Patent · US Expired

Automatic debiting parking meter system

US5351187A · kind A · utility

216Cited by
15References
29Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 30, 1992
Grant dateSep 27, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 30, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG07F17/246
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An apparatus for automatic payment of parking fees in a parking zone includes a stationary RF transmitter unit transmitting a signal encoding the parking fee rate per unit time and, in some embodiments, the maximum parking period and time and date to cooperate with a transponder carried in the vehicles to be parked. A portable transponder in each vehicle includes a receiver for receiving the broadcast signal from the stationary transmitter, a memory which can be preloaded with monetary amounts to generate a prepaid credit, a data processor for controlling the activity of the responder and decoding incoming signals, and a display for indicating to the vehicle operator or to a traffic monitoring person external to the vehicle, the status of the memory in the transponder as to the whether the vehicle is validly parked at any given time. Upon parking, the operator actuates the transponder and, if it receives and recognizes a broadcast signal from a stationary transmitter, it so indicates on the display, proceeds to debit the prepaid amount stored in the memory of the transponder decreasing the balance in the transponder memory by the amount per unit time over the time period and displa…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.