Computer-Implemented System And Method For Providing Information Through A Display Of Parking Devices

• US 20140195281A1
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 10,839,685 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 providing information through a display of parking devices is provided. A multiplicity of motor vehicle parking spaces is managed through a server. Smart parking devices, vehicle occupancy sensors, and parking availability indicators are associated with at least one of the parking spaces. Use of the parking spaces is managed through the server. The parking availability indicators associated with the parking spaces are activated. Occupancy of at least one of the parking spaces by a motor vehicle is sensed through the nearest vehicle occupancy sensor and the location of the parking space is provided to the server. An identity of the driver of the motor vehicle is determined through the nearest smart parking device and the identity of the driver is provided to the server. Information associated with the identity of the driver is displayed on the smart parking device.

Claims

1. A method for providing information through a display of parking devices, 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 at least one of the parking spaces;

interfacing a plurality of vehicle occupancy sensors that are also each physically proximate to at 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 through the server, comprising;

activating the parking availability indicators associated with the parking spaces;

sensing occupancy of at least one of the parking spaces by a motor vehicle through the nearest vehicle occupancy sensor and providing the location of the parking space to the server; and

determining an identity of the driver of the motor vehicle through the nearest smart parking device and providing the identity of the driver to the server; and

displaying on the smart parking device information associated with the identity of the driver.

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

detecting the driver identity via at least one of an electronic bank card, driver'"'"'s license, parking identification card, and biometric input received from the driver;

detecting the driver identity by scanning the driver'"'"'s face or a license plate of the motor vehicle via a camera; and

detecting the driver identity by retrieving a radio frequency identification tag on the motor vehicle.

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

accessing a parking account of the driver using the driver identity;

applying any customized parking services listed in the parking account to the parking space.

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

further displaying on the smart parking device at least one of public service announcements, advertisements, messages from the server, messages from a user that made a reservation for one or more of the parking spaces for other drivers;

a maximum amount of time allowed for the parking space, an amount time remaining before parking expires, and an amount of time remaining before an applicable time constraint is met.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the advertisement comprises at least one of a promotion by a business located near the smart parking device on which the advertisement is displayed and directions to the business.

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

allowing the driver to interact with the displayed advertisements; and

receiving at least one of a reservation and purchase based on the displayed advertisement.

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

determining an appropriate time for displaying each of the advertisements; and

providing one such advertisement for display at the determined appropriate time.

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

receiving on the smart parking device, a token from the driver that was provided by a local business;

verifying conditions for parking associated with the token;

validating the driver'"'"'s parking based on the verified conditions; and

billing the local business for at least a portion of a parking duration by the driver.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the token comprises one of a hardcopy document, barcode, and QR code.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the token is provided as a promotion or advertisement by the local business.

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

requesting payment for any remaining portion of the parking duration not covered by the token.

12. A computer-implemented method for offering merchant business-friendly parking, 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 at least one of the parking spaces;

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

activating the parking availability indicator associated with the parking space;

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

displaying through the nearest smart parking device a plurality of parking rates associated with the parking space, the parking rates starting from a short period of free parking and raising to at least one of a fixed rate and escalated rates that increase over a period of time;

receiving a selection of a parking period and payment for the parking space for a selected parking duration from a driver of the motor vehicle; and

indicating through the parking availability indicator that the parking space is valid for the paid period.

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

determining an identity of the driver;

accessing a parking account of the driver using the driver identity;

applying any customized parking services listed in the parking account to the parking space.

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

further displaying on the nearest smart parking device at least one of public service announcements, advertisements, messages from the server, messages from a user that made a reservation for one or more of the parking spaces for other drivers;

a maximum amount of time allowed for the parking space, an amount time remaining before the selected parking duration expires, and an amount of time remaining before an applicable time constraint is met.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the advertisement comprises at least one of a promotion by a business located near the smart parking device on which the advertisement is displayed and directions to the business.

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

allowing the driver to interact with the displayed advertisements; and

receiving from the driver at least one of a reservation and a purchase based on the displayed advertisement.

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

determining an appropriate time for displaying each of the advertisements; and

providing one such advertisement for display at the determined appropriate time.

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

receiving from the driver on the nearest smart parking device, a token that was provided by a local business;

verifying conditions for parking associated with the token;

validating the driver'"'"'s parking based on the verified conditions; and

billing the local business for at least a portion of a parking duration by the driver.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the token comprises one of a hardcopy document, barcode, and QR code.

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

receiving identification information from the driver;

obtaining a parking history for the driver using the identification information;

determining from the parking history whether the driver parked in a predetermined vicinity of the parking space within a predetermined time period; and

charging higher escalated rates when the driver parked in the vicinity during the predetermined time period.