The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 08, 2004
Filed:
Dec. 12, 2002
Greg Chauvin, Harchett Lake, CA;
Neil Erskine, Halifax, CA;
J.J. Mackay Canada Limited, , CA;
Abstract
The invention is directed to an electronic parking meter and a method of configuring an electronic parking meter. In addition to a meter housing and an electronic metering mechanism within the housing, the parking meter includes a memory positioned within the housing separate from the electronic metering mechanism for storing configuration information associated with a pre-selected group of one or more electronic meters. When the electronic metering mechanism is replaced, the replacement metering mechanism that is inserted into the housing need only be coupled to the separate memory in order to have the configuration information of the specific meter downloaded into it. The configuration information includes parking meter location information and/or parking restriction information. The separate memory, which may include a real time clock chip and may alternately be located in the meter's electronic lock, can also be used to store current meter status information that is accessible from the exterior of the meter housing.