Parking meter system
A parking enforcement system can include a weather resistant housing, a processor disposed inside of the housing, a memory disposed inside of the housing and coupled to the processor, a network interface disposed in the housing and coupled to the processor, a first camera disposed in the housing and facing outward towards a first parking space. The processor can be configured to recognize when a vehicle first occupies the first parking space and determine a classification for the vehicle.
1. A method of monitoring and managing parking in a parking facility having an entrance and an exit, the method comprising:
capturing image data of the vehicle entering the parking facility and transmitting the image data to a remote networked computer system;
recording a time of entry for the vehicle entering the parking facility;
determining an identification of the vehicle entering the parking facility;
determining a classification to which the vehicle belongs based upon the captured image data;
capturing image data of the vehicle exiting the parking facility and transmitting the image data to the remote networked computer system;
recording a time of exit for the vehicle exiting the parking facility;
determining an identification of the vehicle exiting the parking facility;
determining that a parking violation has occurred; and
issuing a parking violation notice.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining a classification to which the vehicle belongs based upon the captured image data includes performing a license plate recognition of a plurality of characters on a license plate on the vehicle using the captured image data of the vehicle entering the parking facility.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the identification of the vehicle entering and exiting the parking facility includes performing a license plate recognition of a plurality of characters on the license plate on the vehicle using the captured image data of the vehicle exiting the parking facility.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the violation is a result of exceeding a grace period, a purchased parking time period or a maximum parking time.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining a classification to which the vehicle belongs based upon the captured image data includes comparing the identification of the vehicle entering the parking facility to a database of vehicle identifications associated with a parking permit.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting the identification of the vehicle entering the parking facility to a law enforcement agency.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a first parking gate arm to the entrance; and
providing a first parking gate arm to the exit.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a parking kiosk to the parking facility, the parking kiosk comprising:
a weather resistant housing including first and second sides;
a processor disposed inside of the housing;
a memory disposed inside of the housing and coupled to the processor;
a network interface disposed in the housing and coupled to the processor;
a graphical user interface disposed in the housing and facing outward from the first side of the housing;
a microphone disposed in the housing;
a speaker disposed in the housing; and
a payment acceptor disposed in the housing,
wherein the processor is configured to:
receive payment for a parking time period; and
transmit notice of payment to the remote networked computer system.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive updated parking rate parameters from the remote computer system via the network interface.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a kiosk to the parking facility, the kiosk including a charging port and electricity supply configured to allow a vehicle in the parking facility to be plugged in for recharging.
11. The method of claim 10 , assessing a fee to charge the vehicle in the parking facility to be plugged in for recharging.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising accepting payment for the fee to charge via the kiosk.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parking violation is determined to have occurred immediately upon recognition that the vehicle is a member of a class of vehicles prohibited from parking in the parking facility.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining a classification to which the vehicle belongs includes determining a parking class rule for the vehicle.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the parking class rule is a handicap parking restriction, a neighborhood resident parking restriction, or a municipal employee parking restriction.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the parking class rule is a parking pass parking restriction.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of issuing a parking violation notice is performed automatically by the remote networked computer system.
18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forwarding notice of the parking violation to enforcement personnel.
19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forwarding notice to a tow service to tow the vehicle upon determining that the parking violation has occurred.
20. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forwarding notice to apply a boot to the vehicle upon determining that the parking violation has occurred.