Intelligent parking system
The present invention is a system for intelligently managing parking spaces and facilities. A preferred embodiment of the present invention would include a system comprising one or more parking barrier devices, connected over a network to a system back-end that manages parking space utilization, barrier operation and status, and inputs from one or multiple user applications.
1. A computer-implemented method for providing a parking management service, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a server, operatively configured to send and receive commands and instructions to and from a database;
providing an application to a parking client, where said application is operatively configured to provide an instruction set to a client device thereby rendering the client device to be communicatively operative with said server;
providing an Internet accessible user interface that is in communication with said server and is operatively configured to send and receive operations to and from said database;
providing a one or more node device that is in communication with said server;
providing a one or more parking barrier device that is in communication with said node device, wherein each said parking barrier device is fixedly attached and controls access to a single parking space;
configuring of a parking lot via operations executed on the Internet accessible user interface;
storing to the database a set of configuration parameters for said parking lot;
displaying on said application availability of said parking lot;
receiving by the server a request from the application to reserve a parking space at said parking lot;
querying of the database by the server as to the availability of parking spaces at said parking lot;
returning by the database to the server information about available parking spaces; communicating said available parking spaces by the server to the application; receiving from the application a command to reserve the parking space by the server;
transmitting of a parking reservation command to the node device associated with the reserved parking space;
receiving by the server from the application a command that indicates that the parking space is ready to be occupied;
sending a command by the server to the node device that the parking space is ready to be occupied;
sending a command from the node device to the parking barrier device to withdraw the parking barrier, thereby allowing the parking space to be occupied;
receiving a command from the parking barrier device by the node device that the parking space is now occupied;
sending a command from the node device to the server that the parking space is now occupied;
sending a command from the server to the database to indicate that the parking space is now unavailable;
sending, upon egress from the parking space, a command from the parking barrier device to the node device that the parking space is now available;
sending a command from the node device to the parking barrier device to reposition the parking barrier, thereby blocking the parking space from being occupied;
sending a command from the node device to the server that the parking space is now unoccupied;
sending a command from the server to the database to indicate that the parking space is now available;
calculating by the server a charge amount based upon the parking lot configuration; and
charging by the server said charge amount to the parking client, whereby a parking management service is provided.