Power conserving electronic parking meter
First Claim
1. A power conserving electronic parking meter system for receiving at least one type of payment element, comprising:
- the payment element being a coin;
a coin chute having a free-fall section through which the coin falls;
means for providing power;
means for processing connected to said means for providing power, said means for processing having at least an operational mode and a standby mode;
means for receiving the coin and generating an interrupt request signal upon receipt of the coin, the interrupt request signal being received by the means for processing which in response thereto changes from said standby mode to said operational mode, said means for receiving having means for sensing coupled to said free-fall section of said coin chute for detecting the coin as the coin falls past said means for sensing;
at least one means for identifying the coin and providing an identification signal to said means for processing indicative of the coin, said means for identifying having an active mode and a low-power mode, said at least one means for identifying receiving an enable signal from said means for processing when said means for processing changes from said standby mode to said operational mode, said enable signal causing said means for identifying to change from said low-power mode to said active mode, said at least one means for identifying being coupled to said free-fall section of said coin chute; and
means for displaying information connected to said means for processing, said means for displaying having means for reduced power display, said means for displaying having a rotatable disk connected to a stepping motor, said rotatable disk having a plurality of flag areas each of which may be rotated into a viewable area of said means for displaying by said stepping motor, said stepping motor receiving motor control signals from said means for processing and receiving power substantially from a stored charge on a capacitor;
wherein said at least one means for identifying is coupled to said free-fall section below said means for receiving, and wherein said coin substantially free-falls past said means for sensing of said means for receiving and substantially free-falls past said at least one means for identifying.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A power conserving electronic parking meter system for receiving at least one type of payment element. The electronic parking meter has: a power source; a processor connected to the power source, the processor having at least an operational mode and a standby mode; apparatus for receiving the payment element and generating an interrupt request signal upon receipt of the payment element, the interrupt request signal being received by the processor which in response thereto changes from the standby mode to the operational mode; at least one apparatus for identifying the payment element and providing an identification signal to the processor indicative of the payment element, the apparatus for identifying having an active mode and a low-power mode, the apparatus for identifying receiving an enable signal from the processor when the processor changes from the standby mode to the operational mode, the enable signal causing the apparatus for identifying to change from the low-power mode to the active mode; and apparatus for displaying information connected to the processor, the apparatus for displaying having a reduced power display.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A power conserving electronic parking meter system for receiving at least one type of payment element, comprising:
-
the payment element being a coin; a coin chute having a free-fall section through which the coin falls; means for providing power; means for processing connected to said means for providing power, said means for processing having at least an operational mode and a standby mode; means for receiving the coin and generating an interrupt request signal upon receipt of the coin, the interrupt request signal being received by the means for processing which in response thereto changes from said standby mode to said operational mode, said means for receiving having means for sensing coupled to said free-fall section of said coin chute for detecting the coin as the coin falls past said means for sensing; at least one means for identifying the coin and providing an identification signal to said means for processing indicative of the coin, said means for identifying having an active mode and a low-power mode, said at least one means for identifying receiving an enable signal from said means for processing when said means for processing changes from said standby mode to said operational mode, said enable signal causing said means for identifying to change from said low-power mode to said active mode, said at least one means for identifying being coupled to said free-fall section of said coin chute; and means for displaying information connected to said means for processing, said means for displaying having means for reduced power display, said means for displaying having a rotatable disk connected to a stepping motor, said rotatable disk having a plurality of flag areas each of which may be rotated into a viewable area of said means for displaying by said stepping motor, said stepping motor receiving motor control signals from said means for processing and receiving power substantially from a stored charge on a capacitor; wherein said at least one means for identifying is coupled to said free-fall section below said means for receiving, and wherein said coin substantially free-falls past said means for sensing of said means for receiving and substantially free-falls past said at least one means for identifying. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A power conserving electronic parking meter system for receiving at least one type of payment element, comprising:
-
means for providing power; means for processing connected to said means for providing power, said means for processing having at least an operational mode and a standby mode; means for receiving the payment element and generating an interrupt request signal upon receipt of the payment element, the interrupt request signal being received by the means for processing which in response thereto changes from said standby mode to said operational mode; at least one means for identifying the payment element and providing an identification signal to said means for processing indicative of the payment element, said means for identifying having an active mode and a low-power mode, said at least one means for identifying receiving an enable signal from said means for processing when said means for processing changes from said standby mode to said operational mode, said enable signal causing said means for identifying to change from said low-power mode to said active mode; and means for displaying information connected to said means for processing, said means for displaying having means for reduced power display;
said means for displaying also having a rotatable disk connected to a stepping motor, said rotatable disk having a plurality of flag areas each of which may be rotated into a viewable area of said means for displaying by said stepping motor, said stepping motor receiving motor control signals from said means for processing and receiving power substantially from a stored charge on a capacitor. - View Dependent Claims (17)
-
Specification