PARKING FEE SYSTEM

Abstract: The present invention relates to a parking fee system wherein the area covered by the system is divided in control blocks (3, 4), the system comprising: a parking fee register (1) and a parking control device (13). In order to provide a more user-friendly system, said control blocks (3, 4) are divided into parking areas (301 to 305, 401 to 405), the parking control device (13) comprises means (15) for transmitting an identifier (302) of a particular parking area supplied by a user, and the parking fee register (1) comprises means for transmitting information necessary for identifying vehicles parked in said particular parking area (302) to the parking control device (13) in response to receiving the identifier of said particular parking area (302).

Description: PARKING FEE SYSTEM The present invention relates to a parking fee system wherein a driver of a vehicle transmits parking information on a particular parking event to a parking fee register of the system. The information stored in the parking fee register enables a traffic warden to check whether or not a parking fee is being paid for a particular vehicle at a particular moment. The parking fee is charged from the driver on the basis of the information collected in the parking fee register. A parking fee system is previously known wherein a traffic warden uses a control device to check, by means of an inquiry into the paying fee register, whether or not a parking fee is being paid for a particular vehicle at the moment. As a response to such an inquiry, the traffic warden receives onto the display of the control device information about whether or not the parking fee is being paid for the vehicle at issue. The greatest drawback of this known solution is that information about each vehicle must be inquired from the parking fee register separately. Consequently, parking control is slow since an inquiry must be transmitted to the parking fee register separately about each vehicle. In addition, transmitting separate inquiry and response messages between the control device and the parking fee register in connection with each vehicle to be checked requires a relatively high data transmission capacity, which is why the system is expensive to use. Another drawback of this known solution is that it hardly enables parking events to be monitored. The information in the parking fee register thus does not enable areas in need of vacant parking spaces to be identified. An object of the present invention is to mitigate the drawbacks mentioned above and provide a solution for processing parking information such that the tasks of traffic wardens become less difficult and time-consuming while parking control requires less data transmission capacity. Another object of the invention is to provide a solution for processing the parking information to enable parking events to be controlled and monitored more efficiently. These objects are achieved by a method of the invention of processing parking information in a parking fee system, the method comprising: dividing an area covered by the parking fee system into control blocks. The method of the invention is characterized by dividing the control blocks into parking areas pro- vided with identifiers, storing the parking information in a parking fee register in connection with parking a vehicle, which parking information comprises at least identification information on the vehicle and an identifier of the parking area, transmitting an identifier of a particular parking area to the parking fee register by a parking control device, and receiving from the parking fee register by the parking fee device the parking information comprising the identification information on at least those vehicles that are parked in a parking area which belongs to the same control block as said particular parking area. The invention further relates to a parking fee system wherein the area covered by the system is divided into control blocks, the parking fee system comprising: a parking fee register to maintain information on those vehi- cles in the system for which a parking fee is being paid at the particular moment, and a parking control device for receiving the parking information from the parking register and for storing said parking information in a memory. The parking fee system of the invention is characterized in that said control blocks are divided into parking areas provided with identifiers, the parking control de- vice comprises means for transmitting to the parking fee register an identifier of a particular parking area supplied by a user, and the parking fee register comprises means for transmitting parking information to the parking control device on at least those vehicles that, on the basis of the information stored in the parking fee register, are parked in a parking area which belongs to the same control block as said particular parking area in response to receiving the identifier of said particular parking area. The idea underlying the invention is that checking the parking information becomes more efficient when parking information on all vehicles parked in parking areas which belong to a particular control block is transmit- ted to the parking control device in one go. This is possible when the area covered by the parking system (e.g. a city) is first divided into control blocks which in turn are further divided into smaller parking areas. A single control block may consist e.g. of a geographical area wherein the parking control is carried out by a single traffic warden or a group of traffic wardens. If the area covered by the parking fee system is divided into parking zones on the basis of parking tariffs, a single control block may consist of sections of different parking zones. Parking areas e.g. in urban circumstances may comprise one or more city blocks. Dividing the control blocks into smaller parking areas is ad- vantageous in that monitoring the parking events becomes more efficient since e.g. parking areas constantly in need of vacant parking spaces can be identi- fied more