Combined parking meter and electric-vehicle battery charger with remote status receiver

A combined parking meter/battery charging station for electric vehicles, comprising:

• a stand, including a base, an upright member attached to the base, and a head unit mounted on the upright member;
• means to route power to the stand;
• means supported on the head unit to accept a payment;
• an operator interface supported on the head unit to receive commands;
• a remote radio receiver, detachable from the head unit, to receive broadcast status information relating to the electric vehicle;
• means to deliver power from the stand to an electric vehicle parked at the stand in order to recharge a battery disposed within the electric vehicle;
• power-control means disposed in the power path;
• a transmitter operative to transmit the status information to the remote radio receiver;
• electronics in operative communication with the operator interface, the means supported on the head unit to accept a payment, the power-control means and the transmitter, whereby an operator may enter options relating to parking time, charging level, and funds, the electronics causing the transmitter to broadcast the status information to the remote radio receiver,
• wherein the transmitter is disposed at a location remote from the stand, the stand is connected to a standard telephone line, and the stand communicates status information to the transmitter for subsequent broadcast by way of the telephone line.

A system for recharging electric vehicles, comprising:

• a power-distribution facility;
• a plurality of combined parking meter/battery charging stations, each configured to receive power from the power-distribution facility, each station including features to accommodate two vehicles parked at the station, the features including:
• two detachable remote radio receivers, one for each vehicle;
• a transmitter operative to transmit status information to at least both the remote radio receivers;
• a common power-control unit in an electrical power path with the power distribution facility operative to route power to either of the vehicles on an independent basis;
• payment acceptance means shareable by users of either vehicle;
• an operator interface, including a keypad and a display, shareable by users of either vehicle;
• electronics in operative communication with the operator interface, the payment acceptance means, the power-control unit and the transmitter, whereby a user of either vehicle may enter options relating to parking time, charging level, and available monetary funds, the electronics causing the transmitter to broadcast status information relating to a particular vehicle to the remote radio receiver associated with that vehicle.