Urban parking system

Abstract

A wireless network covering a large local geographic area is used to link a large number of payment terminals provided in the same area. Each payment terminal is located near a plurality of parking spaces, either at the curbside or in municipal lots. Parking data is gathered from motorists at the payment terminals, the parking data including vehicle identification data or parking space identification data. The parking data is sent from the payment terminals to the wireless network in response to payment made at the payment terminals. A plurality of portable terminals are provided for use by parking wardens inspecting the parking spaces of the local geographic area. The wireless network is used to transmit the parking data substantially upon receipt from the payment terminals to the portable terminals in the local geographic area.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An urban parking system comprising:
 a wireless network covering a large local geographic area; 
 a large number of payment terminals provided in said area each located near a plurality of parking spaces, each said payment terminal comprising data collection means for gathering parking data from a motorist, said parking data including at least one of vehicle identification data and parking space identification data; 
 communication means for transferring said parking data from said data collection means to said wireless network in response to payment being made at said payment terminals; 
 a plurality of portable terminals for use by parking wardens inspecting said parking spaces of said area, said portable terminals including wireless communication means, a memory for storing said parking data, and a user interface means; and 
 broadcast means associated with said wireless network for transmitting said parking data substantially upon receipt from said communication means simultaneously to said plurality of portable terminals in said area; 
 
       wherein said plurality of portable terminals for use by parking wardens inspecting said parking spaces of said area receives said parking data continuously from the broadcast means in the background without interruption. 
     
     
       2. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said communication means comprise wireless means communicating directly with said wireless network. 
     
     
       3. The system according to  claim 2 , wherein said communication means provide a group address designating said portable terminals, whereby said broadcast means respond directly to said communication means. 
     
     
       4. The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a central control computer connected to said wireless network, receiving said parking data sent to said portable terminals by said wireless network and receiving citation data from said portable terminals. 
     
     
       5. The system according to  claim 4 , wherein said control computer has means for canceling a parking citation record relating to a given vehicle if parking is paid at one of said payment terminals for said given vehicle within a predetermined short grace period. 
     
     
       6. The system according to  claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of docking stations for said portable terminals, wherein said control computer is in wired communication with said docking stations for transferring said parking data to said portable terminals when docked. 
     
     
       7. The system according to  claim 4 , further comprising a financial institution electronic funds processing gateway connected to said central control computer for handling at least one of debit and credit financial transactions. 
     
     
       8. The system according to  claim 4 , further comprising a public access gateway connected to said central control computer for providing information to the public on parking data and citation data. 
     
     
       9. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said portable terminals comprise a citation printer. 
     
     
       10. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said portable terminals comprise a security card reader and means to prevent access to said parking data in absence of a security card placed in said reader. 
     
     
       11. The system according to  claim 10 , further comprising means for entering and verifying a passcode, wherein access to said parking data is prevented when said passcode is not correctly given. 
     
     
       12. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said portable terminals comprise a video camera input and image analysis means for recognizing license plate data from a video camera image. 
     
     
       13. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein any one of said payment terminals may be used to pay for additional parking time for a given vehicle. 
     
     
       14. A method of communicating vehicle parking data in an urban parking system, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a wireless network covering a large local geographic area; 
 providing a large number of payment terminals provided in said area each located near a plurality of parking spaces; 
 gathering parking data from motorists at said payment terminals, said parking data including at least one of vehicle identification data and parking space identification data; 
 transferring said parking data from said payment terminals to said wireless network in real-time as payment is made at said payment terminals; 
 providing a plurality of portable terminals for use by parking wardens inspecting said parking spaces of said area; and 
 using said wireless network to transmit said parking data received from each motorist upon receipt from said payment terminals simultaneously to said plurality of portable terminals In said area; 
 
       wherein said transferring of said parking data from said payment terminals to said plurality of portable terminals is performed continuously without interruption. 
     
     
       15. An urban parking system for use with a public wireless data network, said system comprising:
 a large number of payment terminals provided in a large local geographic area covered by said network and each located near a plurality of parking spaces, each said payment terminal comprising wireless modem means and data collection means for gathering parking data from a motorist, said parking data including at least one of vehicle identification data and parking space identification data, said wireless modem means transferring said parking data from said data collection means to said wireless network substantially as payment is made; 
 a plurality of portable terminals for use by parking wardens inspecting said parking spaces of said area, said portable terminals including wireless communication means communicating with said public wireless data network, a memory for storing said parking data, and a user interface means; and 
 broadcast means associated with said wireless network for transmitting said parking data upon receipt from said wireless modem means simultaneously to said plurality of portable terminals in said area; 
 
       wherein said plurality of portable terminals for use by parking wardens inspecting said parking spaces of said area receives said parking data continuously from the broadcast means in the background without interruption. 
     
