Parking management systems

• US 7,391,339 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2005
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intercomp, S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: VehicleSense, Inc.
• Inventors: Howard, Charles K., Omojola, Olufemi, Cayetano, Kenroy
• Primary Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US11/114,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20050190076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 340/933, 340/693.9, 701/1
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• 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
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas

Abstract

The systems described herein include one or more wireless vehicle detectors, along with a distributed parking payment system such as parking meters or a paystation. Information from the payment system and the vehicle detectors may be combined to determine when a parking violation occurs, or is about to occur. This information may then be transmitted through a communication system to a parking enforcement officer, along with information about the geographic location of the violation. The information may also, or instead be transmitted to a parking payer to notify the payer of an impending infraction so that the payer may purchase additional parking time before the violation.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a circuit comprising;

a sensor;

first logical circuitry for determining the presence or change in presence of a vehicle in a parking space, the first logical circuitry in electrical communication with the sensor; and

second logical circuitry for determining a parking violation associated with the parking space, the second logical circuitry in electrical communication with the first logical circuitry; and

a host in wireless communication with the circuit for sending and receiving information to and from the circuit, wherein the host is configured to monitor at least one of the presence or change in presence of the vehicle in the parking space and the parking violation.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the host determines when a payment for a parking space is about to expire and generates a notification to a payer who has paid for use of the parking space.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the payer is notified through at least one of an electronic mail message, a telephonic message, or an electronic page.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the parking violation is determined based on, at least in part, information received from the first logical circuitry.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the host notifies at least one enforcement official of the violation by transmitting a message to a device used by the enforcement official.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the host and the circuit communicate through a wireless interface.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the host employs a wireless payment process.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of sensors arranged to monitor parking in a parking area, the parking area being at least one of a parking garage, a parking lot, or a public street.

9. A method comprising:

receiving over a wireless connection a first signal and a second signal originating from a circuit comprising;

a sensor,

first logical circuitry for determining the presence or change in presence of a vehicle in a parking space, the first logical circuitry in electrical communication with the sensor and generates the first signal, and

second logical circuitry for determining a parking violation associated with the parking space, the second logical circuitry in electrical communication with the first logical circuitry and generates the second signal; and

based on the first and second signals, monitoring at least one of the presence or change in presence of the vehicle in the parking space and the parking violation.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising generating a message to an enforcement official, in response to the parking violation, notifying the enforcement official of the parking violation and a location of the parking space in which the parking violation has occurred.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising determining when a payment for a parking space is about to expire and generating a notification to a payer who has paid for use of the parking space.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein generating a message to an enforcement official includes transmitting the message to a wireless device used by the enforcement official.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the enforcement official is a private towing company.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the host is a paystation that manages payments for a plurality of parking spaces.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the host receives payments through a wireless payment process.