Urban parking system

A method of communicating vehicle parking data in an urban parking system, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a wireless network covering a large local geographic area;
• providing a large number of payment terminals provided in said area each located near a plurality of parking spaces;
• gathering parking data from motorists at said payment terminals, said parking data including at least one of vehicle identification data and parking space identification data;
• transferring said parking data from said payment terminals to said wireless network in real-time as payment is made at said payment terminals;
• providing a plurality of portable terminals for use by parking wardens inspecting said parking spaces of said area;
• and
• using said wireless network to transmit said parking data received from each motorist upon receipt from said payment terminals simultaneously to said plurality of portable terminals In said area;
• wherein said transferring of said parking data from said payment terminals to said plurality of portable terminals is performed continuously without interruption.

An urban parking system for use with a public wireless data network, said system comprising:

• a large number of payment terminals provided in a large local geographic area covered by said network and each located near a plurality of parking spaces, each said payment terminal comprising wireless modem means and data collection means for gathering parking data from a motorist, said parking data including at least one of vehicle identification data and parking space identification data, said wireless modem means transferring said parking data from said data collection means to said wireless network substantially as payment is made;
• a plurality of portable terminals for use by parking wardens inspecting said parking spaces of said area, said portable terminals including wireless communication means communicating with said public wireless data network, a memory for storing said parking data, and a user interface means;
• and
• broadcast means associated with said wireless network for transmitting said parking data upon receipt from said wireless modem means simultaneously to said plurality of portable terminals in said area;
• wherein said plurality of portable terminals for use by parking wardens inspecting said parking spaces of said area receives said parking data continuously from the broadcast means in the background without interruption.

An urban parking system comprising:

• a wireless network covering a large local geographic area;
• a plurality of payment terminals provided in said area and using said wireless network for conveying parking data, each of said plurality of payment terminals including a data collector for gathering parking data from at least one motorist in respect of a corresponding large number of parking spaces, said parking data including at least one of vehicle identification data and parking space identification data for any of said parking spaces, said data collector making use of a former parking meter mounting post;
• a wireless modem for transferring said parking data from said data collector to said wireless network in response to payment being made by each said motorist at one of said payment terminals;
• a plurality of portable terminals for use by parking wardens inspecting said parking spaces of said area, each of said portable terminals including a wireless modem for conveying parking data using said wireless network, a memory for storing said parking data, and a user interface;
• and
• wireless broadcast transmitter associated with said wireless network for transmitting said parking data substantially upon receipt from said data collector wireless modem simultaneously to said plurality of portable terminals in said area,
• wherein said plurality of portable terminals for use by parking wardens inspecting said parking spaces of said area receives said parking data continuously from the wireless broadcast transmitter in the background without interruption.

An urban parking system for use with a public wireless data network, said system comprising:

• a large number of payment terminals provided in a large local geographic area covered by said network and each located near a plurality of parking spaces, each said payment terminal comprising a wireless modem and data collector for gathering parking data from a motorist, said parking data including at least one of vehicle identification data and parking space identification data, said wireless modem transferring said parking data from said data collector to said wireless network substantially as payment is made;
• a plurality of portable terminals for use by parking wardens inspecting said parking spaces of said area, each said portable terminal including a wireless modem communicating with said public wireless data network, a memory for storing said parking data, and a terminal user interface;
• and
• wireless broadcast transmitter associated with said wireless network for transmitting said parking data upon receipt from said data collector wireless modem simultaneously to said plurality of portable terminals in said area;
• wherein said plurality of portable terminals for use by parking wardens inspecting said parking spaces of said area receives said parking data continuously from the wireless broadcast transmitter in the background without interruption.