Abstract:
A terminal of a parking meter system includes two-way audio and visual communications with a central administration station for assisting customers using the terminal. The terminal has coin and bill acceptors in communication with a computer for managing the terminal operation. A video display in the terminal can alternately display payment information or a camera view of a central station operator when communication is initiated. Two-way communication between the terminal and central station provides immediate trouble-shooting and resolution of customer complaints such as lost bills or coins and failure to credit payment. Monitoring of the terminal by a central station operator provides prompting for service for coin and bill collection and/or impounding illegally parked vehicles, among other attendant functions, so that an attendant is only present as needed.

Description:
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to the field of electronic parking meter systems and in particular to an electronic parking meter system having a two-way audio and video communications between the electronic parking meter system and a central station.  
           [0002]    Parking meters providing unattended sale of space usage or parking time for multiple parking spaces are well known and widely used in street and off-street parking lots for vehicles. These parking meters include display panels for designating the space being used and identifying required payments to deposit in the meter. The timing interval, or the amount of time vended by the meter to the customer, is typically determined by the amount of money which is inserted into the parking meter.  
           [0003]    Parking meters for multiple parking spaces include simple mechanical devices in the form of a box having a plurality of numbered slots corresponding to the numbered parking spaces in the lot. The customer parks in an available parking space. He then proceeds to the parking meter box and deposits money in the numbered slot corresponding to his parking space. Since lots with these meter boxes are often unattended, if the wrong slot is accidentally used, the customer must either insert more money into the correct slot or risk the owner of the parking lot taking action for failure to pay.  
           [0004]    More complex electronic parking meters have replaced mechanical-based meters in some cases. Although electronic parking meters often have mechanical parts, the primary thrust of modern parking meter technology is directed to solid state circuitry and apparatus for parking meters which minimizes downtime, reduces mechanical unreliability, and provides an electronic means of accounting. An advantage of modern electronic parking meters is that they may be triggered externally without the use of coins. Accordingly, payment slots may be included for the use of credit cards or debit cards.  
           [0005]    Electronic parking meters include both single space meters and parking lot terminals. For a contained area, a terminal can be more efficient, like the mechanical terminal box, because a single device is used to collect fees for each parking space in a lot, as opposed to having individual meters for each spot, like on-street parking.  
           [0006]    An electronic parking meter terminal is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,334. This type of terminal is capable of covering a plurality of parking spaces with a single parking meter These meters generally include a clock, a coin and/or bill acceptor, electronic processing circuits and a printer.  
           [0007]    In some older electronic parking meters, the customer inserted money into the parking meter, received a receipt upon which an expiration time appears from the meter, and then had to return to their vehicle to place the receipt in the windshield of the vehicle.  
           [0008]    In newer electronic-based parking systems, however, the customer keys in a code identifying the parking space in which the vehicle has been parked, such as a numeric designation, or, in some cases, the vehicle&#39;s license plate number. The customer then deposits money into the meter using coins, bills or sometimes, using a credit card. The meter stores the expiration time (based on the amount paid) in its memory correlated to the parking space or license plate number permitting the customer to proceed without having to place the receipt in a clearly visible position in the vehicle.  
           [0009]    Parking meters having data communications with a central location are known. Generally, these meters are used to relay information to a central location, such as an expired meter status, but do not permit communications back to the meter.  
           [0010]    For example, a single space parking meter having a radio frequency transmitter for communicating the status, i.e., meter malfunction, expiration of time, to a central location is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,461.  
           [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,868 discloses a multiple parking space meter terminal having a peripheral port for sending and receiving computer data from a central location by wireless or by a cable connection. The data connection does not support voice and video communication between a customer and a person at the central station.  
           [0012]    A multi-bay parking meter mounted on a supporting stanchion and programmed to permit the control of four separate parking spaces is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,942. The standard display window for the meter is used to advise the user of the status of the respective spaces. The meter detects whether a car is present in the spaces and determines the meter status.  
