WO1998058353A1

WO1998058353A1 - Novel devices for controlling access or occupation time of places or premises

Info

Publication number: WO1998058353A1
Application number: PCT/BE1998/000090
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joseph Demarteau; Jean-Marc Gilliard
Original assignee: Wow Company S.A.
Priority date: 1997-06-17
Filing date: 1998-06-15
Publication date: 1998-12-23
Also published as: BE1011219A6

Abstract

The invention concerns a device for controlling access or occupation time recording data related to the resource, the user and the applicant and data related to the service time requested, characterised in that a transmitting device enables the applicant to communicate these data to an operator, human or artificial intelligence, having a server set recording said data, processing them and transmitting certificates or activating data to a receiver which displays the control data validated by the server set on the basis of the applicant data. The device ensures the compatibility of the whole operation and accepts various modes of payment (prepayment, invoicing, bank cards, smart cards and the like). The invention is applicable to pay parking lots and useful for controlling access to and use of certain types of places or premises.

Description

NEW DEVICES FOR CONTROL OF ACCESS OR OF OCCUPANCY OF PREMISES OR PREMISES.

The subject of the present invention is new devices for controlling access or the occupancy time of places or premises (hereinafter generally designated by "resources"), applicable in particular to the parking of vehicles. In the case of car parking, for example, the large number of card distributors required represents a significant investment in personnel and equipment. In what follows, without this being limiting of the fields of application, we will essentially refer to car parking which represents a particularly significant field of application.

The devices most frequently used on the date of filing of this request are prepaid parking meters by coins or credit cards issuing cards, mentioning inter alia the time limit to be observed, which will be placed in the vehicle, preferably behind the windshield for inspection by the agents responsible for this purpose.

The drawbacks are obvious in particular for the driver who is forced to a series of operations, and for the municipality or other manager of the place who must invest in expensive equipment and in maintenance and collection staff of the cashed parts.

There are also autonomous devices, also visible behind the windshields, regulated by the motorist leaving his vehicle and prepaid by smart cards or the like, but these devices pose complex problems for moving from one locality to another or when preferential rates must be applied. The object of the present invention is, in particular, to simplify the operations to be carried out by the driver, to eventually remove the parking meters, to authorize a modulation of the pricing and to make centralized payments.

To simplify, the driver of a vehicle or any other authorized person can communicate, for example by telephone, with an operator of the telephone company or other equivalent or specialized organization, give him the references of the resource and the conditions under which it is desired to exploit it, in particular the place and duration of parking, as well as its own references, the operator sending to a receiver placed in the vehicle the coded data validating the parking for the duration envisaged, which will be decoded and displayed so as to be accessible to the controller. The administration on which the operator depends then adds to the applicant's invoice the amount due for parking and credits the holder of the resource, such as the parking area, generally the municipality. In this case, this implies that the latter, in whose territory the vehicle is parked, has made an agreement with the administration or the telephone company. The user therefore sees his telephone bill increased by the corresponding amount. You can also pay by giving your phone card references, or any bank or other card, magnetic or chip, and debit the account periodically or piecemeal.

To this end, according to the present invention, the motorist user or equivalent calls, from his vehicle or nearby, by any telephone or other automatic telecommunication means at his disposal, an operator to whom he specifies personal references, the place of parking, and if it provides for the parking time limit; if he does not know, there will be an extension either on a new call from him, or automatically, within fixed price limits or until a new call requesting that the extensions be stopped. It is also possible that the request is made by a person other than the motorist, for example by a store attendant taking charge of parking customers.

Throughout the present application, by operator is meant human or artificial intelligence such as an automatic answering machine answering the call and requesting to send, using the keys on the telephone keypad or equivalent, the figures relating to the parking area. , the requested parking time and the applicant, motorist or other.

The operator sends the data which will be displayed in an accessible manner to the controlling agent to a receiving device placed in the vehicle. This data can be displayed in plain text, or in coded form or stored in any other way, from when the controller has a portable device allowing him to verify the information sought.

The invention therefore essentially comprises an access control or occupancy time device which records the data relating to the area of use, the data relating to the requester and, possibly, the duration of use requested, characterized by the fact that a transmission device allows the user to communicate this data to an operator having a server assembly recording said data, processing it and transmitting activation data to a receiver which displays the validated control data by the server set based on the requester's data.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the device is characterized by the fact that the server assembly has a summing component managing the accounting aspects of the operations. Such a calculator includes in memory all the tariff data depending inter alia on the areas of use, calculating the price to be paid for the duration of use requested, and totaling, on the one hand, the successive amounts of the durations of use to be debited on the account of the same applicant, and, on the other hand, to credit the account of the municipality or other body holding the parking area.

