Computerized valet parking system

• US 5,710,557 A
• Filed: 07/25/1996
• Issued: 01/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CVPS Incorporated
• Original Assignee: HTV Incorporated
• Inventors: Schuette, Kai Herman
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C.
• Application Number:
  US08/687,210
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 340/928, 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 235/380, 364/467, 364/464.01, 364/423.098, 364/423.099, 364/424.039, 364/424.037, 364/424.04, 364/424.045
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• 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

Abstract

A computerized valet parking system. The parking system includes a first data transceiver for inputting and retrieving a first set of vehicle identification data, and a second data transceiver located at a vehicle parking facility remote from the first data transceiver for inputting and retrieving a second set of vehicle identification data. A central processor includes a file memory for storing the first and second sets of vehicle identification data. The second data transceiver outputs vehicle pick-up data for vehicle identification and location purposes in response to a vehicle retrieval command from the central processor. The system of the present invention also includes remote vehicle retrieval and personalized valet service features.

Claims

1. A valet parking system, comprising:

a ticket associated with a vehicle being parked having unique electronically readable indicia;

a data transceiver for inputting and retrieving a first set of vehicle identification data including said electronically readable indicia from said ticket;

a vehicle parking lot key station located at a vehicle parking facility remote from said data transceiver for inputting and retrieving a second set of vehicle identification data;

a central processor including a file memory for storing said first and second sets of vehicle identification data; and

said vehicle parking lot key station outputting vehicle pick-up data for retrieval purposes in response to a vehicle retrieval command from said central processor.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle return station located remotely from said data transceiver and said parking lot key station and operatively connected to said central processor for initiating said vehicle retrieval command at said central processor.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a server interconnecting said data transceiver, said parking lot key station, and said central processor via a communication link.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said communication link comprises a wireless communication link.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising output means coupled to said parking lot key station for providing said second set of vehicle identification data to an attendant for vehicle identification and location purposes.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said output means comprises a printer.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said data transceiver is a wireless handheld data transceiver including a scanner.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said electronically readable indicia comprises bar code data read by said scanner.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said first set of vehicle identification data comprises vehicle license plate data.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said first set of vehicle identification data further comprises driver identification data.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said second set of vehicle identification data comprises parking spot location data.

12. A method of systematically parking and retrieving a motor vehicle, comprising:

receiving a vehicle to be parked;

associating a ticket having electronically readable indicia with said vehicle;

entering vehicle identification data and the electronically readable indicia into a central database;

parking said vehicle;

entering vehicle location data into the central database at a vehicle parking lot key station subsequent to said step of parking said vehicle;

receiving a vehicle retrieve command;

outputting vehicle retrieval data from said vehicle identification and location data previously entered into the central database at a vehicle parking lot key station in response to said step of receiving said vehicle retrieve command; and

retrieving said vehicle in response to said step of outputting said vehicle retrieval data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of entering vehicle identification data comprises scanning bar code data from the ticket associated with said vehicle into the central database.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of entering vehicle location data comprises re-entering said bar code data into the central database subsequent to said step of parking said vehicle.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of scanning in vehicle identification data to initiate said step of receiving a vehicle retrieve command.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of scanning in vehicle identification data comprises the step of scanning in vehicle identification data remotely from said step of entering vehicle identification data.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of outputting vehicle retrieval data at a vehicle parking lot key station comprises printing said vehicle retrieval data at a key station in proximity to said parked vehicle.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of entering vehicle location data comprises re-entering bar code data, entering valet attendant identification data, and entering parking space identification data.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of receiving a vehicle retrieve command comprises the step of receiving a vehicle retrieve command in response to the electronically readable indicia being re-entered into the central database.

20. A valet parking system, comprising:

a handheld data transceiver for inputting a first set of vehicle identification data from a vehicle being parked;

a second data transceiver located at a vehicle parking facility remote from said first data transceiver for inputting a second set of vehicle identification data from the vehicle after the vehicle is parked;

a central processor including a file memory for storing said first and second sets of vehicle identification data;

remote retrieval means operative for permitting vehicle retrieval from a site remote from said handheld data transceiver;

a server operatively linking said handheld data transceiver, said second data transceiver, said central processor and said remote retrieval means;

said second data transceiver including a printer for printing vehicle pick-up data for retrieval purposes in response to a vehicle retrieval command being generated by either said handheld data transceiver or said remote retrieval means and sent from said central processor; and

means for generating financial and employee performance evaluation reports based on a third set of data derived from said first and second sets of vehicle identification data.