           [0013]    A multiple space parking meter terminal sold under the name MITIVEND by MITI Manufacting Co. includes an automated communications link to emergency services, such as fire, police or to a parking attendant to alert of emergency situations. However, the MITIVEND meter terminal does not include two way communications for a person using the terminal to communicate with a remote parking attendant or emergency services personnel. The MITIVEND meter does not provide video communications on a terminal display.  
           [0014]    While known parking meter terminals are useful for their intended purposes, none provides for customer service or assistance communications with an administrative station for resolving customer problems with the meter terminals. Parking fees are increasingly expensive in larger metropolitan areas where such terminals are most useful, and the costs associated with parking without paying properly are equally high. Therefore, a meter terminal which includes customer service functions is needed to assist customers who have difficulty with the terminal to avoid additional costs to customers for incorrect payments or inability to pay because of a meter malfunction.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0015]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a parking meter terminal having a single display unit for assisting parking space payments at the terminal, and alternately used in a two-way audio-video link with a central administration station for the terminal.  
           [0016]    Yet another object of the invention is to provide two-way communications between a parking meter terminal and a central station to provide customer service or assistance.  
           [0017]    A further object of the invention is to provide a parking meter terminal system in which several parking lot meter terminals can be remotely administered by a single central station that provides customer assistance through the terminals.  
           [0018]    Accordingly, a parking meter terminal is provided for recording meter fees for multiple spaces, such as in a parking lot, having audio-video communications with a central location or remote attendant. The parking meter terminal includes a computer with a memory, and audio/video inputs and outputs. The computer is connected to money acceptors. The computer is connected via wiring and/or wireless to a computer network for communication with a central administration station.  
           [0019]    The parking meter terminal has a video display with a touch screen over it for entering a parking space number to advance pay the parking fee calculated by the computer based on a time selected by the user. The parking meter includes bill and coin acceptors for receiving the parking fee for the selected parking space, as well as a credit card or other payment card receiver. The parking meter contains an operating system for displaying instructions on the video display, receiving input from a person paying for a space, identifying a parking space, receiving money and allocating that money as payment for an identified parking space. The touch screen of the parking meter is a brightly lit display to assist persons using the meter seeing the commands on the touch screen.  
           [0020]    The parking meter terminal further includes a two-way communications system between the meter and a central location or a remote attendant. A video camera, microphone and speaker are provided in the parking meter and all connected to the computer. The video display screen used to assist payment transactions is also used to show the central location or remote attendant, or instructional text and/or graphics from the remote attendant to a person at the meter terminal. The communications can run through a telephone line, a dedicated communications line or across the computer network. The communications can be activated in the event of a problem at the parking meter terminal for customer service.  
           [0021]    The parking meter terminal is contained in a housing adapted to be located on the street or at the entrance of a parking lot for use in controlling parking at multiple spaces. The housing includes a mounting area for bill, coin and credit card acceptors and the display panel. The housing includes anti-theft mechanisms to avoid vandalism and theft of collected money or components of the terminal.  
           [0022]    A lower housing section supports coin cans for use with a collection system and a coin return means is provided so that coins deposited at the wrong time, or invalid coins, will not be collected. The housing design is such that very high security is achieved since there are no areas where easy access to the lower housing can be obtained. The upper housing is designed for minimum susceptibility to vandalism. The combined upper and lower housing sections provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance, and since the need for a single stanchion for each parking space is eliminated, the overall street appearance is enhanced when the concepts of this invention are employed.  
           [0023]    Since only a single meter mechanism is required for multiple spaces, the cost for parking enforcement is reduced. Furthermore, maintenance is simplified since the mechanism can be easily replaced whenever service is required so that the downtime for any particular group of parking spaces will be minimal. Collection of revenues is also simplified since the revenue from several spaces is obtained in a single collection operation.  