According to another characteristic, the device is characterized by the fact that the data relating to the resource, such as the area of use, consists of an identification code or number, for example displayed on site, that all server translated into an area coding key according to the data of a memory containing the correspondences between numbers and keys. The data thus obtained are coded by a first coding device receiving data coming from a clock after formatting, said coding device supplying a message for issuing a certificate, for example, activation of area.

Similarly, the data relating to the requester consists of an identification code or number which the server assembly translates into a requesting coding key according to the data of a memory containing the correspondences between numbers and keys. The data thus obtained can possibly be coded by a second coding device receiving the references of the requesting device and the area activation message from the first coding device, said second coding device providing an activation message from the requesting device. It will be noted that, according to the present invention, it is possible to distinguish between the user of the resource and a requester taking charge of the usage price; on the one hand it can be a vehicle driver and on the other hand the company to which the vehicle belongs. This second coding is however not necessary if the transmission network of the requesting device activation message is already secure.

It will also be noted that the references of the user or of the requester can be automatically detected on reception, which is the case for the telephone number of the requester. The same can be said for resource references, such as area, which can be located automatically.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the totalizer ensures the accounting management, total or partial, of the operations: it receives the activation message from requesting device, the duration of activation requested and the data coming from the clock; it processes this data with the tariffs extracted from the memory corresponding to the address of the area in question, then, on the one hand, it adds the amount calculated in total to be debited from the applicant's account and credited to the holder's account of the resource, on the other hand, it sends sequentially to the transmitter of coded messages the message activating the tele-display device. According to another characteristic of the invention, the tele-display device receives, from the transmitter of coded messages, the certificate or activation message which it decodes and displays in plain text or not.

The server assembly may include one or more of the following constituent elements: - a call server receiving the data of the user or the requester,

- a server possibly remote from the call server which includes the totalizer,

- a local server processing in particular the data of the resource.

The operator can be human or artificial intelligence such as an automatic responder requesting the transmission of the requester's data using the keyboard of the calling device and distributing them to the interested elements of the server assembly. According to certain variants, provision is made on the requesting side of devices for assistance in the transmission of data, authentication, security or even payment.

The authenticator can be immaterial, such as a code number given by the requester to the operator, or be concrete, for example resulting from any material means of control such as a magnetic code reader. The code can be sent to a transceiver and tele-display which transmits it to the operator (or operators), who will take it into account in its validation operations. An additional decoding device for the safety device can also communicate in both directions with the transceiver and teletype display. One can also provide a payment device which communicates with the decoding device. Such a payment device can be a smart card reader which identifies the card and communicates the references in one direction, then receives, in the other direction, the debit order of the amount calculated by the totalizer.

According to an advantageous form, the entire device according to the invention therefore essentially comprises:

* a first device sending the user or the caller, a first device receiving by an operator in the broad sense defined above, at least one device for processing the information received using codings specific to the user, or to the requester and to the resource, thus allowing non-falsifiable identification of the different orders received, a second sending device sending the coded data thus obtained,

* a second receiving device available to the user or the requester, for receiving said coded data, a device for displaying control data, in plain text after decoding or in any form accessible to a controlling agent,

* and, if necessary, at the disposal of the controller, a device for the clear display of data, which may include the necessary reception and decoding units.

We can add other devices for data transmission, authentication, security or direct payment. According to the invention, by placing himself in the case of parking, the driver of a vehicle, which he wishes to park in a paid parking area, has on board or in the vicinity of his vehicle a set consisting essentially of respectively transmitting, receiving, decoding, display, and, according to variants, these various units can be divided into several interconnected sets.

For its part, the operator has a set consisting essentially of respectively receiving, transmitting, code identifier, coder-decoder, and clock units, as well as a management calculator module; and, according to variants, these various units and this clock can be divided into several interconnected assemblies, which can themselves be arranged in different places, as will be shown in the description which follows.

It is obvious that some of these units can be of any suitable type, and in particular conventional, such as a telephone transmitter and receiver or a clock; it is also possible to call on databases of the new or conventional type, in which the data to be stored is stored in random access memory or in read-only memory.

It will also be emphasized that the invention finds its application in the control of access or time of occupation of places or premises and, in particular, on the paid parking areas of all land, sea or air vehicles. In addition, according to a variant, it is easy to conceive adaptations of the device to make it applicable to the rental of material, equipment or vehicles.

