Coinless parking administration apparatus, system, and method

• US 20030146852A1
• Filed: 02/04/2002
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ablatia LLC
• Original Assignee: Ablatia LLC
• Inventors: OʼDell, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US10/068,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20030146852A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• 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

Abstract

A wireless transceiver is used by a person wishing to park a vehicle to (i) request parking authorization wherein the request includes a parking start time and, (ii) when leaving the parking location, request termination of parking authorization at a parking end time. The transceiver communicates wirelessly with a parking server which notes the parking start and end times to determine a parking duration and a parking fee determined according to the parking duration. The parking fee can also be determined according to other factors such as day of week, time of day, holiday status, location, and one or more characteristics of the user.

Claims

1. A device for authorizing parking of a vehicle at a parking location, the device comprising:

logic which is configured to authorization parking by;

sending a parking authorization request to a parking server wherein the parking authorization request identifies the vehicle and the parking location and starting time of authorized parking; and

sending a parking termination request to the parking server wherein the parking termination request identifies an ending time of authorized parking.

2. A method for administering parking, the method comprising:

receiving a parking authorization request which includes a parking start time;

receiving a parking termination request which include a parking end time;

determining a parking duration from the parking start time and the parking end time;

determining a parking fee according to the parking duration; and

charging the parking fee to a party identified within the parking authorization request.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

providing information to parking enforcement personnel between the parking start time and the parking end time that a parking location identified by the parking authorization request is legitimately occupied.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

providing information to parking enforcement personnel between the parking start time and the parking end time that a vehicle identified by the parking authorization request is legitimately parked.