EP0197883A1 - Universal pocket parking meter - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic pocket parking meter comprises, in a housing, an electronic circuit, a time meter, a data input and control keypad, a memory and a display system and is designed to make it possible to check prepayment parking even in different localities. <IMAGE>

Description

• Fig.I : cet appareil comporte un chassis, Fig.1/10, de quelque natu--re que ce soit, pourvu d'un système de fixation qui est ici représenté par une patte à deux pointes pour fixation derrière le pare-brise .

This pocket universal, electronic parking meter will be described with reference to the following illustrations:

• Fig.I: this device comprises a chassis, Fig.1 / 10, of whatever kind, provided with a fixing system which is here represented by a tab with two points for fixing behind the windshield .

The device has four push buttons, three of which M, A and S, represent the functions of "On", "Off" and "Balance"; There is a fourth push button, Fig.I / 2, representing the "Acronym" function, which should preferably be actuated to allow the formation of the constituent numbers of the "Acronyms".

There is a display screen, possibly divided into two parts, Fig. 1/3, used to illustrate the "Acronyms" formed and, a second-- part, Fig.I / 4, which is used to display the times when the device is in use.

The number keyboard is represented by Fig. I / 6 ,.

For the interconnection of two devices, there are two plugs, e.g., male and female, Fig.I / 9.

On the other hand the device includes a connection, if desired, to a reader, with printer, Fig.I / II, although it is not essential for reading the "cards" if one makes the arrangements for read it differently.

There are, of course, all the internal elements that cannot be represented; hourly counting, microprocessor, RAM and / or read only memory and the intercom circuit etc.

The device in two parts, is illustrated in Fig. 2, most of the elements of which are similar to those in Fig. I, except that it is arranged to receive, according to the illustration e.g., on the back of the device, one or two cards, Fig. 2/7 and 8, comprising the "load" and the memory, even the "load", hour meter and memory.

The limited-time parking meter consists of an integrated electronic circuit, or microprocessor, printed at least on a card, interconnected to each of the active elements of the device, housed in an adequate support chassis, giving visual access to screen and touchscreen.

It includes, for example, a pre-programmable RAM intended to receive "Acronyms", eg, in the form of numbers.

The device includes an hourly counting system, at least a read only memory as well as four push-buttons or function buttons: "Balance", "On", "Off", and "Acronym".

It includes a numeric keyboard formed by keys or push-buttons, conventional or other, allowing, by activation of the "Acronym" button, eg, the formation on screen of numbers from zero to nine.

One can either pre-program the memory restrictively to a series of the only "Acronyms" admitted, excluding all others, or leave it open to memorize all "Acronyms" supplied to it by the aforesaid numeric keyboard.

It also has a display screen, at least with liquid crystal.

The read only memory is intended to receive a "Charge" of an operating time corresponding to a desired price of value.

It is provided with a battery supplying the above-mentioned circuit.

The "Acronyms" will represent, for example, the postal numbers of all the municipalities, cities or localities, which carry out or intend to regulate the parking of vehicles by user.

parking meters, organization of underground parking lots or parking lots, by zones or on floors.

To operate the device as a parking meter, the ROM is "loaded" with an operating time corresponding to a desired value price; it is discharged fractionally as described below, with self-destruction of the memory.

A push on the "Sigle" key followed by activation of the numbers on the numeric keypad forms the postal number of the municipality in which the parking is carried out.

The above number appears on the display screen.

Then, activating the "Narche" button scrolls on the screen, eg, to the right of the "Acronym", fractions of time (value) subtracted by the above hourly counting system from the "load" "and added successively on the screen until the" Stop "key is activated; there is a subtraction and addition stop, while the "acronym" followed by the time (value) are transferred from the screen to the memory.

The repeated activation of "Acronyms" and of the "On" function leads to exhausting the "charge" which is thus transferred in its entirety, but in fractions, in the memory where each fraction is preceded, and forms a couple, with the "Acronym" relating to eg a postal number.

In the meantime, activating the "Balance" button will temporarily display the balance of time still available on the screen; If the said balance is deemed insufficient only to cover the estimated parking time, the user can buy a second card and superimpose it on the first by connecting them with male and female plugs fitted to each card.

Therefore, when the first card reaches zero, it activates the second, while transmitting the "Sigle" in use, corresponding to the municipality in the territory of which the user is parking.

The whole is powered by a battery and constitutes an individual parking meter which can be used in any municipality for its own benefit.

Said cards will be sold by any chosen municipality or sales network but at a price comprising firstly the amount of parking time, which will be used as defined above. In addition, the amount of a "deposit" calculated in such a way that the user of the parking meter, exhausted, emptied and unusable, will not throw it away, but, on the contrary, will be encouraged to return it to be added to the said price. immediately recover the above-mentioned "deposit".

