Enhancements to meterless remote parking monitoring systems

• US 8,330,624 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2010
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fybr LLC
• Original Assignee: Eric Groft, Kirby Andrews
• Inventors: Groft, Eric, Andrews, Kirby
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khan, Omer S
• Application Number:
  US12/805,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20110063079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/932.2
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• 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: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

A remote meterless parking monitoring system including a plurality of individual parking spaces, a plurality of vehicle detector/RFID units for monitoring the status of the individual parking spaces; at least one Gateway device responsive to the plurality of vehicle detector/RFID units; a Command and Control Server for employing numerous security provisions at least including encryption of data, Virtual Privacy Networks, firewalls and authenticated connections and responsive to data from said Cellular gateway via the internet; and the Command and Control Server uses the status of each space and the ID from the motorist'"'"'s RFID tag to cross reference data according to a Policy database and identifying the motorist through a Motorist Database including information about the motorist'"'"'s mailing address, vehicle payment account balance or other information.

Claims

1. A process in a remote meterless parking monitoring system the time frames for the assigned space policy so that the assignment can be applied to at least one of beginning and cancelled in the future without further intervention, comprising the steps of:

a Vehicle Detector wakes an RFID Reader;

the RFID Reader determines all readable RFID Tags in proximity to the parking space;

the RFID Reader determination is transmitted to a Command and Control Server;

the proper RFID Tag for a Motorist is determined;

the Command and Control Server determines if any RFID Tag is associated with the Motorist;

if no proper RFID tag exists, a violation alert is issued;

if a proper RFID tag is associated with the motorist, look up motorist from a motorist database using the RFID tag number; and

determine if the Motorist is permitted in the Parking Space;

find the current Parking Policy assignment from an assignment table; and

if the motorist is not permitted in the parking space, issue a violation alert,

if the Motorist is permitted in the Parking Space, determine if the Parking Space has a Time Limit;

if the Parking Space has a time limit Set Space Maximum Allowable Time to Time Limit for the Parking Policy;

if the Parking Space does not have a Time Limit, Set Parking Space Maximum Time Limit to NO LIMIT;

determine if Parking Space requires payment;

if the Parking Space requires payment, Set Occupant Maximum time to smaller value of Space Maximum Time or Occupant Maximum Time;

if the Parking Space does not require payment, set Occupant Maximum Time to NO Limit;

set Maximum Occupant time to smaller value of Space Maximum Time or Occupant Maximum Time;

check violation Status;

determine if Current Time is greater than Arrival Time plus Maximum Occupant Time;

if Current Time is greater than Arrival Time plus Maximum Occupant Time the issue Violation Alert;

if Current Time is not greater than Arrival Time plus Maximum Occupant Time, then wait until occupant departs; and

end Occupant Monitoring Process.

2. A process in a remote meterless parking monitoring system for issuing violation alerts and boot violations as in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

recording the actual RFID tag ID and transmit it to the Command and Control Server;

if a violation alert is issued, verify the RFID tag against the permit in the Motorist'"'"'s Vehicle and determine if the tag matches the tag in the database stored in the Command and Control Server;

issue a citation/boot violation; and

send citation/boot details to the Command and Control Server to end the occupant monitoring process.

3. A process for identifying violations and issuing automatic citations in a remote meterless parking monitoring system as in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

if a violation alert is issued, verify RFID tag against the permit in the motorist'"'"'s vehicle;

determine if there is a Permit Tag in the vehicle and if YES, record actual RFID tag ID and Transmit it to the Command and Control Server;

if there is no Permit Tag in the vehicle, issue a Citation/Boot Violation;

send Citation Boot Details to the Command and Control Server and end Occupant Monitoring Process.

4. A process for identifying violations and issuing automatic citations in a remote meterless parking monitoring system as in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determine if the Parking Space requires payment;

if the Parking Space requires payment, set Occupant Maximum time to Motorist'"'"'s Account Balance divided by the Parking Space'"'"'s Rate;

determine if Current Time is greater than Arrival Time plus Maximum Occupant Time;

if Current Time is greater than Arrival Time plus Maximum Occupant Time, send motorist a Citation Notice at mailing address in Motorist Database and End Occupant Monitoring process.