PARKING METER

• US 20170193734A1
• Filed: 03/21/2017
• Published: 07/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IPS Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IPS Group Incorporated
• Inventors: King, David William, Hall, Matthew James, Hunter, Murray David Kirby, Jones, David Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 10,089,814 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/34 using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0021 Access to services on a time-basis
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/248 Housing construction casings for coin-freed apparatus G07F9/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/10 Casings or parts thereof, e.g. with means for heating or cooling

Abstract

A parking meter assembly (10) including a base (11) that is to be fixed to or embedded in a ground surface, typically adjacent the curb that which a car is to be parked. The assembly (10) also includes a parking meter (13) having a front face (17) that includes a coin slot (25) a card slot (20) and a control panel (21). The parking meter (13) further includes a rear face (27) having a window aperture (28) that provides for the transmission of light to a solar panel (29) behind the aperture (28).

Claims

1. A parking meter including:

a coin sensor that receives coins for making payment;

a card reader that reads a card for making payment;

an electronic device electrically connected to the coin sensor and card reader so as to receive information electronically therefrom, the electronic device having a screen to provide information visually, a communication connection to provide receiving information in respect of a card used in respect of said card reader, and connections for at least one rechargeable battery to power the card reader, coin sensor and electronic device;

a solar cell operatively associated with said connections to charge said battery;

a housing in which the electronic device is located, the housing comprising an intermediate panel set and a cover panel, wherein the cover panel is movably attached to the intermediate panel set and is configured to be movable between a closed position and an open position in which the electronic device is received into the housing; and

a rear face comprising a surface of the cover panel and a surface of the intermediate panel set;

wherein the coin sensor and the card reader are electrically linked to provide information to the electronic device to provide information of whether payment has been made;

wherein the screen of the electronic device is visible through the window of the cover panel when the cover panel is attached to the intermediate panel.

2. The parking meter of claim 1, wherein said meter includes an indicator to provide an indication whether a parking period has expired.

3. The parking meter of claim 2, wherein said indicator is adjacent or at said rear face.

4. The parking meter of claim 1, wherein said meter is adapted to be fixed to a post fixed to a ground surface, with said intermediate panel set including a set of panels to be fixed relative to said post, and the cover panel is pivotally attached to the intermediate panel set for pivoting movement about a generally horizontal axis between a closed position and an open position.

5. The parking meter of claim 1, wherein said coin sensor, said card reader, said electronic device and said screen are a module removable as an assembly from within said housing.

6. The parking meter of claim 5, wherein said module includes a body, and said coin sensor is a coin validator unit removably located in said body. The parking meter of claim 1, wherein said communication connection is a mobile (cellular) telephone connection.

8. The parking meter of claim 1, wherein said front face and rear face converge upwardly.

9. The parking meter of claim 1, wherein a front surface of the cover panel and a front surface of the intermediate panel set comprise a parking meter front face, the front surface of the cover panel having a front window and a plurality of buttons that operate the parking meter upon manipulation by a user.

10. The parking meter of claim 1, further including a window aperture in the rear face via which said solar cell is exposed to light.

11. A parking meter comprising:

a housing comprising an intermediate panel set and a cover panel, the cover panel being movably attached to the intermediate panel set, wherein a rear surface of the cover panel and a rear surface of the intermediate panel set comprise a parking meter rear face;

a module configured to be removably received by the housing, the module comprising;

(a) a coin sensor that receives coins for making payment,

(b) a card reader that reads a card for making payment, and (

c) an electronic device electrically connected to the coin sensor and the card reader so as to receive information electronically therefrom, the electronic device comprising;

(i) a screen to provide information visually via a window in the cover panel when the cover panel is attached to the intermediate panel set,

(ii) a communications connection to provide receiving information in respect of the card reader,

(iii) a rechargeable battery electrically coupled to provide power to the card reader, the coin sensor, and the electronic device, and

(iv) a solar cell operatively coupled with the rechargeable battery to charge the rechargeable battery, the solar cell configured to receive light for charging;

wherein the coin sensor and the card reader are electrically linked to provide information to the electronic device to provide information of whether payment has been made; and

wherein the cover panel is configured to be movable between a closed position and an open position in which the electronic device is received into the housing.

12. The parking meter of claim 11, wherein said card slot slopes downwardly to be accessible via the front face surface of the intermediate panel, and the front face surface of the intermediate panel is downwardly facing.

13. The parking meter of claim 11, wherein the coin sensor comprises a coin validator unit that is removably attached to the module and includes the coin receptacle such that the coin sensor communicates with the coin slot of the parking meter front face when attached to the module for receiving inserted coins.

14. The parking meter of claim 11, wherein a front surface of the cover panel and a front surface of the intermediate panel set comprise a parking meter front face, the front surface of the cover panel having a front window and a plurality of buttons that operate the parking meter upon manipulation by a user.

15. The parking meter of claim 11, wherein the rear face surface of the cover panel provides a rear window through which the solar cell receives light for charging.