DE2155626A1 - Computing device - Google Patents

Description

DR.-tNS. DIPL.-INQ.M. SC 'OIPL.-PHYS. DTl. ΟΙΡΙ, -PHVS.

HÖGER - LEGAL RIGHT-GRIESSBACH - HAECKER

PATETANWÄLTE IN STUTTGART

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Godwin Warren Engineering Limited Thame iiouse, Castle Street, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England

Calculation device

The invention relates to a computing device.

Line special, but not the only application of the present The invention is in the field of computing systems of parking fees for automobiles. It is recognized that there is reasonable and economically viable valet parking is required, the motorist the period of use of a To be charged for the parking space, i.e. that the parking fee "I increases according to the parking time, although it is possible to set a maximum parking fee, that of a certain

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Corresponds to the parking duration, after which no further parking fees will be charged if the car continues on the Parking space remains.

It is often desirable for the operation of a parking facility no supervisor is required, as this means that the Operating costs of the plant can be reduced. In other cases it may be desirable that although a supervisor is present, the calculation of the fees or the amount to be demanded from the motorist is not the control of the supervisor so that they do not fraudulently take part of the parking fees or all of the parking fees can acquire.

It has already been suggested to the motorist at his-: to issue a parking ticket or receipt - ■ ': -.-. v upon arrival at the parking facility, which is coded with its arrival time and then to provide a device which the coded parking ticket or receipt automatically reads when the driver wishes to leave the parking facility, in order to find the right one To calculate the fee for the use of the park. The automatic reading devices required for this however, have the disadvantage that they are expensive, that they are due to dust and dirt and when installed outdoors easily fail as a result of the weather and that they Can no longer read even slightly kinked or damaged parking tickets or receipts correctly. Even if such Automatic readers are manufactured extremely carefully so that they are so expensive that they are not economical

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are more portable, they are still due to the effects of the weather and unable to work properly if the parking tickets or receipts are damaged.

The present application was based on this prior art now the task of proposing a calculation device with which the above-mentioned Disadvantages can be overcome in an advanced manner.

This task is solved by a calculation device, which is characterized according to the invention in that it has facilities includes, via which a code number can be output to the user of a facility or service, which is in covertly linked to the beginning of the use of a facility or service by the user, that it includes facilities that the user or a supervisor can use in the event that the user makes use of it the facility or service wants to end the code number issued to the user digit by digit can enter into the computing device, and that facilities are provided in order to determine the scope of the use of the facility or service from the code number entered in this way to be calculated by the user.

The computing device according to the invention should therefore be used in conjunction are used with facilities for which the user is charged a fee, which is calculated depending on the extent of use, usually depending on the time of use.

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It has proven to be advantageous if the computing device comprises computing devices with the aid of which a The fee is calculable based on the calculated scope of the claim corresponds to the establishment by the user.

If the calculation device according to the invention in parking facilities is used, the driver takes himself in when driving in

| the parking garage has a parking ticket that bears a number indicating the time of entry in coded form (with regard to an internal clock belonging to the calculation device) in the park. When the driver leaves the parking facility, he manually enters the coded number into the calculation device one, digit by digit, and the calculation device calculates the amount to be billed Amount. The driver then pays the fee either by inserting coins into a coin-operated machine or by handing them over of the money to a supervisor or an employee and then receives permission to enter the park through a To leave the exit gate. In the case of a large park with a large number of exit gates, but with

"a centralized clearing house, can be at each gate a device, for example a switch console, can be provided, via which the driver can re-enter his Ccde number enters the system, which checks that the fee is paid has been and opens the gate in the event that it has been paid, but in the event that the fee has not been paid, keeps the gate closed.

In some cases it can be cheaper if the code number

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is entered by a supervisor instead of the driver, although the calculation device according to the invention has the great advantage that fraudulent activities by the supervisor are prevented.

Further advantages and details of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing and / or are the subject of the protection claims.
In the drawing show:

Fig. 1

to 3 a schematic block diagram of an inventive Calculation device for use in a parking facility.

If the calculation device according to the invention is considered first In summary, and if certain details are neglected, which will be described later, then there is the calculating device essentially from a row of switches 11, with the help of which a motorist who closes the parking facility wishes to leave by hand a four-digit decimal number which was previously sent to him on arrival at the park issued parking ticket appears, can enter digit by digit. Although this number is meaningless to the driver is, in coded form, the time, based on a clock that is within the calculation device is present at which the driver entered the parking facility. Diet; in other words, that between the number on the Parking ticket and the time of its issue no obvious

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rather there is a connection derived from the driver could be, so that the driver is prevented from keying in a number which has been calculated to be a corresponds to a later arrival time, so a lower fee would have to be paid.