21. In a valet parking system including a vehicle retrieval request station located remotely from a valet parking system staging area, a method of initiating retrieval of a parked motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

receiving a vehicle retrieval request at the vehicle retrieval request station;

computing a vehicle retrieval time window to determine average vehicle retrieval time for a predetermined time period; and

displaying an expected vehicle retrieval time based on the vehicle retrieval time window at the vehicle retrieval request station.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said step of computing a vehicle retrieval time window comprises computing a sliding time window that compiles an average of vehicle retrieval times over the predetermined time period.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of periodically updating the sliding time window to maintain accuracy of said step of displaying an expected vehicle retrieval time.

24. In a valet parking system including at least one data transceiver in communication with a central database, a method of implementing a personalized valet parking system, comprising the steps of:

receiving a vehicle to be parked for a first time through said valet parking system;

entering vehicle license plate data as a first data set;

entering customer name data as a second data set;

storing said first and second data sets;

upon a subsequent return of said vehicle to said valet parking system, entering said vehicle license plate data;

automatically retrieving said second data set in response to said step of entering said vehicle license plate data, thereby permitting a valet parking system attendant to identify and greet a driver of said vehicle by name.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of entering additional vehicle identification data and driver identification data as a third data set, and automatically retrieving said third data set in response to said step of entering said vehicle license plate data.

26. A computerized valet parking system, comprising:

a ticket associated with a vehicle being parked that has a set of unique electronically readable indicia;

a data transceiver for inputting a first set of vehicle identification data including said electronically readable indicia;

a central processor including a file memory for storing said first set of vehicle identification data;

a vehicle retrieval device located at a site remote from said data transceiver to allow said vehicle to be retrieved from one of a plurality of vehicle retrieval sites based on a received vehicle retrieval command associated with said electronically readable indicia; and

a server that operatively links said data transceiver, said central processor and said vehicle retrieval device.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said data transceiver comprises a handheld data transceiver located at a vehicle staging area and coupled to said system by said server through a wireless communication link.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising means for generating reports based on system operation over a predetermined time period.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising means for downloading said reports to a remote database on a periodic basis.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein said reports comprise system accounting reports.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein said reports comprise employee evaluation reports.

32. A method for valet parking of vehicles, comprising:

(a) providing a ticket to a customer for a vehicle presented by the customer to a parking attendant for parking, said ticket having electronically readable indicia thereon;

storing the electronically readable indicia together with vehicle identification information into a computer memory;

(c) parking the vehicle at a parking location;

(d) storing parking location information into the computer memory;

(e) receiving a vehicle retrieval request generated in response to the electronically readable indicia on the ticket being read; and

(f) thereafter, prior to retrieving the vehicle for the customer, fetching the stored vehicle identification information and the parking location information associated with the electronically readable indicia from the computer memory.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

(g) providing visually observable data identifying the vehicle and the vehicle parking location based on step (f);

(h) retrieving the vehicle from its parked location; and

(i) presenting the vehicle to the customer.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein step (b) further comprises:

additionally storing the name of the customer, along with customer identifying information, into the computer memory; and

thereafter, determining whether the vehicle identification information has previously been entered into the computer memory and, if so, providing visually observable data indicating the name of the customer associated with the vehicle identification information so that the parking attendant can greet an old customer by name.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising the steps of:

additionally storing in step (b) parking rate information into the computer memory regarding an applicable customer service charge; and

additionally providing a visually observable indication in step (g) about the customer service charge when the vehicle is retrieved.

36. The method of claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

(g) additionally storing in step (d) employee identification data for identifying a parking attendant who parked the vehicle;

(h) entering the employee identification data into the computer memory identifying the parking attendant who retrieved the vehicle; and

(i) generating a management report associated with the data entered in steps (g) and (h).

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the management report includes data based on at least one of the following categories:

(a) parking attendant identification information relating to who parked or retrieved a given vehicle;

(b) the number of vehicles parked and retrieved by a given parking attendant;

(c) duration of time worked by a given parking attendant;

(d) total staging and parking time associated with a particular vehicle and parking attendant; and

(e) total retrieval time associated with a particular vehicle and parking attendant.

38. The method of claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

using a handheld transceiver to read the indicia, enter given information associated with the indicia, and wirelessly transmit the indicia and information to the computer memory.

39. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of:

transmitting data to a remote transceiver located in an area adjacent to the parked vehicle; and

using the transmitted data to provide the visually observable data in step (f).

40. The method of claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

providing a remote retrieval station at which the customer may present the ticket;

reading the indicia on the ticket at the remote retrieval station; and

initiating steps (e) and (f) whereby a customer can initiate retrieval of the vehicle at a location remote from the location where the vehicle is ultimately presented to the customer by the parking attendant.