Single space parking meter and removable single space parking meter mechanism

• US 9,443,236 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2014
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: J.J. MacKay Canada Limited (137954 Canada Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: J.J. MacKay Canada Limited (137954 Canada Ltd.)
• Inventors: MacKay, George Allan, Chauvin, Gregory Emile, McLarty, Shamus John Angus, Garvey, Ben
• Primary Examiner(s): BEAUCHAINE, MARK J
• Application Number:
  US14/325,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20140319211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 705/13, 705/418, 194/210, 194/350, 235/91.D, 235/377, 235/378, 235/380, 700/83, 700/306
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0704 the battery being rechargeable, e.g. solar batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/248 Housing construction casings for coin-freed apparatus G07F9/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/12 Billing, invoicing, buying or selling transactions or other related activities, e.g. cost or usage evaluation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A parking meter mechanism is described that may include a front housing, having a display opening for viewing a display through, connected to an internal structure. Additionally or alternatively the parking meter mechanism may include a contactless payment reader located behind the display. The parking meter mechanism may be secured to a lower housing. A back housing may be secured to the lower housing as well. The front or back housing may include a solar panel compartment and solar panel mounted therein.

Claims

1. A removable single space parking meter mechanism comprising:

an internal structure to be at least partially and removably received within a lower housing of a single space parking meter;

a front housing, configured to be exposed to an external environment during normal operation of the single space parking meter, coupled to the internal structure;

one or more input controls located on the front housing;

a display; and

an antenna for a contactless payment reader.

2. The removable single space parking meter mechanism of claim 1, further comprising additional payment components comprising one or more of:

a card slot in the front housing for receiving a payment card; and

a coin slot for receiving coins.

3. The removable single space parking meter mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a solar panel coupled to the internal structure.

4. The removable single space parking meter mechanism of claim 1, wherein the antenna for a contactless payment reader is coupled to a contactless payment reader comprising at least one of:

a Near-Field Communications (NFC) reader;

a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader; and

an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14443 reader.

5. The removable single space parking meter mechanism of claim 1, wherein the front housing comprises a display opening through which the display is visible.

6. The removable single space parking meter mechanism of claim 5, wherein the antenna for the contactless payment reader is arranged behind the display.

7. The removable single space parking meter mechanism of claim 1 wherein the antenna for a contactless payment reader is in close proximity to the display.

8. The removable single space parking meter mechanism of claim 7 wherein the antenna for the contactless payment reader is arranged behind the display.

9. The removable single space parking meter mechanism of claim 7 wherein the display presents payment information when parking time is being purchased.

10. The removable single space parking meter mechanism of claim 9, wherein the payment information comprises payment instructions for payment using the contactless payment reader antenna.

11. A single space parking meter comprising:

a lower housing;

a removable single space parking meter mechanism comprising;

an internal structure to be at least partially and removably received within the lower housing;

a front housing, configured to be exposed to an external environment during normal operation of the single space parking meter, coupled to the internal structure;

one or more input controls located on the front housing; and

a display;

an antenna for a contactless payment reader; and

a meter housing secured to the lower housing and securing the removable single space parking meter mechanism at least partially within the lower housing.

12. The single space parking meter of claim 11, wherein the front housing comprises a display opening through which the display is visible.

13. The single space parking meter of claim 11, wherein the meter housing comprises a display opening through which the display is visible.

14. The single space parking meter of claim 11, further comprising additional payment components comprising one or more of:

a card slot in the front housing for receiving a payment card; and

a coin slot for receiving coins.

15. The single space parking meter of claim 11, further comprising a solar panel coupled to the internal structure of the removable single space parking meter mechanism.

16. The single space parking meter of claim 11, wherein the antenna for a contactless payment reader is coupled to a contactless payment reader comprising at least one of:

a Near-Field Communications (NFC) reader;

a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader; and

an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14443 reader.

17. The single space parking meter of claim 11, wherein the removable single space parking meter mechanism further comprises:

a plurality of parking meter mechanism components coupled to the internal structure, the plurality of parking meter mechanism components comprising;

a control component for controlling operation of the single space parking meter mechanism; and

a power source coupled to at least the control component.

18. The single space parking meter of claim 11, wherein the front housing is rigidly attached to the internal structure of the removable parking meter mechanism, and the meter housing is pivotally attached to the lower housing.

19. The single space parking meter of claim 11, wherein the input controls are located above a top of the lower housing when the removable single space parking meter is partially received within the lower housing.

20. The single space parking meter of claim 11, wherein the input controls comprise a plurality of mechanical buttons.

21. The single space parking meter of claim 20, wherein the input controls comprise:

a first mechanical button for increasing an amount of time purchased;

a second mechanical button for decreasing the amount of time purchased;

a third mechanical button for accepting an action; and

a fourth mechanical button for cancelling an action.

22. The single space parking meter of claim 20, wherein the input controls comprise at least one type of switch selected from the group consisting of:

electromechanical switches;

piezoelectric switches; and

capacitive touch switches.

23. The single space parking meter of claim 11, wherein the antenna for a contactless payment reader is in close proximity to the display.

24. The single space parking meter of claim 23, wherein the input controls are adjacent to the display.

25. The single space parking meter of claim 23, wherein the antenna for the contactless payment reader is arranged behind the display.

26. The single space parking meter of claim 23, wherein the display presents payment information when parking time is being purchased.

27. The single space parking meter of claim 26, wherein the payment information comprises payment instructions for payment using the contactless payment reader antenna.

28. A method for accepting payment at a single space parking meter comprising:

presenting parking information on a display of the single space parking meter;

reading payment information from a contactless payment device placed in close proximity to a contactless payment reader antenna;

receiving through one or more input controls information from a user, said information comprising one or both of amount of parking time purchased and authorization of a transaction, wherein said input controls are located on a front housing of a removable single space parking meter mechanism, wherein said front housing is configured to be exposed to an external environment during normal operation of the single space parking meter and is coupled to an internal structure of the removable single space parking meter mechanism, and wherein the single space parking meter further comprises a meter housing that secures the removable single space parking meter mechanism at least partially within a lower housing of the single space parking meter; and

processing the payment information and information from a user to effect payment.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the parking information presented on the display comprises instructions for using the contactless payment reader antenna, and the contactless payment reader antenna is located in close proximity to the display.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising displaying a result of the payment.