AU2004100771B4 - Parking system for sending messages - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Applicant(s): CDS WORLDWIDE PTY LTD A.C.N. 087 107 499 Invention Title: PARKING SYSTEM FOR SENDING MESSAGES The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2 PARKING SYSTEM FOR SENDING MESSAGES Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a parking system for sending messages to a receiver via a wireless communication link.

Background of Invention With population growth on the increase, the infrastructure of many large cities is under strain. The amount of vehicle parking is often at a premium and parking systems can be employed to regulate parking availability wherein users are charged a fee which is generally related to the amount of time their vehicle is parked in a given parking area. Parking systems are commonly used to regulate parking availability for metered parking and car parks.

AU 01/00192 discloses a parking system used for regulating metered parking wherein a meter is situated in close proximity to a corresponding parking bay. When a user's vehicle is parked, the user is generally required to pay a fee at the meter corresponding to the amount of time in which the user estimates that parking will be required.

Once paid, the user effectively establishes an account.

Upon expiry of the account, the user may be subject to receiving a fine issued by a law enforcement officer if the vehicle remains parked within the parking bay regulated by the parking system. The account can be "topped up" by the user periodically, however, there is often a maximum allowable time limit permitted for parking a vehicle in a given parking bay. Exceeding this limit could also undesirably result in the user being issued with a parking fine.

AU 03/00457 discloses a parking system for regulating parking in a car park comprising a plurality of parking H.\Luisa\Keep\Speci\CDS 2003246283 Inn Div.doc 10/09/04 3 ci spaces in which a vehicle can park. A user is issued with San account when initially parking and, in contrast to Z metered parking, the account time balance increases over time. The user is then charged a fee when exiting the car park which generally corresponds to the amount of time in which the user is' parked within the car park.

WO 01/73701 discloses a method wherein a user may initiate a call from a mobile phone to a parking system and, when connected, check the credit balance linked to their pre- Spaid account. The onus is therefore undesirably on the user to check their credit balance and hence time remaining for a vehicle to be legitimately parked in a car park.

Summary of Invention According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle parking system, comprising: a parking meter for location in proximity to a parking bay in which a user's vehicle can park; a central facility for receiving a mobile telephone call from the user to initiate legal parking in the parking bay and for establishing a parking period, activating the parking meter to show that the user's vehicle is legally parked and for processing payment in relation to the parking of the vehicle; and a communication means at the central facility for sending a telephone message to the user's mobile telephone prior to the expiry of the parking period to alert the user that the parking period will soon expire.

Preferably the message is an SMS message.

Preferably the central facility maintains a database of accounts including details of the mobile telephone relating to the user to which the message should be sent.

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4 cI The invention in another aspect provides a parking method, o comprising: Z providing a parking meter in proximity to a parking bay in which a user's vehicle can park; providing a central facility which can be telephoned by a user to enable valid parking to take place; receiving a mobile telephone call at the central facility from the user to initiate legal parking in the parking bay, establish a parking period, activate the Sparking meter to show that the user's vehicle is legally parked and processing payment in relation to the parking of the vehicle; and forwarding a telephone message to the user's mobile telephone prior to the expiry of the parking period to alert the user that the parking period will soon expire.

Preferably the message is an SMS message.

Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a parking system used for regulating metered parking according to a first embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 2 is a block diagram of a parking system used for regulating metered parking according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment To facilitate with the understanding of the ensuing first embodiment described, the disclosure of AU 01/00192 can be considered to be incorporated herein by reference.

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CI According to a first embodiment of the present invention, O there is provided a parking system for regulating metered Z parking as shown in Fig. 1. There are provided four parking bays 20, numbered car park bay 1 to 4, each having a corresponding sensor 22 which is able to detect when a Hi\Luisa\Keep\Speci\CDS 2003248283 Inn Div.doc 3/11/04 5 vehicle is parked in a bay 20. A parking meter regulates parking for each of the four bays 20 and is connected to a central station 50 in a remote location.

Each sensor 22 can transmit data regarding the presence of a vehicle in the parking bay 20 to the parking meter The parking system would typically include a plurality of meters 10 connected to the central station 50, however, only a single meter 10 regulating parking in a single parking bay 20 will be considered herein.

