Electronic parking meter locking system
OwnerSeth Ward, II, William C. Kiehl +1inventors
InventorsSeth Ward, II, William C. Kiehl, R. Todd Brown
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electro-mechanical lock on the coin vault of a parking device is controlled by the electronic components of the parking meter. Combining the electro-mechanical lock with a standard mechanical lock provides additional security in that two devices must be employed to open the meter. This provides greater security for coin collection without the need to provide separate circuitry to control the lock. Additionally, the electro-mechanical lock can be triggered by a smart card which also triggers an audit of the meters activity, providing an audit trail for coin collection.
Claims21
A parking device, comprising:
- an input device to receive payment;
- an electronic circuit, connected to said input device to validate said payment and to calculate time purchased;
- a vault, connected to said input device, in which payment is stored, said vault having a vault door which provides external access to said vault;
- a mechanical lock which secures said vault door in a closed position;
- an electrically-controlled lock which secures said vault door in a closed position, said electrically-controlled lock being controlled by said electronic circuit.
A parking device, comprising:
- electronic circuitry, connected to a payment receptacle, to recognize payment received and indicate parking time purchased;
- a vault, connected to said payment receptacle, in which payment received by said parking device is stored, said vault having a vault door which provides external access to the contents of said vault;
- an electro-mechanical lock which is at least partly controlled by a signal from said electronic circuitry.
A fabrication method for a parking device, comprising the steps of:
- (a.) programming electronic circuitry to recognize a payment received and to display allowed parking time in response to the receipt of said payment;
- (b.) enclosing said electronic circuitry in a housing, said housing including a vault for storing payment received, said vault having a vault door to provide external access to said vault;
- (c.) locking said vault door with both a mechanical lock and an electrically-controlled lock which is at least partially controlled by said electronic circuitry.
A method for operating a parking device, comprising the steps of:
- (a.) using electronic circuitry to recognize payment received by said parking device and to display a corresponding parking time purchased;
- (b.) storing at least a portion of said payment in a vault section of said parking device having a vault door to provide external access to said vault;
- (c.) locking said vault door with a mechanical lock and an electronically-controlled lock which in its unpowered position maintains said vault door in a locked state and which is controlled by a signal from said electronic circuitry.
A vending device, comprising:
- an input device to receive payment;
- an electronic circuit, connected to said input device to validate said payment;
- a vault, connected to said input device, in which payment is stored, said vault having a vault door which provides external access to said vault;
- a mechanical lock which secures said vault door in a closed position;
- an electrically-controlled lock which secures said vault door in a closed position, said electrically-controlled lock being controlled by said electronic circuit.
A fabrication method for a vending device, comprising the steps of:
- (a.) programming electronic circuitry to recognize a payment received by said vending device;
- (b.) enclosing said electronic circuitry in a housing, said housing including a value for storing payment received, said vault having a vault door to provide external access to said vault;
- (c.) locking said vault door with both a mechanical lock and an electrically-controlled lock which is at least partially controlled by said electronic circuitry.
A method for operating a vending device, comprising the steps of:
- (a.) using electronic circuitry to recognize payment received by said vending device;
- (b.) storing at least a portion of said payment in a vault section of said vending device having a vault door to provide external access to said vault;
- (c.) locking said vault door with a mechanical lock and an electronically-controlled lock which in its unpowered position maintains said vault door in a locked state and which is controlled by a signal from said electronic circuitry.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.