accurately. A traffic warden visiting a particular area can receive the information on at least one entire control block in one go. To obtain this information, the traffic warden only needs to transmit the identifier of one parking area to the parking fee register by his or her parking control device. Conse- quently, the traffic warden does not need to re-retrieve the information from the parking fee register in connection with checking each vehicle but the information has already been stored in the memory of the parking control device he or she uses. This saves telecommunication capacity and reduces costs incurred by the system. In a preferred embodiment of the parking fee system of the invention, the parking fee register comprises memory means for storing the parking area identifier received from the parking control device. The parking fee register thus knows the control block in which the parking control device is located. When the parking information concerning the parking areas which be- long to the control block at issue changes, the parking fee register transmits information about the changes, i.e. updating information, to the parking control device. This embodiment of the invention enables the parking information stored in the memory of the parking control device to be kept up-to-date. The updating information can be transmitted from the parking fee register e.g. each time the parking information concerning the control block changes, at predetermined intervals or when a particular number of changes has taken place in the parking information concerning the control block. In a second preferred embodiment of the parking fee system of the invention, the identification information on several different vehicles and/or information required by several different charging modes can be stored in advance for a particular user in the parking fee register. The system then comprises means by which the user, in connection with parking, is able to choose by telephone identification information (such as a registration number) on a vehicle and/or charging mode stored for the user in the parking fee register. Preferred embodiments of the method and parking fee system of the invention are disclosed in the attached dependent claims 2, 3 and 5 to 11. In the following, the invention will be described in closer detail by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a flow diagram showing a first preferred embodiment of a method of the invention, and Figure 2 is a block diagram showing a first preferred embodiment of a parking fee system of the invention. Figure 1 is a flow diagram showing a first preferred embodiment of a method of the invention. In block A of Figure 1 , the area covered by a park- ing fee system is first divided into control blocks which in turn are divided into smaller parking areas. The size of the control blocks and the parking areas may vary case by case. For instance in urban circumstances a single control block may cover one district, whereas the parking areas belonging to the control block at issue each cover e.g. one city block or one resident parking area. In block A, the parking areas are also provided with identifiers. These identifiers are placed on view so that the drivers of the vehicles should recognize the area in which they have parked their vehicles. In block B, registration numbers and information necessary for charging are stored for a particular user in the parking fee register. This infor- mation is stored in the parking fee register typically when the user wishes to start using services provided by the parking fee system. An account in the parking fee register is then opened for the user. The identification information, such as registration numbers, on all vehicles whose parking fees the user is willing to pay through the parking fee register is stored in the parking fee reg- ister. In the same connection, the information necessary for charging the user is stored in the parking fee register. Each user may have several alternative charging modes, e.g. a credit card, petrol card, telephone bill, etc. The information concerning these alternatives is stored in advance in the register. One registration number and one charging mode of each user are stored as a de- fault option in the parking fee register. In block C, the user parks the vehicle in an area marked with an identifier of a particular parking area. The user then accesses the parking fee system by telephone so that information indicating which vehicle he or she has parked in which parking area and which charging mode is preferred would be stored in the parking fee register. An alternative to transmitting the information mentioned above is that the user makes a call by his or her mobile telephone to a service number indicated on a traffic sign in the vicinity of the parking area. The traffic sign may carry e.g. a following number: 0600-08-302. The call is then routed to a service centre of the parking fee system which identifies the user on the basis of the subscriber A identifier (the number of the caller) received from the tele- phone system or, alternatively, the user may supply the user name and password. On the basis of the last part (302) of the telephone number, the service centre recognizes that the user has parked in a parking area 302. A unique service number is thus assigned to each parking area. After the call has been connected, the user has ten seconds to press # in his or her telephone if the user wishes to select a particular registration number or charging mode. If the user does not press # in the given time period, the service centre interprets that the user has selected the default option, i.e. the user has parked a vehicle with the default registration number in the area 302 and that the user wishes to pay the parking fee by the default charging mode. If, on the other hand, the user presses #, the service centre, which may comprise e.g. an interactive voice response centre, enumerates the registration numbers available for the user (i.e. the registration numbers stored in advance for the