Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for facilitating reservation for a parking space with a near field communication-enabled device

• US 9,697,651 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2011
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Khan, Mohammad
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRINGTON, MICHAEL P
• Application Number:
  US13/171,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20110320243A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,198 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• 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 17/246 provided with vehicle proximity-detectors detecting hidden masses, e.g. metal detectors, G01V, e.g. G01V3/00; proximity switches per se H03K17/00; traffic control systems G08G1/00

Abstract

Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer readable media for facilitating reservation for a parking space with a near field communications (NFC)-enabled device are provided. A system can include an NFC-enabled parking meter associated with a parking space and a controller in communication with the NFC-enabled parking meter for measuring time and processing payment. A system can include an NFC-enabled device that upon interfacing with the NFC-enabled parking meter communicates with the controller to create a reservation of a parking space.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating reservation for a parking space with a near field communications (NFC)-enabled device, the system comprising:

an NFC-enabled parking meter associated with a parking space;

a controller for measuring time and processing payment, wherein the controller is disposed in the NFC-enabled parking meter; and

an NFC-enabled device that upon interfacing with the NFC-enabled parking meter via NFC communicates with the controller to create a reservation of the parking space and upon a subsequent interfacing with the NFC-enabled parking meter via NFC provides payment for use of the parking space to the NFC-enabled parking meter from a wallet application on the NFC-enabled device, wherein the controller does not communicate payment related data to a backend server that is located external to the NFC-enabled parking meter, and wherein the controller provides location specific marketing associated with local establishments in a vicinity of the parking space for display on the NFC-enabled device upon the interfacing of the NFC-enabled device with the NFC-enabled parking meter to create the reservation of the parking space.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a timer and, upon interfacing with the NFC-enabled parking meter, the timer is started for the reservation via a single NFC tap.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the NFC-enabled device provides a prepayment for an allotment of time for the parking space.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller provides an alert to display a message on the NFC-enabled device to provide notification of a pending lapse of the allotment of time for the parking space.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the NFC-enabled device provides an interface to pay an additional prepayment for an extended allotment of time for the parking space.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein, the timer is stopped and the NFC-enabled device provides payment for use of the parking space upon interfacing the NFC-enabled device with the NFC-enabled parking meter via a second NFC tap.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the NFC-enabled parking meter releases the parking space upon interfacing the NFC-enabled device with the NFC-enabled parking meter via the second NFC tap.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the NFC-enabled parking meter comprises a display to show whether the timer is running.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the NFC-enabled parking meter comprises a display for displaying whether the parking space is under a reservation or has been released.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the NFC-enabled parking meter comprises a wireless transceiver for interfacing with the NFC-enabled device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the NFC-enabled parking meter includes a wireless transceiver that comprises one of a wireless device reader or an NFC passive tag.

12. The system of claim 1 comprising a handheld information collection device configured to check a status of the parking space.

13. A method for facilitating reservation for a parking space with a near field communications (NFC)-enabled device, the method comprising:

interfacing, via NFC, an NFC-enabled device with an NFC-enabled parking meter associated with one or more parking spaces to receive data from the NFC-enabled parking meter regarding a parking space;

reserving the parking space associated with the NFC-enabled parking meter through the NFC-enabled device, wherein the NFC-enabled parking meter includes a controller configured to measure time and process payment associated with a reservation of the parking space, wherein the controller is disposed in the NFC-enabled parking meter, wherein the controller does not communicate payment related data to a backend server external to the NFC-enabled parking meter, and wherein the controller provides location specific marketing associated with local establishments in a vicinity of the parking space for display on the NFC-enabled device upon the interfacing of the NFC-enabled device with the NFC-enabled parking meter to create the reservation of the parking space;

receiving an electronic confirmation for the reservation of the parking space at the NFC-enabled device; and

