Microprocessor parking meter internally held in a car

• US 4,847,776 A
• Filed: 04/20/1988
• Issued: 07/11/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Huang, Chung-Hua
• Original Assignee: Huang, Chung-Hua
• Inventors: Huang, Chung-Hua
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jerry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kirby, Steven G.
• Application Number:
  US07/183,908
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 364/409, 364/467, 340/51, 368/90, 235/378
• US Class Current: 705/418
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 1/005 using electronic timing, e.g. counting means pulse time delay arrangements H03K5/13; modifications of electronic switches for introducing a time delay before switching H03K17/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/30 Parking meters registering or indicating waiting time of vehicles by means driven by the vehicle G07C5/02; coin-freed parking meters G07F17/24
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas

Abstract

A microprocessor parking meter includes: a casing; a plurality of control keys formed on the casing for selecting several parking areas, for starting a timing operation or for stopping the timing operation; a display of multiple digits formed on the casing for showing a selected parking area, a number of parking units and a real clock time, a microprocessor operatively scanning the display and the control keys for showing or sequentially degrading the number of parking units each unit corresponding to a time interval with respect to a selected parking areas among the plural different parking areas during a lapse of parking time, forming a compact unit held in a car ready for outside inspection or for convenient parking service by a owner of the meter.

Claims

1. A microprocessor parking meter as internally held in a car comprising:

a casing;

a control key means formed on a lower portion of said casing having a plurality of area selector keys for selecting plural different parking areas, a start key for starting a timing operation of said microprocessor parking meter, and a stop key for stopping the time operation of the parking meter;

a display means formed on an upper portion of said casing having a plurality of digits indicating a parking status and real time which includes a first digit for parking area display, a second, third and fourth digit for a parking-unit display, a decimal-point of the fourth digit for showing parking-at-present, and a time indicating display with the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth digit showing a real clock time;

a microprocessor means operatively manipulating said display means as actuated by said control key means for showing and sequentially degrading or reducing preset parking units each unit corresponding to a parking time interval with respect to a selected parking area among the different parking areas during a lapse of parking time; and

a trigger means having a trigger-out connector and a trigger-in connector respectively formed on two opposite sides of said casing and electrically connected with said microprocessor means, having a connection cord operatively connecting a trigger-out connector of a first parking meter to a trigger-in connector of a second parking meter for continuously actuating the second meter when the first meter is finished.

2. A parking meter according to claim 1, wherein said microprocessor means includes:

a central processing unit operatively scanning said display means and said control key means for sequentially degrading the parking units each unit for corresponding to a parking time interval, a program memory device for memorizing a plurality of instructions therein to be fetched by said central processing unit, a chip selector electrically connected with said central processing unit and operatively selecting an input/output interface chip or for selecting an input interface buffer, a display decoder connected with a port of said input/output interface chip connected to said central processing unit for selecting a scanned display digit of the digital display means, a display buffer connected with the other port of said input/output interface chip for scanning of a display digit, the input interface buffer operatively actuating said central processing unit for fetching instructions from said memory device as operated by said control key means, and a hardware time base having a quartz crystal oscillator capable of producing clock pulses for indicating a real clock time on said display means.