A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATING A SYSTEM FOR MONITORINGTHE STATUS OF VEHICLE PARKING SPACES

摘要

There is described a system for monitoring the status of vehicle parking spaces. A server receives data transmitted over a network from at least one ticketin g machine useable to purchase parking time for the parking spaces. The data comprises identity information identifying individual parking spaces for whi ch parking time has been purchased and information relating to the purchased parking time for each identified parking space. The server transmits status information to a portable terminal regarding the parking spaces for presentation to a user of the terminal, the information depending upon the data received at the server. The status information may identify spaces for which no parking time is currently purchased, or for which purchased parking time has recently expire d. The user may use the status information to enforce the purchase of parking time for the spaces. The system also generates an ID number for each transaction, the ID number encoding information identifying the parking space and expiry time relating to the transaction. A customer may later input an ID number to a ticketing machine in order to validly purchase additional parking time for t he parking space to extend the initial expiry time.