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US 7,104,447 B1Granted
Parking meters, systems and methods of parking enforcement
OwnerAnthony Lopez, Manuel Quijanoinventors
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Abstract
Parking meters detect presence of vehicles in monitored parking spaces and obtain images of license plates. A parking enforcement system communicates with the parking meters and manages use of parking spaces.
Claims25
A parking meter for monitoring an adjacent parking space comprising:
- a transmitter,
- a unique identification code,
- a vehicle presence detector for conveying occupancy status of the adjacent parking space, the vehicle presence detector being coupled to the transmitter,
- a camera for acquiring at least one image of a license plate of a vehicle parked in the adjacent parking space, the camera being coupled to the transmitter,
- an authorization input device for producing an authorization request, the authorization input device comprising a user identity input, the authorization input device being coupled to the transmitter
- wherein the transmitter can communicate the unique identification code, the occupancy status, the image, and the authorization request to a receiver.
3 more elements
A system for parking enforcement comprising:
- a plurality of parking meters, each parking meter comprising
- a transmitter,
- a unique identification code,
- a vehicle presence detector for conveying occupancy status of an adjacent parking space, the vehicle presence detector being coupled to the transmitter,
- a camera for acquiring at least one image of a license plate of a vehicle parked in the adjacent parking space, the camera being coupled to the transmitter,
- wherein the transmitter can communicate the corresponding unique identification code, the occupancy status, and the image;
- at least one receiver for communicating with the transmitter,
- a database comprising
- the plurality of unique identification codes,
- a parking meter location associated with each unique identification code, and
- a parking permission type associated with each unique identification code, a timer to measure a duration of occupancy,
- a controller coupled to the database, the receiver, and the timer, the controller selectively generating a parking violation signal as a function of the corresponding occupancy status, permission type, and duration of occupancy, and
- a mail distribution center that receives from the controller the parking violation signal, the corresponding parking meter location, and the image.
10 more elements
A method for parking enforcement comprising:
- communicating from a monitored parking space to a controller a vehicle presence indication and an image of a license plate of a parked vehicle,
- retrieving by the controller from a database a permission type associated with the monitored parking space,
- selectively generating by the controller a parking violation signal as a function of permission type and duration of occupancy, and
- communicating the parking violation signal to a mail distribution center.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.