Patent ID: 8600786
Filing Date: 2013-12-03
Classification: G06Q,G07B,G07F,G08B,G08G,H04N

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented system for providing basic valet parking through centrally-managed parking services, comprising: a server configured to manage a multiplicity of motor vehicle parking spaces disbursed over a plurality of physically-separate and openly-disbursed parking locations through a centrally-located server, the server configured to interface over a computer network and comprising a memory and a computer processor, the computer processor operatively coupled to the memory and configured to execute computer executable program modules; a plurality of smart parking devices that are each located proximate to and which correspond to at least one of the parking spaces, each of the smart parking devices interfaced with the server via the computer network; a plurality of vehicle occupancy sensors that are also each located proximate to and which correspond to at least one of the parking spaces, each of the vehicle occupancy sensors interfaced with the server via the computer network; and a plurality of parking availability indicators that are each associated with each one of the parking spaces, each of the parking availability indicators interfaced with the server via the computer network, each of the parking availability indicators comprising a plurality of indications that correspond to an availability of each of the associated parking spaces for parking based upon actual, reserved and restricted use of the parking space as provided to the parking availability indicator by the server and by the smart parking device and the vehicle occupancy sensor that both correspond to each of the parking spaces with which the parking availability indicator is associated; a reservations module executed by the server and configured to reserve through the server use of a plurality of the parking spaces for a valet service, comprising: an availability module executed by the server and configured to indicate, through the parking availability indicators that correspond to each of the parking spaces that are reserved for use of the valet service, reserved use only of each of the parking spaces that are reserved for the use of the valet service as provided to the corresponding parking availability indicators from the server via the network, throughout the time period, based upon the current time and the use of the corresponding parking space by the valet service.