Granted Patent B2

US 8,799,037 · App. 13/161,100 · Granted Aug 5, 2014

Abstract

Claims (61)

1. A computer-implemented system for managing motor vehicle parking reservations, comprising:

a server configured to manage a multiplicity of motor vehicle parking spaces disbursed over a plurality of physically-separate and openly-disbursed parking locations through a centrally-located server, the server configured to interface over a computer network and comprising a memory and a computer processor, the computer processor operatively coupled to the memory and configured to execute computer executable program modules;

a plurality of smart parking devices interfacing to the server via the computer network, wherein each of the plurality of smart parking devices corresponds to at least one of the parking spaces;

a plurality of vehicle occupancy sensors interfacing to the server via the computer network, wherein each of the plurality of vehicle occupancy sensors corresponds to at least one of the parking spaces;

a plurality of parking availability indicators interfacing to the server via the computer network that are each associated with each one of the parking spaces, each of the parking availability indicators comprising a plurality of indications that correspond to an availability of each of the associated parking spaces for parking, based upon actual, reserved, and restricted use of the parking space as provided to the parking availability indicator by the server, and by the smart parking device and the vehicle occupancy sensor that both correspond to each of the parking spaces with which the parking availability indicator is associated;

the computer processor configured to reserve, through the server, use of one of the parking spaces by a motorist, by performing at least the following steps:

accepting a reservation request for the use of the parking space and granting the request if the requested parking space is available;

sensing occupancy of the requested parking space by a motor vehicle, through the vehicle occupancy sensor that corresponds to the parking space; and

verifying at least one of the identity of the motorist and the motor vehicle against the reservation through the smart parking device that corresponds to the parking space; and

the computer processor further configured to indicate parking availability of each parking space through the parking availability indicator that corresponds to each of the parking spaces based upon the combination of any motor vehicle occupancy in the parking space and at least one of applicable parking regulations, an amount of time available for parking at the parking space, a type of permit required for parking at the parking space, and any unfulfilled reservations for the parking space.

2. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a kiosk that corresponds to one or more of the parking spaces interfacing to the server,

wherein the reservation of any of the one or more parking spaces is transacted via the kiosk.

3. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a user device remotely interfacing to the server, the user device comprising one of a smart mobile telephone, notebook computer, tablet computer, vehicle navigation system, personal electronic device, and the nearest smart parking device,

wherein the reservation of any of the multiplicity of parking spaces is transacted via the user device.

4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the parking availability indicator comprises at least one of:

a housing comprising a plurality of visual indications of parking availability in the parking space to which the parking availability indicator is closest;

a housing comprising a plurality of audible indications of parking availability in the parking space to which the parking availability indicator is closest; and

a virtual display transmitted from a wireless transmitter connected to either the closest smart parking device or the server, wherein the wireless transmitter broadcasts the virtual display comprising indications of parking availability in the parking space to which a wireless receiver is closest.

5. A system according to claim 4 , wherein the housing further comprises at least one of:

a standalone enclosure containing the housing and fixedly placing the parking availability indicator proximate to the parking space for which parking availability is indicated;

a mounting connecting the housing to at least one of the smart parking device and a conventional parking meter located most proximate to the parking space for which parking availability is indicated; and

a low-profile enclosure containing the housing and fixedly placing the parking availability indicator at the curb or on the edge of the curb located most proximate to the parking space for which parking availability is indicated.

6. A system according to claim 4 , wherein the visual indications comprise at least one of:

one or more of solid, graduated, and flashing indicators indicative of the parking availability; and

one or more of unique shapes, positions, alphanumeric text, symbols, and icons indicative of the parking availability.

7. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the smart parking device and the parking availability indicator for the same parking space are comprised in a shared physical housing situated closest to the same parking space.

8. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a database coupled with the server configured to provide accounts for managing the reservations via the server comprising one or more of parking reservation, permits, citations, billings, and policies, which respectively manage reserving use, exceptions, violations, charges, and rules of use applicable to the parking spaces.

9. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the parking spaces are located at least one of curbside, on a driveway, in a cutout in front of a driveway, in a parking lot, on a street, and off a street.

