked vehicle.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the emitted electronic beam of information includes both the location of the parked vehicle and a map and/or instructions indicating how to return to the parked vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, including the step in which the system is equipped to be programmed to provide advertisements, in-store directions and other information on the paper and the electronic beam.

11. The method of claim 1, including the step in which the programming may be performed from a physically local site or from a physically separate terminal up to thousands of miles distant.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein multiple systems are able to be programmed simultaneously or individually one-at-a-time.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the parked vehicle is parked in a parking garage or in an open-air parking lot.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein multiple systems located within the same parking lot or garage area are capable of electronically locating each other in order to determine the three-dimensional layout of a parking area and the position of each locator device relative to others around it and to automatically print and/or transmit both the location of the car and a map and instructions indicating how to get from any point in the parking garage or lot to the area where a user'"'"'s vehicle is located.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein a system component is installed in a retail or other commercial outlet and the vehicle parker is able to enter their parking location data manually on an external keypad or electronically and to receive back information on the shortest route to return to the original parking location from the current location.