Patent ID: 8671014

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for providing recurring residential parking reservations, comprising: managing a multiplicity of motor vehicle parking spaces located in a residential area of an urban environment 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 by the computer processor via the computer network a plurality of parking availability indicators that are each associated with at least one of the parking spaces; reserving by the server use of one of the parking spaces by a resident of the residential area on a recurring basis throughout a subscription period, comprising: accepting by the server a request for a parking reservation, comprising recurring times and dates over which the subscription period would be in effect, and confirming by the server that the resident is eligible to reserve the requested parking space; granting by the server the request as a reservation provided the requested parking space is available during each recurring time and date throughout the subscription period over any other reservations stored in the server; and associating an in-and-out parking privilege with the reservation that allows the reserved parking space to be unavailable for others to park during the subscription period; and managing through the server use of the reserved parking space throughout the subscription period, comprising steps of: sensing occupancy of the reserved parking space by a motor vehicle through the nearest vehicle occupancy sensor; verifying an identity of a motorist of the motor vehicle against the reservation through the nearest smart parking device, identifying the in-and-out parking privilege associated with the reservation, and indicating a status of the reserved parking space through the parking availability indicator corresponding to the reserved parking space that the occupancy of the reserved parking space is valid; sensing inoccupancy of the reserved parking space during the subscription period through the vehicle occupancy sensor and updating the status of the reserved parking space through the parking availability indicator to another status showing that the reserved parking space is unavailable based on the identified in-and-out privilege; and sensing further occupancy of the reserved parking space through the vehicle occupancy sensor and denying by the smart parking device the use of the reserved parking space if not by the resident.