Automated vehicle parking system for a plurality of remote parking facilities
First Claim
1. An automated vehicle parking system for access and revenue control of a plurality of remote parking facilities, each facility having controlled entrance lanes and controlled exit lanes, the system including:
- a vehicle detection device with each of the remote parking facilities for detecting a vehicle as the vehicle approaches the facility entrance lane;
a lane controller system with each of the remote parking facilities coupled to the vehicle detection device for identifying the vehicle and generating a recognition signal;
a computer database with each of the remote parking facilities for storing parking information concerning all vehicles that use the automated system;
a first computer associated with each of the remote parking facilities and coupled to the lane controller and the database for receiving the recognition signal and generating appropriate parking response signals from the database to the lane controller system, said first computer calculating a parking fee for each vehicle;
a central facility; and
a communication system including a second computer in said central facility coupled to the first computer to enable the second computer to communicate with said first computer at each of the remote parking facilities and to periodically calculate a single parking fee statement for a given vehicle whether parked at one or more of the plurality of remote parking facilities and to advise each remote facility first computer of the total fees due to that remote facility for each vehicle during specified periods.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automated vehicle parking system for a plurality of remote parking facilities that communicates with a vehicle approaching or leaving the remote facility with RF signals, or the like, that identifies the vehicle and sends the vehicle identification number, time of day, and lane number to a first computer at the remote facility for calculating the parking cost of a given vehicle based on rates for said given individual vehicle stored in the first computer of each of the plurality of remote parking facilities and having a central computer coupled to each remote facility for providing a single bill to a user of several remote facilities and advising each remote facility first computer of the total fees due for all users of that remote facility during specified periods.
34 Citations
67 Claims
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1. An automated vehicle parking system for access and revenue control of a plurality of remote parking facilities, each facility having controlled entrance lanes and controlled exit lanes, the system including:
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a vehicle detection device with each of the remote parking facilities for detecting a vehicle as the vehicle approaches the facility entrance lane;
a lane controller system with each of the remote parking facilities coupled to the vehicle detection device for identifying the vehicle and generating a recognition signal;
a computer database with each of the remote parking facilities for storing parking information concerning all vehicles that use the automated system;
a first computer associated with each of the remote parking facilities and coupled to the lane controller and the database for receiving the recognition signal and generating appropriate parking response signals from the database to the lane controller system, said first computer calculating a parking fee for each vehicle;
a central facility; and
a communication system including a second computer in said central facility coupled to the first computer to enable the second computer to communicate with said first computer at each of the remote parking facilities and to periodically calculate a single parking fee statement for a given vehicle whether parked at one or more of the plurality of remote parking facilities and to advise each remote facility first computer of the total fees due to that remote facility for each vehicle during specified periods. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 51)
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9. An automated vehicle parking system including a plurality of remote parking facilities each of which has an entrance and an exit, the system including:
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a vehicle detector at each remote parking facility for generating a detector signal when a vehicle approaches the entrance to the facility;
a lane controller coupled to the detector at each remote parking facility for receiving the detector signal and generating an identification request signal;
a sensor at the entrance of each remote parking facility and coupled to the lane controller for transmitting the identification request as an RF signal to the detected vehicle;
a transponder in the vehicle for responding to the transmitted sensor identification request signal by returning an identification code to the sensor;
said lane controller receiving the identification code from the sensor, generating the time of day, and a signal representing the lane number;
a first computer at each remote parking facility that is coupled to the lane controller for receiving the vehicle identification code, the time of day, and lane number and generating an appropriate response to the lane controller, the lane controller automatically admitting the vehicle to the parking facility, or denying the vehicle admittance in accordance with the response from the first computer, said first computer calculating a parking fee for each vehicle using the facility; and
a second centralized computer coupled to the first computer at each of the remote parking facilities for communicating with each of the first computers and preparing a single periodic parking fee statement for each vehicle that uses one or more of the remote parking facilities. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A method for access and revenue control of a plurality of remote parking facilities, each having at least one controlled entrance lane and at least one controlled exit lane, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating a vehicle detection signal at each of the plurality of remote parking facilities with a detection device when a vehicle approaches the remote parking facility entrance;
identifying vehicles authorized to use the remote parking facility with a lane controller system and generating an authorization signal;
storing parking information in a first computer database concerning the vehicles authorized to the use the remote parking facility;
generating appropriate parking responses to the lane controller system upon receiving the authorization signal; and
communicating with the database of the first computer in each of the remote parking facilities with a central computer and compiling a single parking fee statement with the central computer for a user of one or more of the remote parking facilities. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. In an automated vehicle parking system for access and revenue control of a plurality of remote parking facilities, a method comprising:
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receiving parking information from a first remote parking facility, wherein the parking information includes an identification of each user of the first parking facility or the user'"'"'s vehicle;
receiving parking information from a second remote parking facility, wherein the parking information includes an identification of each user of the second parking facility or the user'"'"'s vehicle; and
compiling and creating combined parking fee statements using a computer based on the received parking information from the first and second parking facilities. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A system for payment at a plurality of remote parking facilities, the system comprising:
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a computer database at each of the remote parking facilities for storing parking information concerning users of the system;
a first computer associated with each of the remote parking facilities and coupled to the computer database, said first computer calculating a parking fee for said users;
