Patent ID: 6513711
Filing Date: 2003-02-04
Classification: G06Q,G07B,G07F

Abstract:
A parking control system in a parking system in which a telephone can be used by a parking system user to commence and to terminate parking of a vehicle within the parking system, said parking control system comprising: a receiving computer operatively connected with a database for storing user, vehicle, and parking time and zone information, wherein the user sends at least one code to the receiving computer via a telephone system when beginning and terminating a parking period, and wherein a user-specific vehicle reference is transmitted to the receiving computer to identify the vehicle, wherein billing for parking time is effected by the receiving computer into which an account number associated with the user is stored; a vehicle identification marker carried by the vehicle to be parked in the parking system to indicate use of a telephone to commence and to terminate a parking period; wherein information identifying a zone in which the vehicle is parked is transmitted by telephone to the receiving computer at the commencement of a parking period; a control unit for reading the vehicle reference for vehicles having a vehicle identification marker and for storing vehicle identification information together with the date and time of day; wherein information stored in the control unit is transferred to the receiving computer at a later time for comparison with information received by telephone and stored in the receiving computer relating to commenced and terminated parking of respective vehicles; and wherein parked vehicles for which a parking commencement time has not been stored in the receiving computer at the time the vehicle identification marker is read by the control unit are identified and a parking fine is issued in respect of said vehicles.