Patent Application
20050125284
The present invention relates to systems, methods, and computer program products for selecting and assigning parking.
It is quite common for employees to have to obtain a permit to park a motorized vehicle at or near their place of employment, particularly in urban areas. Such permits are generally monthly or yearly permits and authorize the owner to park a motorized vehicle in an authorized parking area, such as a specific lot or lots and, in some instances, a specific space. The process of selecting and assigning parking generally requires a customer to appear in-person, or to contact the owner of the parking area via telephone or via written correspondence. Similarly, customers generally have the option of paying for the assigned parking in-person or by mailing their payment to the owner of the parking area. With the growth of electric commerce, many parking area owners have begun providing customers with the option to pay for assigned parking via a computer network, such as the Internet. For example, customers can arrange for an automatic draft of the customer's bank account or for payment through a credit card or debit card.
However, because the process of selecting and assigning parking still generally requires the customer to appear in-person or to contact the owner of the parking area via telephone or via written correspondence, this process can be time consuming and can result in delays in selecting the desired parking and/or in obtaining a parking assignment. Consequently, there remains a need for a method and system to enable a user to efficiently select parking and for the parking area owner to assign the parking to the customer.
The present invention provides systems, methods and computer program products for selecting and assigning parking. According to one embodiment, the system includes a data repository, a user interface having a display, and a controller interfacing with or in operable communication with the data repository and the user interface. The controller comprises a retrieval module structured to retrieve data from the data repository, a processing module structured to process the data, a display module structured to display the processed data in the form of an interactive map on the display of the user interface whereby the user can selectively request geographical information for parking and the adjacent locale to enable the user to select parking. According to one embodiment, the interactive map comprises user-activated menus containing corresponding geographical information. According to another embodiment, the display module is structured to display payment options comprising at least one of bank account drafting or credit card processing.
According to another embodiment, the system comprises a processing element capable of generating and displaying an interactive map containing available parking for selection by a user. The processing element also is capable of receiving data corresponding to the parking selected by the user, and wherein the processing element is further capable of assigning parking to the user. In one embodiment, the interactive map comprises user-activated menus containing corresponding geographical information.
According to another embodiment, the system comprises a processing element capable of receiving a request from a user for selected geographical information. The processing element is capable of retrieving data corresponding to the selected geographical information. The processing element also is capable of processing the data according to predetermined parameters. The processing element is further capable of generating and displaying the requested geographical information as a component of an interactive map to enable the user to select parking.
In one embodiment, the processing element is capable of displaying payment options comprising at least one of bank account drafting and credit card processing. In another embodiment, the processing element is capable of receiving data corresponding to the payment option selected by the user, and also is capable of processing the payment. In yet another embodiment, the processing element is capable of issuing the user a temporary parking permit.
The present invention also provides a method of selecting and assigning parking. According to one embodiment, the method includes receiving a request electronically from a user interface for information corresponding to at least one of location of parking, pricing for parking and availability of parking. Data corresponding to the requested information is retrieved from a data repository. The data is processed according to predetermined parameters. An interactive map is generated based at least in part upon the processed data. The interactive map is displayed at the user interface to enable a user to select parking.
In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a request electronically for geographical information. Data corresponding to the requested geographical information is retrieved from a data repository. The data is processed according to predetermined parameters. The requested geographical information is displayed at the user interface as a component of the interactive map.
In still other embodiments, the method comprises displaying payment options to the user at the user interface. The user's payment selection is received. The user's payment selection is then processed. In one embodiment, the user is assigned the selected parking. In another embodiment, the user is provided with a temporary parking permit.
According to another embodiment, the method includes receiving a request electronically from a user interface for selected geographic information. Geographical data is retrieved electronically from a data repository. The data is processed according to predetermined parameters. The requested geographical information is displayed at least one user interface as a component of an interactive map. According to still another embodiment, the method includes displaying payment options to the user on the display. Thereafter, the user's payment selection is received and processed.
According to another embodiment, the invention provides a computer program product for facilitating the selection and assignment of parking. The computer program product comprises a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein. The computer-readable program portions comprise an executable portion for generating and displaying an interactive map containing available parking for selection by a user. The executable portion receives data corresponding to the parking selected by the user, and wherein said executable portion assigns parking to the user. In one embodiment, the interactive map comprises user- activated menus containing corresponding geographical information.
In another embodiment, the executable portion receives a request from a user for selected geographical information. The executable portion retrieves data corresponding to the selected geographical information. The executable portion processes the data according to predetermined parameters. The executable portion generates and displays the requested geographical information as a component of an interactive map to enable the user to select parking.
In yet another embodiment, the executable portion displays payment options comprising at least one of bank account drafting and credit card processing. In yet another embodiment, the executable portion receives data corresponding to the payment option selected by the user, and processes the payment. In another embodiment, the user is provided with a temporary parking permit.
Thus, there is provided a method and system to enable a user to efficiently select parking and for the parking area owner to assign the parking to the customer.