     
       16. The urban parking system as defined in claim 1, wherein said parking payment terminal comprises:
 a payment machine comprising at least one of:
 a coin acceptor; and 
 a card reader for resolving payment of parking; 
   a payment data collector for obtaining payment data representing one of:
 desired parking duration; 
 desired parking end time; and 
 payment amount; and 
   parking data entry interface for entering parking data comprising at least one of:
 vehicle identification data; and 
 parking space identification data; 
   wherein said wireless network comprises a public wireless network modem for transmitting said parking data and said payment data to central control system.   
     
     
       17. The urban parking system as defined in claim 16, wherein said payment terminal comprises a printer and a corresponding output slot. 
     
     
       18. The urban parking system as defined in claim 16, wherein said payment terminal comprises a service access door, and said payment terminal sending a wireless alarm message upon unauthorized opening of said door. 
     
     
       19. An urban parking system comprising:
 a wireless network covering a large local geographic area;   a plurality of payment terminals provided in said area and using said wireless network for conveying parking data, each of said plurality of payment terminals including a data collector for gathering parking data from at least one motorist in respect of a corresponding large number of parking spaces, said parking data including at least one of vehicle identification data and parking space identification data for any of said parking spaces, said data collector making use of a former parking meter mounting post;   a wireless modem for transferring said parking data from said data collector to said wireless network in response to payment being made by each said motorist at one of said payment terminals;   a plurality of portable terminals for use by parking wardens inspecting said parking spaces of said area, each of said portable terminals including a wireless modem for conveying parking data using said wireless network, a memory for storing said parking data, and a user interface; and   wireless broadcast transmitter associated with said wireless network for transmitting said parking data substantially upon receipt from said data collector wireless modem simultaneously to said plurality of portable terminals in said area,   wherein said plurality of portable terminals for use by parking wardens inspecting said parking spaces of said area receives said parking data continuously from the wireless broadcast transmitter in the background without interruption.   
     
     
       20. The urban parking system according to claim 19, said plurality of payment terminals being configured to enable at least one motorist to select one of at least two of said plurality of payment terminals to input parking data into a data collector of said payment terminal. 
     
     
       21. The urban parking system according to claim 19 further comprising a wireless modem for transferring said parking data from said data collector to said wireless network substantially upon receipt of payment being made by each said motorist at one of said payment terminals. 
     
     
       22. The system according to claim 19, wherein said data collector wireless modem provides a group address designating said portable terminals, whereby said wireless broadcast transmitter responds directly to said data collector wireless modem. 
     
     
       23. The system according to claim 19, further comprising a central control computer connected to said wireless network, receiving said parking data sent to said portable terminals by said wireless network and receiving citation data from said portable terminals. 
     
     
       24. The system according to claim 23, wherein said control computer is configured to cancel a parking citation record relating to a given vehicle if parking is paid at any one of said payment terminals for said given vehicle within a predetermined short grace period. 
     
     
       25. The system according to claim 23, further comprising a financial institution electronic funds processing gateway connected to said central control computer for handling at least one of debit and credit financial transactions. 
     
     
       26. The system according to claim 23, further comprising a public access gateway connected to said central control computer for providing information to the public on parking data and citation data. 
     
     
       27. The system according to claim 19, wherein said portable terminals comprise a citation printer. 
     
     
       28. The system according to claim 19, wherein each said portable terminal further comprises a security card reader and is further configured to lock said portable terminal to prevent access to said parking data in absence of a security card placed in said reader. 
     
     
       29. The system according to claim 28, further comprising a terminal user interface and further configured to verity a passcode, wherein access to said parking data is prevented when said passcode is not correctly given. 
     
     
       30. The system according to claim 19, wherein said portable terminals comprise a video camera input and configured to perform image analysis for recognizing license plate data from a video camera image. 
     
     
       31. The urban parking system according to claim 19 further comprising:
 a parking control computer associated with said wireless network for transmitting said parking data to said plurality of portable terminals in said area,   wherein said parking data is available to be received by said plurality of portable terminals for use by parking wardens inspecting said parking spaces of said area substantially upon receipt from said payment terminals.   
     
     
       32. An urban parking system for use with a public wireless data network, said system comprising:
 a large number of payment terminals provided in a large local geographic area covered by said network and each located near a plurality of parking spaces, each said payment terminal comprising a wireless modem and data collector for gathering parking data from a motorist, said parking data including at least one of vehicle identification data and parking space identification data, said wireless modem transferring said parking data from said data collector to said wireless network substantially as payment is made;   a plurality of portable terminals for use by parking wardens inspecting said parking spaces of said area, each said portable terminal including a wireless modem communicating with said public wireless data network, a memory for storing said parking data, and a terminal user interface; and   wireless broadcast transmitter associated with said wireless network for transmitting said parking data upon receipt from said data collector wireless modem simultaneously to said plurality of portable terminals in said area;   wherein said plurality of portable terminals for use by parking wardens inspecting said parking spaces of said area receives said parking data continuously from the wireless broadcast transmitter in the background without interruption.