Systems and methods for communication of parking information

• US 7,492,283 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Open Parking LLC
• Original Assignee: Open Parking LLC
• Inventors: Racunas, Jr., Robert V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C
• Application Number:
  US11/931,100
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/928, 340/995, 235/384, 705/13, 705/418
• 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: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas

Abstract

A parking system comprises an Internet-accessible Web server storing substantially real-time parking data associated with occupancy of a plurality of parking spaces and a plurality of detectors at a parking lot communicating with the Web server. The plurality of detectors collects substantially real-time parking occupancy data for a plurality of parking spaces at the parking lot. Each of the plurality of detectors includes a wireless communications device for transmitting said substantially real-time parking occupancy data to said Web server and one of a position detector, a motion detector, a weight detector, or a video camera to ascertain whether a parking space is occupied. The parking data is capable of being rendered by a display device running a browser application. The Web server transmits the parking data in response to a request sent from the browser application.

Claims

1. A parking system comprising:

an Internet-accessible Web server storing substantially real-time parking data associated with occupancy of a plurality of parking spaces, said parking data capable of being rendered by a display device running a browser application, said Web server transmitting said parking data in response to a request sent from said browser application; and

a plurality of detectors at a parking lot communicating with said Web server, said plurality of detectors collecting substantially real-time parking occupancy data for a plurality of parking spaces at said parking lot,

wherein each of said plurality of detectors includes;

a wireless communications device for transmitting said substantially real-time parking occupancy data to said Web server; and

one of a position detector, a motion detector, a weight detector, or a video camera to ascertain whether a parking space is occupied.

2. The parking system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of detectors transmits said substantially real-time parking occupancy data over a wireless local area network connection.

3. The parking system of claim 1, wherein said Web server stores billing information.

4. The parking system of claim 1, wherein said Web server stores charging information.

5. The parking system of claim 1, wherein said parking data comprises vacant parking spaces.

6. The parking system of claim 1, wherein said parking date comprises reserved parking spaces.

7. The parking system of claim 1, wherein said parking data corresponds to a plurality of parking lots.

8. The parking system of claim 1, wherein said parking data is rendered on a map.

9. The parking system of claim 8, wherein said map comprises a location of at least one available parking lot having an occupancy condition corresponding to at least one vacant parking space being present within the available parking lot.

10. The parking system of claim 8, wherein said map comprises a location of at least one available parking space within an available parking lot having an occupancy condition corresponding to at least one vacant parking space being present within the available parking lot.

11. The parking system of claim 8, wherein said map comprises a location of a reserved space within a parking lot.

12. The parking system of claim 1, wherein said parking data is accessed by visiting a Web site and said parking data is rendered in a Web page.

13. The parking system of claim 1, wherein said display device comprises a mobile computing device and said request sent over at least one wireless connection.

14. The parking system of claim 13, wherein said request is received at an intermediary server, said intermediary server retrieves said parking data from said Web server, and said intermediary server transmits said parking data to said mobile computing device.

15. The parking system of claim 13, wherein said mobile computing device comprises at least one of a mobile telephone having Internet-access and a vehicle-mounted device.

16. The parking system of claim 15, wherein said mobile computing device receives a satellite signal over a wireless satellite connection.

17. The parking system of claim 15, wherein said mobile computing device comprises a vehicle-mounted device having an interface for connection to a peripheral device.

18. The parking system of claim 17, wherein said peripheral device comprises a mobile telephone.

19. The parking system of claim 17, wherein said connection to said peripheral device comprises a wireless connection.

20. A method comprising:

collecting substantially real-time parking occupancy data for a plurality of parking spaces at a parking lot using a plurality of detectors at said parking lot, wherein each of said plurality of detectors includes;

a wireless communications device for transmitting said substantially real-time parking occupancy data; and

one of a position detector, a motion detector, a weight detector, or a video camera to ascertain whether a parking space is occupied; and

communicating said substantially real-time parking occupancy data to an Internet-accessible Web server, said Web server storing substantially real-time parking data associated with occupancy of said plurality of parking spaces, said parking data capable of being rendered by a display device running a browser application, said Web server providing said parking data to said display device in response to a receiving a request sent from said browser application.

21. A communications system comprising:

data communications means for receiving data over a wireless connection from a server configured to provide one or more services to a subscriber; and

display means for presenting substantially real-time information based on the data received from the data communications means, wherein;

the server receives updated parking data over the Internet,

the display means presents a substantially real-time occupancy condition of one or more parking lots,

the data communications means and the display means are included within a vehicle,

the wireless connection comprises a wireless satellite connection delivering broadcast programming,

the server forms part of a satellite, broadcast service provider in communication with a parking system comprising a plurality of detectors configured to collect substantially real-time parking occupancy data corresponding to a plurality of parking spaces at a parking lot,

the display means displays an indication that a parking lot includes one or more vacant spaces, and

the indication comprises one or more of an icon, a text message, and a number corresponding to vacant spaces within the parking lot.

22. The communications system according to claim 21, wherein the display means comprises a touch screen.

23. The communications system according to claim 21, wherein the data communications means comprises a tuner.

24. The communications system according to claim 21, wherein the display means displays a map.

25. The communications system according to claim 21, wherein the parking data comprises one or more of parking occupancy information, reserved parking information, charging information, and billing information.