Communications: electrical – Vehicle parking indicators
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-08
2001-06-05
Wu, Daniel J. (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Vehicle parking indicators
C340S934000, C340S870030, C194S217000, C194S902000, C194S296000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06243028
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a parking meter with an input device for means of payment, particularly with a coin slot, and an indicating device for indicating the course of a paid parking time. The invention also relates to a control device for a parking meter.
2. Description of the Related Art
Especially in town centers with dense traffic, the available parking space is often limited. According to the state of the art, so-called parking meters are used to counter long-term parking; they have a slot for coins into which different coins can be inserted, depending on the desired parking time and necessary parking fees. By actuating a turning knob existing on the parking meter, the parking meter releases the selected and paid parking time. A rotating plate, which is connected to a clock, rotates after expiration of the parking time back to a “0-mark” which indicates the expiration of the paid parking time. The disadvantage of these parking meters consists in the quite complicated mechanism which, in addition to this, is susceptible to wear. Even if such parking meters are configured as double parking meters for two parking spaces, finally a time synchronously running mechanism is respectively required per parking space.
In many towns and municipalities, parking ticket issuing machines are used besides parking meters. These parking ticket issuing machines activate, after insertion of a certain amount of money and selection of the desired parking time, a printing unit which outputs the parking time resulting from the paid fees as final parking time. With this system, the parking space user is instructed to place the issued parking ticket inside the motor vehicle so as to be visible in such a way to allow to check if the parking time is exceeded. This method is quite troublesome for the parking space user since he has to cover the way there and back from the vehicle to the parking ticket issuing machine before he can lock the vehicle and leave the parking space. In addition, when being placed into the vehicle, the parking tickets are blown away from the instrument panel, where they always have to be placed, by external blast or already by slamming the door and lay on the floor of the vehicle, unrecognizable if they are to be checked. The parking ticket issuing machines also are complicated since they must comprise an electrically drive printing unit.
Moreover, it is known by the german model of utility 296 06 229 to provide a parking ticket issuing machine for each parking space with a supplementary housing with a window for the insertion of a parking ticket.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the present invention is to make available a parking meter and a device for its control of the above stated type, whereby the above mentioned disadvantages are eliminated, the construction of the parking meter should be improved and simplified and the handling thereof should be easier also for the checking personnel.
According to the invention, the indicating device has at least two visual or acoustic indicating means for a corresponding number of parking spaces, whereby an actuation element is operationaly connected to the coordinated indicating element and whereby all indicating means, the actuating element and the input device for means of payment are connected to a common control device. The selected memorized and paid parking time is acoustically confirmed and has thus the function of a receipt. The running parking time is visually or acoustically indicated by the indicating means.
This has the advantage that no receipts, which have to be placed in the parking vehicle in the area of the windscreen, have to be issued any more.
Preferable further developments of the parking meter are described in the subclaims.
The result is a particularly simple, inexpensive and efficient construction when the parking meter has a columnar or box-type casing, whereby the actuating element is a rotary valve, the indicating elements are luminescent diodes, the indicating device is a luminescent diode field, the control device has at least one clock, particularly one electronic clock which is respectively connected to the indicating elements, the control device has a keyboard which has the actuating element, the actuating element having at least two keys, and whereby a key is assigned to each indicating element and/or the keys are key buttons with spring elements or touch contact keys or sensors or proximity switches.
For increasing the reliability of operation and for avoiding fraud or manipulation attempts, the input device for means of payment advantageously has a test device, especially a coin acceptor unit
To increase the operating convenience and to facilitate the operation, the parking meter furthermore has a sound reproduction device which preferably acoustically indicates a paid parking time and which particularly is a speech module.
Preferably, the control device has at least one clock, especially one electronic clock which is connected respectively to the indicating elements. Advantageously, one clock, especially one electronic clock, is provided for each parking space.
A parking meter which is particularly convenient and reliable for operation results from the fact that the control device has a microprocessor system which is connected to the input device for means of payment and to the indicating means. The control device has at least one clock, especially one electronic clock which is connected to the microprocessor system. Advantageously, one clock, especially one electronic clock, is provided for each parking space.
Preferably, the input device for means of payment has a sensor which gives a signal to the control device when means of payment are being input.
Preferably, the input device for means of payment has additionally an actuating element which relases, when actuated, the return of input means of payment.
For an optimal sytem operation with defined conditions, the parking meter is provided with an actuating element which initializes the parking meter into a predetermined initial state.
For a control device of the above stated type, it is provided for according to the invention that this control device has the following: a microprocessor system which is connected to a time measuring device, input means for means of payment, at least two indicating means for indicating the expiration of a paid parking time and an input device for the selection of an indicating device.
Preferable further developments of the parking meter and of the control device are described in the subclaims.
Thus, it results in a simple, inexpensive device which is reliable for operation because the time measuring device is an electronic clock, the input device for means of payment is a coin slot, the input device for the selection of an indicating element is a keyboard, the input device for the selection of an indicating element has at least two keys, whereby a key is assigned to each indicating element, the keys are key buttons with spring elements or touch contact keys or sensors or proximity switches, the input device for the selection of an indicating element is a rotary valve, the indicating elements are luminescent diodes, particularly a luminescent diode field and/or a separate time measuring device is provided for each parking space.
An increased reliability for operation and a protection against fraudulous handling is obtained by the fact that the input device for means of payment has a test device, especially a coin acceptor unit.
An additional support for the user and a corresponding comfort improvement for the operation is obtained by the fact that the parking meter has a sound reproduction device which is connected to the microprocessor system. The sound reproduction device indicates, preferably acoustically, a paid parking time. The sound reproduction device is preferably a speech module.
Preferably, the input device for means for payment has a sensor which gives a signal to the microprocessor system when means of payment have been input into the device.
Pr
Krygler Agenor
Krygler Alicja
Kueffner Friedrich
Nguyen Tai T.
Wu Daniel J.
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