Computer-Implemented System And Method For Offering Merchant And Shopper-Friendly Parking Reservations Through Tourist Privileges

• US 20140195283A1
• 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 10,242,573 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 merchant and shopper-friendly parking reservations through tourist privileges is provided. Motor vehicle parking spaces located in a tourist area of an urban environment are managed through a server. Smart parking devices and vehicle occupancy sensors are each proximate to at least one of the parking spaces. Tourist parking identification cards are issued to an agency authorized to provide tourist parking privileges, which are then provided to the visitors. The parking identification cards are activated by pairing each identification card with a digital ticket issued to the agency. The parking spaces are managed by sensing occupancy of one of the parking spaces by a motor vehicle through the nearest vehicle occupancy sensor and by determining an identity of the driver of the motor vehicle through the nearest smart parking device.

Claims

1. A method for offering merchant and shopper-friendly parking reservations through tourist privileges, comprising:

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

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

authorizing use of the parking spaces by visitors to the tourist area of the urban environment, comprising;

issuing a multiplicity of tourist parking identification cards to an agency authorized to provide tourist parking privileges, which are then physically provided to one or more of the visitors; and

activating the tourist parking identification cards by pairing each tourist parking identification card with a digital ticket issued to the agency; and

managing the use of the parking spaces, comprising;

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

determining an identity of the driver of the motor vehicle through the nearest smart parking device.

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

providing payment for at least part of the use of the parking space from the agency through the server conditioned upon the driver'"'"'s identify being provided through an activated tourist parking identification card.

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

linking the tourist parking identification card to an electronic banking card, comprising at least one of a credit card and a debit card, for at least one of the visitors;

matching the driver'"'"'s identity to the at least one visitor; and

providing parking space payment through the electronic banking card.

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

including tourist privileges with one or more of the parking spaces, comprising at least one of;

extending time limits on parking in the parking spaces;

reserving a plurality of the parking spaces for exclusive use by holders of the tourist privileges;

offering reduced parking rates on parking in the parking spaces;

offering a day pass for free parking on parking in the parking spaces;

offering an all-day rate on parking in the parking spaces; and

extending discounts with merchants located in the tourist area.

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

triggering at least a portion of the tourist privileges when the driver checks-in to the nearest smart parking device.

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

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

activating the parking availability indicators associated with the parking spaces; and

providing a visual indication through the smart parking devices nearest to the parking spaces.

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

receiving the tourist parking identification card via at least one of a card reader and a camera located on one of the smart parking devices.

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

authenticating the tourist parking identification card, comprising at least one of;

verifying a code located on the tourist parking identification card; and

verifying the digital ticket associated with the agency that issued the tourist parking identification card; and

providing the tourist parking privileges when the tourist parking identification card is authenticated.

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

displaying on one or more of the smart parking devices those parking spaces located within the tourist area.

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

providing to the driver at least one of a notice and a receipt after the driver leaves the occupied parking space.

11. A system for offering merchant and shopper-friendly parking reservations through tourist privileges, comprising:

a server configured to manage a multiplicity of motor vehicle parking spaces located in a tourist area of an urban environment;

a parking card module executed by the server and configured to issue a multiplicity of tourist parking identification cards to an agency authorized to provide tourist parking privileges, which are then physically provided to one or more of the visitors;

an activation module executed by the server and configured to activate the tourist parking identification cards by pairing each tourist parking identification card with a digital ticket issued to the agency;

a plurality of vehicle occupancy sensors that are each physically proximate to least one of the parking spaces, at least one of the vehicle occupancy sensors sensing occupancy of one of the parking spaces by a motor vehicle; and

a plurality of smart parking devices that are each physically proximate to least one of the parking spaces, one of the smart parking devices nearest to the occupied parking space determining an identity of the driver of the motor vehicle.

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

a payment module executed by the server and configured to provide payment for at least part of the use of the parking space from the agency conditioned upon the driver'"'"'s identify being provided through an activated tourist parking identification card.

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

a payment module executed by the server and configured to link the tourist parking identification card to an electronic banking card, comprising at least one of a credit card and a debit card, for at least one of the visitors, to match the driver'"'"'s identity to the at least one visitor, and to provide the parking space payment through the electronic banking card.

14. A system according to claim 11, wherein the tourist parking identification card is associated with tourist privileges comprising at least one of extending time limits on parking in the parking spaces, reserving a plurality of the parking spaces for exclusive use by holders of the tourist privileges, offering reduced parking rates on parking in the parking spaces, offering a day pass for free parking on parking in the parking spaces, offering an all-day rate on parking in the parking spaces, and extending discounts with merchants located in the tourist area.

15. A system according to claim 11, further comprising:

a privilege module to executed by the server and configured to trigger at least a portion of the tourist privileges when the driver checks-in to the nearest smart parking device.

16. A system according to claim 11, further comprising:

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

an activation module executed by the server and configured to activate the parking availability indicators associated with the parking spaces and to provide a visual indication through the smart parking devices nearest to the parking spaces.

17. A system according to claim 11, wherein the nearest smart parking device comprises one of a card reader and a camera to receive the tourist parking identification card.

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

an authentication module executed by the server and configured to authenticate the tourist parking identification card by verifying at least one of a code located on the tourist parking identification card and the digital ticket associated with the agency that issued the tourist parking identification card, and to provide the tourist parking privileges when the tourist parking identification card is authenticated.

19. A system according to claim 11, wherein one or more of the smart parking devices each comprise a display on which those parking spaces located within the tourist area are displayed.

20. A system according to claim 11, further comprising:

a notice module executed by the server and configured to provide to the driver at least one of a notice and a receipt after the driver leaves the occupied parking space.