According to another advantageous form, the invention can be described as a device for controlling data relating to a place or premises (resource), data relating to a duration or beginning of the duration of use requested of this resource, data relating to the applicant and / or the user or his vehicle, said device comprising: a) a communication system comprising a transmitter allowing the transmission of the data of the applicant and a receiver for the reception by the user of the data of activation, said transmitter and receiver possibly being combined in a single device; b) a server unit recording the data relating to the duration or the beginning of the requested duration of use of the resource, to the requester and / or to the user or to his vehicle and processing these data to determine one or more data of activation and send them to said receiver. Said server assembly determining the tariff data associated with the resource code and processing this data to determine the price to be paid and, preferably, to total the prices to be paid for several periods of use payable by the same requester. Preferably, this server assembly will also record the durations of use of a resource or of several resources for one or more days. In a particular embodiment of the invention, said communication system is a wireless communication system.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the communication system transmits one or more identification data and one or more data in coded form to the server unit which has correspondences between the identification data and decoding keys. to decrypt the coded data.

In an advantageous form, the server assembly includes a clock for measuring time and processes the data as a function of the time measured by this clock for transmitting activation data, the transmission of this activation data being able to be done either only once per period of use, either at the beginning and end of the period, or again at regular intervals throughout the period of use.

As a variant, the communication system can transmit an end-of-use signal upon receipt of which the server assembly processes the data to determine the price to be paid.

According to another variant, the tariff data available to the server assembly includes in particular a maximum duration of use beyond which, for example, a tax is charged to the applicant.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the server assembly can process the data to determine the expiration of the duration of use and, optionally, an alarm delay before or after the expiration time and may include means communication system call to transmit said alarm. To better understand the technical characteristics and advantages of the present invention, we will describe embodiments, it being understood that these are not limiting as to their mode of implementation and the applications that can be make it. Reference will be made to the following figures which represent respectively and schematically:

* Figure 1, a block diagram of the operation of a device according to the invention; Figure 2, a block diagram of the data processing according to the invention; Figure 3, a block diagram of a first device according to the invention;

* Figure 4, a block diagram of a second device according to the invention;

* Figure 5, a block diagram of a third device according to the invention;

* Figure 6, a block diagram of a fourth device according to the invention; * Figure 7, a block diagram of a fifth device according to the invention; Figure 8, a block diagram of a sixth device according to the invention;

* Figure 9, a block diagram of a seventh device according to the invention;

* Figure 10, a block diagram of an eighth device according to the invention; Figure 11, a block diagram of a ninth device according to the invention; * Figure 12, a block diagram of a tenth device according to the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, we will describe the essential elements of the invention and the general mode of operation. It will also be noted below that while some of these elements are essential, in certain variants, others can be considered superfluous. In particular, certain coding of information is not essential if security is ensured elsewhere. It should also be noted that the sequence, nature and content of certain messages exchanged may vary depending on the application.

A communication system comprising a set of transmitting and / or receiving devices is made available to the various parties involved to enable the sending and / or receiving of information. Each user has a receiver and is identified by his user identification code (CIU). The user 02 who wishes to make use of the resource 01, identified by his resource identification code (CIR), for a period of resource use (PUR) communicates to the requester 03, identified by his identification code of requester (CID), message information (ME): (CIR, CIU, PUR). In some applications, user (for example, the motorist) and applicant (for example, the employer who pays his employees parking costs) can be confused, which makes this first operation unnecessary.

The requesting device 03 codes this information (CIR, CIU, PUR), using a key (KD) associated with it, to transmit it, in the form of a message (M02) which contains the identifier (CID ) in plain text, and therefore not coded, to the module for receiving requests 04. The modules that follow one another, 04 to 11, are part of a server assembly and are distinguished here to better explain their respective functions, but it is easy to see that 'they can be condensed into one or more physical entities, while on the other hand, some of these functions can be performed by several entities. Likewise, the protocol for exchanging messages between modules can include conventional control procedures well known to those skilled in the art, in particular for the detection and correction of transmission errors.

The request receiver module 04 transmits the message (M02) to (M03) without modifying it, to the message routing module 05 which directs it to (M04) without modification to the request management module 06 associated with the requester 03. Thanks to the numbering structure of the identification codes (CID, CIR, CIU), the routing module directs the information towards the recipient module, since each message passing through the routing module 05 indeed contains in plain text the number of identification which constitutes the address of the recipient module.

