Electronic system for parking management and personal guidance

• US 6,865,539 B1
• Filed: 05/24/2000
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anthony V. Pugliese III
• Original Assignee: Anthony V. Pugliese III
• Inventors: Pugliese, Anthony V. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fisher, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US09/577,151
• Time in Patent Office: 1,749 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/5, 705/6, 705/13
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A parking management and personal guidance system operates in conjunction with a reservation system which stores and manages reservation information in connection with prescheduled activities. Parking management is effected by accessing reservation information using personal identification information and identifying to the driver of a vehicle an available parking space which is near to the pedestrian exit of the parking facility which is closest to the prescheduled activity indicated in the reservation information. Personal guidance is also effected from the parking facility to the prescheduled activity, such as to an assigned seat, including guidance inbetween, such as on public transportation. Theft prevention in the parking facility is also provided.

Claims

1. A personal guidance system, responsive to reservation information for a prescheduled activity which is to take place at a predetermined location, for guiding an individual having a reservation for said prescheduled activity to said predetermined location, comprising:

a memory in which there is stored at least one personal file which is accessible by personal identification information and which includes reservation information concerning a prescheduled activity; and

a terminal device, including inputting means by which a person inputs personal identification information, means for retrieving reservation information from a personal file of said person in said memory using inputted personal identification information, and means for providing guidance information to guide said person from the location of said terminal device to a location of a prescheduled activity, for which said person has a reservation, based on said retrieved reservation information.

2. A personal guidance system according to claim 1, wherein said terminal device further includes a display device for displaying graphic data, and said guidance information comprises graphic data which is displayed on said display device.

3. A personal guidance system according to claim 1, wherein said graphic data is map data.

4. A personal guidance system according to claim 1, wherein said terminal device further includes a display device on which said guidance information is displayed.

5. A personal guidance system according to claim 1, wherein said inputting means comprises a magnetic card reader.

6. A personal guidance system according to claim 1, wherein said inputting means comprises a detector which reads information from an RF contact-less device.

7. A personal guidance system according to claim 1, wherein said terminal device is located at an entrance to a parking facility, and said guidance information identifies at least one available parking space in said parking facility which is close to the prescheduled activity for which the person has a reservation.

8. A personal guidance system according to claim 1, wherein said terminal device is located in a car of a public transportation vehicle, and said guidance information includes the name of said person and an identification of the stop of the public transportation vehicle which is closest to the prescheduled activity for which the person has a reservation, said terminal device having a display device on which said guidance information is displayed.

9. A personal guidance system according to claim 8, wherein said inputting means comprises a detector which reads information from an RF contact-less device.

10. A parking management system for identifying one or more available parking spaces, in a parking facility at a predetermined location at which a prescheduled activity is to take place, on the basis of previously stored reservation information concerning said prescheduled activity, comprising:

a memory in which there is stored at least one personal file which is accessible by personal identification information and which includes reservation information concerning a prescheduled activity;

a terminal device, including inputting means by which a person inputs personal identification information and information providing means for providing guidance information to said person; and

control means for retrieving reservation information from a personal file of said person in said memory using personal identification information inputted through said terminal device, for determining which parking spaces in said parking facility are available, for selecting at least one available parking space in said parking facility which is close to the prescheduled activity for which the person has a reservation, and for supplying an identification of a selected available parking space to said information providing means.

11. A parking management system according to claim 10, wherein said information providing means is a display device.

12. A parking management system according to claim 10, wherein said information providing means is a printer.

13. A parking management system according to claim 10, wherein said prescheduled activity is an airline flight, and said parking facility is associated with an airline terminal having separate facilities for respective airlines at spaced locations and said parking facility has a plurality of pedestrian exits at respective locations convenient to respective airline facilities, said control means including means responsive to retrieved flight reservation information for selecting the closest available parking space to a pedestrian exit which is closest to the airline facility for the airline flight for which the person has a reservation.

14. A parking management system according to claim 13, further comprising detection means at each parking space of said parking facility for detecting the presence of a vehicle in that parking space, said control means including means responsive to said detection means for storing information identifying the status of each parking space based on information received from said detection means, and at least one further terminal within said parking facility having further inputting means from which personal identification information and parking space information can be forwarded to said control means.

15. A parking management system according to claim 14, wherein a further inputting means is provided at each parking space and includes means for automatically forwarding parking space identification information with inputted personal identification information to said control means.

16. A parking management system according to claim 15, wherein said further inputting means includes a detector which reads information from an RF contact-less device.

17. A parking management system according to claim 15, wherein said control means includes means for storing parking space identification information in a file in said memory based on inputted personal identification information, and wherein said airline terminal has additional terminals at spaced locations convenient to said airline facilities, which additional terminals include additional inputting means for inputting personal identification information, means for accessing a file in said memory on the basis of inputted personal identification information to read out parking space identification information, and means for indicating said read out parking space identification information to guide a person to a parking space.

18. A parking management system according to claim 13, wherein said parking facility has at least one vehicle entrance and at least one vehicle exit, and further including a first video camera positioned at said vehicle entrance so as to scan the license plate of a vehicle which enters said parking facility, means responsive to said first video camera and personal identification information inputted at said terminal device for storing first license plate identification information in a personal file in said memory, a second video camera positioned at said vehicle exit so as to scan the license plate of a vehicle which is attempting to leave through said vehicle exit for generating second license plate identifying information, means responsive to personal identification information inputted at said vehicle exit for accessing said file in said memory and for comparing said first and second license plate identifying information, and means for indicating when said first and second license plate identifying information do not match.

19. A parking management system according to claim 10, wherein said information providing means comprises a display device depicting the parking space layout of the parking facility with means for visually identifying one or more available parking spaces selected by said control means.

20. A parking management system for identifying one or more available parking spaces, in a parking facility having at least one vehicle entrance and at least one vehicle exit and plural areas of parking spaces each accessible to a respectively different part of a location at which a prescheduled activity is to take place, on the basis of previously stored reservation information concerning said prescheduled activity, comprising:

a memory in which there is stored personal files each of which is accessible by personal identification information and includes reservation information concerning a prescheduled activity;

detection means at each parking space of said parking facility for detecting the presence of a vehicle in that parking space;

a first terminal device at said vehicle entrance and a second terminal device located at each parking space, each of said first and second terminal devices having inputting means for inputting personal identification information;

a display device located at said vehicle entrance for depicting the parking space layout of the parking facility with means for visually identifying one or more available parking spaces;

means responsive to personal identification information inputted at said first terminal device for accessing a file in said memory to retrieve reservation information therefrom;

means responsive to said detection means at each parking space for determining which parking spaces are available for use; and

means for selecting at least one available parking space in an area of said parking facility which is closest to the prescheduled activity indicated by the retrieved reservation information and for activating said display device to visually identify said selected parking space or spaces.

21. A parking management system according to claim 20, further including a printer for providing a printout identifying said selected parking space or spaces.

22. A parking management system according to claim 21, wherein said printer provides a printout of the layout of the parking facility with the selected parking space or spaces highlighted thereon.

23. A parking management system according to claim 21, wherein said printer also provides a printout of reservation information retrieved from a file in said memory.

24. A parking management system according to claim 20, wherein each second terminal device includes means responsive to the inputting of personal identification information for inserting parking information, which identifies the parking space at which said second terminal device is located, in a file in said memory which is accessed by said personal identification information.

25. A parking management system according to claim 24, further including at least one third terminal device, located outside of said parking facility and responsive to the inputting of personal identification information, for accessing a file in said memory to retrieve parking information therefrom.

26. A parking management system according to claim 20, wherein each second terminal device also includes communication means for effecting communication with a service to provide aid.

27. A parking management system according to claim 26, wherein said communication means comprises an intercom system.

28. A parking management system according to claim 20, wherein said inputting devices of said first terminal devices comprise one or more of a magnetic card reader, a bar code reader, a fingerprint detector, a retinal scan detector, a key pad, a RF contact-less detector, an infra-red detector, a voice recognition system, and a touch screen display panel.

29. A parking management system according to claim 20, further including means for reading the license plate number at said vehicle entrance, and means responsive to inputting of personal identification information via said first terminal for storing the license number of a vehicle in a file in said memory which is accessed with the inputted personal identification information.

30. A personal guidance system, responsive to reservation information for a prescheduled flight on an airplane which is to leave from a predetermined gate of an airport, for guiding an individual having a seat reservation for said prescheduled flight to his/her assigned seat on said airplane, comprising:

a memory in which there is stored at least one personal file which is accessible by personal identification information and which includes reservation information including seat assignment information;

a terminal device located at the gate of the airport from which a flight is to depart, including inputting means by which personal identification information is input;

means for retrieving reservation information, including seat assignment information, from a personal file in said memory using inputted personal identification information inputted through said terminal device;

display devices located in association with seats on said airplane; and

means responsive to receipt of seat assignment information from said memory in response to the inputting of personal identification information for displaying said personal identification information on a display device associated with the seat indicated by the seat assignment information.

31. A personal guidance system according to claim 30, wherein the personal identification information displayed on said display device is a personal name.

32. A personal guidance system according to claim 30, wherein said airplane includes a plurality of groups of seats disposed on both sides of at least one aisle, and a respective display device is provided for each group of seats.

33. A personal guidance system according to claim 30, wherein said airplane includes a plurality of seats, and a separate display device is provided for each seat.

34. A personal guidance system according to claim 30, wherein a parking facility having a vehicle entrance and a vehicle exit and a plurality of parking spaces is provided at said airport, and further comprising:

detection means at each parking space of said parking facility for detecting the presence of a vehicle in that parking space;

a second terminal device at said vehicle entrance and a third terminal device located at each parking space, each of said second and third terminal devices having inputting means for inputting personal identification information;

a further display device located at said vehicle entrance for depicting the parking space layout of the parking facility with means for visually identifying one or more available parking spaces;

means responsive to personal identification information inputted at said second terminal device for accessing a file in said memory to retrieve reservation information therefrom;

means responsive to said detection means at each parking space for determining which parking spaces are available for use; and

means for selecting at least one available parking space in said parking facility which is closest to the gate of a prescheduled flight indicated by the retrieved reservation information and for activating said further display device to visually identify said selected parking space or spaces.

35. A personal guidance system according to claim 34, wherein at least one of said second and third terminal devices has a printer for printing reservation information, including the identification of the gate from which a flight indicated in said reservation information is to depart, in response to the inputting of personal identification information to guide a passenger to said gate.

36. A personal guidance system according to claim 35, further including a first video camera positioned at said vehicle entrance so as to scan the license plate of a vehicle which enters said parking facility, means responsive to said first video camera and personal identification information inputted at said second terminal device for storing first license plate identification information in a personal file in said memory, a second video camera positioned at said vehicle exit so as to scan the license plate of a vehicle which is attempting to leave through said vehicle exit for generating second license plate identifying information, means responsive to personal identification information inputted at said vehicle exit for accessing said file in said memory and for comparing said first and second license plate identifying information, and means for indicating when said first and second license plate identifying information do not match.