The parking meter 10 includes a processor 62 which interfaces to a first transceiver (not shown) for transmitting and receiving telephone calls to and from a mobile telephone 60 respectively. A second transceiver 66 is also connected to the processor 62 for transmitting and receiving information to and from the central station respectively via a mobile telephone network, fixed land line network or another communication link such as the Internet. The central station 50 has a computer system for recording transactions and outputting information to each of the parking meters 10. Each of the parking meters have a unique identifying telephone number which can be dialled by the central station 50 so that iniformation can be transmitted from the central station 50 to the second transceiver 66 associated with a parking meter 10. The user can also connect to the central station 50 via a parking meter 10 by using their mobile telephone 60 to dial the unique identifying telephone number of the parking meter The parking meter 10 has a display 68 for displaying information to the user which interfaces to the processor 62 via line 29. An input pad 70 is provided for allowing the user to input information to the processor 62 via line 11. The input pad 70 is typically a keypad or touch screen display. A payment receiving means 28 is also provided to H,\Luisa\Keep\Speci\CDS 2003248283 Inn Div.doc 10/09/04 6 allow the user to pay for a parking period in which the vehicle may be legitimately parked within a parking bay The payment receiving means 28 interfaces to the processor 62 via line 26.

Once the user has parked their vehicle in the bay, they then proceed to pay a fee which generally corresponds to the amount of time in which the user estimates that parking will be required. Once paid, the user establishes an account credited with a time balance which decreases over time. Payment of the fee may be undertaken in a variety of ways using the payment receiving means 28. The payment receiving means 28 includes any combination of a coin receipt means wherein the user can provide coins in a first slot; a note receipt means wherein the user can provide bank notes in a second slot; a card reader for receiving and reading the magnetic strip on a credit card or other system specific smart card; and/or the first transceiver for receiving a mobile telephone call wherein the user can pay electronically, using their mobile telephone 60 to dial the unique identifying telephone number of the meter 10 and, when connected, further providing credit card details or a pre-paid account identification number to the meter 10 via the mobile telephone The central station 50 may also have analogous means for making fee payments which additionally form part of the payment receiving means 28. The payment receiving means 28 can accept payment from either one or a plurality of the foregoing means for accepting payment. Once a fee is paid, the payment receiving means 28 communicates the amount paid to the processor 62 which establishes a user account and calculates a corresponding credited time balance corresponding to the allowed parking period. The processor 62 proceeds to periodically update the time balance as time passes.

H,\Luisa\Keep\Speci\CDS 2003248283 Inn Div.doc 10/09/04 7 The parking system is adapted to send reminder messages to the mobile telephone 60 via the first transceiver. If payment is made using the mobile telephone 60, the user's mobile telephone number is stored and linked to the user's account by the processor 62. Alternatively, the user can input their mobile phone number to the parking system via the input pad 70 if they wish to receive reminder messages from the parking system. Account details including the user's mobile phone number are typically stored in a suitable storage medium by the processor 62. Plus, the user's mobile telephone number can be entered into the processor 62 or the central station 50 by receipt of date relating to that number if parking is initiated by a mobile telephone call. Alternatively, if payment is made without the use of the mobile telephone by means of coin payment, credit card payment or note payment via the receiving means 28, the user can type his or her mobile telephone number into the input keypad 70 so that information can be supplied to the processor 62 and/or central station Messages would generally only be sent to the user in the event that they have selected an option displayed on the display 68 by using the input pad 70 to enable this feature. For the ensuing description it can be assumed that this messaging feature has been enabled by the user.

When a pre-determined time condition is met and the user's vehicle is parked in the parking bay 20, a corresponding message is compiled by the processor 62 or station 50 and sent to the user's mobile telephone 60 via the first transceiver. Alternatively, the data can be supplied from the processor 62 to the central station 50 and the central station 50 can be responsible for sending the corresponding message to the user's mobile telephone The parking system has a communications means including H,\Luia\Keep\Speci\CDS 2003248283 Inn Div.doc 10/09/04 8 the processor 62 and the first transceiver for transmitting and receiving telephone calls to and from the mobile telephone 60 respectively. In addition, the communication means can be used to transmit and receive short message service (SMS) messages to and from the mobile telephone 60 respectively. A message to be sent is compiled by the processor 62 or central station 50 which retrieves a SMS or pre-recorded voice message related to the particular pre-determined time condition from a storage medium. The processor 62 then retrieves the user's mobile telephone number from the user's account stored in the storage medium and sends the message to the user's mobile telephone 60 via the first transceiver.

