Electronic parking meter
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A proximity detector for detecting the presence of a coin or token in a coin chute comprising:
- a first oscillator circuit having a first coil and a first capacitor;
a second oscillator circuit having a second coil and a second capacitor;
said first and second oscillator circuits being inductively coupled;
said coils and said capacitors having substantially the same values;
said coils being axially aligned with one another and being disposed on opposite sides of said coin chute;
a common-emitter amplifier having a base and a collector, said collector providing a detector output, one of said first and second coils being connected to said collector and the other of said first and second coils being connected to said base.
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Abstract
A proximity detector for detecting the presence of a coin or token in a coin chute, comprising a pair of axially aligned coils disposed on opposed sides of the chute; a common-emitter amplifier having a base and a collector providing a detector output, one of the coils being connected to the collector and the other of the coils being connected to the base.
300 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A proximity detector for detecting the presence of a coin or token in a coin chute comprising:
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a first oscillator circuit having a first coil and a first capacitor; a second oscillator circuit having a second coil and a second capacitor; said first and second oscillator circuits being inductively coupled; said coils and said capacitors having substantially the same values; said coils being axially aligned with one another and being disposed on opposite sides of said coin chute; a common-emitter amplifier having a base and a collector, said collector providing a detector output, one of said first and second coils being connected to said collector and the other of said first and second coils being connected to said base. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A parking meter, comprising:
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a display; a power supply for providing a voltage or current at a first low power level, and a second higher power level; a coin chute for receiving a coin or token; an object detector for detecting the presence of an object in said coin chute and generating an object detected signal upon detecting an object in said chute; a coin discriminator for providing signals for use in identifying a coin or token inserted in said coin chute; and a first controller; a second controller; said first controller operable under said first power level and said second power level in an active mode for operating said display, and monitoring said object detector and generating a wake signal upon detecting said object detected signal; said second controller having a normal, quiescent mode in which said second controller is disconnected from said second power level and an active mode in which said second controller is connected to said second power level and being transferable from said quiescent mode to said active mode in response to said wake signal. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A parking meter, comprising:
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a display; a power supply for providing a voltage or current at a first low power level and a second higher power level; a coin chute for receiving a coin or token; a card slot for receiving a card; an infrared receiver and an infrared transmitter; an object detector for detecting the presence of an object in said coin chute and generating an object detected signal upon detecting an object in said chute; a card detector for detecting the presence of a card in said card slot and generating a card detected signal upon detecting a card in said card slot; a coin discriminator for providing signals for use in identifying a coin or token inserted in said coin chute; and a first and a second controller; said first controller operable under said first power level and said second power level in an active mode for operating said display, and for;
(i) monitoring said object detector and generating a wake signal upon detecting said object detected signal;
(ii) monitoring said card detector and generating a wake signal upon detecting said card detected signal;
or (iii) monitoring said IR receiver and generating a wake signal upon detecting a signal thereat;said second controller having a normal, quiescent mode in which said second controller is disconnected from said second power level and an active mode in which said second controller is connected to said second power level and being transferable from said quiescent mode to said active mode in response to said wake signal.
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15. An apparatus for use with a device having a payment slot, the apparatus comprising:
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means for reading digital data concerning activity of said device having a payment slot; and
,means for communicating between said means for reading data and the device having a payment slot, said means for communicating comprising sensing means for insertion into the payment device receiving slot in the device having a payment slot. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for use with a parking meter comprising an internal circuit and a card receiving slot for accepting payment, said apparatus comprising:
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means for exchanging digital data concerning activity of said parking meter; and
,a means for communicating between said means for exchanging data and the parking meter, said means for communicating comprising card means for insertion into the card payment receiving slot, said card means comprising means for establishing electrical contact with the meter circuit. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. An apparatus for use with a parking meter comprising an internal circuit and a coin receiving slot for accepting payment;
- said apparatus comprising;
means for exchanging digital data concerning activity of said parking meter; and
,means for communicating between said means for exchanging data and the parking meter, said means for communicating comprising coin slot means for insertion into the coin payment receiving slot, said coin slot means comprising means for establishing electrical contact with the meter circuit. - View Dependent Claims (25)
- said apparatus comprising;
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26. An apparatus for use with a parking meter having a payment slot, said apparatus comprising:
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a hand-held computer for collecting information from said parking meter concerning activity of said parking meter; electrical contacts, electrically connected to said hand-held computer, through which information may be sent and received; wherein said electrical contacts may be inserted into said payment slot in such a manner that said hand-held computer may communicate with said parking meter through said electrical contacts. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. An apparatus for use with a parking meter having a payment slot, said apparatus comprising:
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a hand-held computer for collecting information from said parking meter concerning activity of said parking meter; an optical communication device, electrically connected to said hand-held computer, through which information may be sent and received; wherein said optical communication device may be inserted into said payment slot in such a manner that said hand-held computer may communicate with said parking meter through said optical communication device. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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- 33. A method of communicating with a parking meter concerning activity of said parking meter, comprising inserting an apparatus into a payment slot in the parking meter and transmitting information to and receiving information from said parking meter through said apparatus.
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38. An apparatus for use with a parking meter comprising an internal circuit and a coin receiving slot for accepting payment;
- said apparatus comprising;
means for exchanging digital data concerning activity of said parking meter; and
,means for communicating between said means for exchanging data and the parking meter, said means for communicating comprising insertion means for insertion into the coin receiving slot in the parking meter, said insertion means comprising means for establishing electrical contact with the meter circuit.
- said apparatus comprising;
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39. A method of communicating with a parking meter concerning activity of said parking meter, comprising inserting a communication device into a payment slot in the parking meter and transmitting information to and receiving information from said parking meter through said communication device.
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40. A method of RF communication for a parking meter comprising:
- placing a radio frequency (RF) device in close proximity to at said parking meter; and
, transmitting RF signals to said RF device and receiving RF signals from said RF device. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
- placing a radio frequency (RF) device in close proximity to at said parking meter; and
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47. A method of optical communication from a parking meter comprising:
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placing a receiving computing device at a payment interface of said parking meter; and optically receiving at said receiving computing device parking meter related data from said payment interface of said parking meter. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification