Parking meter and display device of the same

• US 4,786,787 A
• Filed: 01/11/1988
• Issued: 11/22/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: UBE Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: UBE Industries Limited
• Inventors: Nawada, Satoru, Nanataki, Yasuhiro, Matsumae, Kazuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US07/141,734
• Time in Patent Office: 316 Days
• Field of Search: 235/381
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• 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 17/24 for parking meters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0873 Details of the card reader

Abstract

A parking meter according to the present invention displays the states of use of it with the display device thereof by way of reading parking data such as residual parking time unit and parking time or the like from an IC card inserted. A display device according to the present invention has display portions formed by rotational drums which are divided in color or the like so as to make the intended display portion appear through a mask thereof by way of the rotation of the drums for the purpose of realizing the displaying.

Claims

1. A parking meter comprising:

a card reader for reading parking data such as residual parking time units and parking time from an IC card;

a central processing unit for reading said parking data and a command signal from a control device and for supplying a command to a motor driving portion and a display device driving circuit;

a display mechanism which is driven by said motor driving portion; and

a display device which is driven by said display device driving circuit.

2. A display device for a parking meter comprising:

a plurality of drums having projections;

a plurality of display portions formed on said pulurality of drums;

switches which are switched on or off by said projections; and

a control system for controlling said plurality of drums on the basis of a combination of switching on and switching off of said switches, wherein the driving of said drum is controlled to stop at an optional position of said plurality of display portions.

3. A display device according to claim (2), wherein said drums have display portions which are each equally divided and colored or patterned in a different manner, and any one of said display portions appears through a cover so as to display said color or pattern.