Patent ID: 8374910
Filing Date: 2013-02-12
Classification: G07B

Abstract:
1. An automated system for managing a parking facility including a plurality of parking units suitable for the parking of a vehicle comprising: a) a means for uniquely identifying each parking unit in said parking facility; b) a first communication means; c) a communication center module operably connected to said first communication means wherein said communication center module comprises a computer system including at least one processor, said communication center module operated by a first entity, the communication center module adapted to interact with a consumer and receive data from the consumer comprising: d) a second communication means; e) a parking authority operated by a second entity separate from the first entity, the parking authority adapted to interact with said communication center module through said second communication means to provide data comprising: preferred communication methods, identification information for each parking unit under management in said parking facility, predetermined parking facility use data, enforcement authorization, and parking violation threshold data; f) a third communication means; g) a fourth communication means; h) a fifth communication means; i) a data storage module comprising a computer system operated by said first entity, said data storage module adapted to interact with said communication center module through said third communication means, said data storage module further adapted to interact with a payment processing module through said fourth communication means, and said data storage module further adapted to interact with an analysis module through said fifth communication means; wherein the data storage module interactions with said communication center module, said payment processing module, and said analysis module comprise receiving, storing, retrieving, and sending data, said data comprising: j) said payment processing module comprising a computer system adapted to process a payment using data received from said data storage module and generate a payment transaction with said consumer as payor; k) said analysis module comprising a computer system operated by said first entity, said analysis module adapted to analyze data from said data storage module, wherein at least one item of said data represents a current operational state, wherein the analysis module is adapted to use said current operational state to issue a first enforcement alert in response to detecting a potential parking violation of said parking facility; l) a sixth communication means operably connected to said analysis module and to said parking authority and wherein said first enforcement alert is communicated to said parking authority via said sixth communication means; m) a seventh communication means operably connected between said parking authority and at least one enforcement officer; n) said parking authority adapted to: