PARKING METER AND A DEVICE THEREFOR

• US 20090159674A1
• Filed: 12/04/2006
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IPS Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IPS Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Schwarz, Alexander, King, David William
• Granted Patent: US 8,595,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• 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 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/248 Housing construction casings for coin-freed apparatus G07F9/10

Abstract

A single bay parking meter device is provided which accepts payment by means of a credit or debit card, an electronic purse, or coins. The device has a power supply unit, a solar power charging arrangement and power management, such that it does not need power supply cables to be installed for each meter. The parking meter device also transmits financial data to a financial institution in a wireless manner, also to avoid the need for cabling. The parking meter device is receivable in the base of a conventional single bay parking meter, such that the new parking meter device may be retrofitted to existing coin operated installed single bay parking meters, using a new cover that is also engageable with the conventional housing base.

Claims

1. A single bay parking meter device which includes

a timer;

a payment facilitating arrangement operable in cooperation with a non-cash payment medium for effecting payment of a monetary amount for a parking period;

a display means for displaying a balance remaining of the parking period; and

a power supply unit for supplying power to the timer, the payment facilitating arrangement and the display means.

2. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 1, in which the payment medium is a credit or debit card.

3. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 2, in which the payment facilitating arrangement includes a card reader.

4. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 2, in which the payment facilitating arrangement includes a card writer.

5. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 1, in which the payment medium is an electronic purse.

6. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 5, in which the payment facilitating arrangement includes a communicating means for communicating with the electronic purse.

7. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 1, which is receivable in a conventional single bay parking meter housing base.

8. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 1, which includes an information transmitting means for transmitting data in regard to the payment to a financial institution.

9. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 8, in which the information transmitting means is operable in a wireless manner.

10. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 1, which further includes a coin accepting arrangement.

11. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 1, in which the display means is also for displaying a time expired signal.

12. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 1, which includes a charging arrangement for charging the power supply unit.

13. A single bay parking meter which includes a parking meter device as claimed in claim 1.

14. A single bay parking meter which includes a conventional parking meter housing base with a parking meter device as claimed in claim 7 located therein.

15. A method of upgrading an existing parking meter, which includes

removing a cover of the parking meter from a housing base thereof;

removing an existing parking meter device from the housing base;

attaching a new cover to the housing base;

inserting a new parking meter device as claimed in claim 1 in the housing base; and

closing the new cover.