GB2415820A

GB2415820A - Automated car park system

Info

Publication number: GB2415820A
Application number: GB0513403A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Simon Marc Leigh; Menachem Mendel Sudak
Original assignee: Ranger Services Ltd
Current assignee: Ranger Services Ltd
Priority date: 2004-07-02
Filing date: 2005-07-01
Publication date: 2006-01-04
Anticipated expiration: 2025-07-01
Also published as: GB2415820C; GB2415820B; GB0513403D0; GB0414843D0

Abstract

A parking system has cameras C1 and C2 at a car park entry A and exit B respectively for reading vehicle number plates. A vehicle user pays for parking at a payment receiving means and enters the vehicle registration on a keypad or chooses the registration from a list of those recently recorded at the entry A. On leaving the car park the number plate is again read and the parking time calculated to check that the appropriate fee was paid. The user may be billed subsequently for any shortfall, the car park need not have entry and exit barriers.

Description

241 5820 Agents ret P5051 GB REF 1

CAR PARKING SYSTEM

The invention relates to a car parking system and in particular to one where the user pays a car parking fee.

While there are various ways of charging the user of a car park for using the facility this Invention Is particularly applicable for systems In which on parking his vehicle the user selects a period he expects to leave the car for and pays a fee appropriate to that period before he leaves the car park.

Because of the cost of labour and for other reasons, there is a wish to eliminate the need for an operator to be based at the car park. In other words there is a wish to make the facility fully automatic It Is one object of this invention to provide a car park system which does not require on- site manpower.

In one aspect the invention provides a system for charging a fee for parking a vehicle at a site such as car parks, the apparatus comprising: camera means located at an entry point arranged to sense and record the number plate of a vehicle entering the site and an entry time; data input means for the vehicle user to identify a number plate associated with the user; payment receiving means coupled to a processing arrangement arranged to calculate a fee due and to accept notes or coins or tokens or credit card for payment and, optionally, allow payment within a predetermined period of time from detection of the number plate and optionally to Issue a receipt, 1 c the camera means Is located at an exit point arranged to determine and record the departure time of the vehicle; wherein the processing arrangement Is arranged to record In a database the entry and departure times, the vehicle registration number and any fee paid thereby permitting identification of a vehicle in respect of which a user of the car park who has not paid any or all of the appropriate car parking charge.

Preferably the input means comprises an alphanumeric touch pad or keyboard which is arranged to print the vehicle registration number on a receipt presented to the vehicle user. The input means Is preferably associated with the payment means.

Preferably, the Input means is a touch-screen display.

The camera means may be a first camera disposed at the entry point and a second camera disposed at the exit point.

Because there Is a camera at the entry point and the exit point, which can accurately read vehicle number plates, there are accurate records of arrival times and departures Because the user identifies his registration number there is a facility to record the start point of the parking, which Will be useful in terms of charging the parking fees The Identity of the vehicle can be checked on exit and the information sent electronically to the database, which may be stored at a central location, to verify that the parking fee was paid If the fee Is not paid at all or there is a shortfall the central database will Identify the violator. If the camera records the arrival of the vehicle and the driver fails to pay and take a receipt within say 10 minutes, the apparatus may record this and start to calculate the charge r r. I 1, In order that the Invention may be well understood, one embodiment Will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing.

For simplicity only, a single entry point and a single exit point of an unmanned car park are shown A vehicle carrying a user enters a point A via a barrier-free entrance at which there is a camera C1 for capturing an image of the number plate of the vehicle.

This is communicated by any suitable means available, for example via a landline or the wireless connection, which may make use of an Internet connection, to a central station S at a remote location, where the central station maintains a database of vehicle registration numbers, entry times and departure times in respect of the car park. The driver parks the vehicle in one of the available car park spaces CP and goes to a data Input device, for example a parking payment unit, such as a parking meter Typically, the parking meter comprises a data input and a data output device, for example, a touch screen input/output device, or a display and a touch pad or keypad If the touchpad/keypad is used, it is alphanumeric. Such apparatus Is available from, for example IBERSEGUR SA of Spain, e g. model CIUDAD This data Input apparatus has an alphanumeric keypad. As an alternative or in addition, it Is feasible to use apparatus adapted to display an image of the vehicle registration plate for the driver to touch to Indicate payment At the parking meter, the driver, or user, identifies the vehicle registration details to the parking meter and pays the fee appropriate to the intended duration of stay of the vehicle In this respect, the user provides the parking meter with the registration or lcence number of the vehicle, which may be selectable on the touch screen display.

The touch screen display may, In such a case, display all vehicles that have entered the car park within a predetermined period of time. The user then selects the vehicle # # 8 # 7 # # # ' e # I # # # e ## # I I # e # registration number associated with the user displayed by the touch screen display and is subsequently presented with periods of time on the display, for example, 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 1 day, and is requested to select one, whereupon the user is asked to provide payment in respect of the period of time selected The parking meter may then print out a receipt stamped with the time and the vehicle registration details Identified by the user.