The parking meters thus recovered are introduced into an electronic reader device to be sorted, and their cuts of acronym-value classified, with totalization of the parking values for each.

The operation can even be continued by the automatic transfer to the account of each beneficiary by debit from the central account originally assigned revenue.

The parking meter in question includes a fastening device behind the windshield of a car, eg, a suction cup, a hook or a stand; when the user is in a paid parking area he places his device and pushes the "Start" button which scrolls the time figures until his return and actuation of the "Stop" button.

In the meantime, control is possible from the outside: the presence on the screen of the postal number followed by any number allows the controller to note that the user pays his parking time to the municipality concerned.

There are variants: build the parking meter in two parts: one comprising only the "load, the other comprising all the other devices and arranged to receive two" load "portions with deposit recoverable by memory, after use.

The apparatus can be constructed with any system for recording and reading information.

It should be noted that the device bought and paid for in a first locality, used in this one as in others, is arranged to carry out an equitable redistribution of the values due to each locality.

The same is true for countries, even the whole of Europe.

The system is also attractive since its installation in a city or country costs practically nothing; on the contrary, he can immediately report the amounts relating to the guarantees.

The motorist also finds there his advantage because he will pay only the real time of parking, while the communes s, being rid of the vandalism of the conventional parking meters of curbs and thefts of money, will be able to apply reduced tariffs, while having higher revenues and lower control fees.

Another variant consists in making the card recordable and readable magnetically or electronically as a non-volatile memory.

It will be recordable and debitable in devices separate from the permanent portion above and, for example, at the entrance of a zone guarded by only one or two devices, entry-exit, activation of the card with "Acronym "at the first presentation to the electronic device, opening the entry, and stop, put in memory at the second presentation opening the exit.

Claims (10)

Rev.I: Pocket electronic parking meter comprising an electronic circuit at least printed on a card, comprising an hour counting system, a keyboard and a second group of three keys controlling the functions "Balance", "On", "Stop", at least one read-only memory allowing to receive a "load" of "value", the hour counting system being connected to the "load", a display screen at least with liquid crystal, a battery supplying the circuit , external files allowing the inter-communication of two devices, the circuit effecting the display temporarily on the screen by the "balance" key, the push-button corresponding to "on" scrolling through successive figures until actuation the "Stop" button, a box serving as a support and allowing visual access to the display screen and tactile push-button, finally, any system for positioning the device behind the windshield of a motor vehicle, characterized by the progr ammation of the above elements in the aforesaid keyboard system comprising, in addition to the three aforesaid keys, "Balance", "Start", "Stop", a keyboard of the number keys from zero to nine as well as a "Sigle" key, forming the following combination: I °) "Acronym" key: memorization and display of each acronym created from the numeric keyboard, followed and separated from each other by the number of activation times by the "Start" key forming "pairs", 2 °) "On" button: activation of the hour meter, subtractive on the balance, with additive display on the screen of the time portions consumed from each activation, and similarly for all subsequent activations, until the aforementioned balance is completely exhausted causing deactivation automatic hour meter, with, at best, emptying of the screen and automatic flashing, 3 °) "Stop" button: causing deactivation of the hour meter and display extinction. 4) "Balance" key: timed reading and display of the balance of the "value" portion of the "load" incorporated in the machine. Rev.2: Parking meter according to claim I, characterized by the combination of the above-mentioned parking meter connected with any device reading in the memory the above "pairs" of acronym-value and classifying them at least numerically with total and subtotals desired. Rev.3: Parking meter according to claim 2, characterized by the combination of connecting the reading device to a terminal distributing the subtotals to the credit of the account assigned to each "slgle", Rev.4: Parking meter according to claim I, characterized by the combination consisting of the intercommunication of two parking meters, by the aforementioned cards, the first device being exhausted transmits to the second the identity of the "acronym" and activates the circuit as would the "Start" button. Rev.5: Parking meter according to claim I, characterized in that the device card is pre-programmed by at least one "Acronym". Rev.6: Parking meter according to claim I, characterized in that the "Acronyms" represent any subject. Rev.7: Parking meter according to claim I, characterized in that the "Acronyms" are at least postal numbers. Rev.8: Parking meter according to claim I, characterized in that the apparatus is divided into two portions, one of which in the form of a "card" comprises at least the memory with the "chage" of "value".
The other part contains the balance of all the elements; It is arranged so as to be able to communicate with the aforementioned memory and charge, which can be provided for receiving two "cards". Rev.9: Parking meter according to claim 6, characterized in that the card is recordable and magnetically readable electronically as a non-volatile memory. Rev.IO: Parking meter according to claim 9, recordable and debitable in devices distinct from the permanent portion by at least one card activation device with "acronym" at first presentation and stop, memorized, at the second presentation .

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