KR100265909B1 - Parking meter accepting contactless payment card - Google Patents

Abstract

A parking meter system using the smart card 101 as a payment method is disclosed. This smart card is inserted once into the parking meter to start the meter usage time and secondly to end the meter usage time. When the card is inserted a second time (200), a refund amount is calculated (225) and recorded on the card. Zeroing of the parking meter is accomplished by providing 235 a refund amount. This reduces the driving of the car driver to find a meter with time remaining.

Description

Parking meter accepting contactless payment card

A vending machine, which tracks the time of purchase of a parking space, has been used for many years as a means of metropolitan area for charging the parking space fee. Different types of bending machines fall into two general categories, depending on the situation in which they are used.

The term parking meter, as used herein, is designed to be placed adjacent to a parking spot, and will accommodate only a small number of vehicles. Parking meters can be placed adjacent to each parking space, and can be shared between two adjacent parking spaces, that is, one meter can cover up to four vehicles when cars parked in two rows face each other. .

The central collection system, on the other hand, is designed for situations where one central location can cover multiple parking spaces.

Parking bending machines belonging to these two categories have been developed in different directions to meet different demands and to cope with certain different constraints in use. One example is power use. If the central collection system covers a large number of parking spaces, it is not important to have an external power connection and to charge a single (or small number) of batteries when using batteries. On the other hand, since a large number of parking meters may be distributed in a large space, these parking meters do not require an external power supply, and power conservation must be made to avoid frequent maintenance. In another example, a parking meter generally includes some kind of visual display to show if there is a remaining amount of time for the parking space controlled by the meter. Such displays are useful not only for motorists who have purchased parking time, but also for parking officers who check for parking violations. In contrast, the central collection system may display the purchase time when the initial transaction is made, but generally does not provide a visual indication of the status of each parking space.

In many cities, each parking meter has been annoying because it provides a visual indication of its condition. In this situation, the driver travels the street including the parking meters arranged in line, looking for a parking meter with a remaining amount of time. This driving creates additional problems with traffic flow, and a number of attempts have been made to eliminate the need for such driving.

Various designs have been proposed for parking meters that automatically clear the remaining time when the vehicle leaves the parking space. These designs generally use some form of presence detector to indicate to the meter which vehicle actually exists at the parking spot at any given moment. However, this kind of design is easily affected by external interference or breakage. Since this is known, parking violators can avoid fines too easily, and parking violators may argue that the parking meter eliminated the purchase time too soon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic parking meter that accepts smart card inputs, and more particularly, to a configuration for reducing the driving of an automobile driver to find the remaining amount of time on the meter.

1 is a parking meter that accepts payment card input, showing a parking meter having a visual indicator of remaining time.

2 is a flow chart of the determination process when a smart card is inserted.

3 is a block diagram of a parking meter that can be programmed to provide a refund and zero the meter.

Parking meter system with refund option

By using an electronic parking meter that can accept electronic payments from a debit card, an innovative solution can be obtained. Using this system, the motorist can use the payment card to purchase the maximum amount of time on the meter, and when the motorist returns, the motorist can be guaranteed a refund for the unused time. When the motorist returns, the motorist simply inserts his payment card into the meter, which returns the purchase amount for the remaining time. This refund is electronically recorded on the vehicle driver's payment card, while at the same time the residence time on the meter is set to zero and the display is changed to show that it is due.

U.S. Patent No. 4,876,540 in the name of Burton et al. Discloses a central collection system that can be configured to provide refunds to motorists. However, a central collection system under the name of Burden et al. Is used to control a large number of parking spaces, i.e., in the name of this patent, the central collection system considers dispensing paper showing expiration time. Information about a transaction can be retrieved from a central collection system or associated portable unit, but the system does not display the status of parking spaces controlled by this system, so driving is not addressed or considered by the US patent. Nor is it a problem.

A way for car drivers to reset the parking meter to zero by providing a refund for unused time is a new way of dealing with the annoying problem to date.

In addition, since the serial number of the parking card is read by the meter, the meter does not exceed the legal parking time limit of the meter, even if additional time is purchased using the same card (called meter feeding). May be optionally programmed. With this configuration, a parking turnover is recommended, and initially a parking meter was invented for this purpose.

[advantage]

The disclosed invention provides at least the following advantages.

· Motorists can use the payment card, which reduces the parking fee loss on the parking meter.

Users who do not know how long a parking space is needed have the convenience of purchasing the maximum time allowed, so that the user does not waste parking costs for unused time.

By using a parking card, it is easy to detect a user trying to exceed the statutory usage limits, and therefore the parking diversion is recommended for the user.

The time remaining on the meter is zero even if the presence detector is reliable.

Parking tickets for expiration times are more viable, because the technology has a high degree of reliability.

No need to drive to find a parking meter with available time.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS The following describes the disclosed invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which important embodiments of the invention are shown and incorporated herein by reference.

Numerous innovative techniques of the present application are described with particular reference to this preferred embodiment (which is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive).

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the slot 102 of the parking meter accepts a payment card 101 provided for payment. (Other payment means, such as coin input 104, may be accepted by the meter, but the preferred embodiment of the parking meter does not provide a refund for the time purchased with the coin, and thus will not be described now. .)

In this preferred embodiment, the payment card is a “smart” card, which includes electronic circuitry such as a microprocessor to process a transaction.

