EP1227445A1

EP1227445A1 - Parking system with parking ticket machines operated by mobile telephone

Info

Publication number: EP1227445A1
Application number: EP01200330A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kees Den Hollander
Original assignee: Parking Partners Ltd
Current assignee: Parking Partners Ltd
Priority date: 2001-01-30
Filing date: 2001-01-30
Publication date: 2002-07-31

Abstract

A parking fee system with a computer arrangement (2) provided with a processor (1) connected to memory (5, 7, 9, 11) to:

receive parking information from a mobile telephone (31) related to a parking starting time of a vehicle (29) and a parking ticket machine identifier;
calculate from said parking information a parking fee to be charged to a driver of said vehicle (29) in accordance with predefined calculation rules;
transmit details to be printed on a parking ticket to a parking ticket machine (33) associated with said parking ticket machine identifier.

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a parking fee system which is provided with a parking ticket machine to issue parking tickets to drivers desiring to park their vehicle in some parking zone.

Prior art

Prior art teaches parking fee systems (a) in which motorists perform parking payments by inserting coinage in a parking machine, which then dispenses tickets allowing the motorist to park a vehicle for a pre-determined amount of time, as reflected on this ticket. Additionally, prior art teaches (b) parking fee systems in which information is stored on payments which are made for vehicles at the time parking takes place. At the time parking commences, the vehicle driver contacts the parking fee system by means of a cellular telephone or alternative means of communication to trigger a parking payment to take place. The parking payment is stored in a central location, where for enforcement purposes, it can be accessed remotely in real-time.
The main disadvantage of the above system (a) is that the vehicle driver must have availability to coinage to be able to perform parking payments. Additionally, the parking operator must empty the machine of coinage at regular intervals. The main advantage of system (b) is that vehicle drivers must make a considerable mental adjustment to not have a physical proof of parking. Additionally, the parking authority may initially be reluctant to remove their expensive parking equipment infrastructure and provide all traffic wardens with a wireless handheld device with which to verify parking payments have taken place.

Summary of the invention

The object of this invention is to provide a solution to the aforementioned problems and provide a system which has the capability to accept parking payments from a cellular phone, yet still provide a physical proof of payment. This object is achieved by the system according to the invention, by allowing the existing parking machines to interface with a central parking fee system.
To that effect the invention is directed to a parking fee system comprising a computer arrangement provided with a processor connected to memory arranged to:

receive parking information from a mobile telephone related to a parking starting time of a vehicle and a parking ticket machine identifier;
calculate from said parking information a parking fee to be charged to a driver of said vehicle in accordance with predefined calculation rules;
transmit details to be printed on a parking ticket to a parking ticket machine associated with said parking ticket machine identifier.

The invention is based on the idea that the central parking fee system allows motorists to perform a parking payment utilising a cellular telephone by calling the parking fee system, which then sends a message to the parking machine to dispense a ticket.
The invention also relates to a method of operating of a parking fee system comprising a computer arrangement provided with a processor connected to memory, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving parking information from a mobile telephone related to a parking starting time of a vehicle and a parking ticket machine identifier;
calculating from said parking information a parking fee to be charged to a driver of said vehicle in accordance with predefined calculation rules;
transmitting details to be printed on a parking ticket to a parking ticket machine associated with said parking ticket machine identifier.

Finally, the invention also relates to a method of obtaining a parking ticket from a parking fee system comprising a computer arrangement provided with a processor connected to memory, the method comprising the steps of:

sending parking information to said computer arrangement with a mobile telephone, the information being related to a parking starting time of a vehicle and a parking ticket machine identifier;
receiving a parking ticket from a parking ticket machine associated with said parking ticket machine identifier.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be illustrated with reference to some drawings which are only intended to illustrate the invention and not to limit its scope as defined by the accompanying claims.
Figure 1 shows a general overview of some components used in the present invention.
Figure 2 shows a more detailed overview of a computer arrangement used in a payment centre.

