AUTOMATIC AUDIT SYSTEM FOR PARKING GARAGES
First Claim
1. In a vehicular parking facility having an exit lane and vehicle detector means proximate to said exit lane, the system comprising, a manually operated ticket validating device having a keyboard for setting monetary value data, display means controlled by said validating device for indicating the monetary values set on said keyboard, and an audit recorder associated with only said exit lane, controlled by said keyboard and said vehicle detector, said audit recorder having:
- a. accumulator means for adding the monetary values set on said keyboard to previously accumulated values;
b. counting means for retaining a record of the number of outputs of said vehicle detector means;
c. clock means for keeping a record of real time of the transactions; and
d. imprinting means for printing the monetary values set on said keyboard, said accumulator totals, said counting record and said real time;
wherein said audit recorder provides a complete printed audit record of each exit lane for each tour of duty.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for automatically recording car count and revenue data for an exit lane of a parking facility. The recorder prints a record of each tour of duty on the exit lanes, including information on the identification number of the employee, totals before and after the tour, all transactions not following the prescribed procedures, the time, and the data. The recorder can also print each individual transaction if desired. Preset amounts to simplify ticket validation are incorporated in the system.
25 Citations
24 Claims
-
1. In a vehicular parking facility having an exit lane and vehicle detector means proximate to said exit lane, the system comprising, a manually operated ticket validating device having a keyboard for setting monetary value data, display means controlled by said validating device for indicating the monetary values set on said keyboard, and an audit recorder associated with only said exit lane, controlled by said keyboard and said vehicle detector, said audit recorder having:
- a. accumulator means for adding the monetary values set on said keyboard to previously accumulated values;
b. counting means for retaining a record of the number of outputs of said vehicle detector means;
c. clock means for keeping a record of real time of the transactions; and
d. imprinting means for printing the monetary values set on said keyboard, said accumulator totals, said counting record and said real time;
wherein said audit recorder provides a complete printed audit record of each exit lane for each tour of duty.
- a. accumulator means for adding the monetary values set on said keyboard to previously accumulated values;
-
2. A system as in claim 1 wherein said keyboard contains a plurality of individual columns of keys each having a plurality of slots whereby each slot represents a decimal value of said monetary value data.
-
3. A system as in claim 2 wherein one of said plurality of columns of keys has each of its slots representing preset monetary values whereby a single setting of this one key represents an entire value.
-
4. A system as in claim 1, wherein said audit recorder further includes error signal printing means wherein a record is printed of each transaction not following a prescribed validating procedure.
-
5. A system as in claim 1 including an identifying key provided with a number printing means for printing an assigned key number on a ticket whereby when the assigned key number is set on the keyboard, a printout of the set number is obtained on a remote tape and on a ticket imprinted with the identifying key number.
-
6. The system as in claim 1 wherein said complete audit record includes a single tape, operator and location data, opening and closing time, monetary amount total, alarm and emergency procedure data.
-
7. The system as in claim 1 including means for printing a transaction serial number on a ticket and means for printing the same number on a receipt involved in the same transaction.
-
8. The system as in claim 7 including means for additionally printing a monetary amount and the real time on said ticket.
-
9. Apparatus for control of revenue for a vehicular parking facility having a vehicle exit lane comprising in combination:
- vehicle presence sensing means located proximate said exit lane and defining an exit lane vehicle presence detection zone wherein said means are responsive to the presence of a vehicle in said zone, and a manually-operated ticket validating device located proximate the said zone, said validating device having;
a. imprinting means for imprinting transaction time data;
b. imprinting means for imprinting monetary value data on a ticket inserted in said validating device wherein said monetary value imprinting means is normally locked in a nonprinting condition; and
c. an actuating means under control of saId sensing means for unlocking said imprinting means thereby permitting operation of said imprinting means only when a vehicle is in said zone.
- vehicle presence sensing means located proximate said exit lane and defining an exit lane vehicle presence detection zone wherein said means are responsive to the presence of a vehicle in said zone, and a manually-operated ticket validating device located proximate the said zone, said validating device having;
-
10. The apparatus of claim 9 including means for locking the validating device imprinting means upon the imprinting of a ticket and reset means under the control of said sensing means for unlocking said imprinting device upon the departure of a vehicle from said zone.
