Multispace parking pay stations including payment improvements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12230137-B2
Application number	US-202217843497-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2022
Priority date	Jun 15, 2018
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

Disclosed herein are multispace parking pay stations comprising: at least one processor, a memory, a communications element, a printer, and a computer program including instructions executable by the at least one processor to create an application comprising: a software module receiving a unique identifier associated with a parking customer, the parking customer having executed a mobile payment for parking in a space associated with the pay station; a software module transmitting the unique identifier to a central parking management server and querying the central parking management server with the unique identifier to identify the parking customer and verify the mobile payment; and a software module generating and sending instructions to the printer to print a payment verification for the parking customer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pay station comprising: at least one processor, a memory, a communications element, a printer, a sensor, and a computer program including instructions executable by the at least one processor to create an application comprising:
a) a software module, when executed by the at least one processor of the pay station, receiving via the sensor a unique identifier associated with a customer, the customer having executed a mobile payment for an admission, wherein the admission is not associated with the pay station and is not for parking, and the customer getting a payment verification at the pay station;
b) a software module, when executed by the at least one processor of the pay station, transmitting the unique identifier to a central management server and querying the central management server with the unique identifier to identify the customer and verify the mobile payment for the admission other than parking; and
c) a software module, when executed by the at least one processor of the pay station, generating and sending instructions to the printer to print the payment verification for the customer;
wherein the sensor is a camera, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader, a barcode reader, a magnetic strip reader, an infrared sensor, a capacitance, resistance, or inductance sensor, a pressure sensor, a thermal sensor, a near field communication detector, a microchip reader, a keypad, a virtual keyboard, a touch screen, an inertial sensor, or an input device, or a combination thereof.

2. The pay station of claim 1 , wherein the communications element is a wireless communications element.

3. The pay station of claim 1 , wherein the printer is a two-sided printer.

4. The pay station of claim 1 , wherein the unique identifier is credit card information, driver license information, license plate information, a transaction identifier, or an identifier associated with a mobile device of the customer.

5. The pay station of claim 1 , wherein the mobile payment is made via a wireless payment service on a smartphone or a dedicated mobile application provided by the manufacturer of the pay station or the operator of the pay station.

6. The pay station of claim 1 , wherein the payment verification is a receipt, an expense report, or a replacement receipt.

7. The pay station of claim 1 , wherein the application further comprises a software module determining an advertisement appropriate for the customer.

8. The pay station of claim 7 , wherein the advertisement is determined based, at least in part, by an identity of the customer, a purchase history of the customer, a transaction history of the customer, a location of the pay station, a time of day, a day of the week, one or more current promotions offered by nearby vendors, or a combination thereof.

9. The pay station of claim 7 , wherein the advertisement is printed on the payment verification, presented on a display of the pay station, or presented on a display of a mobile device of the customer.

10. A computer-implemented method comprising:
a) receiving, by a sensor of a pay station, a unique identifier associated with a customer, the customer having executed a mobile payment for an admission not associated with the pay station, wherein the admission is not for parking;
b) transmitting, by the pay station, the unique identifier to a central management server;
c) querying, by the pay station, the central management server with the unique identifier to identify the customer and verify the mobile payment for the admission other than parking; and
d) printing, by the pay station, a payment verification for the customer;
wherein the sensor is a camera, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader, a barcode reader, a magnetic strip reader, an infrared sensor, a capacitance, resistance, or inductance sensor, a pressure sensor, a thermal sensor, a near field communication detector, a microchip reader, a keypad, a virtual keyboard, a touch screen, an inertial sensor, or an input device, or a combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the admission is for an event, an activity, service, or transportation.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the printer is a two-sided printer.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the payment verification is a receipt, an expense report, or a replacement receipt.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the application further comprises a software module determining an advertisement appropriate for the customer.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the advertisement is determined based, at least in part by, the identity of the customer, a payment history of the customer, a transaction history of the customer, the location of the pay station, the time of day, the day of the week, current promotions offered by nearby vendors, or a combination thereof.

16. A payment platform comprising:
a) at least one mobile processor configured to provide a mobile payment application comprising a software module executing a mobile payment for an admission, wherein the admission is not for parking; and
b) a pay station, wherein the admission is not associated with the pay station, the pay station comprising:
i) a sensor, wherein the sensor is a camera, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader, a barcode reader, a magnetic strip reader, an infrared sensor, a capacitance, resistance, or inductance sensor, a pressure sensor, a thermal sensor, a near field communication detector, a microchip reader, a keypad, a virtual keyboard, a touch screen, an inertial sensor, or an input device, or a combination thereof;
ii) a software module, when executed by at least one processor of the pay station, receiving via the sensor a unique identifier associated with a customer, the customer having executed a mobile payment for the admission via the mobile payment application;
iii) a software module, when executed by the at least one processor of the pay station, transmitting the unique identifier to a central management server and querying the central management server with the unique identifier to identify the customer and verify the mobile payment for the admission other than parking;
iv) a software module determining an advertisement appropriate for the customer; and
v) a software module, when executed by the at least one processor of the pay station, generating and sending instructions to the printer to print a payment verification for the customer, the payment verification comprising the advertisement.

17. The payment platform of claim 16 , wherein the advertisement is printed on the payment verification, presented on a display of the pay station, or presented on a display of a mobile device of the customer.

18. The payment platform of claim 16 , wherein the unique identifier is credit card information, driver license information, license plate information, a transaction identifier, or an identifier associated with a mobile device of the customer.

19. The payment platform of claim 16 , wherein the mobile payment is made via a wireless payment service on a smartphone or a dedicated mobile application provided by the manufacturer of the pay station or the operator of the pay station.

20. The payment platform of claim 16 , wherein the advertisement is determined based, at least in part, by an identity of the customer, a purchase history of the customer, a transaction history of the customer, a location of the pay station, a time of day, a day of the week, one or more current promotions offered by nearby vendors, or a combination thereof.

Assignees

• Ips Group Inc

Inventors

• King David William
• Randall Chad P

Classifications

• G08G1/149

  coupled to means for restricting the access to the parking space, e.g. authorization, access barriers, indicative lights · CPC title

• G06Q30/0253

  During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions · CPC title

• G06Q30/0237

  at kiosk · CPC title

• G06Q20/3278

  RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices · CPC title

• G06Q20/102

  Bill distribution or payments · CPC title