Advanced Bike Locking System and Method

• US 20150330109A1
• Filed: 12/29/2014
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chad Tepper
• Original Assignee: Urban Wheely, Inc.
• Inventors: Tepper, Chad, Gingher, Robert George, Egan, Kevin Tyler, Bergou, Miklos
• Granted Patent: US 10,641,014 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 2003/005 Supports or holders associated with means for bike rental
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 3/08 involving recesses or channelled rails for embracing the bottom part of a wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/003 using chains or cables chain or cable locks per se E05B67/003; with alarm E05B45/005
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/20 indicating unauthorised use, e.g. acting on signalling devices alarm locks in general E05B45/00, e.g. alarm cable or chain lock E05B45/005
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 71/00 Locks specially adapted for bicycles, other than padlocks locks integral with holders for parking or storing bicycles B62H3/00; locks integral with cycles B62H5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password

Abstract

An advanced automatic system for securing movable goods is disclosed. In particular a parking station for bicycles is disclosed comprising at least one interactive workstation and a plurality of parking kiosks, in which parking stations are installed in a plurality of sites within a city or a limited geographical area and are electronically tied together through an interactive networked computing system. The station features countermeasures to prevent vandalism of the bicycle locked therewithin. The computing system provides the ability for users to reserve spaces and directs users to their reserved space.

Claims

1. A system to secure a movable good, comprising:

a plurality of securing units, each securing unit comprising;

a first locking mechanism having a locked state and an unlocked state that, when locked, prevents the movable good from being removed;

a computing device connected to a data network, wherein the computing device controls the state of the first locking mechanism; and

a server computer connected to the data network, comprising a Web server;

wherein the server computer loads and runs a computer program into a memory of the server computer that causes the server computer to;

receive identifying data from a user;

verify an identity of the user based on the identifying data;

send a message to the computing device to indicate which securing unit may be used to secure the movable good; and

send a message to the computing device to lock the first locking mechanism associated with the indicated securing unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer program further causes the server computer to determine securing units that are operational and available at particular locations.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer program further causes the server computer to receive a location where the user wishes to secure the moveable good and determine which securing unit that may be used to secure the moveable good.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the computer program further causes the server computer to determine whether the verified user has secured a movable good with the system.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein each securing unit comprising a shroud that contains the first locking mechanism, wherein the shroud is adapted to obstruct access to a portion of the movable good when the movable good is inserted into the first locking mechanism.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a second locking mechanism, wherein the moveable good is a bicycle and the second locking mechanism comprises opposing pins that prevent removal of a bicycle wheel rim.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first locking mechanism comprises a lever that prevents removal of a front wheel of the bicycle.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a third locking mechanism, the third locking mechanism comprising a cable rope and a latch.