Method and systems for space reservation on parking lots with mechanisms for space auctioning, over-booking, reservation period extensions, and incentives
First Claim
1. A method of reserving a space from among a plurality of spaces at a location, said method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a reservation request inputted into a graphical user interface of a reservation system utilized to provide reservations for one of the plurality of spaces at said location, said reservation request including date and time information for which said reservation is made;
providing an electronic payment method for receiving payment for an issued reservation corresponding to said reservation request;
outputting, in response to the receipt of payment, a reservation coupon, which includes an identifying bar code that enables access to the location via a bar code reader, and wherein when the reservation assigns a particular space among the plurality of spaces, the reservation coupon also includes a space identifier indicating the particular space that is assigned to the reservation; and
updating a reservation period linked to the reservation coupon by an additional period on payment by the customer for the additional period, wherein the customer is able to extend a reservation after said reservation coupon has been printed when the reserved space had not been allocated to another customer.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a computer-driven reservation system for reserving spaces in a parking facility at an airport terminal. The reservation system comprises a central server, a database of locations and associated plurality of spaces, which may be reserved for customer use, and one or more customer terminals on which is displayed a graphical user interface (GUI) for receiving a customer'"'"'s reservation request and enabling other customer interactions. The central server, database and customer terminals are interlinked via a network. The central server includes a reservation utility that provides a reservation GUI and a printable reservation coupon with reservation information when a space is reserved. In one embodiment, central server comprises an auction utility that monitors the number of spaces available in a particular location and when the number falls below a predetermined number, implements an auction procedure for all of the remaining number of spaces. Each remaining space is then allocated to a highest bidder.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of reserving a space from among a plurality of spaces at a location, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a reservation request inputted into a graphical user interface of a reservation system utilized to provide reservations for one of the plurality of spaces at said location, said reservation request including date and time information for which said reservation is made; providing an electronic payment method for receiving payment for an issued reservation corresponding to said reservation request; outputting, in response to the receipt of payment, a reservation coupon, which includes an identifying bar code that enables access to the location via a bar code reader, and wherein when the reservation assigns a particular space among the plurality of spaces, the reservation coupon also includes a space identifier indicating the particular space that is assigned to the reservation; and updating a reservation period linked to the reservation coupon by an additional period on payment by the customer for the additional period, wherein the customer is able to extend a reservation after said reservation coupon has been printed when the reserved space had not been allocated to another customer. - View Dependent Claims (3, 5, 6, 7)
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2. A method of reserving a space from among a plurality of spaces at a location, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a reservation request inputted into a graphical user interface of a reservation system utilized to provide reservations for one of the plurality of spaces at said location, said reservation request including date and time information for which said reservation is made; providing an electronic payment method for receiving payment for an issued reservation corresponding to said reservation request; outputting, in response to the receipt of payment, a reservation coupon, which includes an identifying bar code that enables access to the location via a bar code reader, and wherein when the reservation assigns a particular space among the plurality of spaces, the reservation coupon also includes a space identifier indicating the particular space that is assigned to the reservation; instructing a recipient of the reservation coupon to visibly display said reservation coupon to allow said identifying bar code to be read when said reservation coupon is used while passing through an entrance and an exit of said location; and tracking use of the space and remaining available spaces within the location by monitoring which reservation coupons are presented at the entrance and exit of the location.
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4. A method of reserving a space from among a plurality of spaces at a location, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a reservation request inputted into a graphical user interface of a reservation system utilized to provide reservations for one of the plurality of spaces at said location, said reservation request including date and time information for which said reservation is made; providing an electronic payment method for receiving payment for an issued reservation corresponding to said reservation request; outputting, in response to the receipt of payment, a reservation coupon, which includes an identifying bar code that enables access to the location via a bar code reader, and wherein when the reservation assigns a particular space among the plurality of spaces, the reservation coupon also includes a space identifier indicating the particular space that is assigned to the reservation; receiving a request to extend said reservation period from the recipient of the reservation coupon; extending said reservation period when there space has not been previously issued to another recipient, wherein said extending occurs after said reservation coupon has been issued and said extending is updated within the reservation system to apply to the previously issued reservation coupon; and requesting an electronic payment for an extension to a reservation acquired by said extending step, wherein said electronic payment is received prior to said reservation period being extended when there is no monitoring of the location to collect payment for the additional reservation.