10. A computer-implemented method for managing motor vehicle parking reservations, comprising:

a centrally-located server configured to interface over a computer network and comprising a memory and a computer processor, the computer processor operatively coupled to the memory and configured to execute computer modules, wherein the server manages a multiplicity of motor vehicle parking spaces disbursed over a plurality of physically-separate and openly-disbursed parking locations;

interfacing, by the computer processor via the computer network, a plurality of smart parking devices that each corresponds to at least one of the parking spaces;

interfacing, by the computer processor via the computer network, a plurality of vehicle occupancy sensors that each corresponds to at least one of the parking spaces; and

interfacing, by the computer processor via the computer network, a plurality of parking availability indicators that are each associated with at least one of the parking spaces, each of the parking availability indicators comprising a plurality of indications that correspond to an availability of each of the associated parking spaces for parking, based upon actual, reserved, and restricted use of the parking space as provided to the parking availability indicator by the server, and by the smart parking device and the vehicle occupancy sensor that both correspond to each of the parking spaces with which the parking availability indicator is associated;

reserving, by the server, use of one of the parking spaces by a motorist, wherein the reserving step further comprises:

accepting, by the server, a reservation request for the use of the parking space and granting the request if the requested parking space is available;

sensing occupancy of the requested parking space by a motor vehicle through the vehicle occupancy sensor that corresponds to the parking space; and

verifying at least one of the identity of the motorist and the motor vehicle against the reservation through the smart parking device that corresponds to the parking space; and

indicating parking availability of each parking space by the parking availability indicator that corresponds to each parking space based upon the combination of any motor vehicle occupancy in the parking space and at least one of applicable parking regulations, an amount of time available for parking at the parking space, a type of permit required for parking at the parking space, and any unfulfilled reservations for the parking space.

11. A method according to claim 10 , further comprising:

interfacing a kiosk to the server, wherein the kiosk corresponds to one or more of the parking spaces, and wherein the reservation of any of the one or more parking spaces is transacted via the kiosk.

12. A method according to claim 10 , further comprising:

remotely interfacing a user device to the server, the user device comprising one of a smart mobile telephone, notebook computer, tablet computer, vehicle navigation system, personal electronic device, and the nearest smart parking device,

wherein the reservation of any of the multiplicity of parking spaces is transacted via the user device.

13. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the parking availability indicator comprises at least one of:

providing a housing comprising a plurality of visual indications of parking availability in the parking space to which the parking availability indicator is closest;

providing a housing comprising a plurality of audible indications of parking availability in the parking space to which the parking availability indicator is closest; and

providing a virtual display transmitted from a wireless transmitter connected to either the closest smart parking device or the server, wherein the wireless transmitter broadcasts the virtual display comprising indications of parking availability in the parking space to which a wireless receiver is closest.

14. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the housing further comprises at least one of:

providing a standalone enclosure containing the housing and fixedly placing the parking availability indicator proximate to the parking space for which parking availability is indicated;

providing a mounting connecting the housing to at least one of the smart parking device and a conventional parking meter located most proximate to the parking space for which parking availability is indicated; and

providing a low-profile enclosure containing the housing and fixedly placing the parking availability indicator at the curb or on the edge of the curb located most proximate to the parking space for which parking availability is indicated.

15. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the visual indications comprise at least one of:

providing one or more of solid, graduated, and flashing indicators indicative of the parking availability; and

providing one or more of unique shapes, positions, alphanumeric text, symbols, and icons indicative of the parking availability.

16. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the smart parking device and the parking availability indicator for the same parking space are comprised in a shared physical housing situated closest to the same parking space.

17. A method according to claim 10 , further comprising:

providing accounts for managing the reservations through the server via the network comprising one or more of parking reservation, permits, citations, billings, and policies, which respectively manage reserving use, exceptions, violations, charges, and rules of use applicable to the parking spaces.

18. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the parking spaces are located at least one of curbside, on a driveway, in a cutout in front of a driveway, in a parking lot, on a street, and off a street.

Assignments (12)