The request management module 06 identifies the requester using (CID) in clear in the message (M04) and can determine the coding key (KD) from the tables it has in memory. In the present description, (KD) denotes both the coding key and the associated decoding key, but they may be different. Having deciphered the message (M04), the request management module 06 can transmit the information it contains to the accounting management module 07 in the form of the message (M05). This module 07 assumes all administrative functions: it stores in memory the methods of calculating the costs of using resources, the method of invoicing and debiting applicants' accounts, the transfer to the credit of resource managers. All this information is stored in memory kept up to date or obtained by consulting specialized modules, possibly external.

After checking the creditworthiness of the applicant, calculating the cost of use, billing, debit orders from the applicant's account and credit from the resource manager's account, the accounting management module sends the message (M06) to resource management module 08, this message containing in clear (CIR, CIU, PUR).

(PUR) defines the start and end times of use; however, the resource management module 08 receives from the clock 09, in (M07) the date and time data, which will allow it to transmit in (M08) to the message routing module 05, (CIR and CIU ) in plain text, and (CIU and PUR) coded by the key (KR), associated with the resource 01 and which it holds in memory. This transmission can be carried out at once or periodically, the clock 09 operating as a sequencer.

The message routing module 05 transmits in (M09) and without change the message (M08) to the user management module 010. The latter has the key (KU), associated with the user, to code (CIU and PUR ), already coded by (KR), and will transmit this new message (M10) to the module for issuing certificates 011 which retransmits in (Mi l) to the receiver of user 02. (CIR) in clear in the messages (M08 to Mi l) indicates to receiver 02 for which resource the certificate is provided (which is useful when several requests are simultaneous) and allows the location of the location of receiver 02 and of resource 01. This is not necessary with mobile phones and semaphones.

FIG. 1 illustrates the application according to which the module for issuing certificates 011 is a radio transmitter, so that all the certificates issued are received by all the receivers within range of the transmitter, so that (CIU) allows the message identification expected by the user who will decode using the key (KU), preserving the confidentiality and use of the message by its sole recipient.

On the other hand, if the transmission is selective, the recipient is the only one to receive the message and the coding by (KU) becomes superfluous. The certificate received in 02, after possible decoding contains (CIU and PUR) always coded by (KR). This message can be transmitted in (M 12) to the control device 012 by simple display or any other means which, knowing (KR) decodes (M 12) and checks its validity.

The certificate validity period can extend to the entire validity period of (PUR) or cover only predefined time intervals. In this case (M08 to Ml 1) and possibly (M12) are transmitted periodically on the order of the sequencing clock 09.

On the basis of the above, it is possible, using telephone networks, to reduce the invention to simple hardware. We place ourselves here in the case of vehicles, parking lots of a municipality which offers holders of cell-type mobile phones (for example: GSM) a simplified system, and when the user is at the same time the requester.

A telephone number is associated with the parking area that constitutes the resource, and serves as (CIR). The user calls the CIR number on their mobile phone. A message explains how it works. It indicates its vehicle plate number and the parking time. This can be accomplished by voice or on the telephone keypad. It receives a code, for example thanks to the SMS system ("Short Message

Service "), which he writes down on a blank sheet of paper or a form and displays it under his windshield. This code contains in encrypted form the vehicle registration number and the start and end of the authorized parking period ; it can be decoded and checked by any controller fitted with the appropriate decoding device.

In fact, the service with which the user is in contact has the hardware of modules 04 to 11 of FIG. 1 which has the software and data in memories mentioned above. The codings with the keys KD and KU are not necessary here insofar as it can be considered that confidentiality is safeguarded by the cellular network. The pricing applied can be debited directly from the user's telephone subscription account. We can analyze traffic flow and information processing operations as follows, first referring to Figure 2. In all that follows, and to fix the ideas, we will place ourselves in the case of car parking areas , it being understood that this does not in any way exclude the many other cases of access control or occupancy of premises (for example: sports or performance grounds or halls, rented premises, security zones, etc.). We will also explain the correspondences between the references in this figure and the following ones specifically oriented towards parking vehicles and those more general in Figure 1. To simplify, we confuse user and applicant, which is the most frequent case. The resource identification code (CIR), consisting of a parking area identification number (NIA) is received in 1 from which a database will deduct in 2 a resource coding key (KR ) or Area Coding Key (CCA); this and the data coming from the clock 3, formatted at 4, are processed in a first coding device 5 which supplies at 6 the message (M08) which ensures the activation of the area (MAA); preferably, this message includes, in addition to coding, the resource identification code (CIR = NIA) in clear.