-
11. The apparatus of claim 9 including alarm means under the common control of said sensing means and said validating means whereby an alarm is sounded if a vehicle traverses said zone without a ticket being validated during said passage.
-
12. The apparatus of claim 9 including manually operated energizing means for said imprinting means for printing of receipts on demand, said energizing means being under control of said vehicle sensing means whereby said imprinting energizing means can be energized only when a vehicle is in the presence of said vehicle sensing means.
-
13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said sensing means are sensitive to vehicle direction and are arranged to provide an error signal whenever a vehicle enters said presence detection zone in other than a predetermined direction.
-
14. The system of claim 9 including indicating means controlled by said validating device displaying the monetary value imprinted on the validated ticket.
-
15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said validating device is provided with a key controlled disabling device wherein, in the absence of a properly inserted key, said imprinting means is disabled.
-
16. The apparatus of claim 9 including a key provided with raised indicia and means provided within said validating device for receiving said key whereby said key places said imprinting means in an operative condition and said raised indicia is positioned in operative relationship with said imprinting means whereby tickets being imprinted have imprinted indicia corresponding to said raised indicia.
-
17. Apparatus for control of revenue for a vehicular parking facility having a vehicle exit lane comprising in combination:
- vehicle presence sensing means located proximate said exit lane and defining an exit lane vehicle presence detection zone wherein said means are responsive to the presence of a vehicle in said zone;
a ticket validating device having imprinting means, said device being located proximate said zone arranged to imprint transaction time data and a monetary value on a ticket only when a vehicle is in said vehicle presence detection zone;
value setting means for setting the monetary value to be imprinted;
locking means arranged to be actuated upon the imprinting of a ticket for locking said value setting means against change; and
release means under control of said sensing means for disengaging said locking means upon the departure of a vehicle from said zone.
- vehicle presence sensing means located proximate said exit lane and defining an exit lane vehicle presence detection zone wherein said means are responsive to the presence of a vehicle in said zone;
-
18. Apparatus for control of revenue for a vehicular parking facility having a vehicle exit lane comprising in combination:
- vehicle presence sensing means located proximate said exit lane and defining an exit lane vehicle presence detection zone wherein said means are responsive to the presence of a vehicle in said zone;
a ticket validating device having imprinting means, said device being located proximate said zone arranged to imprint transaction time data and a monetary value on a ticket only when a vehicle is in said vehicle presence detection zone; and
event-accumulating means for registering the total number of vehicles passing the said zone and printing means associated therewith for printing said total and time data, said printing means being under the common control of said sensing means and said validating means whereby an imprint is made by said printing means of said total and time a vehicle traverses said zone without a ticket being validated during said passage.
- vehicle presence sensing means located proximate said exit lane and defining an exit lane vehicle presence detection zone wherein said means are responsive to the presence of a vehicle in said zone;
-
19. Apparatus for control of revenue for a vehicular parking facility having a vehicle exit lane comprising in combinatIon:
- vehicle presence sensing means located proximate said exit lane and defining an exit lane vehicle presence detection zone wherein said means are responsive to the presence of a vehicle in said zone;
a ticket validating device having imprinting means, said device being located proximate said zone arranged to imprint transaction time data and a monetary value on a ticket only when a vehicle is in said vehicle presence detection zone;
a key provided with raised indicia and means provided within said validating device for receiving said key whereby said key places said imprinting means in an operative condition and said raised indicia is positioned in operative relationship with said imprinting means whereby tickets being imprinted have imprinted indicia corresponding to said raised indicia; and
circuit means automatically actuated upon insertion of the said key for causing a remote recording to be made of the accumulated validated ticket count.
- vehicle presence sensing means located proximate said exit lane and defining an exit lane vehicle presence detection zone wherein said means are responsive to the presence of a vehicle in said zone;
-
20. A system for control of revenue for a vehicular parking facility having at least one vehicle exit lane comprising in combination:
- vehicle presence sensing means located proximate said exit lane and defining an exit lane vehicle presence detection zone wherein said means are responsive to the presence of a vehicle in said zone and to the passage of a vehicle through said zone in other than a prescribed direction;
a ticket validating device proximate said exit lane vehicle presence detection zone arranged to imprint a monetary value on a ticket on demand only when a vehicle is in said vehicle presence detection zone;
error signal generating means connected to said exit lane vehicle presence sensing means to produce an error signal whenever a vehicle passes through said zone in other than a prescribed direction; and
recorder means responsive to a said error signal for making a record of the event.
