Parking meter system

• US 10,685,501 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2019
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Municipal Parking Services, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Municipal Parking Services, Inc.
• Inventors: Hudson, Thomas G., Caldwell, Joseph M., Gage, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trail, Allyson N
• Application Number:
  US16/579,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20200020174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 267 Days
• Field of Search: 235384, 235381, 705 13, 705 1458, 705 18
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations

Abstract

A parking enforcement device includes a weather resistant housing, a processor disposed inside of the housing, a memory disposed inside of the housing and coupled to the processor, a network interface disposed in the housing and coupled to the processor, and a first camera coupled to the processor. The camera monitors a first parking space. A second camera remote from the parking meter monitors a second parking space and is networked to the processor. The processor is configured to recognize when a vehicle enters either of the first and second parking spaces and to determine if a parking violation min either of the spaces has occurred.

Claims

1. A parking enforcement system, comprising:

a parking meter disposed adjacent to a first parking space, the parking meter comprising;

a weather resistant housing;

a processor disposed inside of the housing a memory disposed inside of the housing and coupled to the processor;

a network interface disposed in the housing and coupled to the processor;

a first camera coupled to the processor and aimed to monitor the first parking space;

wherein the processor is configured to;

recognize when a vehicle enters the first parking space;

determine whether a parking violation for the vehicle has occurred; and

transmit notice of the parking violation to a remote computer system via the network interface, the notice including data corresponding to an identification for the vehicle and a time of the violation;

a second camera disposed above ground and located adjacent to a second parking space and in a position remote from the parking meter, the second camera networked with the processor of the parking meter;

wherein the processor is further configured to;

recognize when a vehicle enters the second parking space;

determine whether a parking violation for the vehicle in the third parking space has occurred; and

transmit notice of the parking violation to a remote computer system via the network interface, the notice including data corresponding to an identification for the vehicle in the second parking space and a time of the violation.

2. The parking enforcement system of claim 1, wherein the parking meter is disposed atop a pole.

3. The parking enforcement system of claim 1, wherein the first camera is disposed entirely inside of the housing.

4. The parking enforcement system of claim 1, wherein the second camera networked with the processor of the parking meter wirelessly.

5. The parking enforcement system of claim 1, further comprising a third camera disposed above ground and located adjacent to a third parking space and in a position remote from the parking meter and the second camera, the third camera networked with the processor of the parking meter, wherein the processor is further configured to:

recognize when a vehicle enters the third parking space;

determine whether a parking violation for the vehicle in the third parking space has occurred; and

transmit notice of the parking violation to a remote computer system via the network interface, the notice including data corresponding to an identification for the vehicle in the third parking space and a time of the violation.

6. The parking enforcement system of claim 1, wherein the determination that a parking violation for any of the vehicles has occurred is immediate upon recognition that the vehicle entered the respective first or second parking space if parking for such vehicle in such space is prohibited.

7. The parking enforcement system of claim 1, wherein the determination that a parking violation for any of the vehicles has occurred is made after expiration of a grace period beginning upon recognition that the vehicle entered the respective parking space and ending after a preset period of time without payment being submitted to the parking meter.

8. The parking enforcement system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether any vehicle that enters either of the first and second parking spaces belongs to a class of persons whom are permitted to park in either of the first or second parking spaces.

9. The parking enforcement system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the first and second parking spaces is a location where parking is prohibited.

10. The parking enforcement system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine which of the plurality of class rules applies to a vehicle entering any of the first and second parking spaces based upon a class designation associated with the vehicle'"'"'s identification.

11. The parking enforcement system of claim 10, wherein the class designation is maintained in the memory or is communicated by a remote computer system networked with the parking meter.

12. The parking enforcement system of claim 10, wherein one of the plurality of parking class rules is a handicap parking restriction.

13. The parking enforcement system of claim 10, wherein one of the plurality of parking class rules is a neighborhood resident parking restriction.

14. The parking enforcement system of claim 10, wherein one of the plurality of parking class rules is a municipal employee parking restriction.

15. The parking enforcement system of claim 10, wherein one of the plurality of parking class rules is a parking pass parking restriction.

16. The parking enforcement system of claim 1, further including an impact sensor disposed within the housing and coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is further configured to send an impact occurrence report to the remote computer system when the impact sensor senses an impact force above a set threshold.

17. A method of monitoring parking events in a plurality of parking spaces, the method comprising:

locating a parking meter adjacent to a first parking space, the parking meter including;

a weather-resistant housing;

a processor disposed inside of the weather-resistant housing;

a memory disposed inside of the weather-resistant housing and coupled to the processor;

a network interface disposed in the weather-resistant housing and coupled to the processor;

coupling the first camera to the processor;

locating a second camera adjacent to a second parking space;

coupling the second camera to the processor;

monitoring by the processor in the parking meter the first parking space for vehicle occupancy with the first camera;

monitoring by the processor in the parking meter the second parking space for vehicle occupancy with the second camera;

determining by the processor whether a parking violation has occurred in the first parking space;

determining by the processor whether a parking violation has occurred in the second parking space; and

transmitting by the processor via the network interface a notice of any parking violations to a remote computer system, the notice including data corresponding to an identification for the violating vehicle and a time of the violation.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining by the processor a classification for a vehicle entering the first parking space;

and determining by the processor a classification for a vehicle entering the second parking space.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the determination that a parking violation has occurred in at least one of the first and second parking spaces is immediate upon recognition that a vehicle has occupied the respective first or second parking space and upon determining that such vehicle does not belong to a class of vehicles permitted to park in the respective first or second parking space.

20. The method of claim 17, the parking meter sending an impact occurrence report to the remote computer system when an impact sensor provided to any of the parking meter and the second camera senses an impact force above a set threshold.