Single space electronic parking meter with meter housing mounted vehicle sensor

Abstract

An upper parking meter outer housing component that includes a parking meter cap is provided. The parking meter cap includes an outer surface, an inner surface defining an interior cavity, and a lower edge portion defining an opening into the interior cavity. The lower edge portion is configured to be coupled to a lower housing component of single space meter such that a meter mechanism may be enclosed within the interior cavity of the upper meter dome. The meter cap includes a vehicle sensor coupled to the inner surface of the upper meter dome. The meter cap includes a solar panel coupled to the inner surface of the upper meter dome and configured to supply power to the vehicle sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An upper parking meter outer housing component comprising:
 a parking meter cap, the parking meter cap comprising an outer surface and an inner surface defining an interior cavity; and   a vehicle sensor supported within the interior cavity communicably coupled to an electronic meter mechanism, the vehicle sensor configured to detect a vehicle located within a parking space and further configured to generate a signal indicative of presence of the vehicle within the parking space and being further configured to communicate the signal to the electronic meter mechanism, the vehicle sensor comprising a detection zone and disposed such that the detection zone is located generally within the parking space such that the vehicle sensor is configured to monitor a volume located above a surface of the parking space.   
     
     
         2 . The upper parking meter outer housing component of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle sensor is configured to transmit a non-visible spectrum electromagnetic signal, wherein the parking meter cap includes a layer of material that is translucent to the non-visible spectrum electromagnetic signal of the vehicle sensor and that is opaque to visible spectrum light. 
     
     
         3 . The upper parking meter outer housing component of  claim 2 , wherein the layer of material is a shield positioned within the parking meter cap located between the vehicle sensor and an outer wall of the parking meter cap. 
     
     
         4 . The upper parking meter outer housing component of  claim 1 , wherein the parking meter cap includes an upper wall portion and a sidewall portion extending downward away from the upper wall portion, wherein the upper wall portion includes a generally upward facing outer surface and a generally downward facing inner surface. 
     
     
         5 . The upper parking meter outer housing component of  claim 4  further comprising a solar panel configured to supply power to one of a portion of the electronic meter mechanism and a portion of the vehicle sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The upper parking meter outer housing component of  claim 4  further comprising a support structure having a horizontal shelf located within the interior cavity of the parking meter cap, wherein the vehicle sensor is supported by the horizontal shelf. 
     
     
         7 . The upper parking meter outer housing component of  claim 6  further comprising a joint coupled to the vehicle sensor, wherein the joint allows the vehicle sensor to pivot in both a horizontal and a vertical directions. 
     
     
         8 . A method of upgrading a parking meter that includes an existing meter mechanism located within an outer meter housing having an existing lower portion coupled to a support pole and an existing meter cap coupled to the existing lower portion, the method comprising:
 providing a new meter cap, the new meter cap comprising:
 an outer surface; 
 at least one interior cavity; 
 a lower edge portion defining an opening into the at least one interior cavity, the lower edge portion configured to be coupled to the lower portion of the outer meter housing; and 
 a vehicle sensor supported within the at least one interior cavity; 
   decoupling the existing meter cap from the existing lower portion; and   coupling the new meter cap to the existing lower portion such that the vehicle sensor faces a parking spot associated with the parking meter.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the new meter cap is coupled to the existing lower portion without modification of the existing lower portion. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the new meter cap is coupled to the existing lower portion without removal of the existing lower portion from a support pole coupled to the ground. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising adjusting a position of the vehicle sensor relative to the new meter cap such that vehicle sensor faces the parking spot following coupling of the new meter cap to the existing lower portion. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising detecting, via the vehicle sensor, a vehicle within the parking spot. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the new meter cap further comprises a solar panel configured to supply power to the meter or a component of the vehicle sensor. 
     
     
         14 . An upper parking meter outer housing component comprising:
 a parking meter cap, the parking meter cap comprising an outer surface and an inner surface defining an interior cavity; and   a vehicle sensor supported within the interior cavity communicably coupled to an external parking management server, the vehicle sensor configured to detect a vehicle located within a parking space and further configured to generate a signal indicative of presence of the vehicle within the parking space and being further configured to communicate the signal to the external parking management server, the vehicle sensor comprising a detection zone and disposed such that the detection zone is located generally within the parking space such that the vehicle sensor is configured to monitor a volume located above a surface of the parking space.   
     
     
         15 . The upper parking meter outer housing component of  claim 14 , wherein the vehicle sensor is configured to transmit a non-visible spectrum electromagnetic signal, wherein the parking meter cap includes a layer of material that is translucent to the non-visible spectrum electromagnetic signal of the vehicle sensor and that is opaque to visible spectrum light. 
     
     
         16 . The upper parking meter outer housing component of  claim 15 , wherein the layer of material is a shield positioned within the parking meter cap located between the vehicle sensor and an outer wall of the parking meter cap. 
     
     
         17 . The upper parking meter outer housing component of  claim 14 , wherein the parking meter cap includes an upper wall portion and a sidewall portion extending downward away from the upper wall portion, wherein the upper wall portion includes a generally upward facing outer surface and a generally downward facing inner surface. 
     
     
         18 . The upper parking meter outer housing component of  claim 17  further comprising a solar panel configured to supply power to one of a portion of the electronic meter mechanism and a portion of the vehicle sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The upper parking meter outer housing component of  claim 17  further comprising a support structure having a horizontal shelf located within the interior cavity of the parking meter cap, wherein the vehicle sensor is supported by the horizontal shelf. 
     
     
         20 . The upper parking meter outer housing component of  claim 19  further comprising a joint coupled to the vehicle sensor, wherein the joint allows the vehicle sensor to pivot in both a horizontal and a vertical directions.