Directional speed and distance sensor

A detection system, comprising:

• a sensor directed towards at least one parking occupancy detection zone and mounted on a raised fixture, or stationary platform, located above a height of a parking surface near a parking space;
• the sensor comprising a first transmitter and a first receiver;
• the sensor being configured to communicate data through a second transmitter and a second receiver communicatively coupled with at least one remote server;
• a payment device communicatively coupled to the sensor;
• the sensor and the payment device sharing a communication system configured such that any information generated from at least one of the sensor and the payment device is transmitted to at least one of the other of the sensor and the payment device, and any information generated is also configured to be transmitted to the at least one remote server;
• and
• the sensor being further configured to produce an output that is derived from the duration of a time of flight of at least one traversal of a transmit burst from the first transmitter to an object in the parking space and back to the first receiver and includes a timing generator with a duration of less than 10 ns.