SINGLE SPACE ELECTRONIC PARKING METER WITH METER HOUSING MOUNTED VEHICLE SENSOR

• US 20150106172A1
• Filed: 01/14/2014
• Published: 04/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Duncan Parking Technologies, Inc. (Navient Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Duncan Solutions, Inc. (Navient Corp.)
• Inventors: Salama, Asaf
• Granted Patent: US 10,043,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4813 Housing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• 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 17/246 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 17/248 Housing construction casings for coin-freed apparatus G07F9/10
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/015 with provision for distinguishing between two or more types of vehicles, e.g. between motor-cars and cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/042 using inductive or magnetic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/147 where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

An upper parking meter outer housing component that includes a parking meter cap is provided. The parking meter cap includes an outer surface, an inner surface defining an interior cavity, and a lower edge portion defining an opening into the interior cavity. The lower edge portion is configured to be coupled to a lower housing component of single space meter such that a meter mechanism may be enclosed within the interior cavity of the upper meter dome. The meter cap includes a vehicle sensor coupled to the inner surface of the upper meter dome. The meter cap includes a solar panel coupled to the inner surface of the upper meter dome and configured to supply power to the vehicle sensor.

Claims

1. A single space parking meter associated with a parking space comprising:

an outer meter housing including a lower portion and an upper portion, wherein an inner surface of the upper portion and an inner surface of the lower portion define a cavity;

an electronic meter mechanism located within the cavity, the electronic meter mechanism including a display screen, a payment receiving system, a processor and a user input device;

a vehicle sensor located within the cavity of the outer meter housing and communicably coupled to the processor of the electronic meter mechanism, the vehicle sensor configured to detect a vehicle located within the parking space, to generate a signal indicative of the presence of the vehicle within the parking space and to communicate the signal to the processor, the vehicle sensor including a detection zone, wherein the vehicle sensor is positioned such that the detection zone is located within the parking space such that the sensor monitors the volume located above the parking space.

2. The single space parking meter of claim 1 wherein the vehicle sensor is positioned above the display screen within the cavity.

3. The single space parking meter of claim 2 wherein the vehicle sensor is supported by from a surface within the upper portion of the outer meter housing at position above the display screen.

4. The single space parking meter of claim 3 wherein the vehicle sensor transmits a non-visible spectrum electromagnetic signal to detect a vehicle located within the parking spot, wherein the upper portion of the outer meter housing includes a layer of material that is translucent to the non-visible spectrum electromagnetic signal of the vehicle sensor and that is opaque to visible spectrum light.

5. The single space parking meter of claim 4 wherein the layer of material is a layer of paint applied to an outer surface of the upper portion of the outer meter housing such that the layer of paint limits visibility of the vehicle sensor from outside of the outer meter housing.

6. The single space parking meter of claim 4 wherein the layer of material is a shield positioned within the upper portion of the outer meter housing located between the vehicle sensor and the upper portion of the outer meter housing.

7. The single space parking meter of claim 3 further comprising a support structure coupled to the vehicle sensor, the support structure including a joint configured to pivot the vehicle sensor allowing the vehicle sensor to be aimed such that the detection zone of the sensor is located within the parking space.

8. The single space parking meter of claim 1 further comprising:

a first solar panel configured to generate power for at least the display screen, the processor and the payment receiving system of the electronic meter mechanism; and

a second solar panel configured to generate power for the vehicle sensor.

9. The single space meter of claim 8 wherein the electronic meter mechanism includes an inner housing and the processor, display screen, user input device, payment receiving system and the first solar panel are supported by the inner housing.

10. The single space meter of claim 9 wherein the second solar panel is coupled to and supported by the upper portion of the outer meter housing at a position above the display screen of the electronic meter mechanism, wherein the vehicle sensor is located above the display screen of the electronic meter mechanism and below the second solar panel.

11. The single space meter of claim 1 wherein the electronic meter mechanism includes a front side and a rear side, wherein the user input device, payment receiving system and display screen are located on the front side of the electronic meter mechanism and the vehicle sensor faces away from the rear side of the electronic meter mechanism.

12. The single space meter of claim 1 wherein the electronic meter mechanism further includes wireless communications hardware communicably coupled to the processor and configured to wirelessly communicate data from the electronic meter mechanism to a parking management system, wherein the data wirelessly communicated by the wireless communications hardware includes the data generated by the vehicle sensor, wherein the payment receiving system includes a currency reader including a slot for receiving currency and a credit card mag-strip reader.

13. An upper parking meter outer housing component comprising:

a parking meter cap, the parking meter cap including an outer surface, an inner surface defining an interior cavity, and a lower edge portion defining an opening into the interior cavity, the lower edge portion configured to be coupled to a lower housing component of single space meter such that a meter mechanism may be enclosed within the interior cavity of the upper meter dome;

a vehicle sensor supported within the interior cavity of the upper meter dome; and

a solar panel supported within the interior cavity of the parking meter cap and located at position above the vehicle sensor and configured to supply power to the vehicle sensor.

14. The upper parking meter outer housing component of claim 13 wherein the vehicle sensor is configured to transmit a non-visible spectrum electromagnetic signal, wherein the parking meter cap includes a layer of material that is translucent to the non-visible spectrum electromagnetic signal of the vehicle sensor and that is opaque to visible spectrum light.

15. The upper parking meter outer housing component of claim 14 wherein the layer of material is a shield positioned within the parking meter cap located between the vehicle sensor and an outer wall of the parking meter cap.

16. The upper parking meter outer housing component of claim 13 wherein the parking meter cap includes an upper wall portion and a sidewall portion extending downward away from the upper wall portion, wherein the upper wall portion includes a generally upward facing outer surface and a generally downward facing inner surface.

17. The upper parking meter outer housing component of claim 16 wherein the solar panel is coupled to the inner surface of the upper wall portion, wherein a portion of the upper wall portion above the solar panel is translucent to visible spectrum light.

18. The upper parking meter outer housing component of claim 16 further comprising a support structure having a horizontal shelf located within the interior cavity of the parking meter cap, wherein the vehicle sensor is supported by the horizontal shelf.

19. The upper parking meter outer housing component of claim 18 further comprising a joint coupled to the vehicle sensor, wherein the joint allows the vehicle sensor to pivot in both the horizontal and vertical directions.

20. A method of upgrading a parking meter that includes an existing meter mechanism located within an outer meter housing having an existing lower portion coupled to a support pole and an existing meter cap coupled to the lower portion, the method comprising:

providing a new meter cap, the new meter cap comprising;

an outer surface;

an inner surface defining an interior cavity;

a lower edge portion defining an opening into the interior cavity, the lower edge portion configured to be coupled to the lower portion of the outer meter housing;

a vehicle sensor supported within the interior cavity; and

solar panel coupled to the inner surface and configured to supply power to the vehicle sensor;

decoupling the existing meter cap from the lower portion; and

coupling the new meter cap to the existing lower portion such that the vehicle sensor faces a parking spot associated with the single space meter.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the new meter cap is coupled to the existing lower portion without modification of the existing lower portion.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the new meter cap is coupled to the existing lower portion without removal of the existing lower portion from a support pole coupled to the ground.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising adjusting the position of the vehicle sensor relative to the new meter cap such that vehicle sensor faces the parking spot following coupling of the new meter cap to the existing lower portion.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising detecting a vehicle within the parking spot via the vehicle sensor.