           [0024]    The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0025]    In the drawings:  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system incorporating the parking meter terminal of the invention;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of a front panel of a parking meter terminal of the invention;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of a front panel of the parking meter terminal of FIG. 2;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the video display assembly of the parking meter terminal of FIG. 2; and  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a computer controller for the parking meter terminal of FIG. 2. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0031]    Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals are used to refer to the same or similar elements, FIG. 1 illustrates a multiple parking lot system using parking meter terminals  100  according to the invention. The system in FIG. 1 shows two parking lots  300   a,    300   b,  each having a plurality of parking spaces  310  which accommodate cars and trucks  320 . A meter terminal  100  is provided at the exit to each lot  300   a,    300   b  for customers parking their cars  320  to pay. Each space  310  in the lot can be identified by a unique alphanumeric, graphical or combination thereof designator. The unique designator for the space  310  that the customer wants to pay for parking time is entered into the terminal  100  and payment is made.  
         [0032]    The system of FIG. 1 includes a connection  240  from each meter terminal  100  to a central administrative station  200 . The connection  240  carries audio, video and data signals from the terminals  100  to a computer  215  at the central administrative station  200 . A human operator  210  monitors the computer  215  using a video monitor  220  and input device  222 , such as a keyboard, pointing device or pen. A microphone  230  and camera  225  are provided in the central administrative station  200  so that the operator  210  can communicate using two-way audio and video with customers at the terminals  100 , as will be described below in greater detail.  
         [0033]    The connection  240  can be a hardwired or wireless connection, or a combination of the two. The connection  240  can be made over dedicated lines, or using a commercial computer network system. The connection  240  may be by fiber optic cable, copper wire, radio frequency or other available transmission means.  
         [0034]    The terminals  100  are each formed as a box containing the component parts of the meter system. The box forming the meter terminal  100  preferably has a front panel  10 , a rear panel, top and bottom panels and two side panels. The parking meter terminals  100  may be mounted directly on the ground or supported on a post or stanchion  117 . Even if a wireless connection  240  is used, the meter terminal  100  still requires power, so that a secure method of mounting the terminal to the ground where a power source can be provided is necessary.  
         [0035]    The details of the meter terminal  100  will now be described further.  
       Meter Housing  
       [0036]    [0036]FIG. 2 illustrates a the front panel  10  of a housing box  12  forming the parking meter terminal  100 . The housing box  12  is preferably made from 11-gauge steel with a double-wall aluminum insulation. The front panel  10  of the housing box  12  is hinged to provide access to the interior for service and money removal. A high-security lock  18  locks the front panel  10  to the rest of the housing box  12 .  
         [0037]    The front panel  10  of the housing box  12  includes several items accessible by a customer for entering their parking space identifier, paying for a set amount of parking time, acknowledging the purchased parking time, and, when necessary, communicating with the operator  210  at the central administrative station  200 . The items include a touch-sensitive panel and display assembly  20 , coin, bill and credit card acceptors  30 ,  32 ,  34  and coin return  36 , and a camera  40 , microphone  50  and speaker  55 .  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 3 shows the interior side of front panel  10  on which the functional devices mentioned above are mounted with their component parts. FIG. 4 illustrates a preferred construction for the display assembly  20 .  
         [0039]    The details of the functional devices and their component parts will now be described in greater detail with reference to FIGS.  2 - 4 .  
       Display Assembly  
       [0040]    A touch screen panel and display assembly  20  are preferably located at the top right corner of the front panel  10  of the housing box  12 . The touch screen panel  22  is transparent and overlies a display screen  24 . The touch screen panel  22  of the display assembly  20  can be recessed from the front panel  10  surface, so that its edges are overlapped by the edges of an opening through the front panel  10 . Alternatively, a secure frame can be mounted to the front panel  10  over the display assembly  20  to prevent it from being removed through the front panel  10 .  
         [0041]    Protective shields  21  can be provided to protect the touch screen panel from rain, snow and other physical damage.  
         [0042]    As shown in FIG. 4, the display assembly  20  comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel  24 , such as the Planar® Model ColorBrite™ LC640.480.33-AC., the touch screen panel  22 , such as a Dynapro™ brand touch screen, and a touch screen driver board  23 . The touch screen driver board  23  and LCD display  24  are connected to power source  400 ; LCD display  24  is also connected to video driver board  440 .  