a central facility; and
a second computer in said central facility for communicating with the first computer at each of the remote parking facilities and for periodically generating a single parking fee statement for a given user account whether used at one or more of the plurality of remote parking facilities. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for payment at a plurality of remote parking facilities comprising the steps of:
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storing in a first computer database parking information concerning users of a particular parking facility;
calculating a parking fee for a user'"'"'s vehicle using the particular parking facility; and
communicating the parking information and the calculated parking fees to a central computer, the central computer receiving parking information and calculated parking fees from said plurality of remote parking facilities, and generating a single parking fee statement for a user account used at one or more of the remote parking facilities. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A system for payment at a plurality of remote parking facilities, one of the plurality of remote parking facilities having a system comprising:
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a computer database for storing information concerning users of the remote parking facility;
a first computer associated with the remote parking facility and coupled to the database for generating response signals from the database, the first computer calculating a parking fee for a user of the remote parking facility; and
wherein the first computer is coupled to and provides the parking fee to a central computer, wherein the central computer, in response thereto, periodically generates a single fee statement for a given user account. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. In a system for payment at a plurality of remote locations, a system comprising:
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a computer database for storing information concerning tags used with the payment system;
a first computer associated with the remote location and coupled to the database for generating response signals from the database, the first computer calculating a parking fee for at least one of said tags; and
wherein the first computer is coupled to and provides the parking fee to a central computer, wherein the central computer in response thereto, periodically generates a single fee statement corresponding to a given tag whether used at one or more of the plurality of remote parking facilities.
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30. A method for payment at a plurality of remote parking facilities, comprising the steps of:
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receiving parking information from a remote computer at each of the plurality of remote parking facilities, wherein the parking information concerns and identifies tags used at a remote parking facility; and
generating a single parking fee statement for a user account used at one or more of the plurality of remote parking facilities based on the received parking information. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. In a system for payment at a plurality of remote parking facilities, a computer-readable medium providing instructions that when implemented by a computer performs a method comprising:
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receiving parking information from a remote computer at each of the plurality of remote parking facilities, wherein the parking information concerns and identifies a user account authorized to use the system; and
generating a single parking fee statement for a user account used at one or more of the plurality of remote parking facilities based on the received parking information. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. In a system for payment at a plurality of remote parking facilities, a computer-readable medium storing for use by a central computer comprising:
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user account identification provided to the central computer by a remote computer associated with each remote parking facility;
parking data provided to the central computer by the remote computer associated with each remote parking facility, wherein the parking data is for the remote parking facility and associated with user account identifications, and wherein the central computer generates single parking fee statements for user accounts used at one or more of the remote parking facilities based on the vehicle identification and the parking data. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. In a system for payment at a plurality of remote parking facilities, a data signal received and for use by a central computer system comprising:
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user account identifications provided to the central computer by a remote computer associated with each remote parking facility;
parking data provided to the central computer by the remote computer associated with each remote parking facility;
wherein the parking data corresponds to the remote parking facility and is associated with the user account identifications, and wherein the central computer can generate single parking fee statements for user accounts used at one or more of the remote parking facilities based on the user account identifications and the parking data. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. In a system for payment at a plurality of remote parking facilities, a data signal transmitted to and for use by a central computer system comprising:
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user account identifications provided to the central computer by a remote computer associated with each remote parking facility;
parking data provided to the central computer by the remote computer associated with each remote parking facility;
wherein the parking data corresponds to the remote parking facilities and is associated with the user account identifications, and wherein the central computer can generate single parking fee statements for user accounts used at one or more of the remote parking facilities based on the user account identification and the parking data. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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41. A method for payment at a plurality of remote parking facilities, comprising the steps of:
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reading a vehicle'"'"'s tag identification;
charging a parking fee to an account associated with the tag; and
transmitting a transaction record corresponding to the charging of the fee to a central computer for generation of a single parking fee statement, based on one or more accounts used at one or more of the remote parking facilities. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A method for payment at a plurality of remote parking facilities comprising the steps of:
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receiving a first transaction record corresponding to a first parking fee charged to a user account at a first remote parking facility;
receiving a second transaction record corresponding to a second parking fee charged to the user account at a second remote parking facility; and
generating a single fee statement by including in the statement the first and second parking fees charged to the user account. - View Dependent Claims (47)
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48. A system for payment at a plurality of remote parking facilities, comprising:
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a central computer in a central facility;
a first computer in a first parking facility for storing and communicating information about a user account to the central computer; and
a second computer in a second parking facility for storing and communicating information about said user account to the central computer;
wherein the central computer generates a single parking fee statement for said user account and advises the first and second computers of the total fees due to the first and second remote facilities for each user account using the facilities.
