A METHOD OF BILLING FOR PARKING FACILITIES BY MEANS OF PAY METERS

Abstract: A method of cash card billing with the aid of pay meters when parking a vehicle, using a parking meter system which includes a plurality of meters. The meters include a cash card reader. A person parking a vehicle finds a first meter (BA 1) where the cash card is read and the cash card account (KN) number and the parking commencement time are stored in a memory (BA1 MEM). When terminating the parking period the person finds a second pay meter (BA 2), which stores the card number (KN) together with the parking termination time (UT) in a memory (BA2 MEM). The invention is characterized in that each pay meter includes a keypad (2, 3) by which the person parking the vehicle keys-in the registration number (RN) of the vehicle at the commencement of a parking period in conjunction with reading the cash card, wherein the pay meter stores the registration number (RN) together with the card number (KN) and the parking commencement time (IT); in that the memory (BA1 MEM, BA2 MEM) of each pay meter is connected to the memory of a central computer (7); and in that the cash card account number is billed for the parking period.

Description: A METHOD OF BILLING FOR PARKING FACILITIES BY MEANS OF PAY METERS The present invention relates to a method of billing vehicle parking by means of pay meters. More specifically, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a method of billing a parking fee to the account number of a cash card, pay card or credit card. In cities, towns and other municipalities, there will be one or more vehicle parking companies that have parking pay meters, distributed through the city or town in a number of different places, where streets, roads and large parking areas are the most common places. In recent times, it has become possible to pay parking fees with different types of cash cards, credit cards, pay cards etc. in addition to coin payment. When a cash card is used, the person parking a vehicle will draw his/her cash card through a card reader provided on the pay meter. The invention relates to that type of payment system in which the person parking a vehicle draws his/her cash card or corresponding card through a card reader in the pay meter, whereupon the meter stores the card account number and the time at which the card was read. According to one known system, the pay meter issues a parking ticket, which is placed inwardly of the windscreen so as to be easily seen. When collecting the vehicle, the person concerned returns to the pay meter and draws his/her card through the card reader. The pay meter then again stores the card number and compares the vehicle collection time with the earlier time at which the card was first drawn through the card reader. The pay meter then calculates the parking fee to be billed and stores this fee together with the number of the card to be billed, and issues a receipt. One problem with this system is that when collecting the vehicle, it is necessary to return to the same pay meter as that in which the card was read on the parking occasion in order for the card to be read again on the vehicle collecting occasion. One problem with this system is that certain parking areas include a large number of pay meters and occasionally drivers forget which pay meter they have used when parking the vehicle. Another problem is that people who park a vehicle several times in a number of different parking places in succession within a limited time period are forced to find the correct pay meter twice on each separate occasion. It is therefore highly desirable to be able to use any pay meter whatsoever when parking a vehicle and then use any pay meter whatsoever when collecting the vehicle. The only requirement would be that the two pay meters used belong to one and the same vehicle parking company. It would then be possible to commence a series of parking occasions at one place in the city or town and draw the pay card through the card reader of one pay meter and to terminate the series of parking occasions at another place in the city or town, by drawing the pay card through the reader of another meter. A solution to this problem is disclosed in Swedish Patent 501 845, according to which each pay meter is free-standing and thus not connected to other meters or to a central computer. This prior patent publication relates to a method of cash card billing with the aid of vehicle parking pay meters, there being provided a pay meter system that includes a plurality of meters each of which constitutes an independent operative unit. Each of the meters includes a card reader. A person parking a vehicle finds a pay meter and draws his/her card through the card reader, therewith entering information relating to at least the cash card account number. The pay meters are constructed to issue a parking ticket at the commencement of the parking period, subsequent to having read the cash card. The invention according to this earlier patent is characterized in that when the cash card is read by a first pay meter BAl in conjunction with the commencement of said parking period, the meter is caused to store in its memory BAl MEM as a first transaction Tl the account number KN and the time at which the card was read, i.e. the parking commencement time IT, together with a unique transaction number TN. The meter BAl is caused to issue a parking ticket which displays said transaction number TN in a machine readable form. When terminating the parking period, the parking ticket is caused to be read by a second pay meter BA2, which may be any chosen pay meter in the system, including the first pay meter, wherewith the second pay meter BA2 will store the transaction number TN read from the parking ticket together with the time at which the ticket was read, i.e. the parking termination time UT, in a memory BA2 MEM belonging to said second pay meter as a second transaction T2. The memories of respective first and second pay meters are emptied at certain times, and their contents transferred to the memory of a central computer. The central computer brings together the respective transactions Tl and T2 recorded in the first and second pay meters BAl and BA2, with the aid of the transaction numbers TN, and therewith charges the cash card account number KN with a parking cost calculated on the vehicle parking time IT and the parking termination time UT. One problem with a system of this kind is that a parking ticket that contains machine readable information must be produced in the pay meter, and that each pay meter must have a functional ticket reading reader. Consequently, it is necessary to service the pay meters at relatively short intervals, in order to ensure that this facility is