Parking bays are typically governed by time dependant restrictions. There is a maximum allowable time limit imposed for parking a vehicle in the parking bay. This time limit may be subject to variation depending on the time of day or day of the week. In addition, the parking rate of charge may vary depending upon the time of day or day of the week. The parking system therefore has a timer means for tracking the time of day, day of the week and date, and monitoring the period that has elapsed since the user has parked their vehicle within the parking bay using information provided by the sensor 22.

The timer means includes a calendar and a clock for tracking the time of day and is typically located in the meter 10. The processor 62 also forms part of the timer means and monitors the period that has elapsed after the user parks their vehicle within the parking bay using information provided by the sensor 22. The sensor 22 would typically sense when the vehicle has parked in the parking bay and initiate a timer in the processor 62 when an account is established. The timer would then be stopped when the sensor 22 detects that the vehicle has left the parking bay.

H,\Luisa\Keep\Speci\CDS 2003248283 Inn Div.doc 10/09/04 9 Figure 2 shows a block diagram of the parking system including the meter 10 connected to the central station wherein data can be relayed from the central station 50 to the meter 10 and visa versa. The user has a mobile telephone 60 which is linked via a wireless communication link to the parking system. Using the mobile telephone the user can communicate directly with the meter 10 which, in turn, can communicate with the central station 50. The mobile phone 10 can transmit and receive calls from the meter 10 via the communication means.

According to a first example of the first embodiment of the present invention, a user parks their vehicle in a parking bay requiring a fee of $6 per hour and having a maximum allowable time limit for parking the vehicle in that parking bay of 1 hour. The user pays a fee of $3 and provides their mobile phone number to the meter thereby establishing an account which is linked to the mobile telephone 60. The user can therefore remain legitimately parked in the parking bay for 30 minutes as the account has a credited time balance of 30 minutes which decreases over time.

The timer means is used to decrease the time balance over time and is continually updated on the display 68. A predetermined time condition enforced by the parking system is met when the time balance decreases to less than a fixed period of 5 minutes before expiry. When this predetermined time condition is met and the vehicle remains parked in the parking bay, the communication means sends a reminder message to the mobile telephone 60 alerting the user that only 5 minutes credit remains and that the parking period will soon expire. The user can return to their vehicle and move it from the parking bay before the expiry of the parking period or, alternatively, pay an additional fee thereby increasing the time balance of the H.\Luisa\Keep\Speci\CDS 2003248283 Inn Div.doc 10/09/04 10 account, to avoid receiving a parking fine.

The reminder message can be a pre-recorded voice message or a SMS message. The user can use their mobile phone to respond to the message with a return message, being either a SMS message or regular call, to the communication means for increasing the time balance of the time account. The user may increase or "top up" their limit by an additional minutes up to the maximum allowable time limit for parking the vehicle in the parking bay of 1 hour.

The user pays an additional fee of $3 using the payment receiving means 28 which buys an additional 30 minutes parking time and therefore the vehicle can legitimately remain parked in the parking bay for up to 60 minutes from initially parking in the bay, which approximately corresponds to the time of establishing the account.

Another pre-determined time condition enforced by the parking system is met when the vehicle has been parked in the parking bay for greater than a fixed period of minutes.

When this pre-determined time condition is met and the vehicle remains parked in the parking bay, the communication means sends a reminder message to the mobile telephone 60 alerting the user that the maximum allowable time limit has almost expired. The user does not have the option to increase the time balance by paying an additional fee and instead must move the vehicle to avoid receiving a parking fine. If the maximum allowable time limit expires and the vehicle remains parked in the parking bay, additional reminder messages may be sent to the user at various fixed periods.

According to a second example of the first embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle is legitimately parked in a parking bay at 6:15am and the parking bay turns into H.\Luisa\Keep\Speci\CDS 2003248283 Inn Div.doc 10/09/04 11 a clearway wherein no parking is permitted in that parking bay after 6:30am. The maximum allowable time limit associated with the parking bay will therefore change at 6:30am and affect the legitimacy of the parked vehicle.