Generally, the smart card is issued by a parking authority that has authority over a given area and can only use the right in the purchased area. The smart card is preprogrammed at a given currency price, which is typically the purchase price of the smart card. Each time each card is used, the value of the memory of this card is decremented until no value remains. At the option of the issuing authority, the card can be recovered or discarded for reprogramming at a new purchase price.

After insertion of the parking card, the meter prompts the user to select the amount of time to purchase, for example, the user can press the button 106 once every 15 minutes required, or via a keypad (not shown). The time can be entered. After the time is selected, the meter calculates the value of that time and deducts this amount from the payment card. If the value remaining on the card is not sufficient to obtain the required time, an error message is provided, and if sufficient, an acknowledgment of the transaction is displayed on display 108, for example, to provide the user with a visual guarantee that the transaction is complete. do. This display may have a different form, such as a liquid crystal display or a flag-wheel.

Once the motorist is ready to leave the parking space, the payment card can be inserted once again into the parking meter. The meter keeps a record of the serial numbers used to purchase time (up to three serial numbers per parking space), and refunds the remaining time when the card is reinserted.

2 shows a flow chart of the decision process for the use of a payment card. As can be seen in this flowchart, when the processor detects a card insertion (step 200), the processor next checks to see if the serial number is stored in memory (i.e. has been previously used to pay). (Step 205). If not present in the memory, the processor allows the user to select the desired time (step 250) and checks to see if a valid value has been entered (step 255). By the valid response, the processor may calculate the value of the desired time (step 260) and then check the provided card to see if the amount is available (step 265). If an invalid value is entered or if the amount on the card is not sufficient, an error message is provided (step 267). If an appropriate amount is available, a value corresponding to the desired time is deducted from the card (step 270), the timing circuit is activated for the desired time (step 275), and an acknowledgment constitutes the transaction (step 280). .

When the card is inserted (step 200), if a serial number is detected to exist in the memory, the processor calculates the time remaining value of the corresponding parking space (step 215). The time remaining value is compared with the threshold (step 220); If the time remaining value is not greater than the threshold, an error message such as “Not refunded” is displayed (step 222). If the time remaining value is greater than the threshold, the calculated value is refunded to the card (step 225), and an acknowledgment is displayed. (Step 230). For example, if the time is purchased incrementally every 15 minutes, no refund will be given for the remaining time of 14 minutes or less. Regardless of whether the value is greater than zero, the meter is zero (step 235).

Figure 3 provides a block diagram of a parking meter that can be programmed to take advantage of innovative refund options. Processor 310 communicates with circuitry for identifying coin input 320, reader 330 for parking card, and display 340. Power is supplied to each of these elements by a power supply 300 which is generally a battery. Further details about such meters can be found in US Pat. Nos. 5,360,095 and 5,475,373 and in US Patent Application 08 / 428,771, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[Modifications and Modifications]

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the inventive concepts described herein may be modified and modified in various applications, and therefore the scope of the patent application subject matter is not limited by any particular exemplary technique given.

In one example, the payment card generally refers to a smart card, but other types of cards that do not include circuitry, such as cards that use magnetic tape for memory, may also be used. If any means is available for communication with the central computer, an ordinary credit card or a card identifying a centrally available account can also be used.

Transportation applications such as buses and subways generally use contactless cards, which can be used in parking meter systems such as publicly refundable systems. Readers used in contactless applications have high power requirements, so they are generally not always active.

However, having a user insert a contactless card in a slot allows this insertion to activate transmitters and receivers in a very close range within that slot. As a result, very little power is required because the card is located in or adjacent the card reader.

The published parking meter considers the second insertion of the payment card a request for a refund, but allows the user to insert the card again for the purchase of additional time and for example to push an external signal by pressing a button on the meter. Other structures may be used, such as providing a refund only when provided.

Claims (9)

A parking meter, comprising: a transmitter and a receiver, the transmitter and receiver capable of interfacing to a contactless payment card adjacent to the transmitter and the receiver; A payment circuit, connected to the transmitter and the receiver, for receiving payment from the contactless payment card; A timing circuit connected to the payment circuit for calculating a selling time in response to the payment and providing a signal when the selling time expires; And a display connected to the timing circuit, the display providing a state (expiration state or non-expiration state) of the parking space that the parking meter is in charge of. The parking meter of claim 1, wherein a contactless payment card is inserted into the parking meter to activate the transmitter and the receiver. The parking meter of claim 1, wherein the contactless payment card is a smart card. In a parking meter system having a plurality of parking meters, each of which controls up to four adjacent parking spaces, each parking meter is connected to a transmitter and a receiver, from a contactless payment card adjacent to the transmitter and the receiver. A payment circuit that receives a payment, calculates a selling time in response to the payment, and provides a signal when the selling time expires; And a display connected to the payment circuit for providing a state (expired state or unexpired state) of each parking space that the parking meter is in charge of. 5. The parking meter system of claim 4, wherein the contactless payment card is inserted into a parking meter of one of the parking meters to provide a payment. The parking meter system of claim 4 wherein the contactless payment card is a smart card. A method of operating a parking meter, the method comprising: (A) providing a parking meter having a transmitter and a receiver capable of interacting with a contactless payment card; (B) receiving a payment from a contactless card; (C) responsive to the payment received from the contactless payment card, selling time for each parking space associated with the parking meter in accordance with a given protocol; (D) displaying the at least one state of the selling time as an unexpired state or an expired state. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the contactless payment card is inserted into the parking meter to provide payment. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein said contactless payment card is a smart card.

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