Electronic parking meter with vehicle detecting sensor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electronic parking meter mounted on a support anchored to the ground and adjacent a corresponding parking space, said electronic parking meter comprising:
- a stand-alone electronic parking meter housing comprising a display and supporting electronics;
a vehicle detecting sensor located on said support for detecting the presence or absence of a vehicle in a corresponding parking space, said sensor transmitting signals wirelessly towards the parking space and for receiving reflections of said signals if a vehicle is present;
a processor coupled to said vehicle detecting sensor for processing said reflection of said signal, said processor being in communication with said supporting electronics for communicating the presence or absence of a vehicle in the corresponding parking space to said supporting electronics; and
wherein said supporting electronics, processor and vehicle detecting sensor are continuously enabled.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic parking meter and vehicle detecting sensor for providing the electronic parking meter with the ability to reliably detect the presence or absence of a vehicle in any existing corresponding parking space, without the need to enter payment into the parking meter by an individual.
152 Citations
42 Claims
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1. An electronic parking meter mounted on a support anchored to the ground and adjacent a corresponding parking space, said electronic parking meter comprising:
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a stand-alone electronic parking meter housing comprising a display and supporting electronics;
a vehicle detecting sensor located on said support for detecting the presence or absence of a vehicle in a corresponding parking space, said sensor transmitting signals wirelessly towards the parking space and for receiving reflections of said signals if a vehicle is present;
a processor coupled to said vehicle detecting sensor for processing said reflection of said signal, said processor being in communication with said supporting electronics for communicating the presence or absence of a vehicle in the corresponding parking space to said supporting electronics; and
wherein said supporting electronics, processor and vehicle detecting sensor are continuously enabled. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for automatically leasing, and displaying violations of, the use of a parking space, said method comprising the steps of:
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positioning a stand-alone electronic parking meter having a display and supporting electronics including coin or payment card processors on a support anchored to the ground and adjacent the parking space;
positioning a vehicle detecting sensor on said support at a predetermined height above the ground, said vehicle detecting sensor and said supporting electronics being in communication with each other;
orienting said vehicle detecting sensor for emitting wireless signals towards the parking space at a predetermined angle with respect to a horizontal reference, said vehicle detecting sensor also receiving any reflections of said emitted wireless signals;
processing said received reflections to determine the presence or absence of a vehicle in the parking space and informing said supporting electronics of the presence or absence of a vehicle in the parking space; and
continuously enabling said electronic parking meter and vehicle detecting sensor. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification