Parking ticket dispenser
First Claim
1. A ticket dispenser of the type to dispense a ticket upon receipt of payment of a required fee comprising:
- a housing;
a credit card reader disposed in said housing and adapted to receive and read a credit card inserted therein;
processing means in communication with said credit card reader and detecting a valid credit card received by said credit card reader;
memory means operable to store a credit card transaction in the amount of said required fee therein upon reading of a valid credit card;
monetary receiving means in the form of a coin receptacle disposed on said housing to receive monetary payment of said required fee;
payment detection means for detecting payment of said required fee via one of a credit card and monetary payment, wherein said payment detection means includes means associated with said coin receptacle for detecting payment of said required fee and a microprocessor-based circuit constituting said processing and memory means in communication with said credit card reader for detecting and registering payment of said required fee via a credit card;
dispensing means responsive to said payment detection means and operable to dispense a ticket upon detection of payment of said required fee by said payment detection means, wherein said dispensing means is in the form of a dispensing and indexing mechanism, said dispensing and indexing mechanism being responsive to movement of said coin receptacle and the output of said microprocessor-based circuit and dispensing a ticket upon payment of said required fee,wherein said dispensing and indexing mechanism includes a lever in communication at one end with said arm and pivoting upon movement of said arm into said housing, the other end of said lever engaging with a first section of a cam to inhibit rotation thereof upon pivoting of said lever,a second arm in communication with said lever, said second arm pivoting in one direction in response to pivotal movement of said lever, said second arm causing a second section of said cam to rotate in said one direction upon pivotal movement thereof, andbiasing means acting against the pivotal movement of said second arm wherein pivotal movement of said lever to disengage the other end thereof from said first section permits said second arm to pivot in the other direction under the influence of said biasing means and thereby rotate said cam in said other direction to dispense a ticket;
wherein said dispensing and indexing mechanism further includes first activation means responsive to said output of said microprocessor-based circuit and operable to pivot said second arm independent of said lever to rotate said second section of said cam in said one direction;
a third arm having one end in communication with said second arm, the other end thereof engaging with a third section of said cam rigidly connected to said first section, said third arm being pivotable to disengage said other end upon pivotal movement of said lever; and
second activation means responsive to said output of said microprocessor-based circuit and being in communication with the one end of said third arm, said second activation means being operable to pivot said third arm to disengage the other end thereof from said third section thereby permitting said second arm to pivot in the other direction under of said biasing means; and
wherein said coin receptacle includes a guide extending forwardly of said housing and an arm slidable along said guide into said housing and having means for receiving said required fee, said arm being capable of sliding into said housing upon receipt of payment of said required fee, wherein movement of said arm into said housing causes said dispensing and indexing mechanism to dispense a ticket.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A parking ticket dispenser of the type to dispense a parking ticket upon payment of a required fee is provided. The parking meter includes a substantially rectangular shaped housing mounted on a pole extending upwardly from the ground. A coin receptacle projects forwardly from the front wall of the housing and is operable to receive payment of the required fee in the form of coins. A credit card reader is also provided in the front wall for receiving payment of the required fee via a valid credit card. A microprocessor-based circuit is disposed within the housing and is in communication with the credit card reader. The circuit includes appropriate software for detecting whether a credit card received by the credit card reader is valid and for recording credit card transactions. A dispensing mechanism is in communication with both the coin receptacle and the microprocessor-based circuit and is operable to dispense a parking ticket from the housing via a slot provided in the front wall upon receipt of payment of the required fee in either coin or credit card form.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A ticket dispenser of the type to dispense a ticket upon receipt of payment of a required fee comprising:
