Patent ID: 8688509

Claim:
A parking locator system for providing discounted parking comprising: one or more servers configured to receive 1) discount information from one or more providers, the discount information comprising one or more discounted parking fees associated with one or more predefined time periods 2) promotional information from one or more merchants, 3) first criteria from the one or more merchants for determining when to distribute the promotional information, and 4) second criteria from an entity separate from the one or more merchants for determining when to distribute the promotional information wherein the second criteria is based upon monitored vehicle traffic conditions such that, in response to a determination of traffic congestion in a particular area, the promotional information is distributed to reduce the traffic congestion in the particular area; and one or more parking kiosks comprising a screen and a printer, each of the one or more parking kiosks configured to: in response to a request to purchase parking, receive the discount information and the promotional information from the one or more servers; present on the screen first promotional information wherein the first promotional information is selected based upon the first criteria from the one or more merchants and the second criteria from the entity separate from the one or more merchants; output via the printer a printed media including the promotional information or via an electronic interface which allows communication with a portable electronic device the first promotional information; present on the screen a discounted parking fee for one or more parking spaces during a predefined time period, wherein the discounted parking fee and predefined time period are provided in the discount information retrieved from the one or more servers; present on the screen a non-discounted parking fee outside of the predefined time period, the non-discounted parking fee being higher than the discounted parking fee; accept payment of the discounted parking fee from the user during the predefined time period; and accept payment of the non-discounted parking fee outside the predefined time period.