The number entered by the driver is decoded and then ψ with current time is compared, which is indicated by the reference clock 12, which is converted into a number of elapsed time units to the parking time derive corresponding to the payable charge which for the motorist is displayed by a display device 13.

The driver then inserts coins into a coin-operated machine IH on, and the barrier is opened by a signal on a line 15 when the fourth of the inserted coins is equal or greater than the parking fee to be paid, whereby im in the latter case the correct change is dispensed from the dispenser 16.

"The calculation device according to the invention should now be shown in their details can be considered. After the driver has driven his car to a specified starting point and after that the presence of the motor vehicle is determined by an electromagnetic loop (not shown) is, the actuation of the switch 11 by the driver has the consequence that the number entered by him via a decoder 21, in which the number is converted from the decimal code into the binary code, is fed into a four-digit code memory,

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and zv; ar under the control of a control circuit 23 for storage one of the four numbers after the other. The first digit of the number is used to carry out a parity check, and the first two digits of the number are checked by a parity checker 24 checked for equality. If from the driver an invalid number has been entered, the test circuit 24 prevents an up counter 25 from being enabled.

The number in the code memory 2 2 becomes a four-digit display circuit 26 and a comparison circuit 27 supplied. The number stored in the display circuit 26 is obtained from an encoder 28 again encoded and fed to a code display circuit 29 which actuates an illuminated display 3o which shows the driver the number which he has keyed in and of which it is certain that it is stored in the memory 22 was.

The comparison circuit 27 also receives a number from the reference clock 12 corresponding to the current time, the reference clock 12 dividing the time into 6-minute intervals. The reference clock 12 is driven by a 12o Hz signal, which is fed to it via a divider circuit 31, which divides by 43,2oo and thus supplies the pulses required every six minutes. These pulses drive the reference clock 12 and allow also a parking ticket printer (not shown) to advance _s which is connected to a device for outputting parking tickets which are printed with an encoded number that therefore the arrival time (corresponding to the number of drivers later via the switch 11

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if he * wishes to leave the park).

A loHz signal is also generated by the divider circuit 31, and a switch 32 is arranged so that the lo. Hz signal supplied to the reference clock 12 for rapid advancement of the same can be. To make it more difficult for the driver to determine the meaning of the number on the parking ticket, the three digits of the reference clock and the parking ticket printer advanced in the opposite direction, i.e. 000, loo, 2oo ... 799, 899, 999. The meaning of the number is further hidden by the fact that each digit has a given translation code is coded and that the number for the parity check is added. The clock display can also be activated by pressing a Switch (not shown) can be displayed via the code display circuit 29 by the illuminated display 3o.

If the driver entered a four-digit number and if the parity check of the first two digits is shown has that the number is valid, the fourth digit, after it has been received by the control circuit 2 3, can be the up counter 25 key so that it sends the pulses from a 1 kHz oscillator 33 to the code memory 22 and to a time unit counter 34 passes on. The number in the code memory 22 is thus counted in the forward direction until the comparison circuit 27 indicates that it is equal to the number supplied by the reference clock 12 which represents the current time. Afterward a pulse is sent to disable a circuit 35, whereby the up counter 25 is disabled.

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The counter value of the time unit counter 34 thus represents the number of time units which have elapsed since the issuing of the parking ticket to the driver, and this counting result is converted into a corresponding number of charge units by a decoder 36 and by a display device 13 shown. If the number entered by the driver corresponds to a maximum charge, the counting process is carried out using a pulse on a line 39 is interrupted as soon as the maximum charge is reached.

It may be desirable not to display the charge until the driver has the code number of his on the illuminated display 3o Correctly reproduced the parking ticket. One way by which this can be achieved is by increasing the fee of the display device 13 until the driver actuates a switch and thereby requests that the fade out is canceled, whereupon he is obliged to pay the indicated fee to an employee.

If the driver should determine based on the indicator light 3o that he is using the switch 11 the wrong number has entered, he can delete the entry with the help of a delete key 3 7, which the time unit counter and thus the The display device 13 resets and also the code memory 22 and the display circuit 26 via the control circuit 23 and thus the indicator light 3o.

If the driver has lost his parking ticket, he must operate a switch 38 via which the time unit counter

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34 is caused to count until the maximum charge is entered in the decoder 36 and displayed by the display device 13 will.

When coins are inserted into the coin machine 14, are a number pulse generator 39 is supplied with pulses, and this sends pulses to a billing register 4o and a number register 41, each of which corresponds to a specific monetary unit, for example 5 pfennigs.

A comparator 42 compares the fee units from the Decoder 36 with the number units in register 41, and if the amount paid is equal to or greater than that to be paid Charge, the comparator gives a signal on line 15 to open the barrier.

