METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC LOCATION-SPECIFIC CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT OF A REMOVABLE METER UNIT

• US 20090183966A1
• Filed: 01/16/2009
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IPS Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IPS Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Schwarz, Alexander, King, David William, Hunter, Stephen John
• Granted Patent: US 9,002,723 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 194/217
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/008 Modifications to installed utility meters to enable remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• 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 17/24 for parking meters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A meter apparatus and method of operating a removable meter apparatus are described. The meter apparatus includes a tag associated with unique tag identification information and configured to be permanently affixed to a location housing at a unique physical location, and includes a removable meter unit configured to mate with the location housing and receive the tag identification from the tag and report the tag identification to a data manager configured to associate an identifier of the removable meter unit with the tag identification and unique physical location, and associate configuration information for the physical location with the removable meter unit and the tag identification. The unique physical location can comprise a single-space parking location.

Claims

1. A meter apparatus comprising:

a tag associated with unique tag identification information and configured to be permanently affixed to a location housing at a physical location; and

a removable meter unit configured to mate with the location housing and receive the tag identification from the tag and report the tag identification to a data manager that is configured to associate an identifier of the removable meter unit with the reported tag identification and unique physical location and to associate configuration information for the physical location with the removable meter unit and the reported tag identification.

2. The meter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tag comprises a memory module configured to store information indicative of a payment collection history, and the tag is further configured to receive information indicative of a payment received at the removable meter unit and update the information indicative of the payment collection history to reflect the payment received at the removable meter unit.

3. The meter apparatus of claim 2, wherein the tag is further configured to:

receive information indicative of removal of a cash collection box containing currency received at the removable meter unit; and

in response to receiving the information indicative of the removal of the cash collection box, store in the memory module information indicating the amount of currency collected at the removable meter unit based on the stored payment collection history.

4. The meter apparatus of claim 3, wherein the tag is further configured to reset the payment collection history stored in the memory module in response to receiving the information indicative of the removal of the cash collection box.

5. The meter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the removable meter unit reports the tag identification to the data manager via a wireless communication channel.

6. The meter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the removable meter unit receives the tag identification wirelessly.

7. The meter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the removable meter unit is configured to receive the tag identification and report the tag identification to the data manager upon being mated to the location housing.

8. The meter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the removable meter unit is further configured to identify a value of currency received at the meter, and report the value of the received currency and the tag identification to the data manager such that the data manager associates the value of the received currency with a payment collection history of the physical location and the tag identification.

9. The meter apparatus of claim 8, wherein the removable meter unit is further configured to detect removal of the currency received at the meter, and report an indication of the removal of the currency and the tag identification to the data manager such that the data manager determines, based on the associated payment collection history, the amount of the currency removed.

10. The meter apparatus of claim 1, wherein, subsequent to the data manager associating configuration information for the physical location with the removable meter unit and the tag identification, the removable meter unit receives information indicative of operating parameters from the data manager.

11. The meter apparatus of claim 10, wherein the received operating parameter information is indicative of at least one of a parking rate, a geographic location, parking rules, an amount of currency in a cash box, and times when parking rates or rules apply.

12. The meter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data manager maintains the identifier of the removable meter unit, the reported tag information, unique physical location, and configuration information in a database external to the meter apparatus.

13. A meter apparatus comprising:

a removable meter unit that receives a tag identification associated with a unique physical location and reports the tag identification to a data manager that is configured to associate an identifier of the removable meter unit with the physical location and the tag identification, and associate operating parameters for the physical location with the removable meter unit and the tag identification;

wherein the tag identification is received from a tag associated with the physical location, and wherein the tag is permanently affixed to a location housing that is fixedly placed at the physical location and that is configured to mate with the removable meter unit.

14. The meter apparatus of claim 13, wherein the removable meter unit is configured to, upon being mated with the location housing, receive the tag identification, and report the tag identification to the data manager.

15. The meter apparatus of claim 13, wherein subsequent to the removable meter unit reporting the tag identification to the data manager, the removable meter unit receives information indicative of the operating parameters from the data manager.

16. The meter apparatus of claim 15, wherein the received information is indicative of at least one of a parking rate, a geographic location, parking rules, an amount of currency in a cash box and times when parking rates or rules apply.

17. The meter apparatus of claim 13, wherein the removable meter unit is further configured to identify a value of currency received at the meter, and report the value of the received currency and the tag identification to the data manager such that the data manager associates the value of the received currency with a payment collection history of the physical location and the tag identification.

18. The meter apparatus of claim 17, wherein the removable meter unit is further configured to detect removal of the currency received at the meter, and report an indication of the removal of the currency and the tag identification to the data manager such that the data manager determines, based on the associated payment collection history, the amount of the currency removed.

19. The meter apparatus of claim 13, wherein the data manager maintains the identifier of the removable meter unit, the reported tag information, unique physical location, and configuration information in a database external to the meter apparatus.

20. A method of operating a meter, the method comprising:

receiving a tag identification associated with a unique physical location at which a removable meter unit is placed;

determining configuration information associated with the tag identification and the physical location; and

associating the determined configuration information with the removable meter unit;

wherein the tag identification is received from a tag associated with the physical location, and wherein the tag is permanently affixed to a location housing that is fixedly placed at the physical location and the location housing is configured to mate with the removable meter unit.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the determined configuration information comprises a payment collection history related to a prior removable meter unit that was mated with the location housing at the physical location.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein associating the determined configuration information comprises identifying operating parameters associated with the tag identification and associating the identified operating parameters with the removable meter unit.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving a report of a value of currency received at the removable meter unit associated with the tag identification and the physical location; and

associating the value of the received currency with a payment collection history associated with the physical location and the tag identification.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a report indicating removal of a cash collection box containing currency received at the removable meter unit, the report further indicating the tag identification; and

determining, based on the payment collection history associated with the tag identification, the amount of the currency contained in the cash collection box at the time of removal.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

transmitting information indicative of the configuration information to the removable meter unit.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the transmitted configuration information comprises operating parameter information indicative of at least one of a parking rate, a geographic location, parking rules, an amount of currency in a cash box and times when parking rates or rules apply.

27. A meter apparatus comprising:

a removable meter unit that receives a tag identification associated with a unique physical location comprising a single-space parking location and reports the tag identification to a data manager that is configured to associate an identifier of the removable meter unit with the single-space parking location and the tag identification, and associate operating parameters for the single-space parking location with the removable meter unit and the tag identification;

wherein the tag identification is received from a tag that is associated with the single-space parking location, and wherein the tag is permanently affixed to a location housing that is fixedly placed at the single-space parking location and that is configured to mate with the removable meter unit;

wherein the removable meter unit, upon being mated with the location housing, receives the tag identification, and reports the tag identification to the data manager such that the removable meter unit receives information indicative of the operating parameters from the data manager in response to reporting the tag identification to the data manager;

wherein the removable meter unit is further configured to identify a value of currency received at the meter apparatus, and report the value of the received currency and the tag identification to the data manager such that the data manager associates the value of the received currency with a payment collection history of the single-space parking location and the tag identification.

28. The meter apparatus of claim 27, wherein the data manager maintains the identifier of the removable meter unit, the reported tag information, unique physical location, and configuration information in a database external to the meter apparatus.