user), for example: "Press 1 if you have parked vehicle ABC-123, press 2 if you have parked vehicle CBA-321...", until the user has made the selection, which is registered by the service centre. The service centre then asks the user to select a charging mode from among the charging modes stored in advance for the user, e.g. in the following manner: "Press 1 if you wish to pay by petrol card XXXX, press 2 if you wish to pay by bank card, press 3 if you wish to pay in connection with a telephone bill...", until the user has made the selection. As distinct from the above example, the registration number and the charging mode can be selected by one press of a button, in which case the service centre recites e.g.: "Press 1 if you have parked vehicle ABC-123 and wish to pay by petrol card XXXX, press 2 if you have parked vehicle ABC-123 and wish to pay by bank card, press 3 if you have parked vehicle CBA-321 and wish to pay by petrol card XXXX...", until the user has made the selection. If the centre is an interactive voice response centre capable of speech recognition, the user does not need to key in his or her selection but the centre can ask the user to indicate the registration number and/or charging mode in speech, the centre then recognizing the selection made by the user on the basis of the information dictated by the user. After the user has disconnected the call after supplying the parking information, the parking fee register is informed that the user is currently pay- ing a parking fee for the selected vehicle in the parking area 302 and that the parking fee is charged as selected by the user. The parking fee is no longer charged when the user makes another call e.g. to number 0600-00, wherein the last part of the number indicates to the service centre of the parking fee system that the call is a termination call. The parking fee register is then informed that the user has terminated the parking. The parking fee system may use a system-level maximum parking time, which means that charging the parking fee automatically stops if this period of time is exceeded. The system-level maximum parking time is independent of the maximum parking time determined by the provider (such as a city) of the parking service. The system-level maximum parking time is used e.g. to ensure that the user will not receive an unreasonably large parking bill should he or she forget to make the termination call. Similarly, charging the parking fee can automatically be interrupted when the maximum parking time determined for a selected parking area is running out and/or during any time of day/on weekdays when, determined by the provider (such as a city) of the parking service, parking is free of charge. Naturally, no termination call is then needed. As distinct from the above description, it is to be noted that the registrations for starting and terminating the parking can be carried out in the parking fee register also in an alternative manner. Such alternatives include e.g. using fixed equipment located in the parking area in transmitting the information supplied by the user to the parking fee register, using a mobile telephone and a WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) server. In block D, a traffic warden arrives at the parking area in order to check whether or not parking fees are being paid for the vehicles parked in the parking area. The traffic warden then supplies the identifier 302 of the parking area concerned into a portable control device. The parking control device transmits the supplied identifier to the parking fee register. The parking fee register then finds out the identifiers of all those parking areas which belong to the same control block as the parking area 302. The parking fee register then detects that e.g. parking areas 301 to 305 belong to the same control block. The parking fee register can then (if thus specified by the system operator or the traffic warden) retrieve from its memory the parking information on all those vehicles which, on the basis of the information stored in the parking fee register, are parked in the parking areas 301 to 305 at the particular moment. The parking fee register transmits this parking information in one go to the parking control device, which receives the information in block E. The parking information comprises the registration numbers of the parked vehicles. The traffic warden is thus able to check whether or not a fee is being paid for each detected vehicle by browsing the registration numbers on the display of the parking control device. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing a first preferred embodiment of a parking fee system of the invention. The parking fee system of Figure 2 can utilize the method described in connection with Figure 1. In Figure 2, the geographical area covered by the parking fee system is divided into control blocks; Figure 2 shows control blocks 3 and 4. Each control block 3 and 4 may cover a particular district of a city. The control blocks 3 and 4 are further divided into parking areas 301 to 305 and 401 to 405 respectively. A single parking area may cover e.g. one city block, parking spaces in a street or parking spaces in a particular separated area. According to the invention, traffic signs are arranged in the parking areas to indicate to the drivers the identifier of the parking area at issue. The parking system comprises a parking fee register 1 , parking information being stored in a parking database 11 thereof. The parking database preferably maintains information on each parking area including: a parking tariff on the basis of which the parking fee is charged, a system-level maximum parking time covering the entire parking system to indicate how long the parking fee will be charged before the charging is terminated, the maximum parking time, and daily hours when parking is chargeable and when free of charge. When a user wishes to start using the services provided by the parking fee system, an account is opened for him or her in the parking fee system. The registration numbers of the vehicles