Mark Ashton Hunt

US Patent:

6812857, Nov 2, 2004

Filed:

Oct 17, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/130336

Inventors:

Shaffiq Kassab - Encino CA 91436
Mark Hunt - San Diego CA 92101-1452
Robert Hunt - San Diego CA 92101-1452

International Classification:

B60Q 148

US Classification:

3409322, 34053911

Abstract:

An electronic parking meter system is used with parking enforcement personnel and a plurality of parking meters. The system may include parking meter units associated with a respective parking meter, a data unit for gathering data from the parking meter units, a first communication link for transmitting data between the parking meter units and the data unit, at least one parking enforcement unit associated with the parking enforcement personnel, and a second communication link for transmitting data between the data unit and the parking enforcement unit. The first communication link may be a unidirectional link, allowing the meter units to include a transmitter and be free of a receiver circuit or receiving functionality. In this manner, the meter units may be made relatively inexpensive, thus significantly reducing the overall cost of the system when connected with many meters.