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49. A method for payment at a plurality of remote parking facilities, comprising:
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receiving user account transaction records from the plurality of remote facilities; and
generating single fee statements for user accounts based on the transaction records. - View Dependent Claims (50)
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52. A system for payment at a plurality of remote parking facilities, comprising:
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a central computer in a central facility;
a first computer in a first parking facility for storing and communicating information about a user account to the central computer; and
a second computer in a second parking facility for storing and communicating information about said user account to the central computer;
wherein the central computer generates a single parking fee statement for said user account.
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53. An automated vehicle parking system for access and revenue control of a plurality of remote parking facilities, each facility having controlled entrance lanes and controlled exit lanes, the system including:
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vehicle detection device with each of the remote parking facilities for detecting a vehicle as the vehicle approaches the controlled entrance lane;
lane controller system with each of the remote parking facilities coupled to the vehicle detection device for identifying the vehicle and generating a recognition signal;
computer database with each of the remote parking facilities for storing parking information concerning all vehicles that use the automated vehicle parking system;
first computer associated with each of the remote parking facilities and coupled to the lane controller and the computer database for receiving the recognition signal and generating appropriate parking response signals from the computer database to the lane controller system, said first computer calculating a parking fee for each vehicle;
central facility; and
communication system including a second computer in said central facility coupled to the first computer to enable the second computer to communicate with said first computer at each of the remote parking facilities and to periodically calculate a single parking fee statement for a given vehicle whether parked at one or more of the plurality of remote parking facilities and to advise each remote facility first computer of the total fees due to that remote facility for each vehicle during specified periods. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. An automated vehicle parking system including a plurality of remote parking facilities each of which has an entrance and an exit, the system including:
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a vehicle detector at each remote parking facility for generating a detector signal when a vehicle approaches the entrance to the remote parking facility;
a lane controller coupled to the detector at each remote parking facility for receiving the detector signal and generating an identification request signal;
a sensor at the entrance of each remote parking facility and coupled to the lane controller for transmitting the identification request signal as an RF signal to the vehicle;
a transponder in the vehicle for responding to the transmitted identification request signal by returning an identification code to the sensor;
said lane controller receiving the identification code from the sensor, generating a time of day, and a signal representing the lane number;
a first computer at each remote parking facility that is coupled to the lane controller for receiving the identification code, the time of day, and lane number and generating an appropriate response to the lane controller, the lane controller automatically admitting the vehicle to the parking facility, or denying the vehicle admittance in accordance with the response from the first computer, said first computer calculating a parking fee for each vehicle using the facility; and
a second centralized computer coupled to the first computer at each of the remote parking facilities for communicating with each of the first computers and preparing a single periodic parking fee statement for each vehicle that uses one or more of the remote parking facilities. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63)
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64. A method for access and revenue control of a plurality of remote parking facilities, each having at least one controlled entrance lane and at least one controlled exit lane, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating a vehicle detection signal at each of the plurality of remote parking facilities with a detection device when a vehicle approaches a remote parking facility entrance;
identifying vehicles authorized to use the remote parking facility with a lane controller system and generating an authorization signal;
storing parking information in a database of a first computer concerning the vehicles authorized to use the remote parking facility;
generating appropriate parking responses to the lane controller system upon receiving the authorization signal; and
communicating with the database of the first computer in each of the remote parking facilities with a central computer and compiling a single parking fee statement with the central computer for a user of one or more of the remote parking facilities. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67)
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Specification