for the parking of which the user is willing to pay through the parking fee register are then stored in the parking database 11. Other vehicle-specific identifiers may be used instead of registration numbers. An alternative is that all vehicles using the services of the system are equipped e.g. with a sticker displaying the identifier necessary for identifying the vehicle at issue, i.e. the identification information on the vehicle. Instead of the registration number, the identifier of the vehicle designated on the sticker is then stored in the parking database 11. In addition to the registration number, the information necessary for charging the user is also stored in the parking database 11 at the same time. According to the invention, each user may have several alternative charging modes, in which case information on these charging modes is stored in advance in the parking database 11. In order to enable e.g. disabled parking and resident parking to be also controlled by the parking system, the identification information on each vehicle entitled to disabled parking and resident parking is preferably stored in the parking fee register. In addition to the identification information, the identifier of one or more parking areas may be stored in the parking fee register to indicate where the vehicle at issue is allowed to park in disabled parking/resident parking spaces. When the driver of the vehicle parks the vehicle in a particular parking area, e.g. in the parking area 302, he or she transmits the information on the parking to the parking fee register 1 e.g. by a mobile station MS. Alternatively, fixed equipment may be provided in the vicinity of the parking area by means of which the parking information can be transmitted to the parking reg- ister 1. The information that should be transmitted to the parking fee register includes at least the identifier 302 of the parking area and the identification information on the vehicle, such as the registration number and information indicating the charging mode. The parking information is transmitted to the parking fee register to be stored in the parking database 11 through the user's mobile station MS and a mobile communication system 2. In the case of Figure 2, only a base transceiver station BTS, a mobile switching centre MSC, a WAP server WAP and an interactive voice response centre IVR of the mobile communication system 2 are shown. The mobile communication system 2 may be e.g. a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) system. The user can thus call a certain service number, and the call is connected to the interactive voice response centre IVR enabling the user to supply the necessary information. Alternatively, the user may access the WAP server WAP and supply the necessary information via text-format menus. The parking fee register 1 charges the user according to a parking tariff determined for the particular parking area from the moment the user supplies the parking information to the parking fee register until the user establishes a new connection e.g. by a mobile telephone to indicate that the parking has come to an end. So long as the parking fee is charged, the parking data- base is informed of the fact that the vehicle is parked in the parking area 302. According to the invention, the traffic warden uses a portable parking control device 13. In the example of Figure 2, the parking control device comprises a mobile telephone 15 and a mobile computer 16 connected thereto. When the traffic warden starts working e.g. in the parking area 302, he or she supplies the identifier of the parking area 302 by using the keyboard of the computer 16. The parking fee register is then informed that the control device 13 is located in the parking area 302. The parking fee register stores this piece of information in a control device database 12. The parking area 302 belongs to the control block 3. According to the invention, the parking fee reg- ister 1 thus retrieves the parking information on all the vehicles which, according to the parking database 11 , are parked in any one of the parking areas 301 to 305 at the particular moment. In addition, the parking fee register also retrieves the parking information on all the vehicles entitled to disabled parking and resident parking which, on the basis of the information stored in the park- ing fee register, are entitled to park in the parking areas 301 to 305 (regardless of whether or not these vehicles have, e.g. by telephone, been registered to have started parking). The parking fee register 1 transmits the retrieved information to the parking control device 13. The memory of the parking control device 13 used by the traffic warden thus receives the parking information on all vehicles parked in the control block 3 and the identification information on the vehicles entitled to disabled parking and resident parking as well. According to the invention, the parking information comprises the identification information on the vehicle, such as the registration number. The computer 16 of the parking control device preferably arranges the register numbers of the parked vehicles in each parking area in alphabetical order to make them easier to browse. When the traffic warden detects a parked vehicle, he or she can thus browse the registration numbers on the display of the computer 16 and thus find out whether or not a parking fee is being paid for the detected vehicle at the particular moment through the parking fee register 1. In addition to the identification information, the parking information received by the control device preferably comprises the point of time when each vehicle started the parking, the remaining parking time allowed, and the period of time elapsed from the moment when the maximum parking time was exceeded. The parking fee register knows the parking area in which the park- ing control device 13 was located last because the parking area identifier 302 last received therefrom is stored in the control device database 12. The park- ing fee register thus knows that the control device 