Automatic system for monitoring and managing the admittance to parking places

• US 7,330,131 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alessandro Zuccato, Gianfranco Zanotti
• Original Assignee: Alessandro Zuccato, Gianfranco Zanotti
• Inventors: Zuccato, Alessandro, Zanotti, Gianfranco
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US10/539,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20060100921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 340/928, 701/117, 705/13
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas

Abstract

An integrated automatic system for remote monitoring and management of vehicle access and parking in urban areas on a selective bases comprises: a mobile recognition device (17), in which a user code is memorised, and which can be positioned inside a vehicle (18); a detection sensor (11) installed close to a respective parking space (19); a network connecting the detection sensors (11) to a fixed data collection station (20); a control centre (21), connected to the second network, for decoding and reprocessing the data.

Claims

1. An integrated automatic system for remote monitoring and management of vehicle access and parking in urban areas on a selective basis comprising:

a mobile recognition device, in which a user code is memorized, and which can be positioned inside a vehicle;

a detection sensor installed close to a respective parking space;

a network connecting the detection sensors to a fixed data collection station; and

a control centre, connected to a second network, for decoding and reprocessing the data;

wherein the mobile recognition device comprises a pair of displays;

a pair of parking start and end pushbuttons;

an active RFID tag;

a buzzer; and

a two-color indicator.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

the second network connecting a plurality of fixed stations designed to collect data from respective areas with parking spaces.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile recognition device consists of a mobile telephone or a miniaturized device, which can be positioned inside the vehicle, equipped with a memory containing the user identification code.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the code is transmitted automatically or manually by radio-frequency to the detection sensors.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each detection sensor is located inside an external unit positioned close to a respective parking area.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein each external unit comprises:

luminous indicators which confirm the detection of an authorized or not authorized vehicle;

an interface, designed to communicate with the user; and

means for issuing receipts or printed messages of use to the authorized user.

7. A system according to claim 5, wherein each external unit presents a buzzer which is activated in the event of detection of a vehicle parked without authorization.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the mobile recognition device consists of a mobile telephone or a miniaturized device, which can be positioned inside the vehicle, equipped with a memory containing the user identification code.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein each detection sensor is located inside an external unit positioned close to a respective parking area.

10. The system of claim 3, wherein each detection sensor is located inside an external unit positioned close to a respective parking area.

11. The system of claim 4, wherein each detection sensor is located inside an external unit positioned close to a respective parking area.

12. A system according to claim 6, wherein each external unit presents a buzzer which is activated in the event of detection of a vehicle parked without authorization.

13. A method for the management of an integrated automatic system for remote monitoring and management of vehicle access and parking in urban areas on a selective basis comprising:

detecting the presence of a vehicle in a specific respective parking space with a mobile recognition device, in which a user code is memorized, and which can be positioned inside a vehicle;

a detection sensor installed close to a respective parking space;

a network connecting the detection sensors to a fixed data collection station; and

a control centre, connected to a second network, for decoding and reprocessing the data;

wherein the mobile recognition device comprises a pair of displays;

a pair of parking start and end pushbuttons;

an active RFID tag;

a buzzer; and

a two-color indicator;

recognizing the vehicle as authorized or not authorized to use the space;

emitting a visual or acoustic signal confirming the occupation of the space;

detecting the parking time of the vehicle in the parking space;

transmitting the occupation of the parking space and of the data regarding the recognised or not recognised vehicle to one or more area controller devices;

transmitting the data collected by the one or more area controller devices to a central processing unit designed to store the data regarding recognized vehicles and to immediately report any unauthorized occupation by vehicles without authorization;

calculating, by the central unit, of the fee in relation to, the parking time; and

transmitting the data relative to the fee to a bank authorized for payment with the consent of the user.