Computer-Implemented System And Method For Facilitating Rental Of Private Parking Space By An Urban Resident

• US 20140195280A1
• Filed: 03/10/2014
• Published: 07/10/2014
• 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, Hoover, Roger Phylos, Krivacic, Robert Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 10,964,212 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 facilitating rental of a private parking space by an urban resident are provided. Motor vehicle parking spaces located in a residential area are managed through a server. Smart parking devices that are each physically proximate to least one of the parking spaces are interfaced to the server. Vehicle occupancy sensors that are also each physically proximate to least one of the parking spaces are interfaced to the server. Parking availability indicators that are each associated with at least one of the parking spaces are interfaced to the server. The parking spaces are supplemented with a private parking space under legitimate control by a resident of the residential area. Use of the private parking space is managed through the server and the smart parking device nearest to the private parking space. Parking availability the parking spaces is indicated through the nearest parking availability indicator.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for facilitating rental of a private parking space by an urban resident, comprising:

a server managing a multiplicity of motor vehicle parking spaces located in a residential area, the server comprising a memory and a processor operatively coupled to the memory and configured to execute computer executable program modules;

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

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

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

a supplemental module executed by the server and configured to supplement the motor vehicle parking spaces with a private parking space under legitimate control by a resident of the residential area;

a management module executed by the server and configured to manage use of the private parking space through the server and the smart parking device nearest to the private parking space; and

an indication module executed by the server and configured to indicate parking availability of each parking space through the nearest parking availability indicator based upon at least one of the current time, any motor vehicle occupancy, applicable parking regulations, and any unfulfilled reservations for the parking space.

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

a reservation module executed by the server and configured to reserve use of the private parking spaces by a motorist, comprising;

an acceptance module configured to accept a reservation request for the private parking space and granting the request if available over any other reservations stored in the server for the requested private parking space;

a sensing module configured to sense occupancy of the requested private parking space by a motor vehicle through the nearest vehicle occupancy sensor; and

a verification module configured to verify at least one of the identity of the motorist and the motor vehicle against the reservation through the nearest smart parking device.

3. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a designation module executed by the server and configured to designate times and dates during which the private parking space is available for use by motorists other than the resident; and

a use module executed by the server and configured to manage use of the private parking space during the designated times and dates through the server and the smart parking device nearest to the private parking space; and

a designated times module executed by the server and configured to indicate parking availability of the private parking space through the nearest parking availability indicator based on the designated times and dates.

4. A system according to claim 3, further comprising:

a time period module executed by the server and configured to make a reservation of the private parking space by one of the motorists other than the resident for a specified time period;

a tracking module executed by the server and configured to track a time remaining for the specified time period; and

a messaging module executed by the server and configured to send the resident a message upon the expiration of the time remaining for the specified time period.

5. A system according to claim 4, further comprising at least one of:

a time module executed by the server and configured to display the remaining time for the specified time period via the smart parking device nearest to the private parking space;

a designated time module executed by the server and configured to track and display via the smart parking device nearest to the private parking space a time remaining for one of the designated times; and

a remaining time module executed by the server and configured to track and display via the smart parking device nearest to the private parking space a time remaining until one of the designated times.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein revenue is earned through use of the private parking space by motorists other than the resident, further comprising:

a compensation module executed by the server and configured to provide compensation to the resident on a periodic basis in relation to actual revenue earned.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the private parking space is located at least one of curbside, on a driveway, in a cutout in front of a driveway, in a parking lot, on a street, and off a street, each of which is under the legitimate control of the resident.

8. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an identification module executed by the server and configured to identify the resident of the residential area; and

a constraint module executed by the server and configured to receive one or more parking constraints for the private parking space for a specified time period from the resident,

wherein the private parking space is managed in accordance with the constraints.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the constraints comprise at least one of times and dates during which the private parking space is available for use by motorists other than the resident, a prohibition on the use of the private parking space by vehicles of one or more vehicle classes, and a permission for the use of the private parking space only by vehicles of one or more vehicle classes.

10. A system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a detection module executed by the server and configured to detect a lack of the constraints received from the resident for the specified time period; and

a reminder module executed by the server and configured to send the resident a reminder to submit the constraints for the specified time period.

11. A computer-implemented method for facilitating rental of a private parking space by an urban resident, comprising:

managing a multiplicity of motor vehicle parking spaces located in a residential area 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;

supplementing the motor vehicle parking spaces with a private parking space under legitimate control by a resident of the residential area;

managing use of the private parking space through the server and the smart parking device nearest to the private parking space; and

indicating parking availability of each parking space through the nearest parking availability indicator based upon at least one of the current time, any motor vehicle occupancy, applicable parking regulations, and any unfulfilled reservations for the parking space.

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

reserving use of the private parking spaces by a motorist, comprising;

accepting a reservation request for the private parking space and granting the request if available over any other reservations stored in the server for the requested private parking space;

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

verifying at least one of the identity of the motorist and the motor vehicle against the reservation through the nearest smart parking device.

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

designating times and dates during which the private parking space is available for use by motorists other than the resident; and

managing use of the private parking space during the designated times and dates through the server and the smart parking device nearest to the private parking space; and

indicating parking availability of the private parking space through the nearest parking availability indicator based on the designated times and dates.

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

making a reservation of the private parking space by one of the motorists other than the resident for a specified time period;

tracking a time remaining for the specified time period; and

sending the resident a message upon the expiration of the time for the specified time period.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising at least one of:

displaying the remaining time for the specified time period via the smart parking device nearest to the private parking space;

tracking and displaying via the smart parking device nearest to the private parking space a time remaining for one of the designated times; and

tracking and displaying via the smart parking device nearest to the private parking space a time remaining until one of the designated times.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein revenue is earned through use of the private parking space by motorists other than the resident, further comprising:

providing compensation to the resident on a periodic basis in relation to actual revenue earned.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein the private parking space is located at least one of curbside, on a driveway, in a cutout in front of a driveway, in a parking lot, on a street, and off a street, each of which is under the legitimate control of the resident.

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

identifying the resident of the residential area; and

receiving one or more parking constraints for the private parking space for a specified time period from the resident,

wherein the private parking space is managed in accordance with the constraints.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the constraints comprise at least one of times and dates during which the private parking space is available for use by motorists other than the resident, a prohibition on the use of the private parking space by vehicles of one or more vehicle classes, and a permission for the use of the private parking space only by vehicles of one or more vehicle classes.

20. A method according to claim 18, further comprising:

detecting a lack of the constraints received from the resident for the specified time period; and

sending the resident a reminder to submit the constraints for the specified time period.