AUTOMATED PARKING LOT SYSTEM, METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

• US 20060212344A1
• Filed: 03/08/2006
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Marcus J. Cooper, Neil Rosenblatt
• Original Assignee: Marcus J. Cooper, Neil Rosenblatt
• Inventors: Marcus, J. Cooper, Rosenblatt, Neil
• Application Number:
  US11/308,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20060212344A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/13
• 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: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas

Abstract

A system, method, computer program product and propagated signal for an automatic parking system. The system includes a sensing subsystem for detecting an occupancy status of a vehicle parking space, said sensing subsystem providing a real-time occupancy status signal for said vehicle parking space wherein said occupancy status signal includes an occupied mode and an unoccupied mode; a communications subsystem, coupled to said sensing subsystem, for transmitting said occupancy status signal; and a management subsystem for receiving said occupancy status signal, said management subsystem processing a parking transaction for said vehicle parking space automatically upon a mode change of said occupancy status signal. A method includes automatically opening a parking transaction upon detecting an occupation of a parking space or area and automatically closing a parking transaction upon detecting a vacation of a parking space or area. Additional elements may include an authorization system and a notification system. The methods include identified parking methods for detecting automatically changes in an occupancy status of one or more parking spaces or areas and automatically initiating/closing, as appropriate, parking transactions responsive to appropriate detected changes in occupancy status signals associated with each of the one or more parking spaces, as well as methods of making and using the disclosed systems. Computer program products and propagated signals include computer-executable instructions for implementing the systems and methods.

Claims

1. A parking system, comprising:

a sensing subsystem for detecting an occupancy status of a vehicle parking space, said sensing subsystem providing a real-time occupancy status signal for said vehicle parking space wherein said occupancy status signal includes an occupied mode and an unoccupied mode;

a communications subsystem, coupled to said sensing subsystem, for transmitting said occupancy status signal; and

a management subsystem for receiving said occupancy status signal, said management subsystem initiating a parking transaction for said vehicle parking space automatically upon a mode change of said occupancy status signal from said unoccupied mode to said occupied mode.

2. The parking system of claim 1 wherein said management subsystem includes an authorization controller for applying an authorization ruleset to establish an authorization condition of said vehicle parking space.

3. The parking system of claim 2 wherein said vehicle parking space has an unambiguous identification, wherein said communications subsystem transmits an authorization communication including said identification to said management subsystem, and wherein said authorization controller receives said authorization communication to establish said authorization condition responsive to said authorization ruleset, said occupancy status signal, and said identification.

4. The parking system of claim 3 wherein said authorization communication is initiated from a wireless telephone and includes a payor identification.

5. The parking system of claim 4 wherein said payor identification includes a caller identification signal identifying an account responsible for a parking charge associated with an occupancy of said vehicle parking space.

6. The parking system of claim 5 wherein said parking charge is assessed responsive to a duration of said occupancy status signal in a continuous condition of said occupied mode.

7. The parking system of claim 6 wherein said parking charge is automatically assessed to said credit account upon a mode change of said occupancy status signal to said unoccupied mode.

8. The parking system of claim 7 further comprising a notification system to provide information regarding said parking charge to a user associated with said payor identification.

9. The parking system of claim 2 further comprising a notification subsystem to communicate said authorization condition of said vehicle parking space in real-time.

10. The parking system of claim 9 wherein said notification subsystem communicates wirelessly to an enforcement entity responsible for enforcing a parking status of said vehicle parking space.

11. The parking system of claim 1 wherein said management subsystem closes said parking transaction for said vehicle parking space automatically upon a mode change of said occupancy status signal from said occupied mode to said unoccupied mode.

12. A parking system, comprising:

a sensing subsystem for detecting an occupancy status of a vehicle parking space, said sensing subsystem providing a real-time occupancy status signal for said vehicle parking space wherein said occupancy status signal includes an occupied mode and an unoccupied mode;

a communications subsystem, coupled to said sensing subsystem, for transmitting said occupancy status signal; and

a management subsystem for receiving said occupancy status signal, said management subsystem closing a parking transaction for said vehicle parking space automatically upon a vacating mode change of said occupancy status signal from said occupied mode to said unoccupied mode.

13. The parking system of claim 12 wherein said management subsystem includes an authorization controller for applying an authorization ruleset to establish an authorization condition of said vehicle parking space wherein said parking transaction is initiated automatically upon an occupying mode change of said occupancy status signal from said unoccupied mode to said occupied mode.

14. The parking system of claim 13 wherein said vehicle parking space has an unambiguous identification, wherein said communications subsystem transmits an authorization communication including said identification to said management subsystem, and wherein said authorization controller receives said authorization communication to establish said authorization condition responsive to said authorization ruleset, said occupancy status signal, and said identification.

