Parking meter

• US 4,356,903 A
• Filed: 10/12/1979
• Issued: 11/02/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Grund, Christian, Jerome H. Lemelson
• Original Assignee: Grund, Christian, Jerome H. Lemelson
• Inventors: Grund, Christian, Lemelson, Jerome H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rolla, Joseph J.
• Application Number:
  US06/084,427
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 194/1 R, 194/97 R, 194/100 R, 194/DIG. 22, 340/539, 340/566, 340/51
• US Class Current: 194/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• 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

Abstract

A meter is provided for measuring time, such as a parking meter, which employs an electronic circuit to effect such time measurement and an electrically operated display such as light emitting diode or liquid crystal display for indicating the passage of time from a starting time determined, for example, by the insertion of a coin into a receptacle and/or by the pushing of a button or pivoting of an arm. In one form, one or more of the actions of inserting a coin into the meter receptacle, pushing a button to initiate its operation or pivoting an arm by finger operation is operable to energize an induction member for generating electrical energy which is stored in a battery or other power supply and is employed thereafter to operate electronic circuits for keeping and indicating time, such as passage of minutes from the starting time of the meter until the time has run out. An indication that the timer has totally uncounted or counted to a predetermined value is had either by the reading of the electronic digital display, the operation of an electric lamp and/or the energization of a solenoid or motor driving or releasing an indicator such as a flag or arm to indicate the runout of time. In another form of the invention, when the timing or time indicating device of the meter has run out or uncounted, a code generating circuit and short wave generator for the code thereof are energized to transmit a short wave code to a monitor station or a portable device carried by a meter attendant for warning the attendant of such condition. In another form, a sensing arrangement is provided for sensing if a vehicle is located at a parking meter and the meter is not in active operation and for either indicating such condition by energizing a lamp or release for a flag and/or by generating and transmitting a short wave code signal to a remote monitor station where the signal indicates the location of the meter and such condition.

Claims

1. An electronic parking meter comprising in combination:

a housing,

a support for supporting said housing,

an electrically operated numerical display secured to said housing and viewable from the exterior of said housing,

coin receiving means for receiving and passing a plurality of coins of different denomination into said housing and storage means within said housing for coins received thereby,

a source of electrical energy supported within said housing,

electrical circuit means supported within said housing comprising;

(a) a computer in the form of an electronic microprocessor having a plurality of inputs thereto and a plurality of output circuits extending therefrom,

(b) a plurality of normally open coin detection switches each operable to be closed upon insertion of a coin into said housing of a specific denomination and each operable to pass a signal, when closed, from said electrical energy source to a respective input to said electronic microprocessor,

(c) said microprocessor containing circuit means responsive to signals generated by respective of said normally open coin detection switches and operable thereafter for generating digital code signals on a plurality of its outputs which code signals are indicative of the value of the coins presented to said coin receiving means,

(d) a preset counter connected to receive digital code signals generated by said electronic microprocessor and operatively set thereby in accordance with the value of the coins presented to said coin receiving means as determined by the number of times each of said normally open switches are closed,

(e) an attendant oscillator for causing said counter to uncount after being set to a specific value by coins presented to said housing,

(f) said counter having a plurality of outputs,

(g) a decoder-driver for said electronic numerical display connected to said plurality of outputs of said counter and operably connected to said electronic digital display to cause said display to display numerical indications of the time determined by the remaining count in said counter,

(h) signal generating means operable when said counter uncounts for generating a control signal, and

(i) indicating means connected to receive said control signal and controlled thereby to indicate that the time on the meter has run out, and

(j) alarm means located remote from said meter, code generating means for generating a code indicative of the location of said meter and short wave transmitting means connected to said code generating means and operable in response to said control signal to short wave transmit the code generated by said code generating means indicative of the location of said meter when said counter has run out.

2. A parking meter in accordance with claim 1 wherein said alarm means is operable to indicate a malfunction in the operation of the meter.

3. A parking meter in accordance with claim 1 wherein said alarm means is operable to indicate an attempt to pilfer money from said meter housing.

4. A parking meter in accordance with claim 1 wherein said alarm means is operable to indicate an attempt to break into said housing.

5. An electronic parking meter comprising in combination:

a housing,

a support for supporting said housing,

an electrically operated display means secured to said housing and viewable from the exterior thereof,

coin storage means within said housing and coin receiving means for receiving and passing a plurality of coins of different denominations to said coin storage means,

a source of electrical energy supported within said housing,

electrical circuit means supported within said housing comprising;

an electronic computer in the form of an electronic microprocessor having a plurality of inputs thereto and a plurality of output circuits,

coin detection means including a plurality of normally open switches each operable to be closed upon detecting a coin of a specific denomination inserted into said housing and each connected to pass a signal, when closed, from said source of electrical energy to a respective input of said microprocessor,

said microprocessor containing circuit means responsive to signals generated by respective of said normally open coin detection switches for generating digital code signals on a plurality of its outputs,

a presetting counter connected to receive digital codes generated by said microprocessor and operatively connected to be set in accordance with the value of coins presented to said housing as determined by the number of times each of said normally open switches are closed,

an attendant oscillator for causing said counter to uncount after being set to a specific value by coins presented to said housing,

said counter having a plurality of outputs,

a decoder-driver for said electrically operated numerical display connected to said plurality of outputs of said counter and to said electrical display to cause said display to display numerical indications of time determined by the remaining count in said counter, and

means for generating a control signal when a condition exists with respect to said parking meter, which condition requires the attention of a parking meter attendant and applying said control signal to said electronic microprocessor, and

alarm means controlled by said electronic microprocessor upon receipt of said control signal for indicating said condition requiring attention, and

said alarm means is located remote from said parking meter, code generating means connected to receive said control signal and controlled thereby to generate a code defining the location of the meter, short wave transmitting means for receiving and short wave transmitting said code and means at said remote location for receiving the short wave transmitted code and converting same to electrical signals, and means for displaying an indication of the location of the meter from which short wave signals are received in response to the electrical signals generated from the short wave signals received at said remote location.

6. A parking meter in accordance with claim 5 wherein said alarm means is supported by said parking meter housing.

7. A parking meter in accordance with claim 5, further including means for detecting an attempt to pilfer coins from said housing, said latter detection means being operatively connected to said electronic microprocessor, said microprocessor being operable to control said code generating means and said short wave transmitting means to generate and transmit a code indicative of said attempt to pilfer coins from said housing to said receiving means at said remote location to cause the display thereat to indicate the location of the meter at which the pilferage attempt is made.