| 摘要 |
A meter is provided for measuring time, such as a parking meter, which employs an electronic circuit to effect such time measurement and an electrically operated display such as light emitting diode or liquid crystal display for indicating the passage of time from a starting time determined, for example, by the insertion of a coin into a receptacle and/or by the pushing of a button or pivoting of an arm. In one form, one or more of the actions of inserting a coin into the meter receptacle, pushing a button to initiate its operation or pivoting an arm by finger operation is operable to energize an induction member for generating electrical energy which is stored in a battery or other power supply and is employed thereafter to operate electronic circuits for keeping and indicating time, such as passage of minutes from the starting time of the meter until the time has run out. An indication that the timer has totally uncounted or counted to a predetermined value is had either by the reading of the electronic digital display, the operation of an electric lamp and/or the energization of a solenoid or motor driving or releasing an indicator such as a flag or arm to indicate the runout of time. In another form of the invention, when the timing or time indicating device of the meter has run out or uncounted, a code generating circuit and short wave generator for the code thereof are energized to transmit a short wave code to a monitor station or a portable device carried by a meter attendant for warning the attendant of such condition. In another form, a sensing arrangement is provided for sensing if a vehicle is located at a parking meter and the meter is not in active operation and for either indicating such condition by energizing a lamp or release for a flag and/or by generating and transmitting a short wave code signal to a remote monitor station where the signal indicates the location of the meter and such condition.
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