functional. It is also necessary to re-fill the pay meters with parking ticket material. The handling of parking tickets is also problematic in some respects. If a parking ticket is lost, it is necessary to report the loss in order to be able to terminate parking of the vehicle. The present invention solves these problems. Thus, the present invention relates to a method of cash card billing with the aid of pay meters when parking a vehicle, there being provided a parking meter system which includes a plurality of meters, each constituting an independent operative unit, wherein the meters include a cash card reader, wherein a person parking a vehicle finds a first meter and with the aid of the cash card reader enters cash-card carried information relating to at least the cash card account number, wherein when the cash card is read by the meter the meter is caused to store the cash card account number and the parking commencement time in a memory that belongs to said first meter, wherein when terminating the parking period the pay card is caused to be read by the card reader of a second pay meter, which may be any chosen meter in the meter system, including the first meter, wherein the second meter is caused to store the card number together with the time at which the pay card was read, the parking termination time, in a memory belonging to said second meter, and wherein the method is characterized in that each pay meter includes a keypad by means of which the registration number of the vehicle to be parked is keyed-in at the commencement of a parking period in conjunction with causing the cash card to be read, wherein the pay meter is caused to store the vehicle registration number together with the card number and the parking commencement time; in that the memory of each pay meter is connected to the memory of a central computer; and in that the cash card account number is billed for the parking period between the parking commencement time and the parking termination time. The present invention will now be described with reference to an exemplifying embodiment thereof and also with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a pay meter BAl; and - Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating the invention. Figure 1 illustrates a pay meter BAl. The present invention relates to a method of cash card billing for parking facilities with the aid of pay meters. A system may include two or more pay meters, all pay meters of which have the same function as or a corresponding function to the pay meter BAl. The pay meter is equipped with a cash card reader 1. The cash card reader may be adapted to read cash cards that include a magnetic strip and cash cards that include a chip. In accordance with the invention, the pay meter comprises a keypad 2, 3 which includes the letters A to 0 and the numerals 0 to 9. The keypad may also include special character keys, such as hyphen keys, since hyphens are included in the registration numbers of some foreign vehicles. These keys have not been marked in Figure 1. The keypad may also include arrow keys, for moving a cursor on a pay meter display 4. The display 4 may conveniently show the relevant date and time. A person wishing to park his/her vehicle looks for a first pay meter BAl and with the aid of the card reader of said meter enters cash card information relating to at least the card account number, wherewith the card number KN and the parking commencement time is stored in a memory BAl MEM of the pay meter, subsequent to having read the cash card. As before mentioned, each pay meter includes a keypad by means of the person parking the vehicle keys in the vehicle registration number RN at the commencement of the parking period in conjunc¬ tion with reading of the cash card, wherein the pay meter is caused to store the vehicle registration number RN together with the card number KN and the parking commencement time IT in the memory BAl MEM. Subsequent to registering the parking commencement time of a vehicle, i.e. subsequent to the driver of the vehicle having keyed-in his/her vehicle registration number and his/her cash card has been read, the pay meter functions to display instruc- tions as to how the next person to park his/her vehicle shall proceed. According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the vehicle registration number (RN) is entered prior to reading the cash card at the commencement of a parking period. Thus, the display shall request the person concerned to enter the registra¬ tion number of the vehicle to be parked. The keyed alphanumerical characters are displayed on the display as the registration number is keyed-in. Keying of the vehicle registration number may conveniently be terminated by pressing a button 5, which denotes that the full registration number has been keyed-in. The display then asks the person to insert his/her cash card into the card reader 1. When this has been done, an indication is given, suitably on the display, to the effect that registration will take place when the person presses a button 5 in acceptance of the registration. This button 5 is suitably the same button as that used to terminate keying of the registration number. The keypad includes a cancel button 6 for use when the person concerned changes his/her mind after the cash card has been read. Pressing of the cancel button causes recorded data to be erased. It is pointed out that no parking ticket or the like is issued that denotes the time at which parking of the vehicle commences. When parking of the vehicle is terminated, the cash card is read by the card reader of a second pay meter BA2. This second pay meter BA2 may be any chosen pay meter in the pay meter system, including the first pay meter. The pay meter display may present text that asks the person concerned to first enter a vehicle registration number if the vehicle is to be parked, and to insert the cash card into the card reader if parking is to be terminat¬ ed. When the pay meter shall be caused to read the cash card in conjunction with terminating parking, the person concerned will suitably acknowledge this by pressing a button 5. The second pay meter is caused to store the card number KN together with the time at which the card was read, i.e. the parking termination time UT, in a memory BA2 MEM belonging to the second pay meter. The memories of the pay meters may be of any suitable kind, for instance a RAM memory, a FLASH memory or other semi-conductor memory. The memory BAl MEM, BA2 MEM of each pay meter is connected tp a central computer and its memory, the pay meters may be connected on-line with the central computer. Alternatively, the contents of the pay meter memories may be collected off-line, through the medium of cables, modems or radio, and therewith transferred to a central computer. According to the invention, the parking time included from the parking commencement time (IT) to the parking termination time (UT) is billed against the cash card number. Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating said information. Informa¬ tion bits corresponding to vehicle registration number RN, cash card account number KN and parking commencement time IT are stored in the memory BAl MEM of the pay meter BAl. the informa- tion bits KN and the parking termination time UT are present in the memory BA2 MEM of the pay meter BA2. Billing is effected in the central computer 7 on the basis of KN and IT from BAl MEM with KN and UT from BA2 MEM. This results in a billing charge 8 against the number of the cash card concerned. In conjunction with termination of vehicle parking, the central computer 8 will be suitably adapted to send to BA2 the parking fee that will be charged, this fee being displayed on the display 4. The pay meter also includes a printer 9 that prints a receipt in response to pressing a receipt button 10, when a receipt is required. The cash card number of a person who has forgotten to terminate parking of his/her vehicle will be charged an amount that corresponds to or exceeds the amount chargeable for a maximum permitted parking period. The invention is primarily aimed at a system of pay meters that are distributed over a wide geographical area. However, the present invention can also be applied beneficially with two or more pay meters that are included in a pay meter system confined within a closed parking area, such as a car parking building, wherein one of the pay meters functions as said central computer. It will thus be evident that the invention enables a person to use a first pay meter in the system when initially parking his/her vehicle, and another pay meter when terminating parking. It will also be evident that only one single document need be issued, i.e. a receipt when a receipt is required. No parking ticket is printed when applying the present invention, and there is therefore no parking ticket that need be placed clearly visible inwardly of the windscreen. In addition, the invention affords the significant advantage of storing the account number of a cash card together with the vehicle registration number, therewith establishing a legal connection between the owner of the cash card and the vehicle in question. According to one highly preferred embodiment of the invention, the pay meters included in the system are adapted to print out or display at an arbitrarily selected time point and in response to an instruction to this end the registration numbers RN of those vehicles that have commenced a parking period but have not at that point in time terminated parking of their vehicles, . This instruction may be delivered in response to the insertion into the card reader of a special authorization card by a parking attendant. The pay meter may be adapted to print out a list 11 of registration numbers in alphabetical order of vehicles that have not terminated parking of their vehicles, in response to this instruction. Alternatively, the registration numbers may be shown on the display in an alphabetical order, so that the parking attendant is able to scan through the registration numbers with the aid of the arrow keys, for instance. The parking attendant is then able to compare the registration numbers of parked vehicles with the numbers given by the system. The owner of a vehicle whose registration number is not found in the system is issued with a parking fine. It will be clearly seen that the drawbacks of known systems discussed in the introduction have been avoided with the present invention. It will also be understood that the present invention is not restricted to the aforedescribed and illustrated exemplifying embodiments thereof and that modifications can be made within the scope of the following Claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method of cash card billing with the aid of pay meters when parking a vehicle, there being provided a parking meter system which includes a plurality of meters, wherein the meters include a cash card reader, wherein a person parking a vehicle finds a first meter (BA 1) and with the aid of the cash card reader enters cash-card carried information relating to at least the cash card account number, wherein when the cash card is read by the meter the meter is caused to store the cash card account (KN) number and the parking commencement time in a memory (BAl MEM) that belongs to said first meter, wherein when terminating the parking period the cash card is caused to be read by the card reader of a second pay meter (BA 2), which may be any chosen meter in the meter system, including the first meter (BA 1), wherein the second meter (BA 2) is caused to store the card number (KN) together with the time at which the card was read, the parking termination time (UT), in a memory (BA2 MEM) belong¬ ing to said second meter, characterized in that each pay meter includes a keypad (2, 3) by means of which the person parking the vehicle keys-in the registration number (RN) of the vehicle to be parked at the commencement of a parking period in conjunction with causing the cash card to be read, wherein the pay meter is caused to store the vehicle registration number (RN) together with the pay card number (KN) and the parking commencement time (IT); in that the memory (BAl MEM, BA2 MEM) of each pay meter is connected to the memory of a central computer (7); and in that the cash card account number is billed for the parking period between the parking commencement time (IT) and the parking termination time (UT). 2. A method according to Claim 1 , characterized in that in response to an instruction delivered to the system at an arbi¬ trarily selected point in time, respective pay meters (BAl, BA2) are caused to print out or display (4) the vehicle registration numbers (RN) of those vehicles for which a parking commencement time has been recorded but that have not terminated parking. 3. A method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the vehicle registration number (RN) is keyed-in at the commence¬ ment of a parking period and prior to reading the cash card. 4. A method according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized by installing in a closed parking space, such as a vehicle parking building, a pay meter system that includes two or more pay meters (BAl, BA2) of which one functions as said central computer (7).

Inventors: HJELMVIK TORBERNT, HJELMVIK, TORBERNT
Applicants: HJELMVIK TORBERNT, MODUL ELEKTRONIK AB, HJELMVIK, TORBERNT, MODUL-ELEKTRONIK AB
Application year: 1997
Main classification: G07C1
IPC codes: G07B15, G07C1, G07F7, G07F17