Method and apparatus for parking lot metering

A multi-space parking metering method to support remotely controlling electric vehicle (EV) charging devices located among multiple parking spaces, the method comprising:

• a) automatically receiving, by a controller of a multi-space parking meter kiosk, through a user interface of the kiosk, a first parking request from a first motorist, said controller configured to meter a plurality of parking spaces, the plurality having at least two parking space kinds, said at least two parking space kinds comprising both a first parking space kind for parking spaces having an EV charging device and a second parking space kind for parking spaces having no EV charging device, the controller having communication through a signaling channel to enable and disable the EV charging device for parking spaces of the first kind, the controller further configured to control the parking spaces of the first kind, wherein at least a first parking space is the first kind and has a first EV charging device remote from the kiosk, and a second parking space is the second kind, said user interface prompting motorists for an identifier corresponding to one of the plurality of parking spaces, the first parking request comprising a first identifier provided by the first motorist with the user interface, the first identifier from a first indicium at the first parking space, the first identifier corresponding to both the first parking space and the first EV charging device;
• b) based on at least the first parking request, automatically both enabling, with the signaling channel, by the controller, the first EV charging device and recording, by the controller, in a memory accessible to the controller, a first data associated with the first parking space, the first data representative of a first time of expiration;
• c) automatically receiving, by the controller, a second parking request from a second motorist, the second parking request comprising at least a second identifier entered by the second motorist with the user interface, the second identifier corresponding to the second parking space, the second identifier having been presented to the second motorist by a second indicium at the second parking space;
• d) based on at least the second parking request, automatically recording, by the controller, in the memory, a second data associated with the second parking space, the second data representative of a second time of expiration;
• and,
• e) based on the first data, automatically disabling, with the signaling channel, by the controller, the first EV charging device, when the first time of expiration is not later than the current time.