Portable parking meter device and method of operating same

• US 5,166,680 A
• Filed: 05/31/1990
• Issued: 11/24/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ganis - Smart Park Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Ganis - Smart Park Systems Limited
• Inventors: Ganot, Zvi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US07/531,158
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 340/928, 340/901, 364/467, 235/378, 235/384, 368/90
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0652 e-cash with decreasing value according to a parameter, e.g. time
• 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: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• 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: 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 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence

Abstract

A portable parking meter device comprises, in combination, a portable registering device and an exchangeable card to be used in conjunction therewith, means provided in the registering device for transmitting to the card, in each parking, signals defining the tariff associated with the parking lot, the authority to which the parking fee is to be paid, and the exact duration of each parking, and means provided in said card for storing said signals.

Claims

1. A parking meter device, comprising, in combination, a portable registering device and an exchangeable card to be used in connection therewith for a plurality of parkings and parking authorities, said card comprising means for storing and transmitting to said registering device data defining a parking time purchased with said card and not yet used, said registering device comprising means for selecting and registering therein, for each of said parkings, signals identifying a designated parking authority which is to be credited with a parking fee for a parking and a tariff associated with a parking lot, means for measuring an elapsed parking time, means for multiplying said elapsed parking time by said tariff to calculate a parking payment to be credited to said designated authority for said parking, means for transmitting to said card information defining said designated authority and said parking payment, said card comprising means for storing said information for future use, and further comprising apparatus for reading the information stored in the card and for determining from said information and for each of said parkings the designated authority and the parking payment to be credited to said authority.

2. A portable parking meter device, comprising, in combination, a portable registering device and an exchangeable card to be used in connection therewith, said card comprising means for storing and transmitting to said registering device data defining a parking time purchased with said card and not yet used, said registering device comprising means for selecting and registering therein, at each parking, signals identifying a parking authority which is to be credited with a parking fee and a tariff associated with a parking lot, means for measuring an elapsed parking time, means for multiplying said elapsed parking time by said tariff to calculate a parking payment, means for transmitting to said card information defining said parking authority and said parking payment, said card comprising means for storing said information for future use, and further comprising detachable timing means synchronized with the means for measuring the elapsed parking time and provided with alarm means to alert the driver of an approaching expiration of the parking time.

3. A portable parking meter device, comprising, in combination, a portable registering device and an exchangeable card to be used in connection therewith, said card comprising means for storing and transmitting to said registering device data defining a parking time purchased with said card and not yet used, said registering device comprising means for selecting and registering therein, at each parking, signals identifying a parking authority which is to be credited with a parking fee and a tariff associated with a parking lot, means for measuring an elapsed parking time, means for multiplying said elapsed parking time by said tariff to calculate a parking payment, means for transmitting to said card information defining said parking authority and said parking payment, said card comprising means for storing said information for future use, and further provided with means for actuating the portable parking meter device by remote control.