In addition, the user or requester identification code (CIU or CID) consisting of a requesting device identification number (NID) is received at 7, from which a database will deduct at 8 a user (KU) or requesting device (CCD) coding key; this and the area activation message (M08) (MAA) from 6 are processed in a second coding device 9 which supplies at 10 a message (M10) for activation of the requesting device (MAD). The latter includes, in addition to coding, the resource identification code (CIR = NIA) in clear from the message (M08 = MAA) and the user or requester identification code (CIU or CID = NID) , also in the clear. The above-mentioned databases contain digital correspondence tables (NIA≈CIR) / (CCA = KR) and (NID = CIU or CID) / (CCD = KU) which are saved at the start of the installation and delivered periodically updated. In addition, as mentioned above, the second coding device can be omitted, as long as security is sufficiently ensured.

The resource usage period (PUR) or duration of activation of the requesting device (DAD) received at 11, together with the clock 3 and the message (M 10) of activation of the requesting device (M AD), acts on the totalizer (TAD) of duration of activation of the requesting device 12 which essentially has the role of managing the accounting (module 07) and the resource (module 08) and validating the display orders in the form of issuing certificates . To do this, it adds up the amounts of the parking durations calculated by applying to the requested duration (DAD = PUR) the prices entered in a memory where the various tariffs of the various parking areas are recorded, and in particular that of which the references (NIA = CIR) are included in the message (M10 = MAD). Each amount is debited from the applicant's account, which is not necessarily the user, as noted above, and credited to the account of the parking lot holder.

The transmission of the requesting device (MAD) activation message (M 10) is validated periodically, thanks to the periodic validation command from the totalizer (TAD) 12 (modules 07 and 08), which thus operates as a sequencer, and oriented towards the device 13 for transmitting coded messages or certificates (EMC) (module 11) which knows the reception address, that is to say the applicant and its area, by means of the respective identification numbers ( NID = CIU or CID) and (NIA = CIR) included in the clear in the message (MAD = M 10).

The requesting device activation message (MAD = Mi l) is thus sent to the receiver available to the driver. This message (MAD = Ml 1) differs from the message (MAD = M10) not underlined in that it may no longer include the identification numbers (NIA≈CIR) and (NID≈CIU or CID), as soon as they are no longer necessary downstream, as will be the case in all of the example embodiments described below. As as will be seen below, this last message is decoded and displayed in one of the various forms listed below.

In the description of the following figures, the same acronyms as those used above will be used, for the same elements or data. In Figure 3 is shown a first embodiment of the invention. The activation call device 20 which allows the driver to request the activation of his tele-display receiver 21, can be a simple telephone, portable or not. The applicant can thus give:

- the area identification number (NIA), - the applicant identification number (NID) and

- the requested activation time for parking (DAD), which the applicant can possibly extend by a new call; it will be noted that the applicant may not set this duration, in which case the tacit renewal of the duration will be automatic until further appeal from the applicant putting an end to these renewals; it should also be noted that the applicant is not necessarily the motorist, but may be a third party, such as a store taking charge of parking customers.

These various data received by the network operator at 22 in its single server, are therefore essentially the following:

- the parking area identification number (NIA) which is displayed on each area to be easily read by motorists, is transformed using a data memory device (holding all NIA / CCA correspondences) into a area coding key (CCA) transmitted to the first coding device which also receives, after passing through a formatting device, the necessary data from the clock and sends an area activation message (MAA) including the clear area identification number (NIA); as will be the case in all the exemplary embodiments described below.

- the applicant identification number (NID) is transformed using a second data memory device (holding all the NID / CCD correspondences) into a requesting coding key (CCD) transmitted to the second coding device (not essential in some cases, as noted above and as will be the case in all the examples below), which also receives the area activation message (MAA) and sends the requesting device activation message (MAD) which includes the area identification numbers (NIA) and of requesting device (NID) in clear, as will be the case in all the exemplary embodiments described below. - the requested activation duration (DAD) is stored in memory and will allow, under the clock command, to periodically increment the totalizing account of the parking duration price (TAD) which applies to the requested duration the tariff extracted from a memory in which all the tariffs for all the areas are recorded; the requesting device activation message signal (MAD) is then transmitted to a coded message sending device (EMC), thus validating the sending of the activation message (MAD) for a new duration increment. This periodic duration can be, for example, a quarter of an hour or half an hour.

There is therefore a periodic extension of the authorized parking time until the requested time is used up. This implies that it is not necessary to display the time limit provided as soon as validation is indicated, which simplifies operations and keeps informed, outside the applicant, only the controller who has '' a display receiver similar to that of the motorist, which increases vehicle safety.