         [0043]    The LCD panel  24  provides visual feedback and instruction information to a customer using the electronic parking meter terminal  100 . The LCD can display the status of each parking space, the time remaining for a selected space and/or a graphical map of the parking area to enable the user to determine which of the parking spaces are available or which space the user has occupied.  
         [0044]    Preferably, the LCD panel  24  provides a very bright image to a customer, even in daylight. The Planar® LCD noted above is one such LCD panel  24 . The LCD panel  24  preferably has an areal luminance of about 1,000 NITS or more and can be viewed in a 140° in front of the display. The LCD panel  24  is preferably sized to provide a good visibility picture, such as a 10 inch or greater screen size, although smaller LCD panels  24  may be used.  
         [0045]    The touch screen panel  22  allows the customer to communicate with the visual information shown on the LCD panel. The user presses over graphic images shown on the LCD display  24  through the transparent touch screen panel  22  to input information into the electronic parking meter  100 . The interface between the LCD panel  24  and the touch screen panel  22  and between the touch screen panel  22  and a user is well known in the art. As will be appreciated, the video driver board  23  connects the touch pad  22  to the video controller  440  in a computer of the terminal  100  through the LCD panel  24 .  
         [0046]    A key pad, such as a Digitran™ Model KL0042, or other input device (not shown) may be provided and mounted in the front panel  10  instead of a touch screen panel  22  for entering selected information into the electronic parking meter terminal  100 .  
       Payment System  
       [0047]    A user of the electronic parking meter terminal  100  can pay for the parking space with coins, bills or a magnetic strip card, including a credit card, a debit card, a parking card or a driver&#39;s license.  
         [0048]    The electronic parking meter terminal  100  includes a coin slot  30  through which coins are inserted. A coin insertion shroud  31  is provided on the rear of the front panel  10  to prevent coins from dropping loose into the housing box  12 . A coin acceptor/sorter  33  receives coins inserted through the coin slot  30  directed by shroud  31 . The acceptor/sorter  33  is of a known type, such as the Coinco™ Model Quantum 700 198  , which determines the value of the received coins and ignores slugs.  
         [0049]    The value of the coins deposited determines the parking time. The coin slot  30  may instead be a series of coin slots (not shown) for receiving nickels, dimes, quarters, dollar and other denomination coins based on their sizes.  
         [0050]    Once the coin acceptor/sorter  33  checks the denomination of the coins inserted into the slot  30 , coins pass through either a first coin path (not shown) to a coin box in the acceptor/sorter for storing acceptable coins, or through a second coin path  35  to coin return opening  36  located on the front panel  10  for returning unacceptable coins. A coin return lever  37  connected to the coin acceptor/sorter  33  is located on the front panel  10  for a customer to request their coins be returned. A coin overflow bag  39  is provided at the lower end of the acceptor/sorter  33  to receive excess coins that will not fit in the coin box until the terminal  100  can be serviced to remove the money.  
         [0051]    A bill acceptor  32 , such as a Coinco™ Model MAG50™, is located through the front panel  10  of the housing box  12 . The bill acceptor  32  receives bills through a slot on the outside of the of the housing box  12 . The slot is preferably located below the coin insertion opening  32 .  
         [0052]    A magnetic strip card reader  34  is also mounted through the front panel  10 . The magnetic strip card reader  34  includes a card insertion opening that receives a magnetically encoded card, such as a credit card, debit card, parking card or driver&#39;s license. The card reader  34  is preferably located below the bill acceptor  40  on the front panel  10  of the housing box  12 . The magnetic strip card reader  34  communicates with a card inserted into the opening to accept and interrogate the card, in a well known manner.  
         [0053]    The coin acceptor  33 , bill acceptor  32  and magnetic strip card reader  34  are all electrically connected to a computer  450  (shown in FIG. 5) inside the terminal  100  in a known manner, preferably by ribbon data cable (not shown). The computer  450  determines the time when paid-up parking expires based on the total amount of money inserted into the electronic parking meter terminal  100  by coin, bill and/or card, and the present time. The time can be calculated using a clock program or circuit, or received from the central administrative station  200 .  
