Expired parking meter indicator

• US 5,659,306 A
• Filed: 06/17/1996
• Issued: 08/19/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reuben Bahar
• Original Assignee: Reuben Bahar
• Inventors: Bahar, Reuben
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Application Number:
  US08/665,011
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 340/933, 340/938, 340/309.15, 340/539, 340/825.54, 194/217, 194/218, 194/902, 368/7, 368/90, 368/92
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/246 provided with vehicle proximity-detectors detecting hidden masses, e.g. metal detectors, G01V, e.g. G01V3/00; proximity switches per se H03K17/00; traffic control systems G08G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 194/902 Check-operated device for controlling parking lot

Abstract

An expired parking meter indicator with electronic components which detect the presence of a vehicle in the parking place. When a vehicle pulls into a parking place a signal is received by the parking meter which after a grace period emits a signal if no payment has been made. Furthermore, if a payment has been made and the vehicle remains in the parking place longer than the time received for the payment, a signal will also be generated. A parking control officer will be capable of receiving the signal and, thus, very efficiently citing parking violations.

Claims

1. An expired parking meter indicating system to facilitate the enforcement of parking regulations and reduce the work force required to bring about the enforcement, said system comprising the following components in addition to a parking meter and a parking space:

a detector connected to said parking meter to ascertain the presence of a motor vehicle in said parking space and to provide a vehicle presence signal to initiate a parking control cycle;

payment receiving means affixed to said parking meter to provide a payment and payment amount signal responsive to a payment made by the occupier of the parking space, said payment receiving means including a delay circuit to provide a reasonable time for the occupier to make a payment;

timing means including signal receiving means responsive to both the vehicle presence signal of said detector and the payment and payment amount signal of the payment receiving means and further including means for sending a time out signal when the combination of the payment and payment amount signal and the duration of the presence signal indicate a time out condition;

signal generator control means connected to by said parking meter, said signal generator control means being configured to receive said time out signal from the timing means indicating a time out condition and transmitting an output signal receivable by a parking control officer at a location remote from said parking meter;

reset means connected to said detector so that when a driver removes a vehicle, a new parking control cycle will not be initiated until a new vehicle enters the parking space; and

a time out signal interrupt responsive to an input from a parking control officer upon citing the vehicle for a parking violation, thereby clearing the time out signal sent out to parking control officers.

2. The expired parking meter indicating system of claim 1 further including a time out signal interrupt responsive to a payment and payment amount signal from said payment receiving means when the occupier of the vehicle makes an additional payment, thereby permitting the occupant to negate the time out signal and initiate a subsequent amount of time.

3. The expired parking meter indicating system of claim 1 further including on off control means responsive to the day of the week, a holiday and to the enforcement time during the day so that the meters will only operate during a predetermined time period.

4. The expired parking meter indicating system of claim 1 further including means for resetting the payment and payment amount signal to zero when a parking control cycle is initiated.

5. The expired parking meter indicating system of claim 1 wherein the output signal of the signal generator control means is a light.

6. The expired parking meter indicating system of claim 1 wherein the output signal of the signal generator control means includes a wireless transmission receivable by a parking control officer.

7. The expired parking meter indicating system of claim 1 further including a remaining time readout held by said parking meter.

8. The expired parking meter indicating system of claim 1 wherein said payment receiving means is a credit card receiving system.