15. The parking system of claim 14 wherein said authorization communication is initiated from a wireless telephone and includes a payor identification.

16. The parking system of claim 15 wherein said payor identification includes a caller identification signal identifying a credit account responsible for a parking charge associated with an occupancy of said vehicle parking space.

17. The parking system of claim 16 wherein said parking charge is assessed responsive to a duration of said occupancy status signal in a continuous condition of said occupied mode.

18. The parking system of claim 17 wherein said parking charge is automatically assessed to said credit account upon a mode change of said occupancy status signal to said unoccupied mode.

19. The parking system of claim 18 further comprising a notification system to provide information regarding said parking charge to a user associated with said payor identification.

20. The parking system of claim 13 further comprising a notification subsystem to communicate said authorization condition of said vehicle parking space in real-time.

21. The parking system of claim 20 wherein said notification subsystem communicates to an enforcement entity responsible for enforcing a parking status of said vehicle parking space.

22. The parking system of claim 12 wherein said management subsystem opens said parking transaction for said vehicle parking space automatically upon a mode change of said occupancy status signal from said unoccupied mode to said occupied mode.

23. The parking system of claim 12 wherein said management subsystem opens said parking transaction of a particular one parking space upon receipt of an authorization communication in advance of a mode change of said occupancy status signal for said particular one parking space from said unoccupied mode to said occupied mode.

24. A parking system, comprising:

a sensing subsystem for detecting an occupancy status of each of a plurality of individual vehicle parking spaces, said sensing subsystem providing a real-time occupancy status signal for each said vehicle parking space wherein said occupancy status signals each includes an occupied mode and an unoccupied mode for said associated vehicle parking space;

a communications subsystem, coupled to said sensing subsystem, for transmitting said occupancy status signals; and

a management subsystem for receiving said occupancy status signals, said management subsystem initiating a parking transaction for each said vehicle parking space automatically upon a mode change of said associated occupancy status signal from said unoccupied mode to said occupied mode.

25. The parking system of claim 24 wherein said management subsystem closes said parking transaction for each said vehicle parking space automatically upon a mode change of said associated occupancy status signal from said occupied mode to said unoccupied mode.

26. A parking system, comprising:

a sensing subsystem for detecting an occupancy status of each of a plurality of individual vehicle parking spaces, said sensing subsystem providing a real-time occupancy status signal for each said vehicle parking space wherein said occupancy status signals each includes an occupied mode and an unoccupied mode for said associated vehicle parking space;

a communications subsystem, coupled to said sensing subsystem, for transmitting said occupancy status signals; and

a management subsystem for receiving said occupancy status signals, said management subsystem closing a parking transaction for each said vehicle parking space automatically upon a mode change of said associated occupancy status signal from said occupied mode to said unoccupied mode.

27. The parking system of claim 26 wherein said management subsystem opens said parking transaction for each said vehicle parking space automatically upon a mode change of said associated occupancy status signal from said unoccupied mode to said occupied mode.

28. The parking system of claim 27 wherein said management subsystem includes an authorization controller for applying an authorization ruleset to establish an authorization condition of each said vehicle parking space wherein said authorization ruleset dynamically determines a parking rate upon opening said parking transaction.

29. A method, the method comprising:

a) detecting in real-time an occupancy status of each of a plurality of vehicle parking spaces;

b) communicating said occupancy status of each of said plurality of vehicle parking spaces to a centralized management facility; and

c) initiating a parking transaction for each said vehicle parking space automatically upon a mode change of said associated occupancy status from an unoccupied mode to an occupied mode.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

d) closing said parking transaction for each said vehicle parking space automatically upon a mode change of said associated occupancy status from said occupied mode to said unoccupied mode.

31. A method, the method comprising:

a) detecting in real-time an occupancy status of each of a plurality of vehicle parking spaces;

b) communicating said occupancy status of each of said plurality of vehicle parking spaces to a centralized management facility; and

c) closing a parking transaction for each said vehicle parking space automatically upon a mode change of said associated occupancy status from an occupied mode to an unoccupied mode.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

d) initiating said parking transaction for each said vehicle parking space automatically upon a mode change of said associated occupancy status from said unoccupied mode to said occupied mode.

33. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium carrying program instructions for managing a collection of parking spaces when executed using a computing system, the executed program instructions executing a method, the method comprising:

a) detecting in real-time an occupancy status of each of a plurality of vehicle parking spaces;

b) communicating said occupancy status of each of said plurality of vehicle parking spaces to a centralized management facility; and

c) closing a parking transaction for each said vehicle parking space automatically upon a mode change of said associated occupancy status from an occupied mode to an unoccupied mode.