PROVIDING CITY SERVICES USING MOBILE DEVICES AND A SENSOR NETWORK

• US 20120203600A1
• Filed: 02/09/2012
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mentis Services France
• Original Assignee: Societe Stationnement Urbain Developpements et Etudes
• Inventors: ROWE, Richard E., FIORUCCI, Jean-Louis
• Granted Patent: US 9,159,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0457 the tickets being sent electronically
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/047 using payment protocols involving electronic receipts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• 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 17/242 provided with token dispensing devices
• 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: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/133 within the vehicle ; Indicators inside the vehicles or at stops
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/144 on portable or mobile units, e.g. personal digital assistant [PDA]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/147 where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 : Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 : Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 : for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/42 : for mass transport vehicles, e.g. buses, trains or aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 : for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Apparatus and methods related providing city services, such as parking, are described. A mobile device can be configured to receive information from parking sensor nodes in the vicinity of the mobile device. In a parking application, the mobile device located in a moving vehicle can be configured to locate available parking based upon the information received from the parking sensor nodes. After an available parking space is obtained, the mobile device can be configured to initiate a purchase of parking and receive information related to parking enforcement. The mobile device can be configured to receive other types of information from local sensor nodes, such as transportation related sensor nodes and merchant provided sensor nodes. Based upon the information received from the local sensor nodes, a transportation application executing on the mobile device can be utilized to formulate a transportation solution involving one or more transportation modes.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, a display, an input mechanism, a first communication interface configured for communication with a cellular network or a wireless data network, a second communication interface configured to receive information related to available parking broadcast from one or more local sensor nodes in communication range of the mobile device, said information including a location of the available parking;

wherein the processor is configured to

     1) determine a current location of the mobile device;

     2) output a map to the display, said map including streets, the location of the mobile device and the location of the available parking;

     3) receive a request to initiate a transaction to purchase parking via the input mechanism,

     4) generate the transaction to purchase the parking via one or more communications with a remote device; and

     5) receive an electronic receipt from the remote device indicating the parking is purchased.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine directions from the current location of the mobile device to the location of the available parking.

3. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein the directions are output in a visual format, an audio format or combinations thereof.

4. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the current location of the mobile device is determined based upon locations of a plurality of sensor nodes in the communication range of the mobile device.

5. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to receive information broadcast from the one or more local sensor nodes and forward it to the remote device.

6. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the forwarded information is unrelated to the available parking.

7. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is configured an electronic token from the remote device that is used to enforce the purchased parking.

8. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the mobile device is configured to broadcast information associated with the electronic token.

9. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the mobile device is configured to download information associated with electronic token to a secondary device.

10. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the secondary device is a display device and the electronic token includes an image of a bar-code that is output on the display.

11. The mobile device of claim 9 wherein the secondary device is a kiosk including a printer and wherein the kiosk is configured to print a ticket with information associated with the electronic token.

12. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is configured to receive from a first sensor node information related to a service in a location proximate to the current location of the mobile device.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, information related to the service is one of a waiting period associated with obtaining the service, a status of the service provider or combinations thereof.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the service is one of a merchant provided service.

15. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the service is transportation related service.

16. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to output information related to the service in one of a visual format, an audio format or combinations thereof.

17. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to receive an input identifying a particular type of service and output information related to only the particular type of service.

18. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to receive an input identifying a particular service provider and to output information related to only the particular service provider.

19. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to receive information related promotions or advertising associated with services proximate to the current location of the mobile device.

20. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the processor is further designed or configured to receive information related to first promotion including an electronic token wherein the first promotion is redeemable for a benefit and wherein the electronic token is used to validate the first promotion when it is redeemed.

21. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the promotions or the advertising are received with electronic receipt.

22. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured while the mobile device is changing its location over time, to receive first information from a first local sensor, associate a first location with the first information, store the first location and the first information, receive second information from a second local sensor, associate a second location with the second information, store the second location and the second information, when the current location of the mobile device is at a third location different from the first location or the second location, output to the map a first indicator of the first location wherein the first information is output proximate to the first indicator on the map, output to the map a second indicator of the second location wherein the second information is output proximate to the second indicator on the map and output to the map a third indicator of the current location of the mobile device.