Granted Patent B2

US 12,437,640 · App. 16/364,115 · Granted Oct 7, 2025

Inventors: Mark Jeffrey Stefik (Portola Valley, CA); Alan G. Bell (Los Altos, CA); Craig Eldershaw (Belmont, CA); Lance E. Good (Gaithersburg, MD); Daniel H. Greene (Sunnyvale, CA); Francisco Eduardo Torres (San Jose, CA); Serdar Uckun (Palo Alto, CA); David Preston Cummins (Washington, DC)

Assignee: MODAXO ACQUISITION USA INC.

G08G1/142G06Q10/02G06Q50/40G07B15/02G07F17/0021G08G1/14G08G1/147G08G1/148G06Q10/00G06Q10/025G06Q50/265G07B15/00G07F17/246G08B25/12H04N7/18

Abstract

Claims (37)

1. A system for offering merchant and shopper-friendly parking reservations through tourist privileges, comprising:

a tourist identification card issued to a tourist, wherein the tourist identification card is associated with one or more parking privileges and a digital code or permit of an agency that issued the tourist identification card and wherein the tourist identification card is issued by pairing the tourist identification card with the digital code or the permit, and activating the tourist identification card using the paired digital code or permit;

a smart parking meter positioned adjacent to a parking space of one or more parking spaces and comprising at least one of a card reader or camera to receive the activated tourist identification card during check in of the parking space;

a parking indicator locally connected and mounted to the smart parking meter or street curb to identify the parking space as available via one or more colors and to display a first color of the one or more colors via the smart parking meter to indicate that the activated tourist identification card is accepted for the parking space;

a sensor to determine a presence of a motor vehicle in the parking space;

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising program code; and

a server comprising a central processing unit, memory, an input port to receive data from the activated tourist identification card from the smart parking meter, and an output port, wherein the central processing unit is configured to execute the program code to perform steps to:

key each of the one or more parking privileges to the one or more parking spaces;

receive notice of the presence of the motor vehicle in the parking space;

authenticate the received activated tourist identification card by checking the digital code or permit of the agency that issued the card and by confirming that the agency is authorized to provide the one or more parking privileges;

trigger the one or more parking privileges comprising one or more of extending parking limits, reserving tourist spaces, and reducing parking rates upon the authentication of the received activated tourist identification card and upon check in of the parking space;

identify a parking privilege of the one or more parking privileges for use by the tourist; and

display a second color of the one or more colors that is different than the first color, wherein the second color is associated with an unavailable status via the parking indicator for the parking space.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit processes payment for parking via the activated tourist identification card.

3. A system according to claim 2 , wherein the processed payment is applied to an account of the tourist maintained by the agency.

4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the tourist identification card comprises a digital ticket or a physical ticket.

5. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the smart parking meter displays other parking spaces in areas with tourists.

6. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit provides notice to the tourist that the motor vehicle has left the parking space.

7. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit reserves a plurality of parking spaces for use by tourists.

8. A method for offering merchant and shopper-friendly parking reservations through tourist privileges, comprising:

issuing a tourist identification card to a tourist, wherein the tourist identification card is associated with one or more parking privileges and a digital code or permit of an agency that issued the tourist identification card and wherein the tourist identification card is issued by pairing the tourist identification card with the digital code or the permit, and activating the tourist identification card using the paired digital code or permit;

keying the one or more parking privileges to one or more parking spaces;

identifying a presence of a motor vehicle in a parking space of the one or more parking spaces the via a sensor embedded in the parking space or adjacent to the parking space;

receiving the activated tourist identification card via a card reader or camera on a smart parking meter during check in of the parking space, wherein the smart parking meter is positioned adjacent to the parking space;

marking the parking space as available for accepting the one or more parking privileges by one or more colors via a parking indicator locally connected and mounted to the smart parking meter or a street curb, wherein the parking indicator is wired to the smart parking meter or wirelessly connected to the smart parking meter;

displaying via the smart parking meter, a first color of the one or more colors to indicate that the activated tourist identification card is accepted for the parking space;

authenticating the received activated tourist identification card via a computer processor executing programmable code by checking the digital code or permit of the agency that issued the card and by confirming that the agency is authorized to provide the one or more parking privileges;

triggering the one or more of parking privileges comprising one or more of extending parking limits, reserving tourist spaces, and reducing parking rates upon the authentication of the received activated tourist identification card and upon check in of the parking space;

selecting a parking privilege of the one or more parking privileges for use by the tourist; and

display a second color of the one or more colors that is different than the first color, wherein the second color is associated with an unavailable status via the parking indicator for the parking space.

9. A method according to claim 8 , further comprising: processing payment for parking via the activated tourist identification card.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the processed payment is applied to an account of the tourist maintained by the agency.

11. A method according to claim 8 , wherein the tourist identification card comprises at least one of a digital ticket or a physical ticket.

12. A method according to claim 8 , further comprising: displaying other parking spaces in areas with tourists via the smart parking meter.

13. A method according to claim 8 , further comprising: providing the parking privileges to one of specific parking spaces or to parking spaces located throughout one or more locations.

14. A method according to claim 8 , further comprising: providing notice to the tourist that the motor vehicle has left the parking space.

15. A method according to claim 8 , further comprising: reserving the one or more parking spaces for use by tourists.

Assignments (5)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (217)