Data collection system for electronic parking meters
First Claim
1. A parking meter comprising:
- a payment mechanism comprising a coin chute for receiving coins as payment for parking space;
a coin vault for holding the coins received at the coin chute;
a vault door providing access to the coin vault;
a vault door switch coupled to the vault door for providing a vault door signal indicating the vault door is open;
a memory for storing parking meter information including information on the payment received;
a transmitter for transmitting information to a receiver;
a processor for executing instructions and providing;
a transmitting unit for transmitting the parking meter information stored in the memory using the transmitter; and
a trigger unit for triggering the transmission of the parking meter information when a trigger event associated with the receiver being within a transmission range is received, wherein the trigger event to trigger the transmission of the parking meter information is the vault door signal indicating the vault door is open.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
There is disclosed a single space parking meter that includes a low powered radio for communicating with a mobile access point. There is also provided a parking meter management system comprising a single space parking meter and a mobile access point. The mobile access point comprises a coin collection cart, and a mobile data collection terminal including a wireless radio for communicating with the wireless radio of the single space parking meter. Also disclosed is a method of managing single space parking meters comprising the steps of collecting and storing meter information in a single space parking meter, receiving at a main electronics board of the single space parking meter a transmit signal, and transmitting the meter information to a mobile access point using a low powered radio of the single space parking meter.
65 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A parking meter comprising:
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a payment mechanism comprising a coin chute for receiving coins as payment for parking space; a coin vault for holding the coins received at the coin chute; a vault door providing access to the coin vault; a vault door switch coupled to the vault door for providing a vault door signal indicating the vault door is open; a memory for storing parking meter information including information on the payment received; a transmitter for transmitting information to a receiver; a processor for executing instructions and providing; a transmitting unit for transmitting the parking meter information stored in the memory using the transmitter; and a trigger unit for triggering the transmission of the parking meter information when a trigger event associated with the receiver being within a transmission range is received, wherein the trigger event to trigger the transmission of the parking meter information is the vault door signal indicating the vault door is open. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A parking meter system comprising:
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a parking meter comprising; a payment mechanism for receiving payment for a parking space; a memory for storing parking meter information including information on the payment received; a transmitter for transmitting information; a processor for executing instructions and providing; a transmitting unit for transmitting the parking meter information stored in the memory using the transmitter; and a trigger unit for triggering the transmission of the parking meter information when a trigger event associated with a receiver being within a transmission range is received, wherein the trigger event is a vault door signal indicating a vault door of the parking meter is opened in order to retrieve coins from the parking meter; a coin collection cart for receiving coins retrieved from a plurality of parking meters including the parking meter; and said receiver housed within a terminal device for receiving the parking meter information from the transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
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6. A method of transmitting parking meter information comprising:
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storing parking meter information in a memory of the parking meter; generating a signal indicating that a receiver is within a transmission range of the parking meter, wherein the signal is generated by a switch coupled to a parking meter vault door that is opened when collecting coins from the parking meter; detecting at the parking meter an occurrence of a trigger event indicating that the receiver is within the transmission range of the parking meter, wherein detecting the occurrence of the trigger event comprises receiving the generated signal; and triggering the transmission of the parking meter information stored in the memory. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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Specification