Another pre-determined time condition enforced by the parking system is met when the time of day is within a fixed period of 10 minutes before the pending change in the maximum allowable time limit. Therefore, in this example, the pre-determined time condition is met if the vehicle remains parked in the parking bay after 6:20 am.

When the foregoing pre-determined time condition is met and the vehicle remains parked in the parking bay, the communication means sends a reminder message to the mobile telephone 60 alerting the user to move their vehicle.

According to a third example of the first embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle is parked in a parking bay requiring no fee at the time of parking, however, a prescribed maximum allowable time limit associated with the parking bay applies. In this event, the user may still establish an account linked to the mobile telephone 60 and be sent a reminder message when the vehicle has been parked in the parking bay for a period approaching the prescribed maximum allowable time limit.

To facilitate with the understanding of the ensuing second embodiment described, the disclosure of AU 03/00457 can be considered to be incorporated herein by reference.

Additional variations and embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to a person skilled in the art.

For example, the mobile telephone 10 of the preferred embodiments could alternatively be a pager or other like wireless receiver linked to the account and able to receive messages from the communication means.

The first embodiment of the present invention describes a Hs\Lisa\Keep\Speci\CDS 2003248283 Inn Div.doc 10/09/04 12 parking system including a meter 10 and a central station A person skilled in the art would appreciate that in an alternative embodiment, the functionality of the central station 50 could be incorporated into the meter which already includes both the timer means and communication means. Alternatively, the timer means could be distributed between the central station 50 and meter wherein a central clock synchronises the time for each parking meter 10. This latter arrangement would be particularly useful if the central station 50 was permanently connected to the meter 10 via the public switched telephone network (PSTN).

In addition, the first embodiment is directed to a parking system wherein the user communicates to a central station using their mobile telephone 60 via the parking meter In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the mobile telephone 60 can directly connect to an analogous communication means located in the central station 50 which, in turn, is connected to a remote parking meter 10 via a wireless communication link. The user can thereby connect to the parking meter 10 using the mobile telephone 60 via the central station The second example of the first embodiment of the present invention could readily include the situation wherein, instead of the parking bay changing from having a maximum allowable time limit to a clearway, the bay changes from having a first maximum allowable time limit to a second maximum allowable time limit. In this instance, the legitimacy of the parking could be affected if, for example, a vehicle has been parked in a bay for 3 hours and the maximum allowable time limit changes from a first limit of 4 hours to a second limit of 2 hours. After the change, the user could be sent a reminder message indicating that the limit has changed and they are illegally parked.

H,\Luisa\Keep\Speci\CDS 2003248283 Inn Div.doc 10/09/04 13 The second embodiment described a car park whereby the account time balance increases over time, however, a person skilled in the art would understand that a user account with a time balance decreasing over time could equally be established when a fee is initiallypaid, as was the case in the first embodiment. In such an instance, pre-determined time conditions'of the first embodiment may apply and analogous reminder messages could be sent to the user. The present invention would also have utility for a parking system similar to the first embodiment where the vehicle is locked in a parking bay until payment is made, and the time balance increases over time as was the case in the second embodiment.

The embodiments describe a flat fee or rate of charge, however, a person skilled in the art would appreciate that this rate may be varied in accordance with the time of day. Similarly the fixed periods described are for the purposes of example only and could be readily altered.

The foregoing additional variations and embodiments should be considered to fall within the scope of the present invention being claimed.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

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Claims (4)

1. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the message is an SMS message.
2. 3. The system of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the central facility maintains a database of accounts including details of the mobile telephone relating to the user to which the message should be sent.
3. 4. A parking method, comprising: providing a parking meter in proximity to a parking bay in which a user's vehicle can park; providing a central facility which can be telephoned by a user to enable valid parking to take place; receiving a mobile telephone call at the central facility from the user to initiate legal parking in the parking bay, establish a parking period, activate the parking meter to show that the user's vehicle is legally parked and processing payment in relation to the parking of the vehicle; and forwarding a telephone message to the user's H \Luisa\Keep\Speci\CDS 2003248283 Inn Div.doc 3/11/04 CI mobile telephone prior to the expiry of the parking period O to alert the user that the parking period will soon Z expire.
4. 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the message is an SMS message. Dated this 3rd day of November 2004 CDS WORLDWIDE PTY LTD SBy their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia HI\Luisa\Keep\Speci\CDS 2003248283 Inn Div.doc 3/11/04