Computer-Implemented System And Method For Offering Commercial Parking Reservations

• US 20120095792A1
• Filed: 08/24/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conduent Business Services, LLC (Conduent, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.), Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Stefik, Mark Jeffrey, Bell, Alan G., Eldershaw, Craig, Good, Lance E., Greene, Daniel H., Torres, Francisco Eduardo, Uckun, Serdar, Cummins, David Preston
• Granted Patent: US 8,751,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• 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 17/0021 Access to services on a time-basis
• 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: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/12 Manually actuated calamity alarm transmitting arrangements emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm, activators, e.g. details of alarm push buttons mounted on an infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/142 external to the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/147 where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/148 Management of a network of parking areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method for offering commercial parking reservations through flexible loading zones is provided. Motor vehicle parking spaces located in a business district are managed through a server. Smart parking devices, vehicle occupancy sensors, and parking availability indicators are interfaced to the server. Use of the parking spaces as a loading zone is reserved. A reservation request from a business is accepted. The business is confirmed as eligible. The request is granted, provided the requested parking space is available over any other reservations. Use of the loading zone is managed. The parking availability indicator is activated contemporaneous to the reservation period. Occupancy of the requested parking space is sensed through the nearest vehicle occupancy sensor. An identity of a driver is verified through the nearest smart parking device. The use of the reserved parking space is permitted upon matching the driver'"'"'s identity to the business.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for offering commercial parking reservations through flexible loading zones, comprising:

managing a multiplicity of motor vehicle parking spaces located in a business district of an urban environment through a server, comprising;

interfacing a plurality of smart parking devices that are each physically proximate to least one of the parking spaces;

interfacing a plurality of vehicle occupancy sensors that are also each physically proximate to least one of the parking spaces;

interfacing a plurality of parking availability indicators that are each associated with at least one of the parking spaces; and

designating at least one of the parking spaces as a loading zone for use by businesses during scheduled times and days;

reserving use of the loading zone, comprising;

accepting a request for a reservation of the loading zone from a business comprising a time and date over which a reservation period would be in effect, and confirming that the business is eligible to reserve the loading zone; and

upon confirmation of eligibility, granting the request provided that the reservation period occurs within the scheduled times and days and the loading zone is available over any other reservations stored in the server; and

managing use of the loading zone, comprising;

activating the parking availability indicator associated with the loading zone during the scheduled times and days;

sensing occupancy of the requested parking space by a motor vehicle through the nearest vehicle occupancy sensor;

determining an identity of a driver of the motor vehicle through the nearest smart parking device; and

permitting the use of the loading zone during the scheduled times and days upon matching the driver'"'"'s identity to the business to whom the parking reservation was granted.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

designating a plurality of the parking spaces that are adjacent as the loading zone; and

allowing the business to reserve the plurality of the parking spaces as the loading zone under a single reservation during the scheduled times and days.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

requiring that the loading zone reservation be for a particular driver identified in a parking account of the business; and

allowing the loading zone reservation to be for any driver provided with a loading zone permit, wherein the driver'"'"'s identity is further verified against a list of holders of loading zone permits.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

limiting the loading zone reservation to a specific delivery, after which the loading zone reservation is terminated.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of parking spaces are comprised in the loading zone reservation, further comprising:

permitting open use of the reserved parking spaces; and

decreasing the number of reserved parking spaces upon each successive use of the reserved parking spaces by the business.

6. A computer-implemented method for providing management of motor vehicle parking spaces during scheduled street sweeping, comprising:

managing a multiplicity of motor vehicle parking spaces through a server, comprising;

interfacing a plurality of smart parking devices that are each physically proximate to least one of the parking spaces;

interfacing a plurality of vehicle occupancy sensors that are also each physically proximate to least one of the parking spaces; and

interfacing a plurality of parking availability indicators that are each associated with at least one of the parking spaces;

planning street sweeping activity affecting the parking spaces through the server, comprising;

scheduling the street sweeping activity comprising times and dates over which street sweeping of the parking spaces will occur; and

denying any requests for reserving the use of the parking spaces during the street sweeping activity; and

managing use of the parking space contemporaneous to the street sweeping activity, comprising;

activating the parking availability indicators associated with the parking spaces affected by the street sweeping activity; and

sensing occupancy of each of the parking spaces by a motor vehicle through the nearest vehicle occupancy sensor.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

generating a reminder to the driver prior to the street sweeping activity at check in through the smart parking device; and

sending a reminder to the driver prior to the street sweeping activity and subsequent to check in through a mobile computing device.

8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:

offering alternative parking spaces to the driver as part of the reminder.

9. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

tracking progress of the street sweeping activity on a per city block basis; and

decreasing the number of parking spaces not available for parking upon completion of the street cleaning activity for those parking spaces.

10. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

permitting the driver to remain in the parking space as an exemption during the street cleaning activity upon payment of an additional fee.

11. A computer-implemented method for providing emergency services notification through a centralized parking services server, comprising:

managing a multiplicity of motor vehicle parking spaces through a server, comprising;

interfacing a plurality of smart parking devices that are each physically proximate to least one of the parking spaces;

interfacing a plurality of vehicle occupancy sensors that are also each physically proximate to least one of the parking spaces; and

interfacing a plurality of parking availability indicators that are each associated with at least one of the parking spaces;

managing use of the parking spaces, comprising;

activating the parking availability indicator associated with each of the parking spaces based on parking availability;

sensing occupancy of each of the parking spaces by a motor vehicle through the nearest vehicle occupancy sensor;

processing use of the parking space based on an identity of a driver of the motor vehicle through the nearest smart parking device; and

notifying emergency services for an individual through one of the smart parking devices upon request.

12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

contacting the emergency services through the server; and

interfacing the individual directly to the emergency services.

13. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

taking a photographs of the area surrounding the smart parking device from which the emergency services was notified through a camera provided in the nearest smart parking device.