Vehicle parking management method

• US 7,319,974 B1
• Filed: 09/07/2000
• Issued: 01/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Systemes
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Systemes
• Inventors: Brusseaux, Thierry
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanty; Romain
• Application Number:
  US10/088,448
• Time in Patent Office: 2,686 Days
• Field of Search: 705/13, 705/1, 705/5
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/24 for parking meters
• 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

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for managing vehicle pay parking, using at least a time recording machine connected to a parking server. The invention is characterised in that since said time recording machine and mobile telephones are quipped with short-distance communication means: a user, provided with at least one of said mobile telephones, transmits to the time recording machine at least: data concerning the user'"'"'s identity, data concerning parking time; the time recording machine supplies to means controlling parking authorisation, at least data concerning parking time; the time recording machine supplies to the parking server, said data concerning the user'"'"'s identity and the specific parking fee to be paid, at least, based on data concerning parking time, to charge the user.

Claims

1. Vehicle paying parking management method using at least one ticket machine connected to a parking server, said method comprising the following steps:

a first step in which a user, equipped with a mobile telephone equipped with short distance communication means, transmits to the ticket machine, using the short distance communications means, at least;

information concerning user'"'"'s identity, and information concerning a parking time, wherein the ticket machine is located a short distance from the mobile telephone,

a second step in which the ticket machine supplies to parking authorisation control means, at least, the information concerning the parking time, and

a third step in which the ticket machine supplies to parking server said information concerning the user'"'"'s identity and a parking cost to be paid calculated, at least, using the information concerning the parking time received from the mobile phone, in order to bill the user.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the information concerning the parking time consists of a parking duration or price defined by the user.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the said parking authorisation control means consists of a parking ticket printed by the ticket machine to be placed inside the vehicle and showing at least the information concerning the parking time.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the user also transmits to the ticket machine information concerning the identification of the vehicle parking location and in that the ticket machine also supplies to said parking authorisation control means said information concerning the identification of the vehicle parking location.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the user also supplies to the ticket machine information identifying a parked vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterised in that the information identifying the parked vehicle consists of the vehicle registration number, and identification number affixed on the vehicle or a number characteristic of the vehicle parking space.

7. The method according to claim 5, characterised in that the information concerning the parking time consists of a parking duration or price defined by the user.

8. The method according to claim 5, characterised in that the information concerning the parking time consists of the parking start time and the parking end time respectively sent to the ticket machine on the arrival and departure of the vehicle to/from the parking space.

9. The method according to claim 5, characterised in that the said parking authorization control means consists of a list supplied by the ticket machine or by a portable control device, able to receive information from the ticket machine.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the information concerning the identification of the vehicle parking locations also includes a number characteristic of a rate area of the parking location.

11. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the ticket machine send to the mobile telephone an electronic certificate calculated at least using information concerning the user, information concerning the vehicle parking location and information concerning the parking time.

12. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the parking price is debited from a prepaid account opened with an operator of the parking server.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterised in that said prepaid account is rechargeable, using a prepaid scratch card.

14. The method according to claim 1 wherein the short distance communication means comprises Bluetooth.