Parking meter and a device therefor

• US 8,595,054 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2006
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IPS Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IPS Group Incorporated
• Inventors: King, David William, Schwarz, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, Akiba
• Application Number:
  US12/095,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20090159674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,549 Days
• Field of Search: 705/13, 368/7, 368/8, 368/90, D10/42, 340/870.02, 340/932.2
• US Class Current: 705/13
• 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: 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 17/0014 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 17/248 Housing construction casings for coin-freed apparatus G07F9/10

Abstract

A single bay parking meter device is provided which accepts payment by means of a credit or debit card, an electronic purse, or coins. The device has a power supply unit, a solar power charging arrangement and power management, such that it does not need power supply cables to be installed for each meter. The parking meter device also transmits financial data to a financial institution in a wireless manner, also to avoid the need for cabling. The parking meter device is receivable in the base of a conventional single bay parking meter, such that the new parking meter device may be retrofitted to existing coin operated installed single bay parking meters, using a new cover that is also engageable with the conventional housing base.

Claims

1. A parking meter device that is receivable within a housing base of a single space parking meter, the parking meter device including:

a timer;

a payment facilitating arrangement operable in cooperation with a non-cash payment medium for effecting payment of a monetary amount for a parking period;

a display configured to visually provide a balance remaining of the parking period;

a power management facility that supplies power to the timer, payment facilitating arrangement, and display;

a wireless communications subsystem configured to receive information relating to the non-cash payment medium in respect of the payment facilitating arrangement;

a keypad sensor that receives input comprising manipulation by the user;

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

a lower portion and an upper portion;

wherein the keypad sensor operates the parking meter and determines parking time amount for purchase in accordance with the received input from the user;

wherein the display provides the amount of time purchased in response to the received input from the user;

wherein the upper portion of the parking meter device includes a solar panel that charges the power management facility;

wherein the lower portion of the parking meter device is configured to have a shape and dimensions such that the lower portion is receivable within the housing base of the single space parking meter; and

wherein the upper portion of the parking meter device is covered by a cover that is configured to accommodate the upper portion and that is engageable with the housing base of the single space parking meter such that the payment facilitating arrangement is accessible by the user for user manipulation effecting the payment of the monetary amount for the parking period when the lower portion of the parking meter device is received within the housing base and the upper portion is covered by the cover.

2. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 1, in which the payment medium is a credit card or debit card.

3. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 1, in which the payment facilitating arrangement includes at least one of a card reader or a card writer.

4. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 1, in which the payment medium is an electronic purse, and in which the payment facilitating arrangement includes communicating means for communicating with the electronic purse.

5. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 1, which includes an information transmitting means for transmitting data in regard to the payment to a financial institution.

6. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 5, in which the information transmitting means is operable in a wireless manner.

7. A parking meter device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing base is a conventional parking meter housing base.

8. The parking meter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the solar panel is located at a rear side of the parking meter device upper portion and is configured to be visible through a solar panel window of the cover when the cover is closed over the upper portion.

9. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the parking meter device upper portion includes a rear side that includes an infrared receiver and transmitter that are configured for the transfer of management data and operational software.

10. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display is located at the parking meter device upper portion.

11. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the display is configured to be visible through a display window of the cover when the cover is closed over the upper portion.

12. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 1, further including a communications subsystem that transmits management information to a management center, wherein the management information includes meter malfunction details, tampering alert, parking duration expiration, and location of the parking meter device.

13. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the communications subsystem transmits information via cellular telephone.

14. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the communications subsystem transmits information via a telecommunications network.

15. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the communications subsystem transmits information via an infrared port.

16. The parking meter device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the communications subsystem comprises an expansion interface that supports connection to a network communication device that provides communication signals.