       Audio System  
       [0054]    The audio system of the meter terminal  100  provides audio feedback to a customer, as well as voice transmissions from the operator  210  at the central administrative station  200  for customer service.  
         [0055]    A speaker  52  is mounted the inside of the front panel  10  behind speaker grille openings  55  through the front panel  10 . The speaker  52  emits audio sounds generated by the computer  450  in the electronic parking meter terminal  100  in accordance with received signals in a known manner. The speaker  52  and speaker grille  55  are preferably positioned in close proximity adjacent the display assembly  20 .  
         [0056]    A microphone  50  mounted near the speaker  52  in the front panel  10  is provided for receiving speech from a customer or other sounds. The microphone is preferably positioned below the display assembly  20  and adjacent the speaker grill  61  so that it is in comfortable working relation with the user of the electronic parking meter  100 . The microphone  70  is connected to the central processing assembly  100 .  
       Video System  
       [0057]    A video camera  40  for recording real-time video of a customer using the meter terminal  100  is secured inside the housing box  12 . The video camera  40  is oriented so that a space immediately in front of the front panel  10  is visible to the video camera  40  through an opening in the front panel  10 . Preferably, the video camera  40  is positioned just above the display assembly  20 .  
         [0058]    The video camera  40  may be a pin-hole type camera, which has a small footprint and is more easily used in the meter terminal  100  because it requires less space. CCTV cameras, CCD type cameras or other digital and analog cameras can be used to receive real-time images for the meter terminal  100 .  
         [0059]    The camera  40  transmits the received images as an electronic signal in its known format to the computer  450  for processing and transmission to the central administrative station  200 . The term “video” as used herein should be understood to include combined audio/video streams configured in accordance with standards such as H. 261, MPEG and MPEG II as well as streams which include video in combination with other types of data.  
         [0060]    The video signal may be monitored or recorded at the central administrative station  200 . The video signal is part of the two-way audio/video communication with a customer.  
         [0061]    Video images that have been recorded may be played back from stored files if the operator  210  at the central administrative station  200  so desires. The video signal can be stored on any known media, such as a magnetic disk array or tape, a recordable optical disk or an electronic memory.  
         [0062]    Preferably, however, the operator  210  views the video signal stream live as it is transmitted from electronic parking meter terminal  100  on the monitor  220 . The camera  40  allows the central station operator  210  to see the customer having problems with the meter terminal  100  while providing customer assistance. Similarly, the central station camera  215  transmits a video signal from the station operator  210  to the LCD panel  24  of display assembly  20  so that the customer can see who they are talking to via the audio system. The central station operator  210  can also transmit instructions to the customer for display on the LCD panel  24  in place of or in combination with the central station camera  215  video signal.  
         [0063]    In an alternative embodiment, the video signals from the camera  40  and central station camera  215  may be transmitted and received through a video server contained within the terminal housing box  12 .  
       Printer  
       [0064]    A printer  60  is provided for generating customer receipts, such as an LRC Model 7000. The printer  60  is supported on a bracket  62  inside the housing box  12  on the inside of front panel  10 . The printer  60  ejects receipts through a printer receipt slot  38  in the front panel  10 . The printer  60  is preferably connected directly to the computer  450 , which drives the output to the printer.  
       Computer  
       [0065]    Turning now to FIG. 5, a computer  450  of the meter terminal  100  includes a central processing unit (CPU)  410  with a memory  420 , audio controller  430  and video controller  440 . CPU  410  can include a network interface  245  for connecting to the central administrative station  200  through connection  240 . Alternatively, the network interface with connection  240  may be separate from the CPU, such as a router or hub connector.  
         [0066]    The CPU  410  is powered by a power supply  400  having a backup battery  405  in the event of a power loss at the meter terminal  100 . The memory  420 , and audio and video controllers  430 ,  440  all receive power through the CPU  410 .  
