Parking meter

• US 7,854,310 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2008
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IPS Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IPS Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Hunter, Murray David Kirby, Hall, Mathew James, Jones, David Andrew, King, David William
• Primary Examiner(s): Karmis; Stefanos
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beauchaine; Mark J
• Application Number:
  US12/072,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20080245638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: 194/350
• US Class Current: 194/350
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/34 using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards
• 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 17/0021 Access to services on a time-basis
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/248 Housing construction casings for coin-freed apparatus G07F9/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/10 Casings or parts thereof, e.g. with means for heating or cooling

Abstract

A parking meter assembly (10) including a base (11) that is to be fixed to or embedded in a ground surface, typically adjacent the curb that which a car is to be parked. The assembly (10) also includes a parking meter (13) having a front face (17) that includes a coin slot (25) a card slot (20) and a control panel (21). The parking meter (13) further includes a rear face (27) having a window aperture (28) that provides for the transmission of light to a solar panel (29) behind the aperture (28).

Claims

1. A parking meter including:

a coin sensor;

a card reader;

an electronic device electrically connected to the sensor and reader so as to receive information electronically therefrom, the electronic device having a screen to provide information visually, a telephone connection to provide receiving information in respect of a card used in respect of said card reader, and connections for at least one rechargeable battery to power the reader, sensor and device;

a solar cell operatively associated with said connections to charge said battery;

a housing in which the coin sensor, card reader, and electronic device are located, the housing comprising an intermediate panel set and a cover panel, wherein the cover panel is movably attached to the intermediate panel set, and a surface of the cover panel and a surface of the intermediate panel set comprise a front face, and the front face surface of the cover panel includes a control panel having a window and a plurality of buttons that operate the parking meter upon manipulation by a user;

a coin slot in the front face into which coins are inserted for delivery to the sensor and then to a coin receptacle;

a card slot in the front face into which a card is inserted to be read by said reader;

a rear face comprising a surface of the cover panel and a surface of the intermediate panel set providing a window aperture via which said solar cell is exposed to light;

wherein the coin sensor and the card reader are electrically linked to provide information to the electronic device to provide information of whether payment has been made;

wherein the screen of the electronic device is visible through the window of the control panel when the cover panel is attached to the intermediate panel.

2. The parking meter of claim 1, wherein said meter includes an indicator to provide an indication whether a parking period has expired.

3. The parking meter of claim 2, wherein said indicator is adjacent or at said rear face.

4. The parking meter of claim 1, wherein said meter is adapted to be fixed to a post fixed to a ground surface, with said intermediate panel set including a set of panels to be fixed relative to said post, and the cover panel is pivotally attached to the intermediate panel set for pivoting movement about a generally horizontal axis between a closed position and an open position.

5. The parking meter of claim 1, wherein said coin sensor, said card reader, said electronic device and said screen are a module removable as an assembly from within said housing.

6. The parking meter of claim 5, wherein said module includes a body, and said coin sensor is a coin validator unit removably located in said body.

7. The parking meter of claim 1, wherein said telephone connection is a mobile (cellular) telephone connection.

8. The parking meter of claim 1, wherein said front face and rear face converge upwardly.

9. A parking meter comprising:

a housing comprising an intermediate panel set and a cover panel, the cover panel being movably attached to the intermediate panel set, wherein a first surface of the cover panel and a first surface of the intermediate panel set comprise a parking meter front face, the first surface of the cover panel having a first window and a plurality of buttons that operate the parking meter upon manipulation by a user, wherein a second surface of the cover panel and a second surface of the intermediate panel set comprise a parking meter rear face, the rear face surface of the cover panel providing a second window;

a module configured to be removably received by the housing, the module comprising

(a) a coin sensor,

(b) a card reader, and

(c) an electronic device electrically connected to the sensor and the reader so as to receive information electronically therefrom, the electronic device comprising

(i) a screen to provide information visually via the first window when the cover panel is attached to the intermediate panel set,

(ii) a telephone connection to provide receiving information in respect of the card reader,

(iii) a rechargeable battery electrically coupled to provide power to the reader, the sensor, and the electronic device, and

(iv) a solar cell operatively coupled with the rechargeable battery to charge the rechargeable batter, the solar cell being disposed to receive light via the second window;

a coin slot in the parking meter front face into which coins are inserted for delivery to the coin sensor and then to a coin receptacle; and

a card slot in the parking meter front face into which a card is inserted to be read by the reader;

wherein the coin sensor and the card reader are electrically linked to provide information to the electronic device to provide information of whether payment has been made.

10. The parking meter of claim 9, wherein said card slot slopes downwardly to be accessible via the front face surface of the intermediate panel, and the front face surface of the intermediate panel is downwardly facing.

11. The parking meter of claim 9, wherein the coin sensor comprises a coin validator unit that is removably attached to the module and includes the coin receptacle such that the coin sensor communicates with the coin slot of the parking meter front face when attached to the module for receiving inserted coins.