The vehicle registration numbers displayed are, optionally, only available for display for a predetermined period of time, for example, 10 minutes from entry of the vehicle into the car park, "hereafter the user is no longer able to pay and a penalty charge becomes automatically due. Alternatively, in the event that the driver neglects to identify the vehicle and pay within say 10 minutes of arrival, the apparatus will note this and automatically start to calculate the fee due The user then leaves the car park and In due course returns to the vehicle and drives off via a barrier-free exit B having a camera C2, optionally keeping the receipt as his expenses receipt.

Upon exit of the vehicle from the car park, the registration number Is recorded and the information sent to the central station. There it Is checked for entry time and departure, and the correctness of the fee paid. If there Is a shortfall then at the discretion of the car park management the user Is notified by post and is optionally given a period to pay it or an excess charge.

In an alternative aspect the invention further provides a method of obtaining payment from a vehicle user for vehicle parking charges and optionally a penalty or excess 8 1 ' 1 1 charge, which involves a user using a vehicle parking system as has been described above.

Whilst payment for vehicle parking charges may be made by the user whilst the vehicle is parked on-site, subsequent charges such as excess or penalties may be collected from the user off-white after the vehicle has left the site As a means to pay charges, the user may pay by e.g. permit holder parking, same day payment or pre-payment facilities. All such methods of collecting payment are embodied within the said alternative aspect outlined above

Claims

:: :: .:e:'.: :: I' l::: :: c:

1. A vehicle parking system including means for charging a fee for parking a vehicle at a site, the system comprising: a) camera means located at an entry point for vehicles arranged to sense and record the number plate of a vehicle entering the site and an entry time, b) data input means for the vehicle user to identify a number plate associated with the user; c) payment receiving means coupled to a processing arrangement arranged to calculate a fee due and to accept payment and, optionally, allow payment within a pre-determined period of time from detection of the number plate and, optionally, to issue a receipt, d) camera means located at an exit point arranged to determine and record the departure time of the vehicle; wherein e) the processing arrangement is arranged to record in a database the entry and departure times, the vehicle registration number and any fee paid thereby permitting identification of a vehicle in respect of which a user of the site who has not paid any or all of the appropriate car parking charge 2. A parking system as claimed In Claim 1, wherein the data input means (b) comprises an alphanumeric touchpad or keyboard which Is arranged to print the vehicle registration number on a receipt presented to the vehicle user. c

: ::: .e: :e 1 1 A parking system as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the data input means (b) is associated with the payment means.

4 A parking system as claimed in Claim 1 or 3, wherein the input means is a touch screen display, optionally arranged to display an image of vehicle registration plates which may be selected by a user.

5. A parking system as claimed in any preceding Claim, including camera means being a first camera disposed at an entry point to the site and a second camera disposed at the exit point, said first and second cameras being associated with said processing arrangement.

6. A parking system as claimed in any preceding Claim, including means accurately to record amval times and departures of vehicles using the site.

7 A parking system as claimed in any preceding Claim adapted to identify the vehicle upon exit from the site and the information sent electronically to the database.

8. A parking system as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the database is stored at a central location and is adapted to verify that a parking fee has been paid and to identify vehicles for which the correct fee has not been paid.

9. A vehicle parking system as claimed In any preceding Claim, which is arranged to operate as an unmanned vehicle park.

# ' 1. ' ' # ##ale # a, a # # # . 10. A vehicle parking system as claimed In any preceding Claim, In which an entry barrier Is absent from the entry point.

11 A vehicle parking system as claimed In any preceding Claim, in which an exit barriers absent from the exit point 12. A vehicle parking system as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein a central station maintains a database of vehicle registration numbers, entry times and departure times 13. A vehicle parking system as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein vehicle registration numbers are displayed on the data input means (b) for a predetermined period of time "hereafter a penalty charge becomes due 14. A vehicle parking system as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein in the event of a vehicle user neglecting to identify the vehicle parked within a predetermined time from arrival at the site, the system Is arranged to note this and automatically start to calculate the fee due.

A vehicle parking system as claimed in any preceding Claim, substantially as herein described 16. A vehicle parking system as claimed in any preceding Claim, substantially as herein illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

t; t C . 17 A method of obtaining payment from a vehicle user for vehicle parking charges and optionally a penalty or excess charge, which involves a vehicle user using a vehicle parking system as claimed in any preceding Claim.

18 A method as claimed in Claim 17, which involves recordal of vehicle registration numbers and sending to the database preferably at a central station, and checks for vehicle entry time, vehicle departure time and correctness of the fee paid to identify whether or not there is any shortfall in the correctness of the fee paid.

19. A method as claimed in Claim 18, which includes the further step of postal notification to the vehicle user giving a period to pay any such shortfall or an excess charge.

20. A method of obtaining payment as claimed in any one of Claims 17 to 19, substantially as herein described or as illustrated in the accompanying drawing