Patent ID: 8671002

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for offering merchant and shopper-friendly parking through validated parking, comprising: managing a multiplicity of motor vehicle parking spaces through a centrally-located server, the server configured to interface over a computer network and comprising a memory and a computer processor, the computer processor operatively coupled to the memory and configured to execute computer executable program modules, comprising: interfacing by the computer processor via the computer network a plurality of smart parking devices that are each physically proximate to and which correspond to at least one of the parking spaces; interfacing by the computer processor via the computer network a plurality of vehicle occupancy sensors that are also each physically proximate to and which correspond to at least one of the parking spaces; and interfacing with the server via the computer network a plurality of parking availability indicators that are each associated with at least one of the parking spaces; managing by the server use of the parking spaces, comprising: sensing occupancy of one of the parking spaces by a motor vehicle through the vehicle occupancy sensor that corresponds to one such parking space and providing the location of the parking space to the server; indicating a check-in status through the parking availability indicator that corresponds to the parking space and displaying a check-in message comprising a countdown time of a check-in grace period through the smart parking device that corresponds to the parking space, wherein the check-in grace period allows a driver of the motor vehicle to check in to the parking space through the smart parking device during a duration of the check-in grace period and denies the driver to check in to the parking space through the smart parking device provided the duration of the check-in grace period lapses; accepting the check-in from the driver of the motor vehicle within the check-in grace period; and determining by the server an identity of the driver of the motor vehicle through the smart parking device and providing the identity of the driver to the server; and validating by the server use of the parking space, comprising: retrieving by the server the parking space's location and the driver's identity at the location of a merchant; and providing by the server payment for at least part of the use of the parking space from the merchant through the server.