13 is located in the control block 3. According to the invention, the parking fee register uses this information to transmit updating information to the control device 13 to keep the parking information stored in the memory thereof up-to-date. The parking fee reg- ister may transmit control information e.g. at predetermined intervals or each time it is informed that a new vehicle has parked in the parking area 301 to 305 belonging to the control block. It is to be understood that the above description and the related drawings are only intended to illustrate the present invention. It is obvious to one skilled in the art that the invention can be varied and modified in many different ways without deviating from the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed in the attached claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method of processing parking information in a parking fee system, the method comprising: dividing an area covered by the parking fee system into control blocks, characterized by dividing the control blocks into parking areas provided with identifiers, storing the parking information in a parking fee register in connection with parking a vehicle, which parking information comprises at least identi- fication information on the vehicle and an identifier of the parking area, transmitting the identifier of a particular parking area to the parking fee register by a parking control device, and receiving from the parking fee register by the parking control device the parking information comprising the identification information on at least those vehicles that are parked in a parking area which belongs to the same control block as said particular parking area. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the identification information on the vehicle consists of a registration number of the vehicle. 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in connection with parking the vehicle, the identification information and/or information necessary for charging a parking fee is transmitted to the parking fee register by telephone. 4. A parking fee system wherein the area covered by the system is divided into control blocks (3, 4), the parking fee system comprising: a parking fee register (1) to maintain information on those vehicles for which a parking fee is being paid at a particular moment, and a parking control device (13) for receiving parking information from the parking fee register (1) and for storing said parking information in a mem- ory, characterized in that said control blocks (3, 4) are divided into parking areas (301 to 305, 401 to 405) provided with identifiers, the parking control device (13) comprises means (15) for transmitting to the parking fee register (1) an identifier (302) of a particular parking area supplied by a user, and the parking fee register (1) comprises means for transmitting parking information to the parking control device (13) on at least those vehicles that, on the basis of the information stored in the parking fee register (1), are parked in a parking area (301, 303 to 305) which belongs to the same control block (3) as said particular parking area (302) in response to receiving the identifier of said particular parking area (302). 5. A parking fee system as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the parking information transmitted by the parking fee register comprises at least the identification information on the vehicles, such as regis- tration numbers of the vehicles. 6. A parking fee system as claimed in claim 4 or 5, character i z e d in that the parking information transmitted by the parking fee register comprises one or more pieces of the following information: a point of time when the parking started, remaining parking time allowed, and period of time elapsed from the moment when the maximum parking time was exceeded. 7. A parking fee system as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the parking fee register (1) comprises memory means (12) for storing the identifier of the parking area (302) received from the parking control device (13), and the parking fee register (1) transmits to the parking control device (13) updating information to update the parking information stored in the memory of the parking control device (13) on at least the control block (3) to which the parking area (302) whose identifier is stored in the memory means belongs. 8. A parking fee system as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the identification information on several alternative vehicles is stored in the parking fee register (1 ) for a particular user, and the system comprises means (WAP, IVR) which enable said user to select, by a telephone (MS), the identification information on a single vehicle from among the identification information on said several alternative vehicles and which inform the parking fee register (1) that the user has parked a vehicle with the selected identification information. 9. A parking fee system as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that information on several alternative charging modes is stored in the parking fee register (1 ) for a particular user, and the system comprises means (WAP, IVR) which enable said user to select, by a telephone (MS), a single charging mode from among said several alternative charging modes and which inform the parking fee register (1) of the charging mode selected by the user. 10. A parking fee system as claimed in claim 8 or 9, character i z e d in that the identification information on one vehicle and one charging mode of the particular user are stored as a default in the parking fee register. 11. A parking fee system as claimed in claim 8 or 9, characterized in that said means enabling the user to select the identification information on a single vehicle and/or a single charging mode comprise an interactive voice response unit (IVR).

Inventors: HARJU HEIKKI, HARJU, HEIKKI
Applicants: HARJU HEIKKI, PAYWAY OY, HARJU, HEIKKI
Application year: 2001
Main classification: G07C1
IPC codes: G06Q20, G07B15, G07C1, G07F7, G07F17