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8. A space reservation computer system comprising:
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a database of locations that each provide a plurality of spaces that may be reserved; a graphical user interface that receives a customer'"'"'s request for a space at one of said locations; an availability utility that determines whether said space is available; electronic payment mechanism for receiving electronic payment to reserve the space for the customer; output means for, in response to said space being available, providing said customer with a printable reservation coupon containing information by which access to said location is controlled, wherein when the reservation assigns a particular space among the plurality of spaces, the reservation coupon also includes a space identifier indicating the particular space that is assigned to the reservation; and an extension utility that allows said customer to extend a reservation after said reservation coupon has been printed when the reserved space had not been allocated to another customer, wherein the extension utility updates the reservation period linked to the coupon code by an additional period upon payment by the customer for the additional period. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 14, 15, 16)
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11. A space reservation computer system comprising:
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a database of locations that each provide a plurality of spaces that may be reserved; a graphical user interface that receives a customer'"'"'s request for a space at one of said locations; an availability utility that determines whether said space is available; electronic payment mechanism for receiving electronic payment to reserve the space for the customer; output means for, in response to said space being available, providing said customer with a printable reservation coupon containing information by which access to said location is controlled, wherein when the reservation assigns a particular space among the plurality of spaces, the reservation coupon also includes a space identifier indicating the particular space that is assigned to the reservation; a server on which said GUI and said availability utility are executed, wherein said server is coupled to said database of locations and periodically updates said database of location based on current use of the reserved spaces and current availability of spaces previously reserved; a location monitoring mechanism linked to said server and which monitors an entrance and exit of said location to determine when said space is utilized and provides feedback of a utilization of said space to said server; and wherein said reservation coupon includes a bar code readable by a remote bar code scanner, wherein further said location monitoring mechanism includes said remote bar code scanner and monitors an entry into and exit from said location by requiring the customer scan said reservation coupon at the entrance and exit of the location. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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17. A computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable medium; program instructions stored on said computer readable medium for; managing a database of locations that each provide a plurality of spaces that may be reserved; providing a graphical user interface that receives a customer'"'"'s request for a space at one of said locations and an availability utility that determines whether said space is available; providing an electronic payment method for receiving payment for an issued reservation corresponding to said reservation request; in response to said space being available and receipt of payment, outputting to said customer a printable reservation coupon containing information by which access to said one location is controlled, wherein when the reservation assigns a particular space among the plurality of spaces, the reservation coupon also includes a space identifier indicating the particular space that is assigned to the reservation; and tracking use of the space and updating available remaining spaces within the location by receiving data about which reservation coupons are presented at the entrance and exit of the location. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method, carried out by a server communicatively connected to a plurality of clients in a network environment, for managing a parking location having a plurality of separate parking spaces, said method comprising:
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receiving, from one of said clients, a parking request for said parking location for a specific duration of time between a beginning time and an ending time; accessing a database and determining a status of the parking location during the specific duration of time; receiving an electronic payment for an issued reservation corresponding to said reservation request; sending, over the network to the client, a printable reservation ticket having machine readable information including the beginning time and the ending time and identification information for a user using the client to make the parking request, wherein when the reservation ticket assigns a particular space among the plurality of separate parking spaces, the reservation ticket also includes a parking space identifier indicating the particular parking space that is assigned to the reservation; and tracking use of the space and updating availability of remaining spaces within the location by monitoring which reservation coupons are presented at the entrance and exit of the location. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A method, carried out by a server communicatively connected to a plurality of clients in a network environment, for managing a parking location having a plurality of separate parking spaces, said method comprising:
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receiving, from one or more of said clients, a parking request for said parking location for a specific duration of time between a beginning time and an ending time; accessing a database and determining a status of the parking location during the specific duration of time; initiating an auction for allocating a parking reservation for the parking location if the status of the parking location indicates a certain level of demand during the duration of time that is above a preset threshold level, wherein the parking request associated with the highest bidder is allocated the parking reservation and wherein, when the level of demand is not above the preset threshold level, the parking reservation is allocated without an auction; receiving an electronic payment from a winner of the auction for an issued reservation corresponding to said parking request; sending, over the network to the client, a printable reservation ticket having machine readable information including the beginning time and the ending time and identification information for a user using the client to make the parking request, wherein when the reservation ticket assigns a particular space among the plurality of separate parking spaces, the reservation ticket also includes a parking space identifier indicating the particular parking space that is assigned to the reservation; and tracking use of the space and updating availability of remaining spaces within the location by monitoring which reservation coupons are presented at the entrance and exit of the location.
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28. A method, carried out by a server communicatively connected to a plurality of clients in a network environment, for managing a parking location having a plurality of separate parking spaces, said method comprising:
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receiving, from one of said clients, a parking request for said parking location for a specific duration of time between a beginning time and an ending time; accessing a database and determining a status of the parking location during the specific duration of time; and automatically notifying a valet service to pick up a car at a designated location and to park the car at the parking location if the status of the parking location indicates an availability of one of the separate parking spaces for the duration, wherein the valet service electronically receives a reservation ticket for the parking location generated by the parking request and returns the car to the designated location for pick up by the customer who dropped off the car; sending, over the network to the client, a printable reservation ticket having machine readable information including the beginning time and the ending time and identification information for a user using the client to make the parking request, wherein when the reservation ticket assigns a particular space among the plurality of separate parking spaces, the reservation ticket also includes a parking space identifier indicating the particular parking space that is assigned to the reservation; and tracking use of the space and updating availability of remaining spaces within the location by monitoring which reservation coupons are presented at the entrance and exit of the location by the valet.
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Specification