These data are transmitted to the remote display 21 which essentially comprises a receiver of the activation message (MAD) which transmits it to a decoding device on the basis of the requesting coding key (CCD) which transmits to the display device of the area activation message (MAA) restored by the decoding. This device can display:

- either the clear parking time limit, - or the simple indication that the current period is validated,

- either a coded indication decipherable by the controller,

- or display nothing permanently, the controller having a device causing the display or transmission of the code.

Different techniques can be used to code the information and, in particular in the case of using a non-symmetric algorithm, the coding key (CCD) at the level of the server 22 may be different from that which will be necessary for the decoding by the tele-display 21. This remark is valid for all the examples described in this document.

As will be seen below in detail, it will be noted that the call device for requesting activation 20 and the remote display 21 can be combined in a single device which can be fixed in the vehicle, provided that the device d display is readable from the outside and the driver can communicate with the operator.

FIG. 4 represents a second example of implementation of the invention, a variant of the device of FIG. 3. Here we find the same acronyms as in the preceding figures; We will therefore describe here what differs from the whole device in FIG. 3, the single server 22 of which is, in FIG. 4, divided into a call server 30 and a server 31 which can be remote from the first; for example, if the motorist has a subscription from a region or an operator different from those of the call server 30. The data processing is the same as in FIG. 3.

Note that the area activation message (MAA) from the call server 30 is sent to the remote server 31, under the control of the device memorizing the requested activation time (DAD), itself periodically triggered by the clock, which decrements the requested duration stored in memory. In addition to the message (MAA), the requesting device identification number (NID) is transmitted to the remote server 31.

It will also be noted that in the present embodiment and in all of the following where multiple servers are used, it is prudent to provide coding, upstream and decoding downstream, of the messages circulating on the interconnections between servers to avoid fraud and other disruptive external interventions.

In the remote server 31, the area activation message (MAA) triggers the periodic operation of the activation time totalizer of the requesting device (TAD) and, on the other hand, is transformed into an activation message of the requesting device (MAD). In this same server, the totalizer (TAD) receives the following data: - the identification number (NIA) included in the message (MAA) which indicates the area and therefore the address of the applicable tariff,

- the requested activation duration (DAD) thus allowing the calculation of prices on the basis of the tariff stored in the totalizer (TAD), - and the requesting device activation message (MAD) sequentially received which controls the successive increments .

The requesting device activation message (MAD) is then transmitted by the totalizer (TAD) to the coded message sending device (EMC) of the call server.

30 which transmits it to the tele-display 32 in the form (MAD) which, as previously no longer requires the inclusion of the identification numbers (NIA) and (NID) which have become useless downstream.

In FIG. 5 which represents a third example of implementation of the invention, the servers are divided into three:

the call server 40 which receives the call and its data (NIA), (NID) and (DAD), and transmits the message (MAD) to the tele-display unit,

- the local server 41 and

the remote server 42 identical to that of FIG. 4.

It can be seen that the call server 30 of FIG. 4 is divided into two in FIG. 5: the local server 41, from the number (NIA) received from the call server 40 and from the formatted clock data provides , after coding, the message (MAA) to the call server 40.

The rest of this embodiment is equivalent to the device in FIG. 4: the activation call device 43 and the remote display 44 correspond respectively to the references 32 and 33 in FIG. 4.

In FIG. 6, the fourth exemplary embodiment shown is close to that of FIG. 5, but in this case:

the call server 51 receives, from the activation call device 53, the identification numbers (NIA) and (NID), which it sends to the local server 50;

the local server 50 transmits the message (MAA) always including the number (NIA), the identification number (NID) and the references of the call server (SA) directly to the remote server 52; the remote server 52 transmits the message (MAD) to the call server 51 which transmits (MAD) to the tele-display 54 as in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 shows a fifth embodiment of the invention which is a variant of the device of FIG. 4. The function of the call server 30 is taken over by the local server 61, while the remote server 62, device d activation call 63 and remote display 64 are equivalent to those of FIG. 4, respectively 31, 32 and 33.

The essential difference lies in the fact that the call server 60, according to the present example, is content to transmit to the local server 61 the identification numbers (NIA) and (NID) and the requested activation time (DAD). .

FIGS. 8 and 9 represent variant embodiments of the invention according to which the server or servers can be those of the various examples cited above, but where the differences relate essentially to variants on the side of the applicant:

In FIG. 8, according to a sixth exemplary embodiment, the tele-display unit and the call transmitter only form one and the same unit 70 which can be mounted in the vehicle.

The operation is the same as previously described according to the chosen server or servers.