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a housing; a credit card reader disposed in said housing and adapted to receive and read a credit card inserted therein; processing means in communication with said credit card reader and detecting a valid credit card received by said credit card reader; memory means operable to store a credit card transaction in the amount of said required fee therein upon reading of a valid credit card; monetary receiving means in the form of a coin receptacle disposed on said housing to receive monetary payment of said required fee; payment detection means for detecting payment of said required fee via one of a credit card and monetary payment, wherein said payment detection means includes means associated with said coin receptacle for detecting payment of said required fee and a microprocessor-based circuit constituting said processing and memory means in communication with said credit card reader for detecting and registering payment of said required fee via a credit card; dispensing means responsive to said payment detection means and operable to dispense a ticket upon detection of payment of said required fee by said payment detection means, wherein said dispensing means is in the form of a dispensing and indexing mechanism, said dispensing and indexing mechanism being responsive to movement of said coin receptacle and the output of said microprocessor-based circuit and dispensing a ticket upon payment of said required fee, wherein said dispensing and indexing mechanism includes a lever in communication at one end with said arm and pivoting upon movement of said arm into said housing, the other end of said lever engaging with a first section of a cam to inhibit rotation thereof upon pivoting of said lever, a second arm in communication with said lever, said second arm pivoting in one direction in response to pivotal movement of said lever, said second arm causing a second section of said cam to rotate in said one direction upon pivotal movement thereof, and biasing means acting against the pivotal movement of said second arm wherein pivotal movement of said lever to disengage the other end thereof from said first section permits said second arm to pivot in the other direction under the influence of said biasing means and thereby rotate said cam in said other direction to dispense a ticket; wherein said dispensing and indexing mechanism further includes first activation means responsive to said output of said microprocessor-based circuit and operable to pivot said second arm independent of said lever to rotate said second section of said cam in said one direction; a third arm having one end in communication with said second arm, the other end thereof engaging with a third section of said cam rigidly connected to said first section, said third arm being pivotable to disengage said other end upon pivotal movement of said lever; and second activation means responsive to said output of said microprocessor-based circuit and being in communication with the one end of said third arm, said second activation means being operable to pivot said third arm to disengage the other end thereof from said third section thereby permitting said second arm to pivot in the other direction under of said biasing means; and wherein said coin receptacle includes a guide extending forwardly of said housing and an arm slidable along said guide into said housing and having means for receiving said required fee, said arm being capable of sliding into said housing upon receipt of payment of said required fee, wherein movement of said arm into said housing causes said dispensing and indexing mechanism to dispense a ticket. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A ticket dispenser of the type to dispense a ticket upon receipt of payment of a required fee comprising:
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a housing; a credit card reader disposed in said housing and adapted to receive and read a credit card inserted therein; a microprocessor-based circuit in communication with said credit card reader and operable to detect a valid credit card and store a credit card transaction therein upon reading of a valid credit card; a money receptacle disposed on said housing to receive monetary payment of said required fee, said receptacle having an arm movable into said housing to deposit said required fee therein; payment detection means in communication with said microprocessor-based circuit and said money receptacle for detecting payment of said required fee via one of a credit card and monetary payment; and a dispensing and indexing mechanism operable to dispense a ticket upon receipt of payment of said required fee, said dispensing and indexing mechanism including a lever in communication at one end with said arm and pivoting upon movement of said arm into said housing, the other end of said lever engaging with a first section of a cam to inhibit rotation thereof upon pivoting a said lever; a second arm in communication with said lever, said second arm pivoting in one direction in response to pivotal movement of said lever, said second arm causing a second section of said cam to rotate in said one direction upon pivotal movement thereof; biasing means acting against the pivotal movement of said second arm wherein pivotal movement of said lever to disengage the other end thereof from said first section permits said second arm to pivot in the other direction under the influence of said biasing means and thereby rotate said cam in said other direction to dispense a ticket; first activation means responsive to the output of said microprocessor-based circuit and operable to pivot said second arm independent of said lever to rotate said second section of said cam in said one direction; a third arm having one end in communication with said second arm, the other end thereof engaging with a third section of said cam rigidly connected to said first section, said third arm being pivotal to disengage said other end upon pivoting of said lever; and second activation means responsive to the output of said microprocessor-based circuit and being in communication with said one end of said third arm, said second activation means being operable to pivot said third arm to disengage the other end thereof from said third section thereby permitting said second section to rotate in the other direction under the influence of said biasing means to dispense a ticket. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification