Method relating to a vehicle parking cash-payment system

• US 7,014,109 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2001
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Modul-System Sweden AB
• Original Assignee: Modul-System Sweden AB
• Inventors: Hjelmvik, Torbernt
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Diane I.
• Application Number:
  US10/240,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20030141363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,818 Days
• Field of Search: 235/384, 235/380, 235/462.01, 235375-378, 235/382, 235/33, 705/13
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3255 using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• 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 method of making cash payments in a vehicle parking system in which a mobile telephone (1) is used to commence and terminate parking of a vehicle, and where a telephone user sends at least one code to a receiving computer (2) belonging to the parking system via said mobile telephone upon commencement and termination of a parking period. The invention is characterised in that there is used a start packet which includes a user specific code (7), a one-time code, such as a PIN code, a telephone number to said computer (2), and a statement as to the amount of money available for parking purposes; in that when connecting to the parking system, the mobile telephone (1) is caused to be connected to said computer (2) via said telephone number, whereafter the user specific code (7) and the one-time code are caused to be sent to said computer by means of the mobile telephone; in that said computer (2) is caused to detect and store the number of the mobile telephone (1); in that said computer is caused to compare the user specific code and the one-time code; in that when agreement is found between the user specific code and the one-time code, the user specific code is stored together with the number of the mobile telephone and the amount of money available for parking purposes; and in that commencement and termination of a parking period are respectively initiated by causing the mobile telephone (1) to be connected to a predetermined telephone number belonging to said computer (2).

Claims

1. A method of making cash payments for parking in a vehicle parking system, in which a mobile telephone is used by a parking system user to commence and to terminate a parking period of a vehicle and where a parking system user sends via a mobile telephone at least one code to a receiving computer belonging to the parking system upon commencement and upon termination of a parking period, said method comprising the steps of:

purchasing by a parking system user of a start packet for use by the parking system user, which start packet includes a user-specific code, a one-time code paired with the user-specific code, a given telephone number to access the parking system computer, and identifies a specific prepaid amount of money available for parking purposes, wherein the start packet is purchased and prepaid by the parking system user at the time of purchase of the start packet;

commencing a parking period by the parking system user connecting by use of a mobile telephone to the parking system computer via the given telephone number included in the purchased start packet;

transmitting from the parking system user to the parking system computer via the mobile telephone the user-specific code and the associated one-time code included in the purchased start packet;

detecting and storing the number of the mobile telephone in the parking system computer;

comparing in the parking system computer the user-specific code and the paired one-time code transmitted by the parking system user with paired user-specific and one-time codes previously stored in the parking system computer, and, when agreement is found between the user-transmitted user-specific code and paired one-time code with the paired user-specific and one-time codes previously stored in the parking system computer storing the transmitted user-specific code together with the number of the mobile telephone and the prepaid amount of money associated with the user-specific and one-time codes included in the start packet and available for parking purposes and without withdrawing any amount from the prepaid amount for parking payment purposes until termination of the parking period;

terminating the parking period using the mobile telephone to connect to the given parking system telephone number;

accessing an account stored in the parking system computer and associated with at least one of the mobile telephone number and the parking system user'"'"'s user-specific code; and

subtracting a relevant parking fee from said prepaid amount stored in the parking system computer upon termination of a parking period, wherein the parking system user is not subsequently separately billed for the cost of a parking period.

2. A method according to claim 1, including the steps of detecting the telephone number of a calling mobile telephone at the commencement of a parking period, and storing in the computer the associated user-specific code as belonging to a vehicle for which an amount for a parking fee has been prepaid;

and detecting the number of the calling mobile telephone upon termination of a parking period;

verifying in the computer the user-specific code corresponding with the calling mobile telephone as belonging to a vehicle for which a parking fee has not yet been paid.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the user-specific code is a machine-readable code provided on a code carrier in the start packet, and including the step of placing the code carrier in the vehicle in a way which will allow the machine-readable code to be read from outside the vehicle during a parking control check.

4. A method according to claim 1, including the steps of:

transmitting a registration number associated with the vehicle to the computer via the mobile telephone when connecting to the parking system;

storing the registration number in association with the user-specific code; and

comparing the registration numbers of parked vehicles with a parked car list of vehicles that have commenced a parking period to carry out a parking control check.

5. A method according to claim 1, including the steps of:

purchasing a refill packet for use by the parking system user and which contains at least one new one-time code and an indicated additional prepaid sum of money;

connecting the mobile telephone to the computer and transmitting the new one-time code to the computer using the mobile telephone;

detecting the number of the mobile telephone and storing the mobile telephone number and the additional sum of money together with the user-specific code belonging to the number of the mobile telephone.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the one-time code is a PIN code.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the one-time code is a PIN code.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the user-specific code and the associated one-time code are transmitted to the parking system computer by entering the codes on the mobile telephone keypad during a telephone connection between the mobile telephone and the computer.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the user-specific code and the associated one-time code are transmitted to the parking system computer by voice message during a telephone connection between the mobile telephone and the computer.

10. A method according to claim 1, including the step of notifying the parking system user by a telephone voice message when connected to the parking system if the prepaid amount of money has been expended.