Computer-Implemented System And Method For Offering Customer Priority Parking Reservations

摘要

A system and method for offering customer priority parking reservations. Motor vehicle parking spaces are provided through a server. The server respectively interfaces with smart parking devices, vehicle occupancy sensors, and parking availability indicators that are each associated with the parking spaces. The parking spaces are reserved by accepting a request for a customer priority parking reservation from a merchant for a reservation period. Use of the parking space is managed through the server by activating the parking availability indicators associated with the reserved parking spaces, sensing occupancy of the parking spaces by a motor vehicle through the vehicle occupancy sensor, and retrieving and providing an identity of the driver of the motor vehicle through the nearest smart parking device to the server. The use of the parking space is validated from the merchant through the server.

主权项

1. A method for offering merchant and shopper-friendly parking reservations through customer priority parking, comprising:
managing a multiplicity of motor vehicle parking spaces through a server, comprising:
interfacing a plurality of smart parking devices that are each physically proximate to least one of the parking spaces;interfacing a plurality of vehicle occupancy sensors that are also each physically proximate to least one of the parking spaces; andinterfacing a plurality of parking availability indicators that are each associated with at least one of the parking spaces; reserving use of one or more of the parking spaces, comprising:
accepting a request for a customer priority parking reservation from a merchant, comprising times and dates over which the reservation period would be in effect, and confirming that the merchant is eligible to reserve the requested parking spaces;granting the request provided the requested parking space is available throughout the reservation period over any other reservations stored in the server; managing use of the parking space through the server, comprising:
activating the parking availability indicators associated with the reserved parking spaces throughout the reservation period in a merchant priority parking mode;sensing occupancy of one of the parking spaces by a motor vehicle through the nearest vehicle occupancy sensor and providing the location of the parking space to the server; anddetermining an identity of the driver of the motor vehicle through the nearest smart parking device and providing the identity of the driver to the server; and validating use of the parking space, comprising:
retrieving the parking space's location and the driver's identity at the location of a merchant; andproviding payment for at least part of the use of the parking space from the merchant through the server.