Single space parking meter and removable single space parking meter mechanism

• US 8,807,317 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2012
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: J.J. MacKay Canada Limited (137954 Canada Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: J.J. MacKay Canada Limited (137954 Canada Ltd.)
• Inventors: MacKay, George Allan, Chauvin, Gregory Emile, McLarty, Shamus John Angus, Garvey, Ben
• Primary Examiner(s): BEAUCHAINE, MARK J
• Application Number:
  US13/545,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20120273322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 194/350, 194/351, 312/100, 312/271, 312/249.7, 312/293.2, 312/293.3, 312/325, 361/142, 361/600, 361/679.01, 361724-727, 361/728, 705/418, 340/870.02
• US Class Current: 194/350
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0704 the battery being rechargeable, e.g. solar batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/248 Housing construction casings for coin-freed apparatus G07F9/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/12 Billing, invoicing, buying or selling transactions or other related activities, e.g. cost or usage evaluation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A parking meter mechanism is described that may include a front housing, having a display opening for viewing a display through, connected to an internal structure. Additionally or alternatively the parking meter mechanism may include a contactless payment reader located behind the display. The parking meter mechanism may be secured to a lower housing. A back housing may be secured to the lower housing as well. The front or back housing may include a solar panel compartment and solar panel mounted therein.

Claims

1. A removable single space parking meter mechanism comprising:

an internal structure to be at least partially and removably received within a lower housing of a single space parking meter;

a front housing, to be exposed to an external environment, coupled to the internal structure; and

input controls comprising one or more buttons protruding through the front housing for interacting with the single space parking meter, the input controls located above a top of the lower housing when the removable single space parking meter mechanism is partially received within the lower housing.

2. The removable single space parking meter mechanism of claim 1, wherein the input controls comprise a plurality of mechanical buttons.

3. The removable single space parking meter mechanism of claim 2, wherein the input controls comprise:

a first mechanical button for increasing an amount of time purchased;

a second mechanical button for decreasing the amount of time purchased;

a third mechanical button for accepting an action; and

a fourth mechanical button for cancelling an action.

4. The removable single space parking meter mechanism of claim 1, wherein the input controls comprise at least one type of switch selected from the group consisting of:

electromechanical switches;

piezoelectric switches; and

capacitive touch switches.

5. The removable single space parking meter mechanism of claim 1, wherein the front housing is rigidly attached to the internal structure of the removable parking meter mechanism.

6. The removable single space parking meter mechanism of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of parking meter mechanism components coupled to the internal structure, the plurality of parking meter mechanism components comprising;

a display for displaying parking information;

a control component for controlling operation of the single space parking meter mechanism; and

a power source coupled to at least the control component.

7. The removable single space parking meter mechanism of claim 6, wherein:

the control component controls operation of the single space parking meter in order to manage the parking payment and control of a single parking space, or

the control component controls operation of the single space parking meter in order to manage the parking payment and control of a plurality of parking spaces.

8. The removable single space parking meter mechanism of claim 1, wherein the removable parking meter mechanism further comprises a payment means comprising one or more of:

a) a coin chute for receiving coins;

b) a card payment component for receiving payment by a payment card; and

c) a contactless payment reader for receiving payment by a contactless payment device.

9. The removable single space parking meter mechanism of claim 1, wherein the front housing comprises a card slot.

10. A single space parking meter comprising:

a lower housing;

a removable single space parking meter mechanism comprising;

an internal structure to be at least partially and removably received within the lower housing;

a front housing, exposed to an external environment, coupled to the internal structure; and

input controls comprising one or more buttons protruding through the front housing for interacting with the single space parking meter, the input controls located above a top of the lower housing when the removable single space parking meter mechanism is partially received within the lower housing; and

a meter housing secured to the lower housing and securing the removable single space parking meter mechanism at least partially within the lower housing.

11. The single space parking meter of claim 10, wherein the input controls comprise a plurality of mechanical buttons.

12. The single space parking meter of claim 11, wherein the input controls comprise:

a first mechanical button for increasing an amount of time purchased;

a second mechanical button for decreasing the amount of time purchased;

a third mechanical button for accepting an action; and

a fourth mechanical button for cancelling an action.

13. The single space parking meter of claim 10, wherein the input controls comprise at least one type of switch selected from the group consisting of:

electromechanical switches;

piezoelectric switches; and

capacitive touch switches.

14. The single space parking meter of claim 10, wherein the removable single space parking meter mechanism further comprises:

a plurality of parking meter mechanism components coupled to the internal structure, the plurality of parking meter mechanism components comprising;

a display for displaying parking information;

a control component for controlling operation of the single space parking meter mechanism; and

a power source coupled to at least the control component.

15. The single space parking meter of claim 10, wherein the front housing, the meter housing and the lower housing provide a protective housing for the parking meter mechanism components.

16. The single space parking meter of claim 10, wherein the front housing is rigidly attached to the internal structure of the removable parking meter mechanism, and the meter housing is pivotally attached to the lower housing.

17. The single space parking meter of claim 10, further comprising a lower locking mechanism to secure the meter housing to the lower housing.

18. The single space parking meter of claim 10, further comprising one or more securing points for releasably coupling the removable single space parking meter mechanism at least partially within the lower housing.

19. The single space parking meter of claim 18, wherein the securing points are located on one or more of:

a) the lower housing of the single space parking meter;

b) the meter housing of the single space parking meter; and

c) the front housing of the removable parking meter mechanism of the single space parking meter.

20. The removable single space parking meter mechanism of claim 18, wherein the front housing comprises a display opening through which a display is visible.

21. The removable single space parking meter mechanism of claim 20, wherein an antenna for a contactless payment reader is arranged behind the display.

22. The single space parking meter of claim 10, further comprising a solar panel mounted on an external surface of the removable parking meter mechanism of the single space parking meter.

23. The single space parking meter of claim 10, wherein the front housing of the removable parking meter mechanism comprises a card slot.

24. A single space parking meter comprising:

a lower housing;

a removable single space parking meter mechanism comprising;

an internal structure to be at least partially and removably received within the lower housing;

a display;

a front housing, to be exposed to an external environment, coupled to the internal structure;

an antenna for a contactless payment reader arranged in close proximity to the display; and

input controls comprising one or more buttons protruding through the front housing for interacting with the single space parking meter, the input controls located above a top of the lower housing when the removable single space parking meter mechanism is partially received within the lower housing; and

a meter housing secured to the lower housing and securing the removable single space parking meter mechanism at least partially within the lower housing.

25. The single space parking meter of claim 24, wherein the antenna for the contactless payment reader is arranged behind the display.

26. The single space parking meter of claim 24, wherein the contactless payment reader is at least one of:

a Near-Field Communications (NFC) reader;

a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader; and

an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14443 reader.