OPERATING SYSTEM FOR MANAGING PUBLIC PARKING LOT

• US 20080203145A1
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Domingos Nelson Martins
• Original Assignee: Domingos Nelson Martins
• Inventors: Martins, Domingos Nelson
• Application Number:
  US11/539,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20080203145A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/065 by counting the vehicles in a section of the road or in a parking area, i.e. comparing incoming count with outgoing count

Abstract

Operating system for managing public parking lot which provides a solution for controlling public parking lots, by using for telecommunications technology which, in combination with mobile devices, allows interconnection of sales terminals with a supervisory program in order to make the process electronic and automated. A reception module receives information about the vehicle, an electronic coupon issuing module generates the electronic coupon based on the provided information and payment, which data is stored in together, and an activation and deactivation module enables activation and deactivation of each electronic coupon upon entry of the number of the electronic coupon and the password of that electronic coupon. The activation and deactivation module provides a confirmation of activation or deactivation of the electronic coupon to a telephone number associated with the electronic coupon.

Claims

1. An operating system for managing parking lots, comprising:

means for providing information about a vehicle and enabling purchase of electronic coupons to allow the vehicle to park in the parking lot, the provided information includes an identification of the vehicle, an amount of hours sought to be purchased for parking the vehicle, and a telephone number to be used for activating and deactivating use of the electronic coupon;

a reception module arranged to receive the provided information about the vehicle;

an electronic coupon issuing module coupled to said reception module and arranged to generate the electronic coupon based on the provided information and payment, the electronic coupon containing an assigned number, provided information and a password to enable activation and deactivation of the electronic coupon;

means for storing the provided information about the vehicle and payment information in association with each electronic coupon; and

an activation and deactivation module arranged to enable activation and deactivation of each electronic coupon upon entry of the number of the electronic coupon and the password of that electronic coupon, said activation and deactivation module being arranged to provide a confirmation of activation or deactivation of the electronic coupon to the telephone number associated with the electronic coupon.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for providing information comprise a sales terminal.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said means for providing information comprise data transmitting means for transmitting information from sales terminal to said reception module.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for providing information comprise a computer electronically linked to the means for receiving information and remote from the means for receiving information.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the computer is linked to said reception module through the Internet or through a fixed or mobile telephony system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for providing information enable payment for the electronic coupon before and after issuance of the electronic coupon.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the provided information further includes an identification of an owner of the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data correcting module arranged to enable correction of the provided information after information is provided by said means for providing information and prior to issuance of the electronic coupon.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a payment confirmation module arranged to confirm payment for the electronic coupon and allow for generating of the electronic coupon by said electronic coupon issuing module only after payment is confirmed.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said activation and deactivation module is arranged to enable the number and password of each receipt to be sent via a SMS (Short Message System) type message, through a mobile telephone assigned the telephone number of activating and deactivating the electronic coupon or via a call or assistance center.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an hour usage control module arranged to send a message to the telephone number associated with each electronic coupon when a parking period is near its end to thereby enable extension of the parking period or provide the user with a warning about the need to move the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a portable electronic device for use by an agent and communicating with said activation and deactivation module to provide identification information about a vehicle to said activation and deactivation module and receive in response information as to the permissiveness of the parking of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said portable electronic device is a PDA.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the information provided by said activation and deactivation module to said portable electronic device is whether the vehicle is exempt from parking regulations, whether the vehicle is permissively parked and if so an amount of time remaining, whether the vehicle is in violation of parking regulations and if so an amount of time of the violation.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said portable electronic device is arranged to communicate with a traffic management body to provide an identification of the vehicle to the traffic management body and receive information about the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a violation issuing module coupled to said portable electronic device and arranged to notify said portable electronic device about a parking violation.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a report issuing module coupled to said violation issuing module and arranged to compile reports about use of said portable electronic device by the agent.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein said activating and deactivating module is arranged to send to said portable electronic device at predetermined time intervals, a list of vehicles parked in its actuating area and their activating periods of which electronic coupons have already expired.

19. The system of claim 12, further comprising a report issuing module arranged to compile management reports including a total of issued electronic coupons, a total per each of said means for providing information, a total per parking zone, a total of consultations carried out by the agent via said portable electronic device, a total of parking violations determined by said activating and deactivating module based on data from said portable electronic device, and tracking of detailed information of the electronic coupons.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein parameters related to setup of the system are alterable including value of a tariff charged, days and times of operation, allocation of vacancies in parking zones, conditions for commercializing special or promotional electronic coupons, a list of vehicles with exemptions, and control of event notification.