In FIG. 9, according to a seventh exemplary embodiment, the tele-display 70 of the preceding figure is divided into two parts, a tele-display 80 and a transceiver 81:

- the transmission part of the identification numbers (NIA) and (NID), and of the requested activation duration (DAD),

- the reception part of the requesting device activation message (MAD). These two parts work as in all the previous examples.

The reception part transmits the message (MAD) to the tele-display 80 which decodes and displays as in all the previous examples.

FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 show variants according to which devices for data transmission, authentication, security and even payment are introduced on the side of the applicant, devices intended to cooperate with the assemblies servers according to the invention schematically represented in these figures under the name "network operator (s)".

In FIG. 10, in an eighth variant, we find the elements of FIG. 8 to which the authenticator 92 is added; the tele-display transceiver 91 is the equivalent of the set 70 of FIG. 8 and the operator (s) of the network 90 is the equivalent of the set 71. The authenticator 92 can be immaterial as a code number given by the applicant to the operator or resulting from any material control means such as a magnetic code reader. This activation call authenticator (AAA) 92 sends its code to the transceiver and tele-display 91 which transmits it to the operator (s) 90, which will take it into account in its validation of the final message (MAD ).

As a variant, the authentication device may also include an interface intended to facilitate the sending of data (NIA, NID, DAD, AAA) by the requester. This interface can, for example, consist of a telephone tone generator (DTMF standard), integrated or not in the tele-display.

In FIG. 11, in a ninth variant, the device is the same as that in FIG. 10, apart from the additional decoding (CCD) of the security device 102 which communicates in both directions with the transceiver and TV. -display 101, receiving, on the one hand, the data of the message receiver (MAD) coming from the servers of the operator 100, and sending on the other hand its data to the display (MAA).

In Figure 12, in a tenth variant, we find the device of Figure 11, with however a payment device provided in the security and payment device 112, which communicates in both directions with the decoding device

(CCD). The payment device can be a smart card reader which identifies the card in one direction and then debits it in the other direction of the amount calculated by the totalizer-calculator (TAD) of the server assembly 110 of the network operator. . In certain configurations, this payment device can be provided with an internal clock.

It is obvious that, without departing from the scope of the present invention, a person skilled in the art can conceive of numerous equivalent variants and other applications of the devices according to the invention.

Claims

1) Control device which records data relating to a place or a local (CIR, NIA), and other data such as that relating to a requested duration of use of this resource (PUR, DAD), in which a communication system (02, 03, 20, 21, 32, 33, 43, 44, 53, 54, 63, 64, 70, 80, 81, 91, 101, 111) allows the user to transmit this data as well that his requester references (CIU, CID, NID) to an operator with a server set (04 to 011, 22, 30, 31, 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52, 60, 61, 62, 71, 82, 90, 100, 110) recording said data, processing it and issuing one or more certificates or activation data (Mi l, MAD) to a receiver (02, 21, 33, 44, 54, 64, 70 , 81, 92, 101, 11 1) which displays the data validated by the server assembly, such as a duration of use, on the basis of the data of the requester, characterized in that the server assembly (04 to 011, 22, 31, 42, 52, 62, 71, 82, 90, 100, 110) present e a totalizing component (07, 08, TAD) having tariff data depending inter alia on the resource, calculating the price to be paid for the duration of use requested, and, preferably, totaling the successive prices of the durations of use ( PUR, DAD) from the same applicant.

2) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the server assembly (04 to 011, 22, 30, 41, 50, 61, 71, 82, 90, 100, 110) has a first device for coding the resource identification data (CIR, NIA) using a resource coding key (KR, CCA) according to the data of a memory containing the correspondences (CIR / KR, NIA / CCA).

3) Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the data relating to the resource to be used are constituted by an identification code (CIR, NIA).

4) Device according to one of claims 2 or 3 characterized in that the coding device receives data from a clock, said coding device providing a resource activation message (M08, MAA). 5) Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the data relating to the user or to the requester consists of an identification code (CIU, CID, NID).

6) Device according to one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that the server assembly (04 to 011, 22, 31, 42, 52, 62, 71, 82, 90, 100, 110) decodes the data d 'identification of requester (CIU, CID, NID) with a requesting coding key (KU, CCD) according to the data of a memory containing the correspondences (CIU, CID.NID / KU, CCD).

7) Device according to one of claims 5 or 6 characterized in that the second coding device receives the resource activation message (M08, MAA) from the first coding device, said second coding device providing certificate or requesting device activation message (M10, MAD).

