PARKING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF EMPLOYING SAME

• US 20110166897A1
• Filed: 07/12/2010
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hope Beckman
• Original Assignee: Hope Beckman
• Inventors: Beckman, Hope
• Application Number:
  US12/834,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20110166897A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• 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

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and method for pairing lessors and lessees of parking spaces and generating a profit from each transaction. The system and method are employed over computing means and includes an option for charging a municipality an administrative fee for establishing the system within the municipality.

Claims

1. ) A computer implemented method for pairing a vehicle with a uniquely identified registered parking space in response to a request being sent from a user terminal communicating with an organization terminal over a network, the method comprising:

a) providing an organization terminal connected to the network, wherein;

i) the organization terminal comprises a memory portion and a processor portion,

ii) the memory portion comprises a registry of one or more parking spaces available for lease and one or more associated schedules of occupancy, and

iii) the memory portion contains therein a software portion executable by the processor for instructing the organization terminal to pair a vehicle with an available, uniquely identified registered parking space in response to a request to lease a registered parking space for a defined period of time;

b) presenting a registration portal on a graphic display of the user terminal, the registration portal comprising one or more input fields and/or selection menus for placing a request based on a desired parking location. time period during which parking is desired and/or parking space price range;

c) receiving the request from the user terminal at the organization terminal;

d) identifying one or more available registered parking spaces mostly closely satisfying the request criteria;

e) displaying the one or more available registered parking spaces on a graphic display at the user terminal;

f) receiving a parking space selection from the user terminal; and

g) providing the user terminal with a unique identifier associated with the selected parking space and associated reserved time period.

2. ) The method of claim 1 wherein the software portion is stored permanently in the memory portion.

3. ) The method of claim 1 wherein the memory portion is a portable storage medium connected to the organization terminal for access by the software portion.

4. ) The method of claim 1 wherein the memory portion is a server in communication with the organization terminal.

5. ) The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting one or more unique identification characteristics for identifying the vehicle associated with the request for parking in a uniquely identified registered parking space.

6. ) The method of claim 5 wherein the one or more unique vehicle identification characteristics are transmitted from an in-vehicle transmitter unit to a receiver disposed at the uniquely identified registered parking space.

7. ) The method of claim 6 wherein the transmitter intermittently and/or continuously communicates with the receiver and the receiver relays occupancy information to the organization terminal.

8. ) The method of claim 6 wherein the reserved time period of step 1)g) comprises a specific beginning time and end time.

9. ) The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving a request from a user terminal during the time period of step 1)g) for a new end time.

10. ) The method of claim 9 further comprising transmitting to the user terminal an acceptance or denial of extension request.

11. ) The method of claim 8 further comprising issuing an electronic penalty to the owner of the vehicle having the one or more unique identification characteristics when the vehicle remains in the uniquely identified registered parking space beyond the end time.

12. ) The method of claim 11 wherein the penalty is monetary and/or a status rating penalty associated with a particular vehicle owner.

13. ) The method of claim 11 wherein the penalty is monetary and/or a status rating penalty associated with a particular in-vehicle transmitter communicating with a receiver located at the uniquely identified registered space.

14. ) The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more registered parking spaces are owned by a private entity.

15. ) The method of claim 14 wherein the private entity is an individual owner.

16. ) The method of claim 14 wherein the private entity is a management company.

17. ) The method of claim 14 wherein the private entity is an event parking business.

18. ) The method of claim 14 further comprising issuing an electronic penalty to the private entity when a uniquely identified registered parking space is unavailable during a reserved time period.

19. ) The method of claim 18 wherein the penalty is monetary and/or a status rating penalty associated with the private entity.

20. ) The method of claim 14 wherein the private entity remotely adjusts the availability and/or price rate of the one or more registered parking space.

21. ) The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more registered parking spaces are owned by a public entity.

22. ) The method of claim 21 wherein the public entity remotely adjusts the availability and/or price rate of the one or more registered parking space.

23. ) The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to step 1)b) generating participation terms requiring affirmative acceptance by the vehicle owner, and storing an acknowledgement of the acceptance on the organization terminal.

24. ) The method of claim 23 wherein the participation terms comprise a lease agreement and/or terms and conditions summary.

25. ) The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a reusable unique login for a user at a user terminal.

26. ) The method of claim 25 further comprising storing the reusable unique login and unique information associated with the reusable unique login.

27. ) The method of claim 26 wherein the unique information comprises a name, an address, a credit card number, a bank account number, and/or one or more unique identifying characteristics associated with one or more vehicles.

28. ) The method of claim 27 further comprising prompting a user to confirm one or more unique identifying characteristics associated with the vehicle parking in the selected parking space.

29. ) The method of claim 1 wherein the organization terminal generates one or more reports comprising occupancy history for a uniquely identified space and pushes the one or more reports to an owner of the uniquely identified registered parking space.

30. ) The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting information enabling electronic transfer of funds from the user terminal to the organization terminal in exchange for providing the unique identifier associated with the selected registered parking space.

31. ) The method of claim 30 wherein the electronic funds transfer is linked to a credit card number entered in the registration portal at the user terminal.

32. ) The method of claim 30 wherein the electronic funds transfer is linked to bank account routing number entered in the registration portal at the user terminal.

33. ) The method of claim 1 wherein the organization terminal comprises an auditory call center accessible by a telecommunication device and/or VoIP.

34. ) The method of claim 33 wherein the auditory call center is automated.

35. ) The method of claim 33 wherein the auditory call center is manned by operators.

36. ) The method of claim 1 wherein the parking location is a geographic area.

37. ) The method of claim 36 wherein the geographic area is a particular address.

38. ) The method of claim 1 wherein the parking location is a unique identifier associated with a particular registered parking space.

39. ) A system for pairing requests for parking spaces with registered spaces available for lease for a fee and for a specified time period, comprising:

a) an interactive interface hosted by at least one computer that is in communication with a computer network, wherein the interactive interface is accessible by a user terminal that is also in communication with the computer network;

b) a server connected to the at least one computer, wherein the server stores a database containing availability information, pricing information and geographic location information associated with one or more registered parking spaces available for leasing through the interactive interface;

c) executable software running on the at least one host computer wherein;

i) the executable code instructs the computer to provide the interactive interface at a user terminal also in communication with the computer network, the interactive interface containing one or more selection means for placing a request to park a vehicle having unique identification characteristics in a geographic location during a specified period of time;

ii) the at least one computer receives a request comprising one or more parking space characteristics defined by the one or more selection means;

iii) the executable code commands the at least one computer to identify at least one registered parking space that matches the one or more parking space characteristics specified in the request;

iv) the at least one computer receives an affirmative selection of an available registered parking space from the user terminal and payment for lease of the selected registered parking space for the specified period of time;

v) the executable code commands the at least one host computer to record one or more unique vehicle identification characteristics associated with the selected registered parking space; and

vi) in response to receiving payment, the at least one computer forwards a unique identifier associated with the selected registered parking space to the user terminal.

40. ) The system of claim 39 wherein the selection means are one or more menus and/or input fields.

41. ) The system of claim 40 wherein the one or more interactive menus and/or input fields are address based.

42. ) The system of claim 39 wherein the selection means is an interactive map.

43. ) The system of claim 42 wherein the interactive map further comprises selectable color coded indicators displaying one or more available, unavailable and/or soon-to-be available registered parking spaces at a particular geographic location.