- vehicle presence sensing means located proximate said exit lane and defining an exit lane vehicle presence detection zone wherein said means are responsive to the presence of a vehicle in said zone and to the passage of a vehicle through said zone in other than a prescribed direction;
-
21. A system for control of revenue for a vehicular parking facility having a vehicle exit lane comprising in combination:
- vehicle presence sensing means located proximate said exit lane and defining an exit lane vehicle presence detection zone wherein said means are responsive to the presence of a vehicle in said zone and the direction of passage of a vehicle through said zone;
a ticket validating device proximate said exit lane vehicle presence detection zone arranged to imprint a monetary value on a ticket on demand only when a vehicle is in said vehicle presence detection zone;
indicating means controlled by said validating device for displaying the monetary value imprinted on the validated ticket;
error signal generating means connected to said exit lane vehicle presence sensing means to produce an error signal whenever a vehicle passes through said zone in other than a predetermined direction; and
recorder means responsive to a said error signal for making a record of the event.
- vehicle presence sensing means located proximate said exit lane and defining an exit lane vehicle presence detection zone wherein said means are responsive to the presence of a vehicle in said zone and the direction of passage of a vehicle through said zone;
-
22. A system for control of revenue for a vehicular parking facility having a vehicle exit lane comprising in combination:
- vehicle presence sensing means located proximate said exit lane and defining an exit lane vehicle presence detection zone wherein said means are responsive to the presence of a vehicle in said zone;
a ticket validating device proximate said exit lane vehicle presence detection zone arranged to imprint a monetary value on a ticket on demand only when a vehicle is in said vehicle presence detection zone;
a manually operable bypass circuit for causing said validating device to validate a ticket, inserted in said validating device, in the absence of a vehicle in said detection zone;
means controlled by said bypass circuit for generating an error signal; and
recorder means responsive to a said error signal for making a record of the event.
- vehicle presence sensing means located proximate said exit lane and defining an exit lane vehicle presence detection zone wherein said means are responsive to the presence of a vehicle in said zone;
-
23. A system for control of revenue for a vehicular parking facility having a vehicle exit lane comprising in combination:
- vehicle presence sensing means located proximate said exit lane and defIning an exit lane vehicle presence detection zone wherein said means are responsive to the presence of a vehicle in said zone;
a ticket validating device proximate said exit lane vehicle presence detection zone arranged to imprint transaction time data and a monetary value on a ticket upon demand only when a vehicle is in said vehicle presence detection zone;
indicating means controlled by said validating device for displaying the monetary value of the validated ticket for at least the time the vehicle is in the said detection zone;
error signal generating means connected to said exit lane vehicle presence sensing means to produce an error signal whenever a vehicle passes through said exit lane without a ticket being imprinted by said validating device; and
recorder means responsive to an error signal from said error signal generating means for making a record of the event.
- vehicle presence sensing means located proximate said exit lane and defIning an exit lane vehicle presence detection zone wherein said means are responsive to the presence of a vehicle in said zone;
-
24. A system for control of revenue for a vehicular parking facility having a vehicle exit lane comprising in combination:
- vehicle presence sensing means located proximate said exit lane and defining an exit lane vehicle presence detection zone wherein said means are responsive to the presence of a vehicle in said zone and the direction of movement of a vehicle through said zone;
a ticket validating device proximate said exit lane vehicle presence detection zone arranged to imprint a monetary value on a ticket only when a vehicle is in said vehicle presence detection zone;
indicating means controlled by said validating device for displaying the monetary value of the validated ticket;
error signal generating means connected to said exit lane vehicle presence sensing means to produce an error signal whenever said sensing means detects a vehicle moving through said zone in other than a predetermined direction;
recorder means responsive to an error signal from said error signal generating means for making a record of the event; and
alarm means connected to said error signal generating means and responsive to error signals therefrom.
- vehicle presence sensing means located proximate said exit lane and defining an exit lane vehicle presence detection zone wherein said means are responsive to the presence of a vehicle in said zone and the direction of movement of a vehicle through said zone;
Specification