Patent ID: RE41085

Claim:
An automated vehicle parking system for access and revenue control of a plurality of remote parking facilities, each facility having controlled entrance lanes and controlled exit lanes, the system including: a vehicle detection device with each of the remote parking facilities for detecting a vehicle as the vehicle approaches the facility entrance lane; a lane controller system with each of the remote parking facilities coupled to the vehicle detection device for identifying the vehicle and generating a recognition signal; a computer database with each of the remote parking facilities for storing parking information concerning all vehicles that use the automated system; a first computer associated with each of the remote parking facilities and coupled to the lane controller and the database for receiving the recognition signal and generating appropriate parking response signals from the database to the lane controller system, said first computer calculating a parking fee for each vehicle; a central facility; and a communication system including a second computer in said central facility coupled to the first computer to enable the second computer to communicate with said first computer at each of the remote parking facilities and to periodically calculate a single parking fee statement for a given vehicle whether parked at one or more of the plurality of remote parking facilities and to advise each remote facility first computer of the total fees due to that remote facility for each vehicle during specified periods.