Parking Meter System
First Claim
1. A method of operating a parking system having a pod which includes a vehicle detector for monitoring plural parking spaces adjacent to the pod and a communications device, the detector generating a signal when a vehicle arrives or leaves one of the monitored parking spaces and the communications device transmitting the signal when it is generated, a fee collection device capable of servicing multiple spaces, and a central controller, the central controller receiving the signal directly or indirectly from the communications device, the fee collection device transmitting a signal to the central controller upon receipt of a fee for a particular parking space for a particular length of time, the method including the steps of(a) detecting an initial three dimensional magnetic field at a fixed location and in the absence of a ferrous object in any of the spaces to be monitored,(b) performing a calibration by (1) placing a calibration object successively in each of the spaces to be monitored, (2) successively determining a calibration change in the magnetic field at the fixed location from the initial field for each of the monitored spaces when the calibration object is placed successively in each of the monitored spaces and (3) associating each of the successive calibration changes in the magnetic field with the space where the calibration object was when each such change was determined,(c) measuring the three dimensional magnetic field at a first time and at a second time,(d) determining whether the magnetic field has changed from the first time to the second time by finding the difference between the field at the first time and the field at the second time,(e) comparing the difference determined in step (d) to each of the calibration changes to identify the calibration change most like the difference determined in step (d), and generating a signal representing the space associated with the identified calibration change, and(f) using the communications device to transmit the signal to the central controller.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A parking system uses a three-dimensional magnetic field sensor as part of a vehicle detector to monitor plural parking spaces. The detector is calibrated to detect the presence or absence of a vehicle in each of the monitored spaces. The status of each space is communicated to a central controller. A pay station communicates with a central controller when a parking interval has been purchased. The controller may warn customers when the interval is about to expire and law enforcement when it has expired.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method of operating a parking system having a pod which includes a vehicle detector for monitoring plural parking spaces adjacent to the pod and a communications device, the detector generating a signal when a vehicle arrives or leaves one of the monitored parking spaces and the communications device transmitting the signal when it is generated, a fee collection device capable of servicing multiple spaces, and a central controller, the central controller receiving the signal directly or indirectly from the communications device, the fee collection device transmitting a signal to the central controller upon receipt of a fee for a particular parking space for a particular length of time, the method including the steps of
(a) detecting an initial three dimensional magnetic field at a fixed location and in the absence of a ferrous object in any of the spaces to be monitored, (b) performing a calibration by (1) placing a calibration object successively in each of the spaces to be monitored, (2) successively determining a calibration change in the magnetic field at the fixed location from the initial field for each of the monitored spaces when the calibration object is placed successively in each of the monitored spaces and (3) associating each of the successive calibration changes in the magnetic field with the space where the calibration object was when each such change was determined, (c) measuring the three dimensional magnetic field at a first time and at a second time, (d) determining whether the magnetic field has changed from the first time to the second time by finding the difference between the field at the first time and the field at the second time, (e) comparing the difference determined in step (d) to each of the calibration changes to identify the calibration change most like the difference determined in step (d), and generating a signal representing the space associated with the identified calibration change, and (f) using the communications device to transmit the signal to the central controller.
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14. A parking system comprising a central controller, a parking space monitor for monitoring the status of a plurality of monitored parking spaces adjacent to monitor, and a pay station, said monitor comprising a sensor generating signals responsive to the earth'"'"'s magnetic field for measuring the magnetic field at a selected position, a controller connected to the sensor for processing the signals generated by the sensor, and a display connected to the controller for presenting information concerning the status of the plurality of monitored parking spaces, the processor
(a) receiving a measurement of an initial three dimensional magnetic field at the selected position and in the absence of a ferrous object in any of the spaces to be monitored, (b) recording a calibration change for each of the monitored spaces generated by (1) a calibration object successively placed in each of the spaces to be monitored, (2) successively determining a calibration change in the magnetic field at the selected position from the initial field for each of the monitored spaces when the calibration object is placed successively in each of the monitored spaces and (3) associating each of the successive calibration changes in the magnetic field with the space where the calibration object was when each such change was determined, (c) measuring the three dimensional magnetic field at a first time and at a second time, (d) determining whether the magnetic field has changed from the first time to the second time by finding the difference between the field at the first time and the field at the second time, (e) comparing the difference determined in step (d) to each of the calibration changes to identify the calibration change most like the difference determined in step (d), and identifying the space associated with the identified calibration change, and (f) recording and reporting the identified space to the central controller, the pay station receiving payment for a selected parking interval in the one of the monitored spaces and reporting the payment, the selected interval, and the identity of the one of the monitored spaces to the central controller.
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21. A method of operating a parking system having a pod which includes a vehicle detector for monitoring plural parking spaces adjacent to the pod and a communications device, the detector generating a signal when a vehicle arrives or leaves one of the monitored parking spaces and the communications device transmitting the signal when it is generated, a fee collection device capable of servicing multiple spaces, and a central controller, the central controller receiving the signal directly or indirectly from the communications device, the fee collection device transmitting a signal to the central controller upon receipt of a fee for a particular parking space for a particular length of time, the method including the steps of
(a) detecting the three dimensional magnetic field at a fixed location, (b) performing a calibration by (1) employing at least one calibration object, where each monitored space can have an occupancy status of either vacant or occupied by a calibration object, (2) using the at least one calibration object to cause changes in the occupancy status of the spaces, (3) determining calibration changes in the detected magnetic field associated with the changes in occupancy status, (4) correcting the sign of the calibration changes by multiplying calibration changes by minus one where the calibration changes are associated with a status change from occupied to vacant, (5) continuing steps 2 through 4 until calibration changes, with associated sign reversals, have been recorded for all the monitored spaces, (6) associating the sign-corrected magnetic calibration changes with the corresponding monitored spaces and with occupied status, (7) defining a calibration set that includes the sign-corrected calibration changes of step 6 along with the associated corresponding spaces and occupancy statuses for all members of the calibration set; -
(c) measuring the three dimensional magnetic field at a first time and at a second time, (d) determining whether the magnetic field has changed from the first time to the second time by finding the difference between the field at the first time and the field at the second time, (e) comparing the difference determined in step (d) sequentially to each of the calibration set members to identify the calibration change most like the difference determined in step (d), and identifying the corresponding space and occupancy status associated with the identified calibration set member, and (f) recording and reporting the identified space and its occupancy status - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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29. A metered parking system comprising
a pod having a vehicle detector and a communications device, the detector generating a signal when a vehicle arrives or leaves a parking space adjacent to the pod and the communications device transmitting the signal, a fee collection device capable of servicing multiple pods, and a central controller, the central controller receiving the signal directly or indirectly from the pod, the fee collection device transmitting a signal to the central controller upon receipt of a fee for a particular parking space for a particular period of time.
- 30. A pod for a parking system comprising a housing, a vehicle detection signal generator responsive to changes in the magnetic field caused by the presence of a vehicle in an adjacent parking space to generate a signal upon detecting the arrival or departure of a vehicle from the parking space, and a transmitter responsive to the signal to send a signal and a power supply for the vehicle detection signal generator and transmitter.
Specification