The foregoing and other advantages and features of the invention, and the manner in which the same are accomplished, will become more readily apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred and exemplary embodiments, and which are not necessarily drawn to scale, wherein:
The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
Referring to the drawings and, in particular to
The data repository 11 is structured to store in computer-readable memory data corresponding to predetermined geographical locations (such as cities, towns, airports, marinas, train stations, commuting terminals, etc.), geographical areas within each geographical location (such as intersections of streets, buildings, etc.), other predetermined geographical data, the location of parking, pricing or fees for parking, and other related information, including, by way of example and not for purposes of limitation, the lot number for each parking area, the lot location, the number of spaces available, the names of landmark buildings and other structures, compass directional arrows, street names, street directional arrows, rules and regulations for the parking areas, contact information for the owner of the parking area (such as the owner's name, address, telephone number, facsimile number, and/or electronic mail address), customer contact information (such as the customer's name, address, telephone number, facsimile number, electronic mail address, and/or login information (such as username and password)), and information about special-event parking. In one embodiment, the data repository 11 comprises a computer, processor or microprocessor operating under software control.
The data stored by the data repository 11 can be entered manually by the parking area owner or an employee using a keyboard, mouse, scanner or other input device, as is known in the art. For example, the data can be entered periodically by the parking area owner during the normal course of business for accounting or billing purposes, or can be entered by the parking area owner in response to a specific inquiry from the controller 15 detailing the desired data. In one embodiment, the data repository 11 can include a data capture or data mining module (not shown). Advantageously, the data capture module can be instructed to automatically capture and compile the desired data in a form that can be subsequently transferred to the controller 15, as described below. The data repository 11 is preferably located at the parking area owner's premises, although the data repository can also be maintained at another location, such as at a network provider's data center.
The user interface 12 of the system 10 preferably comprises a controller 14, such as a computer, processor, or microprocessor operating under software control. The user interface 12 includes a display or monitor 13. The controller 14 and display 13 are preferably structured to support applications or software for generating complex graphics, i.e., the controller has sufficient memory and a processor with sufficient processing speed to process graphics output.
The controller 15 comprises a computer, processor, server or microprocessor operating under software control. Preferably, the controller 15 includes hardware (not shown) and associated software for data storage. In one embodiment, the controller 15 comprises at least one retrieval module 16 structured to retrieve (i.e., request and receive) data from the data repository 11 and to communicate data to the data repository for storage. The controller 15 also comprises at least one processing module 17 in operable communication with the retrieval module 16 and being structured to process, based on predetermined parameters, the data retrieved by the retrieval module from the data repository 11 and/or the data to be transmitted by the retrieval module to the data repository for storage. The controller 15 also comprises at least one display module 18 in operable communication with the processing module 17 and the user interface 12 and being structured to generate and display an interactive map and other graphical displays through which a user can selectively request geographical information relative to parking and the adjacent locale to enable the user to select and be assigned parking.
The retrieval module 16 of the controller 15 preferably is in communication with the data repository 11 through a secure data link 21 so that the retrieval module can retrieve data from the data repository and communicate data to the data repository for storage. The data link 21 can be either electrical or optical and can include, by way of example and not for purposes of limitation, a satellite or other wireless connection, the Internet or world wide web, a local area network or LAN, a wide area network or WAN, an Intranet, or an Extranet. According to one embodiment, the data repository 11 includes a data capture module that captures and compiles the desired data or information contained in the data repository. According to this embodiment, the retrieval module 16 is structured to retrieve the data from the data repository 11 by communicating periodically with the data capture module over the secure data link 21. The data retrieved from the data repository 11 by the retrieval module 16 can be stored locally by the controller 15 in computer-readable memory.
The security of the secure data link 21 can be provided and maintained using network security capabilities such as intrusion detection, content screening, URL blocking and bandwidth management. Examples of network security capabilities include network protection software, Internet security software, network firewall technology, VPN (virtual private network) technology, secured messaging software (i.e., encryption), and URL filtering systems, as is known in the art.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The processing module 17 and/or the display module 18 can include several menus and submenus through which a user can interact or communicate with the system 10 via the user interface 12. For example, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
In addition to the interactive maps 20, the display module 18 preferably is also structured to generate and display one or more graphical displays 23, such as the one illustrated in
Referring to
In still other embodiments, the method comprises displaying payment options to the user at the user interface. See Block 48. The user's payment selection is received. See Block 50. The user's payment selection is then processed. See Block 54. In one embodiment, the user is assigned the selected parking. See Block 56. In another embodiment, the user is provided a temporary parking permit. See Block 58.
Accordingly, blocks or steps of the block diagrams, flowcharts or control flow illustrations support combinations of means or devices for performing the specified functions, combinations of steps for performing the specified functions and program instruction means or devices for performing the specified functions. It will also be understood that each block or step of the block diagrams, flowcharts or control flow illustrations, and combinations of blocks or steps in the block diagrams, flowcharts or control flow illustrations, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based computer systems which perform the specified functions or steps, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
