Granted Patent B2

US 8,671,014 · App. 13/217,205 · Granted Mar 11, 2014

Abstract

Claims (41)

1. A computer-implemented method for providing recurring residential parking reservations, comprising:

managing a multiplicity of motor vehicle parking spaces located in a residential area of an urban environment 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, comprising:

interfacing by the computer processor via the computer network a plurality of smart parking devices that are each physically 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 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;

reserving by the server use of one of the parking spaces by a resident of the residential area on a recurring basis throughout a subscription period, comprising:

accepting by the server a request for a parking reservation, comprising recurring times and dates over which the subscription period would be in effect, and confirming by the server that the resident is eligible to reserve the requested parking space;

granting by the server the request as a reservation provided the requested parking space is available during each recurring time and date throughout the subscription period over any other reservations stored in the server; and

associating an in-and-out parking privilege with the reservation that allows the reserved parking space to be unavailable for others to park during the subscription period; and

managing through the server use of the reserved parking space throughout the subscription period, comprising steps of:

sensing occupancy of the reserved parking space by a motor vehicle through the nearest vehicle occupancy sensor;

verifying an identity of a motorist of the motor vehicle against the reservation through the nearest smart parking device, identifying the in-and-out parking privilege associated with the reservation, and indicating a status of the reserved parking space through the parking availability indicator corresponding to the reserved parking space that the occupancy of the reserved parking space is valid;

sensing inoccupancy of the reserved parking space during the subscription period through the vehicle occupancy sensor and updating the status of the reserved parking space through the parking availability indicator to another status showing that the reserved parking space is unavailable based on the identified in-and-out privilege; and

sensing further occupancy of the reserved parking space through the vehicle occupancy sensor and denying by the smart parking device the use of the reserved parking space if not by the resident.

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

accepting by the server bids from a plurality of bidding residents for the requested parking space up to a predetermined date as an auction, each bid comprising a home address of the bidding resident and recurring times and dates over which the subscription period would be in effect;

prior to the predetermined date, confirming by the server that each bidding resident is eligible to reserve the requested parking space; and

on the predetermined date, selecting by the server a winning bid of the space auction corresponding to the bidding resident for whom the requested parking space is reserved for the subscription period.

3. A method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

conducting by the server the auction as an auction with subsidies, wherein one or more of the bids is awarded with a subsidy;

weighting by the server the bids with a subsidy more heavily than the non-subsidized bids; and

selecting by the server the winning bid based on one of the bid carrying the greatest weight.

4. A method according to claim 3 , further comprising:

awarding by the server the subsidies to one or more of those residents comprising a handicapped condition, being elderly, and living closest to the requested parking space.

5. A method according to claim 2 , wherein each bid further comprises a bid amount, further comprising:

conducting by the server the auction as a space auction by periodically offering a contract for the requested parking space for which the bids can be accepted; and

selecting by the server the winning bid based on one of the highest bid amount and through a lottery.

6. A method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

conducting by the server the auction as a multiple allocation auction, wherein the bids further comprise one or more of a plurality of recurring times, a plurality of dates, and a plurality of requested parking spaces; and

evaluating by the server the bids based on each bidding resident's needs and anticipated revenue generated from each of the requested parking spaces.

7. A method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

conducting by the server the auction as a multiple allocation sealed second bid auction, wherein the bids are sealed and further comprise one or more of a plurality of recurring times, a plurality of dates, a plurality of requested parking spaces, and a bid amount for each of the requested parking spaces;

evaluating by the server the sealed bids based on each bidding resident's needs and anticipated revenue generated from each of the requested parking spaces;

selecting by the server the winning bid for each requested parking space based on the highest bid amount and setting by the server the cost of parking as the second highest bid amount for the winning requested parking space; and

limiting by the server the maximum number of the winning bids awarded to each resident.

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

sensing through the vehicle occupancy sensor another occupancy of the requested parking space by the resident during the subscription period; and

verifying an identity of the resident against the reservation through the smart parking device and indicating through the parking availability indicator that the occupancy of the requested parking space is valid.

9. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving by the server a notification from the resident of an exception of use of the requested parking space during a specified date and time of the subscription period; and

indicating through the smart parking device and the parking availability indicator that the requested parking space is available for parking during the specified date and time of the subscription period.

Assignments (12)