Meters and upgraded meter cover with sensor

Abstract

Meters and meter covers comprising: a removable cover housing configured to accommodate the upper portion of the internal components of an existing meter, the cover housing engageable with the housing base of the existing meter to cover and enclose the internal components of the existing meter; a sensor affixed to the cover housing, the sensor configured to collect environmental information pertaining to the local external environment of the existing meter; a wireless radio affixed to the cover housing, the wireless radio configured to transmit the environmental information to the existing meter or to a remote server in communication with the existing meter; and a power unit affixed to the cover housing, the power unit supplying power to the sensor and the wireless radio.

1 .- 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A meter cover comprising:
 a) a removable cover housing configured to accommodate an upper portion of internal components of an existing meter, the cover housing engageable with a housing base of the existing meter to at least partially enclose the internal components of the existing meter;   b) one or more sensors affixed to the cover housing and configured to detect arrival of an object in a local external environment of the meter and generate arrival information;   c) a wireless radio affixed to the cover housing, the wireless radio configured to transmit the arrival information to the existing meter or to a remote server in communication with the existing meter; and   d) a payment accepting unit affixed to the cover housing and configured to accept a payment from a user, the payment accepting unit comprising a low-power mode and powered-up mode and configured to transition from the powered-up mode to the low-power mode when idle and transition from the low-power mode to the powered-up mode in response to the arrival information.   
     
     
         30 . The meter cover of  claim 29 , wherein the meter is a parking meter. 
     
     
         31 . The meter cover of  claim 30 , wherein the parking meter is a single-space parking meter or a dual-space parking meter. 
     
     
         32 . The meter cover of  claim 30 , wherein the local external environment of the meter is a parking space associated with the meter. 
     
     
         33 . The meter cover of  claim 32 , wherein the object is a vehicle. 
     
     
         34 . The meter cover of  claim 29 , wherein the payment accepting unit accepts payments via credit card or debit card. 
     
     
         35 . The meter cover of  claim 29 , wherein the payment accepting unit is a wireless payment accepting unit and accepts payments via NFC-based payment technologies or proximity-based payment technologies. 
     
     
         36 . The meter cover of  claim 29 , wherein the low-power mode is a power saving mode and wherein, in the low-power mode, the payment accepting unit has limited functionality. 
     
     
         37 . The meter cover of  claim 29 , wherein, in the powered-up mode, the payment accepting unit anticipates or prepares for acceptance of the payment. 
     
     
         38 . The meter cover of  claim 29 , wherein the one or more sensors are further configured to detect departure of the object from the local external environment of the meter and generate departure information. 
     
     
         39 . The meter cover of  claim 38 , wherein the wireless radio is further configured to transmit the departure information. 
     
     
         40 . The meter cover of  claim 39 , wherein the departure information resets a paid time period for occupancy of the local external environment of the meter. 
     
     
         41 . The meter cover of  claim 39 , wherein the arrival information and the departure information are used by the existing meter or the remote server to determine rates for a paid time period for occupancy of the local external environment of the meter or limits on the paid time period for occupancy of the local external environment of the meter. 
     
     
         42 . The meter cover of  claim 29 , wherein the meter cover is operationally self-sufficient, the one or more sensors, the wireless radio, and the payment accepting unit, being not electrically connected to the existing meter. 
     
     
         43 . The meter cover of  claim 29 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a camera. 
     
     
         44 . The meter cover of  claim 29 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a radar. 
     
     
         45 . The meter cover of  claim 44 , wherein the cover housing comprises a material that is at least partially transparent to radar. 
     
     
         46 . A meter comprising:
 a) a housing base;   b) a meter device at least partially disposed in the housing base; and   c) a removable cover housing configured to accommodate an upper portion of the meter device, the removable cover housing engageable with the housing base to at least partially enclose the meter device; the removable cover housing comprising: one or more sensors affixed to the cover housing and configured to detect arrival of an object in a local external environment of the meter and generate arrival information; a wireless radio affixed to the cover housing, the wireless radio configured to transmit the arrival information to the meter device or to a remote server in communication with the meter device; and a payment accepting unit affixed to the cover housing and configured to accept a payment from a user, the payment accepting unit comprising a low-power mode and powered-up mode and configured to transition from the powered-up mode to the low-power mode when idle and transition from the low-power mode to the powered-up mode in response to the arrival information.   
     
     
         47 . A method of upgrading a meter comprising:
 a) disengaging a cover housing from a housing base of an existing meter to expose an internal meter device;   b) removing the cover housing; and   c) replacing the cover housing by engaging a replacement cover housing with the housing base to enclose the meter device;    provided that the replacement cover housing comprises: one or more sensors affixed to the cover housing and configured to detect arrival of an object in a local external environment of the meter and generate arrival information; a wireless radio affixed to the cover housing, the wireless radio configured to transmit the arrival information to the existing meter or to a remote server in communication with the existing meter; and a payment accepting unit affixed to the cover housing and configured to accept a payment from a user, the payment accepting unit comprising a low-power mode and powered-up mode and configured to transition from the powered-up mode to the low-power mode when idle and transition from the low-power mode to the powered-up mode in response to the arrival information; whereby the meter is upgraded.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the internal meter device of the existing meter is not replaced.