Status indicator for an electronic parking meter

• US 5,088,073 A
• Filed: 11/19/1990
• Issued: 02/11/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NBD Bank NA (Fox River Grove,Illinois) (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: POM, Inc.
• Inventors: Speas, Gary W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit W.
• Application Number:
  US07/615,163
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 368/90, 235/384, 194/901
• US Class Current: 368/90
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/248 Housing construction casings for coin-freed apparatus G07F9/10

Abstract

An electronic parking meter, having a flip-dot display arranged within a viewing area of an electronic parking meter housing, and selectively connected to a magnetic pulse generating circuit by a magnetic field, where the magnetic pulse generating circuit is driven by a microprocessor in the electronic parking meter, produces a highly visible light-reflecting display, such that an operating message in the viewing area is readily discernable to a viewer or law enforcement official.

Claims

1. An electronic parking meter comprising:

a microprocessor for determining an associated operating message in response to actuation by a parking meter insert;

magnetic pulse generating circuit means electrically connected to the microprocessor, including an inductor for generating a magnetic pulse; and

a flip-dot display having a permanently magnetized disk, the permanently magnetized disk having first and second positions determined by the magnetic pulse of the magnetic pulse generating circuit means, the associated operating message being displayed by selectively activating the first and second positions of the flip-dot display,

the positions being visible through a viewing area in a housing for an electronic parking meter.

2. In an electronic parking meter of the type having a microprocessor electrically connected to a visual display for showing an associated operating message in response to the insertion of a parking meter insert into the electronic parking meter, the improvement comprising:

a magnetic pulse generating circuit, having an inductor for generating a magnetic pulse; and

a flip-dot display having a magnetic disk selectively arranged in first and second positions,

the first position being a set position, and the second position being a reset position,

the first and second positions being determined by the transmission of a magnetic pulse to the magnetic disk of the flip-dot display via the magnetic pulse generating circuit, the flip-dot display being housed in a viewing area of an electronic parking meter, the flip-dot display being highly visible via the viewing area of the electronic parking meter to a viewer or law enforcement official passing the viewing area of the electronic parking meter.

3. An electronic parking meter comprising:

housing means forming a viewing area through which an operating message is displayed;

flip-dot display means for displaying a visibly enhanced, light-reflecting operating message, including a magnetic disk having first and second positions, the flip-dot display means being arranged within the housing means; and

magnetic pulse generating circuit means having means for activating the first and second positions of the magnetic disk, the magnetic pulse generating circuit means being arranged within the housing means for selectively activating the flip-dot display means by a selectively generated magnetic field, said selectively generated magnetic field being drive by a microprocessor housed within the housing means.