System and method for operating a parking facility

• US 7,533,809 B1
• Filed: 06/01/2005
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Open Invention Network LLC
• Original Assignee: YT Acquisition Corp.
• Inventors: Robinson, Timothy L., Goff, Tennille V., Watson, Timothy Neil, Schildt, Bradford R., Corwin, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US11/141,033
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 235/382, 235/384, 705/67, 705/62
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• 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: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/244 provided with means for retaining a vehicle

Abstract

A system and method of conducting parking transactions in a convenient manner is described. Users of the system can employ their biometric data or a preexisting token to conduct transactions at a parking facility.

Claims

1. A parking transaction method, comprising:

receiving a vehicle at a parking facility;

storing an indication of receipt of said vehicle in a record upon storage of said vehicle in said parking facility, wherein said record stores information that is associated with a plurality of individuals authorized to park or retrieve said vehicle, wherein said information includes registered biometric data for at least one individual;

receiving tokenless biometric data from a user at said parking facility;

comparing said received tokenless biometric data with said registered biometric data;

authorizing release of said vehicle from said parking facility if said received tokenless biometric data matches said registered biometric data; and

charging a parking fee to a financial account that is associated with said record, wherein said parking fee is determined on the receipt of said received tokenless biometric data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving a vehicle is accomplished by a parking attendant.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said tokenless biometric data is received at a kiosk.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said kiosk identifies a location of said vehicle in said parking facility.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said tokenless biometric data is received at an exit to said parking facility.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said tokenless biometric data is received at a secured location, said secured location housing a key to said vehicle.

7. A parking transaction method, comprising:

registering receipt of a vehicle at a parking facility;

receiving a request from a user for retrieval of said vehicle from said parking facility, wherein said request includes a provision of information associated with said user, said information being one or more of user biometric data and preexisting token data;

determining whether said provided information associated with said user matches information stored in a record that is associated with said registered receipt of said vehicle, wherein said record stores information that is associated with a plurality of individuals authorized to park or retrieve said vehicle; and

authorizing release of said vehicle from said parking facility if said provided information associated with said user matches information stored in said record.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said preexisting token is a financial token.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said record is a parking token issued to said user.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the individual that retrieves said vehicle is different from the individual that brings said vehicle to said parking facility.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein registering receipt of a vehicle comprises storing information associated with said user.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising processing payment for a fee associated with the parking transaction from a financial account associated with said record.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said financial account is associated with said provided information.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said financial account is a stored-value account associated with said parking facility.

15. The method of claim 7, further comprising issuing a parking token to said user.

16. A method for conducting a parking transaction, said method comprising:

at a parking facility, receiving first biometric data from a user;

determining whether said user is associated with one of a plurality of existing records, said determining including comparing said first biometric data with registered biometric data, wherein each said existing record is capable of storing registered biometric data for a plurality of users;

if said user is not associated with an existing record, storing said first biometric data in a new user record;

at said parking facility, receiving second biometric data from said user;

comparing said second biometric data to stored biometric data, wherein said stored biometric data is associated with one or more of said plurality of existing records and said new record; and

authorizing the conclusion of a parking transaction if said comparison indicates a match.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising charging a fee for said parking transaction to a financial account associated with a record associated with said user.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing parking information.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said parking information is received from one of said user and an operator.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said parking information includes one or more of time information, date information, a vehicle location, a vehicle identifier, a parking space location, and a parking space identifier.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said user accesses said parking information via an authorization station.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising communicating said parking information to a third-party.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising communicating said parking information to said user, wherein said user has requested assistance in locating a parked vehicle.

24. A method for validating a parking transaction, said method comprising:

receiving a vehicle from a user at a parking facility;

receiving, at a third-party location, first user data, wherein said first user data is one of user biometric data and preexisting token data;

utilizing said user data to process a third-party transaction, wherein said processing includes locating a user record associated with said first user data;

receiving, at a parking facility, second user data;

utilizing said second user data to locate said user record; and

if said user record indicates said third-party transaction, authorizing the user to conclude a parking transaction with said parking facility, wherein a fee for said parking transaction is reduced.

25. A parking transaction method, comprising:

registering receipt of a vehicle at a parking facility;

receiving a request from a user for retrieval of said vehicle from said parking facility, wherein said request comprises providing biometric data received from said user without the use of a token;

determining whether said provided biometric data matches biometric data stored in a record that is associated with said registered receipt of said vehicle, wherein said record stores biometric data for a plurality of individuals authorized to park or retrieve said vehicle; and

authorizing release of said vehicle from said parking facility if said provided biometric data matches said stored biometric data.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the user is different from the individual that brings said vehicle to said parking facility.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein registering receipt of a vehicle comprises storing information associated with said user.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising processing payment for a fee associated with the parking transaction from a financial account associated with said record.