PARKING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20110068739A1
• Filed: 09/22/2010
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Recharge Power LLC
• Original Assignee: Recharge Power LLC
• Inventors: SMITH, NATHANIEL T.
• Application Number:
  US12/888,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20110068739A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• 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 15/003 for electricity
• 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 17/246 provided with vehicle proximity-detectors detecting hidden masses, e.g. metal detectors, G01V, e.g. G01V3/00; proximity switches per se H03K17/00; traffic control systems G08G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 : the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

Parking spaces are managed by providing: a parking space monitor with a vehicle detector responsive to the presence of a vehicle in a parking space and a power supply to recharge vehicle batteries, an alarm, a code entry device for entry of an authorization code, and a computer system programmed to receive requests to reserve a selected parking space for a selected time slot; to accept the request if the selected space is available for the selected time slot; to provide an authorization code to the requester if the request is accepted; to respond to a signal from the vehicle detector indicating the presence of a vehicle in the selected space during the selected time slot; and to activate the alarm if a vehicle is detected in the selected parking space during the selected time slot until the authorization code is entered in the code entry device by the requester.

Claims

1. A method of managing parking spaces comprising providing:

a parking space monitor with a vehicle detector responsive to the presence of a vehicle in

a parking space,

an alarm,

a code entry device by which a user may enter an authorization code, and

a computer system programmed;

to receive requests to reserve a selected parking space for a selected time slot;

to accept the request if the selected space is available for the selected time slot;

to provide an authorization code to the requester if the request is accepted;

to respond to a signal from the vehicle detector indicating the presence of the vehicle in the selected space during the selected time slot; and

to activate the alarm if a vehicle is detected in the selected parking space during the selected time slot until the authorization code is entered in the code entry device by the requester.

2. The method of claim 1 further including providing a user interface enabling the user interact with the computer system wherein the interface includes one or more of a graphical user interface connected through an internet connection to the computer system;

a graphical user interface connected through a smart phone application, an oral user interface, a menu-driven interface for use with a telephone.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer system is programmed to deny an authentication code until payment for the requested reservation has been received.

4. The method of claim 1 further including providing a power supply at the parking space and a connector for connecting a vehicle battery to the power supply to recharge the vehicle battery and a computer-system-controlled switch to turn the power supply on and off, and the computer system is programmed:

to accept a request for battery recharging power by turning the switch on if the authentication code is entered in the code entry device during the selected time slot.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the entry device is selected from the group comprising:

a bar code scanner connected to communicate with the computer system, a key pad connected to communicate with the computer system, and a telephonic interface connected to communicate with the computer system.

6. The method of claim 4 where in the alarm produces a first signal when a vehicle is first detected in the parking space and a second signal if the authorization code is not entered within a predetermined time period.