Portable electronic access controlled system for parking meters or the like

• US 5,278,395 A
• Filed: 08/27/1992
• Issued: 01/11/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hello, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hello, Inc.
• Inventors: Benezet, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Shepperd, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIN, YU SI
• Application Number:
  US07/936,604
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 235/384, 235/382
• US Class Current: 235/384
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/229 Hierarchy of users of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• 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: G07C 9/21 having a variable access code
• 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 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

An electronic system of the type comprising:

at least one portable device comprising an electronic storage memory;

at least one device including a transfer module designed to be coupled temporarily with at least a portable object so as to set up a communication link with the memory,

wherein the system comprises a set of specialized portable objects for the access control function and wherein the device comprises two states:

a free access state,

a controlled access state in which the working of the device is conditional upon the coupling, at least occasionally, of one of the portable objects for access control.

Claims

1. An electronic system of the type comprising:

at least one portable device comprising an electronic storage memory;

at least one device including a transfer module designed to be coupled temporarily with at least said portable object so as to set up a communication link with said memory,

wherein said system comprises a set of specialized portable objects for the access control function and wherein said device comprises two states;

a free access state in which the operation of the device is achieved without its being necessary to have recourse to a portable object for access control,

a controlled access state in which the working of the device is conditional upon the coupling, at least occasionally, of one of said portable objects for access control.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said controlled access state is a latent state when said device is in the free access state, said device being placed irreversibly in the controlled access state as soon as one of said portable objects for access control has been coupled thereto at least once.

3. A device for the implementation of a system according to claim 1 including a transfer module comprising means to authorize and/or inhibit the operation of said device, and comprising a memory zone having a code field designed to receive an access code,

wherein said authorizing and/or inhibition means comprise means for the comparison of said memorized access code with an access code given by the user.

4. A device according to claim 3, comprising means for the memorization of said access code in said code field at the first coupling of the transfer module with a portable object for access control bearing an access code, the access code memorized in said code field being the access code borne by said first coupled, portable object for access control.

5. A device according to claim 3, wherein the means by which the user gives the access code comprise the coupling of a portable object carrying said access code and/or the use of a keyboard to enter said code.

6. A device according to claim 3, wherein said inhibition and/or authorization means include a control field or flag placed in said memory zone,

wherein the value contained in said control field is updated by said means for comparing the memorized access code with the access code introduced by the user, and wherein said inhibition and/or authorization means authorize or inhibit the operation of the device as a function of said value contained in said code field.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein said code field is a counter of failed attempts, by the user, to give said access code, and wherein said inhibition and/or authorization means inhibit the operation of the device when said counter goes beyond a predetermined threshold.

8. A method for the use of a system according to claim 1, wherein said portable objects for access control have to be inserted into said device before each instance of use of this device.

9. A method for the use of a system according to claim 1, wherein said portable objects for access control have to be inserted into said device every N times that this device is used or every X periods.

10. A system for the using up of consumption units of the type comprising:

a plurality of portable objects, each comprising an electronic storage memory;

at least one device including a transfer module designed to get coupled temporarily with at least one of said portable objects so as to set up a communications link with said memory, the operation of said device being automatically linked to the consumption of said consumption units,

wherein said system comprises a first set of specialized portable objects for the access control function and a second set of specialized portable objects for the storage of consumable units,

wherein said transfer module comprises means to authorize and/or inhibit the operation of said device,

wherein said authorizing and/or inhibiting means are controlled by said portable objects for access control, and

wherein said device comprises two states;

a free access state, in which the operation of the device is carried out without its being necessary to have recourse to a portable object for access control,

a controlled access state, in which the operation of the device is conditional upon the coupling, at least occasionally, of one of said portable objects for access control.

11. A system for the consumption of consumption units according to claim 10, wherein said controlled access state is a latent state when said device is in the free access state, said device being placed irreversibly in the controlled access state when one of said portable objects for access control has been coupled thereto at least once.