Description of the preferred embodiment

The present invention relates to the field of parking by using both a parking ticket machine and some kind of telecommunication device. In figure 1, such a device is shown to be a mobile telephone 31. However, as the case may be, any other kind of communication device may be used. E.g., it is sometimes possible to use a fixed telephone to provide necessary instructions.
A parking ticket machine 33 is provided where a driver can buy a parking ticket. The parking ticket machine is provided with means 41 to accept money, e.g., in the form of coins or notes. Alternatively, the means 41 may provided to accept a credit card or "electronic purse" (smart card having "money" stored in its memory) or bank card. The parking ticket machine is provided with a display for interfacing with a driver and a tray 43 for issuing a ticket to the driver. The machine 33 also comprises a button 45 to be operated by a user for instructing the machine 33 to print a ticket. The parking ticket machine 33 is provided with communication means to communicate with other devices, either wireless or via a cable connection.
Figure 1 shows a car 29 that a driver wishes to park on a desired location for which he needs a parking ticket.
Figure 1 also shows a telecommunication mast 35 provided with suitable antenna means to communicate with the mobile telephone 31. Through the mast 35 or via other suitable means the mobile telephone 31 can communicate with a computer arrangement 2 of a parking provider, that is connected to a telecommunication network like the Public Switched Telecommunication Network (PSTN) 27. The mobile telephone 31 may use a GSM or other similar network. Some communications may be routed through a satellite 37 if required.
The parking ticket machine 33 is also arranged to communicate with the computer arrangement 2. This may be done in any way known to persons skilled in the art.
In figure 2, an overview is given of a computer arrangement that can be used to implement the computer 2. The arrangement comprises a processor 1 for carrying out arithmetic operations.
The processor 1 is connected to a plurality of memory components, including a hard disk 5, Read Only Memory (ROM) 7, Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM) 9, and Random Access Memory (RAM) 11. Not all of these memory types need necessarily be provided. Moreover, these memory components need not be located physically close to the processor 1 but may be located remote from the processor 1.
The processor 1 is also connected to means for inputting instructions, data etc. by a user, like a keyboard 13, and a mouse 15. Other input means, such as a touch screen, a track ball and/or a voice converter, known to persons skilled in the art may be provided too.
A reading unit 17 connected to the processor 1 is provided. The reading unit 17 is arranged to read data from and possibly write data on a data carrier like a floppy disk 19 or a CDROM 21. Other data carriers may be tapes, DVD, etc,. as is known to persons skilled in the art.
The processor 1 is also connected to a printer 23 for printing output data on paper, as well as to a display 3, for instance, a monitor or LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen, or any other type of display known to persons skilled in the art.
The processor 1 may be connected to a communication network 27, for instance, the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), etc. by means of I/O means 25. Connection to network 27 may be physical or wireless. The processor 1 may be arranged to communicate with other communication arrangements through the network 27.
The processor 1 may be implemented as stand alone system, or as a plurality of parallel operating processors each arranged to carry out subtasks of a larger computer program, or as one or more main processors with several subprocessors. Parts of the functionality of the invention may even be carried out by remote processors communicating with processor 1 through the network 27.
Now, a brief description of the functionality of the system shown in figures 1 and 2 is given.
In a first embodiment, a driver would be allowed to make the following selection by using a voice menu supported by computer arrangement 2:
1. The user chooses to pay for parking by his mobile telephone 31 by dialling a unique phone number presented on the parking ticket machine 33 and being associated with computer arrangement 2.
2. If possible, the computer arrangement 2 identifies the user based on his mobile phone number. If this does not prove possible, for example if the user has his Calling Line Identification feature switched off, the user is prompted to enter a user name and pincode.
3. The user is prompted to input a unique identification number presented on the parking ticket machine 33, identifying this machine, and the required parking duration.
4. Once data input is complete, the transaction is approved by the computer arrangement 2 and the parking ticket machine 33 is sent an authorisation message with the details of the ticket to be printed.
5. The printing ticket machine 33 displays the ticket details (parking end-time) to the user by display 39, similar to a current coinage-based interaction. To dispense the ticket, the user presses the print button 45 on the machine 33. This avoids tickets printing at a printing ticket machine where the user is not physically present, for example in the case of incorrect user input of the ticket machine identification number.
6. Upon successful issuing of a ticket, the ticket machine 33 notifies the computer 2, whereupon the user's account is debited for the appropriate amount. The bill may sent to the telecommunication provider of the user or to the bank account of the user using methods known by persons skilled in the art.
7. The user is prompted to hang up the phone.
The second embodiment is a message based interaction with the following interactions:
1. The user chooses to pay for parking by his mobile telephone 31 by sending a text message (SMS message) from his cellular telephone 31 to the unique phone number associated with the computer arrangement 2 and presented on the ticket machine 33. This text message contains the unique identifier presented on the ticket machine 33 and the required parking duration.
2. The computer arrangement 2 identifies the user based on his mobile phone number. Even if the user has his Calling Line Identification feature switched off on his handset, the mobile phone number associated with the mobile telephone 31 is presented to the computer arrangement 2.
3. The transaction is approved by the computer arrangement 2 and the ticket machine 33 is sent an authorisation message with the details of the ticket to be printed.
4. Upon successful issuing of a ticket, again, preferably, after the user has pushed the button 45, the ticket machine 33 notifies the computer arrangement 2, whereupon the user's account is debited for the corresponding amount. Again, the debit note may sent to the mobile telephone provider of the user or his bank account.
A third embodiment could be a mobile Internet, WAP or Internet based interaction.
It is to be noted that the computer arrangement 2 may be provided with the option to support all three embodiments described above.

Claims

A parking fee system comprising a computer arrangement (2) provided with a processor (1) connected to memory (5, 7, 9, 11) arranged to:

receive parking information from a mobile telephone (31) related to a parking starting time of a vehicle (29) and a parking ticket machine identifier;

calculate from said parking information a parking fee to be charged to a driver of said vehicle (29) in accordance with predefined calculation rules;

transmit details to be printed on a parking ticket to a parking ticket machine (33) associated with said parking ticket machine identifier.
A parking fee system according to claim 1, wherein said system comprises said parking ticket machine (33) arranged to print said ticket and issue the ticket to the driver.
A parking fee system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the computer arrangement is arranged to accept voice instructions from the driver.
A parking fee system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the computer arrangement (2) is arranged to accept SMS instructions from the driver.
A parking fee system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the computer arrangement (2) is arranged to accept instructions from the driver through an Internet protocol or wireless Internet protocol, like WAP.
A method of operating of a parking fee system comprising a computer arrangement (2) provided with a processor (1) connected to memory (5, 7, 9, 11), the method comprising the steps of:

receiving parking information from a mobile telephone (31) related to a parking starting time of a vehicle (29) and a parking ticket machine identifier;

calculating from said parking information a parking fee to be charged to a driver of said vehicle (29) in accordance with predefined calculation rules;

transmitting details to be printed on a parking ticket to a parking ticket machine (33) associated with said parking ticket machine identifier.
Method of obtaining a parking ticket from a parking fee system comprising a computer arrangement (2) provided with a processor (1) connected to memory (5, 7, 9, 11), the method comprising the steps of:

sending parking information to said computer arrangement (2) with a mobile telephone (31), the information being related to a parking starting time of a vehicle (29) and a parking ticket machine identifier;

receiving a parking ticket from a parking ticket machine (33) associated with said parking ticket machine identifier.