         [0067]    The memory  420 , and audio and video controllers  430 ,  440  may all be separate components or they may be included on the same circuit as the CPU  410 .  
         [0068]    The CPU  410  is preferably a PC104 motherboard using an Intel 8086-based processor chip.  
         [0069]    A multi-drop bus  415  connects the CPU  410  to each of the coin, bill and credit card acceptors  33 ,  32 ,  34 . The CPU  410  manages the information received from each of the money acceptors  32 ,  33 ,  34  to determine when payment has been made, if the payment is valid and how much time to credit a particular parking space based on the payment.  
         [0070]    The microphone  50  and speaker  52  are connected to the audio controller  430  for managing the received and transmitted signals. The microphone  50  and speaker  52  are powered through the audio controller  430 .  
         [0071]    As discussed above, camera  40  and LCD panel  24  are connected to the video controller board  440 . Video controller board  440  handles video image processing for the CPU  410 .  
         [0072]    Audio and video controllers  430 ,  440  are preferably PC104 type compatible boards.  
         [0073]    The backup battery  405  is preferably a rechargeable battery, so that its useful life is extended for protecting the meter terminal  100  from power outages.  
         [0074]    Network interface  245  connects the computer  450  to the central station  200 . The network interface  245  manages transmission and reception of audio, video and data signals in bi-directional communication across connection  240  with the central administrative station  200  for processing by CPU  410 .  
         [0075]    Printer  60  is connected to CPU  410  for receiving instructions for printing receipts for payment using the meter terminal  100 .  
         [0076]    CPU  410  has programming for operating the printer  60 , coin, bill and card acceptors  33 ,  32 ,  34 , audio and video controllers  430 ,  440 . CPU  410  includes routines for recognizing an input from a customer requesting customer service in order to initialize the two-way communication with the central administrative station  200 . The CPU  410  can also include self-diagnostic routines for the several connected components which initializes communication with the central station  200  when a problem is detected.  
         [0077]    The parking meter terminal  100  thus provides a two-way communication with a central station  200  for providing customer service on demand or in response to a terminal  100  system problem.  
         [0078]    Once two-way communication is established, the operator  210  at the central station  200  may provide customer assistance to a person using the terminal  100 . The customer assistance may include verbal and video prompting instructions for using the terminal via the video and audio systems. Also, if a customer requires a refund, the operator  210  can determine if a refund is appropriate, and if the terminal  100  is not malfunctioning, provide the refund from the remote central station  200  location without having to have a lot attendant present.  
         [0079]    Further, when used in combination with video surveillance of the parking spaces in the lot  300   a,    300   b  using lot cameras  350  connected to the central station  200 , the operator  210  can compare receipts at the parking meter terminal  100  with cars  320  parked in the lots  300   a,    300   b  and determine if punitive action is required. For example, if a car  320  is parked without having paid for the space at the terminal  100 , or the time paid for has expired, the operator  210  can direct an attendant to visit the lot and either tow the offending car, or place a tire boot on the car to prevent the owner from leaving without paying. In the case of immobilizing the car, the owner could be directed to use the two-way communication of the terminal  100  to pay for unpaid time and request that the tire boot is removed.  
         [0080]    Clearly, other sensor systems besides cameras  350  can be used to determine when cars are parked in spaces  310  for correlating to payments made at terminal  100 .  
         [0081]    In addition to being used for operating networked electronic parking meters  100  for vehicles, said networked electronic parking meters  100  may also be used for parking boats, ships and small planes, for example.  
         [0082]    The parking meter terminal system of the invention permit an operator of lots  300   a,    300   b  using the system to selectively vend time for a chosen parking space or bay, while providing customer assistance and avoiding fraud by customers who do not pay or do not pay enough.  
         [0083]    The system eliminates the need for an attendant to regularly check the lot, since it can be monitored remotely. Terminal  100  maintenance and servicing, such as for repair of malfunctions, and coin and bill collection, can all be prompted by a signal (or lack thereof) received at the central station  200  from the terminal computer  450  through connection  240 .  
         [0084]    While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.