8) Device according to one of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that the totalizer (07, 08, TAD) receives the information from the requesting device (M05 or MAD), the period of resource use requested (PUR, DAD ) and possibly the data coming from the clock, and processes these data with the tariffs extracted from the memory corresponding to the address of the resource considered, by adding the amount calculated to the total to be debited from the account of the applicant and to be credited on the account of the resource holder. 9) Device according to claim 8 characterized in that the totalizer (07, 08,

TAD) sent sequentially to the transmitter of coded messages (011, EMC) the message (M 10, MAD) activating the tele-display device (02, 21, 33, 44, 54, 64, 70, 80, 91, 101 , 111).

10) Device according to one of claims 1 to 9 characterized in that the tele-display device (02, 21, 33, 44, 54, 64, 70, 80, 91, 101, 111) which receives a certificate or activation message (M10, MAD, Mi l, MAD) decodes it and displays it in plain text or not.

11) Device according to one of claims 1 to 10 characterized in that the server assembly comprises a call server (04, 30, 40, 51, 60) receiving data from the user or the requester (CIU , CID, NID, CIR, NIA, PUR, DAD). 12) Device according to one of claims 1 to 1 1 characterized in that the server assembly includes a remote server (31, 42, 52, 62) of the call server which includes the totalizer (TAD).

13) Device according to one of claims 1 to 12 characterized in that the server assembly comprises a local server (41, 50, 61) processing in particular the resource data (CIR, NIA, KR, CCA).

14) Device according to one of claims 1 to 13 characterized in that the operator is an automatic answering machine requesting the transmission of the requester's data using the keypad of the calling device (03, 20, 32, 43 , 53, 63, 70, 81, 91, 101, 111).

15) Device according to one of claims 1 to 14 characterized in that, on the requesting side, devices (02, 03, 92, 102, 112) for assisting in the transmission of data, authentication, security or payment, communicate with the server sets (04 to 011, 22, 30, 31, 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52, 60, 61, 62, 71, 82, 90, 100, 110).

16) Device according to claim 15 characterized in that an authenticator (92) inter-communicates with the tele-display transceiver (91), in particular by sending it its authentication code (AAA) then retransmitted to the server set 90.

17) Device according to one of claims 15 or 16, characterized in that an additional decoding device (KU, CCD) of the security device (102) communicates in both directions with the transceiver and tele- display (101).

18) Device according to one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that a payment device inter-communicates in both directions with the decoding device (KU, CCD). 19) Device according to claim 18, characterized in that it is constituted by a smart card reader which identifies the card and debits the amount which has been transmitted to it by the totalizer-calculator (07, 08, TAD).

20) Device for controlling data relating to a place or premises (resource), data relating to the duration or beginning of the duration of use requested of this resource, of data relating to the applicant and / or to the user or to his vehicle, said device comprising: a) a communication system comprising a transmitter allowing the transmission of data from the applicant and a receiver for reception by the user activation data, said transmitter and receiver possibly being combined in a single device; b) a server unit recording the data relating to the duration or the beginning of the requested duration of use of the resource, to the requester and / or to the user or to his vehicle and processing these data to determine one or more data of activation and send them to said receiver.

Said server assembly determining the tariff data associated with the resource code and processing this data to determine the price to be paid and, preferably, to total the prices to be paid for several periods of use payable by the same requester. 21) Device according to claim 20 characterized in that the server assembly processes the data to record the durations of use of a resource or several resources for one or more days.

22) Device according to one of claims 20 or 21 characterized in that the communication system transmits one or more identification data and one or more data in coded form to the server assembly which has correspondences between the data of identification and decoding keys allowing it to decrypt the coded data.

23) Device according to one of claims 20 to 22 characterized in that the server assembly includes a clock for measuring time and processes the data as a function of the time measured by this clock to transmit activation data, the transmission this activation data can be done either only once per period of use, or at the beginning and end of the period, or even at regular intervals throughout the period of use.

24) Device according to one of claims 20 to 23 characterized in that the communication system transmits an end of use signal and in that, during the reception of this signal, the server assembly processes the data to determine the price to be paid.

25) Device according to one of claims 20 to 24 characterized in that the tariff data available to the server assembly include in particular a maximum duration of use beyond which, for example, a tax is charged of the applicant.

26) Device according to one of claims 20 to 25 characterized in that the communication system is a wireless communication system.

27) Device according to one of claims 20 to 26 characterized in that the server assembly processes the data to determine the expiration of the duration of use and, optionally, an alarm delay before or after the time of expiration and in that the server assembly includes a means of calling the communication system to transmit said alarm.

28) Application of the devices according to one of claims 1 to 27 to paid vehicle parking areas.

29) Application of the devices according to one of claims 1 to 27 to control access or use of certain places or certain premises.