interfacing, via NFC, the NFC-enabled device with the NFC-enabled parking meter to provide payment for use of the parking space to the NFC-enabled parking meter from a wallet application on the NFC-enabled device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, upon reserving the parking space, initiating a start of a timer associated with the NFC-enabled parking meter via a single NFC tap of the NFC-enabled device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising prepaying for an allotment of time for the parking space via the single NFC tap of the NFC-enabled device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing an alert to the NFC-enabled device to provide notification of a pending lapse of the allotment of time for the parking space.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing an interface on the NFC-enabled device to pay an additional prepayment for an extended allotment of time for the parking space.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising stopping the timer and paying for use of the parking space upon interfacing with the NFC-enabled parking meter via a second NFC tap of the NFC-enabled device.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising releasing the parking space via the second NFC tap of the NFC-enabled device.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving an electronic confirmation for the payment for use of the parking space at the NFC-enabled device.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the paying for the parking space comprises electronically paying with a payment card from a wallet application on the NFC-enabled device.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving an electronic confirmation for the payment comprises receiving a short messaging service (SMS) message.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving an electronic confirmation for the payment comprises receiving a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message.

24. The method of claim 13, further comprising, at the NFC-enabled parking meter, communicating with the backend server to provide an identification number to track the identity of a user associated with the NFC-enabled device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the NFC-enabled device is a mobile device and the identification number is a phone number associated with the mobile device.

26. The method of claim 13, further comprising monitoring a status of the parking space with an information collection device.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising communicating the status of the parking space from the information collection device to a backend server.

28. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying on a display disposed on the NFC-enabled parking meter whether the parking space is under a reservation or has been released.

29. The method of claim 13 comprising utilizing a handheld information collection device to check a status of the parking space.

30. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon comprising computer executable instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps comprising:

interfacing, via near field communications (NFC), an NFC-enabled device with an NFC-enabled parking meter associated with one or more parking spaces to receive data from the NFC-enabled parking meter regarding a parking space;

reserving the parking space associated with the NFC-enabled parking meter through the NFC-enabled device, wherein the NFC-enabled parking meter includes a controller configured to measure time and process payment associated with a reservation of the parking space, wherein the controller is disposed in the NFC-enabled parking meter, wherein the controller does not communicate payment related data to a backend server that is located external to the NFC-enabled parking meter, and wherein the controller provides location specific marketing associated with local establishments in a vicinity of the parking space for display on the NFC-enabled device upon the interfacing of the NFC-enabled device with the NFC-enabled parking meter to create the reservation of the parking space;

receiving an electronic confirmation for the reservation of the parking space at the NFC-enabled device; and

interfacing, via NFC, the NFC-enabled device with the NFC-enabled parking meter to provide payment for use of the parking to the NFC-enabled parking meter from a wallet application on the NFC-enabled device.

31. A parking meter apparatus for facilitating reservation for a parking space with a near field communications (NFC)-enabled device, the parking meter comprising:

a parking meter housing positionable proximate to a parking space;

a wireless device transceiver disposed in the parking meter housing, the wireless device transceiver being configured to receive and transmit signals from and to an NFC-enabled device regarding a parking space to permit reservation of the parking space associated with the NFC-enabled parking meter through the NFC-enabled device, wherein the wireless device transceiver upon being interfaced with the NFC-enabled device via NFC receives payment for use of the parking space from a wallet application on the NFC-enabled mobile device; and

a controller in communication with the wireless device transceiver and disposed in the parking meter housing, the controller configured for measuring time and processing payment associated with a reservation of the parking space, wherein the controller does not communicate payment related data to a backend server that is located external to the NFC-enabled parking meter, and wherein the controller provides location specific marketing associated with local establishments in a vicinity of the parking space for display on the NFC-enabled device upon the interfacing of the NFC-enabled device with the NFC-enabled parking meter to create the reservation of the parking space.

32. The parking meter apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a display disposed on the parking meter housing and in communication with the wireless device transceiver, the display capable of displaying information regarding a status of the parking space.

33. The parking meter apparatus of claim 31, wherein the wireless transceiver comprises a wireless device reader.

34. The parking meter apparatus of claim 31, wherein the wireless transceiver comprises an NFC passive tag.