Granted Patent B2

US 8,600,786 · App. 13/182,420 · Granted Dec 3, 2013

Abstract

Claims (42)

1. A computer-implemented system for providing basic valet parking through centrally-managed parking services, 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 that are each located proximate to and which correspond to at least one of the parking spaces, each of the smart parking devices interfaced with the server via the computer network;

a plurality of vehicle occupancy sensors that are also each located proximate to and which correspond to at least one of the parking spaces, each of the vehicle occupancy sensors interfaced with the server via the computer network; and

a plurality of parking availability indicators that are each associated with each one of the parking spaces, each of the parking availability indicators interfaced with the server via the computer network, 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;

a reservations module executed by the server and configured to reserve through the server use of a plurality of the parking spaces for a valet service, comprising:

a request module configured to accept a reservation request for the use of the plurality of the parking spaces that are specified by their locations, through the server, for use by the valet service for a period of time; and

an occupancy module configured to sense occupancy of the parking spaces that are reserved for the use of the valet service by a motor vehicle, through the vehicle occupancy sensor that corresponds to each of the parking spaces that are reserved for the use of the valet service, during the time period, and to provide the occupancy to the server via the network; and

an availability module executed by the server and configured to indicate, through the parking availability indicators that correspond to each of the parking spaces that are reserved for use of the valet service, reserved use only of each of the parking spaces that are reserved for the use of the valet service as provided to the corresponding parking availability indicators from the server via the network, throughout the time period, based upon the current time and the use of the corresponding parking space by the valet service.

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

a location module executed by the server and configured to identify the location of at least one of the parking spaces that are reserved for the use of the valet service and is not occupied by a motor vehicle, and to provide the location of the at least one parking space that was identified as reserved and not occupied to a the valet service through the smart parking device that corresponds to a place of drop-off for the valet service, as provided to the corresponding smart parking device from the server via the network.

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

a notification module executed by the server and configured to record, through the smart parking device that corresponds to a place of drop-off for the valet service, a time when a motorist is likely to return for a motor vehicle left with the valet service, and to notify, through the corresponding smart parking device, the valet service to park the motor vehicle of the motorist near to the place of drop-off as the time of the likely return of the motorist approaches as provided to the corresponding smart parking device from the server via the network.

4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein one of the parking spaces that are reserved for the use of the valet service is designated through the server as a valet pickup location, further comprising:

the vehicle occupancy sensor that corresponds to the valet pickup location further configured to sense occupancy of the valet pickup location by a motor vehicle and to provide the occupancy of the valet pickup location by the motor vehicle to the server from the corresponding vehicle occupancy sensor via the network; and

the server further configured to notify the valet service of the occupancy of the valet pickup location by the motor vehicle through the smart parking device that corresponds to the valet pickup location, as provided to the corresponding smart parking device from the server via the network.

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

the server further configured to find via the network at least one of the parking spaces that are reserved for the use of the valet service and is not occupied by a motor vehicle, through the vehicle occupancy sensor that corresponds to each of the parking spaces that are reserved for the use of the valet service;

a notification module configured to send a notification to a motorist that who is using the valet service, by providing the location of the at least one found parking space that is reserved for the use of the valet service, wherein the motorist is allowed to self-park in the at least one found parking space that is reserved for the use of the valet service during the time period; and

the smart parking device that corresponds to the found parking space configured to parked at the at least one found parking space in compliance with the notification.

6. A computer-implemented method for providing basic valet parking through centrally-managed parking services, comprising:

providing 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 execute 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 are each located proximate to and which correspond to at least one of the parking spaces;

interfacing, by the computer processor via the computer network, a plurality of vehicle occupancy sensors that are also each physically located proximate to and which correspond 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 a plurality of the parking spaces for a valet service, comprising:

accepting, by the server, a reservation request for the use of the plurality of the parking spaces that are specified by their locations for use by the valet service for a period of time; and

sensing occupancy of the parking spaces that are reserved for the use of the valet service by a motor vehicle, through the vehicle occupancy sensor that corresponds to each of the parking spaces that are reserved for the use of the valet service, during the time period, and providing the occupancy to the server via the network; and

indicating reserved use only of each of the parking spaces that are reserved for the use of the valet service, by the parking availability indicator that corresponds to each of the parking spaces that are reserved for the use of the valet service, as provided to the corresponding parking availability indicator from the server via the network, throughout the time period based upon the current time and the use of the corresponding parking space by the valet service.

7. A method according to claim 6 , further comprising:

Identifying, through the server, the location of at least one of the parking spaces that are reserved for the use of the valet service and is not occupied by a motor vehicle; and

providing the location of the at least one parking space that was identified as reserved for the use of the valet service and not occupied, to the valet service through the smart parking device that corresponds to a place of drop-off for the valet service, as provided to the corresponding smart parking device from the server via the network.

8. A method according to claim 6 , further comprising:

recording through the smart parking device that corresponds to a place of drop-off for the valet service a time when a motorist is likely to return for a motor vehicle left with the valet service; and

notifying the valet service to park the motor vehicle of the motorist near to the place of drop-off as the time of the likely return of the motorist approaches through the corresponding smart parking device, as provided to the corresponding smart parking device from the server via the network.

9. A method according to claim 6 , further comprising:

designating through the server one of the parking spaces that are reserved for the use of the valet service as a valet pickup location;

sensing occupancy of the valet pickup location by a motor vehicle through the vehicle occupancy sensor that corresponds to the valet pickup location and providing the occupancy of the valet pickup location by the motor vehicle to the server from the corresponding vehicle occupancy sensor via the network;

notifying the valet service of the occupancy of the valet pickup location by the motor vehicle through the smart parking device that corresponds to the valet pickup location, as provided to the corresponding smart parking device from the server via the network.

10. A method according to claim 6 , further comprising:

finding through the server via the network at least one of the parking spaces that are reserved for the use of the valet service, which is not occupied by a motor vehicle through the vehicle occupancy sensor that corresponds to each of the parking spaces that are reserved for the use of the valet service;

sending a notification, through the server via the network, to a motorist who is using the valet service by providing the location of the at least one found parking space that is reserved for the use of the valet service, wherein the motorist is allowed to self-park in the at least one found parking space that is reserved for the use of the valet service during the time period; and subsequently verifying, by the smart parking device that corresponds to the found parking space, that the motorist who received the notification has self-parked at the at least one found parking space in compliance with the notification.

Assignments (12)