The signal to open the barrier activates one at the same time Gate circuit 43, which now receives the pulses from a 2o Kz oscillator 44 to reduce the count of the accounting register 4o and to increase the count of a Audit counter 45 lets pass until the counter reading of the auditing register 40 has dropped to zero, whereupon this operation is terminated. This is how the meter reading is of the auditing counter 45 has been increased by the number of monetary units paid.

When the value of the money entered is greater than that of paid fee, the comparator 42 sends a signal to the output device 16, so that this outputs the remaining amount.

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After the coins are dispensed, the change units are recorded by the change counter 16 and by the pay register deducted until the comparator 42 indicates that the counter reading of the payment register 41 of the fee to be paid, which of the Decoder 36 is displayed is the same, indicating that the correct change has been given. After issue of the change, the change units are also deducted from a change down counter 47, which a The warning lamp lights up when 8oo coins have been issued.

For billing purposes it can prove to be beneficial if the invoice verification counter 4 5 the total number of monetary units, which have been entered into the slot machine, and if the change counter 46 records how many of these monetary units were returned in the form of change.

When a return switch 4 8 is operated, the most recently inserted coin or coins will be ejected into a return container, and the corresponding units of payment are made by resetting the audit register 4o and the counting register 41 are deducted.

In some cases, especially in larger systems, it can be desirable to have one or more exit barriers, which are removed from the station at which the driver his number by actuating the switch 11 in the inventive Enters calculating device. In this case one is further switch row 11 at each of the output barriers

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and the driver is made to re-enter his number using this row of switches after he has already paid for the use of the parking facility and has driven to the exit gate. The other rows of switches are connected to the calculation device, which is stored in a memory for a predetermined time, for example for 18 to 24 Minutes, which stores the fact that the particular number is valid and that the driver can be allowed without a to drive away further payment. When the driver drives away or the predetermined time has passed, this storage is made turned off. The storage of a valid number can be done in such a way that a validity check number of the two middle digits of the code number is saved.

It goes without saying that the calculation device described above as an exemplary embodiment can also be applied to various others Species can be modified. For example, the comparison circuit 27 could be replaced by a circuit which simply subtracts the number generated by the clock from the number entered in the memory 2 2, which number then the final count of the counter 34 would correspond.

Furthermore, although a change machine has been described, it will be understood that this facility is not required and that there is no need for an automatic cash system to be provided for the coins. At a In a much simpler system, the driver can only use the code number to enter the code to be paid To calculate the fee and with the help of a display device

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or another suitable facility. The correct fee could then be obtained from a supervisor or cashed by an employee, the value of the calculating device would be that fraud on the part of the driver and on the part of the staff is prevented, provided however, that some form of automatic invoice verification is retained.

It is also understood that the calculation system according to the invention, although it is in connection with a parking facility and with a time-based billing has been described, can also be used for similar applications, for example for calculating charges when using tennis courts, ice rinks and other facilities for sport, recreation, Serving pleasure or pastime.

It is also possible to use the calculation device according to the invention to use for the collection of fares on one-man buses, whereby the fee to be paid instead of the time of the number of stops or the number limits could be made dependent.

Finally, it goes without saying that instead of a coded number, a coded sequence of letters or other characters could be used, and it is understood that the term number in the present application refers to any Character combination stands, while the term number stands for any single character of such a character combination.

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Claims (9)

A 39 172 b k-146 11/08/71 patent claims 1. Calculation device, characterized in that it Includes facilities via which a code number can be output to the user of a facility or service is that in covert form with the beginning of the use of a facility or service by the user linked that it includes facilities over which the user or a supervisor in the event that the user is using the facility or would like to end the service, the code number issued to the user can enter digit for digit into the calculation device, and that facilities are provided are to determine the scope of use of the facilities or services from the code number entered in this way to be calculated by the user. 2. Calculation device according to claim 1 _5, characterized in that computing devices are provided in order to calculate a fee which corresponds to the calculated scope of the inan- - 15 - 209821/0655 A 39 172 b
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o8.ll.71 use of the facilities or services by the user. 3. Calculation device according to claim 2, characterized in that that facilities are provided to receive the fee to be paid and to provide the correct change issue if the payment exceeds the fee. H. Calculation device according to Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that devices are provided which prevent the user from leaving until the payment for the calculated use or the calculated fee has been made. 5. Calculation device according to claim 1 to U, characterized in that that means are provided to store the code number entered by the user. 6. Calculation device according to claim 5, characterized in that that facilities are provided which show the user the stored code number. 7. Calculation device according to claim 5 and 6, characterized in that that devices are provided to record the difference between a number derived from a clock, which corresponds to the time the user wants to go and the code number to form which of the user is entered so that the difference corresponds to the duration for which the user uses the facilities or services has used. - 16 - 209821/0655 A 39 172 b jl k-146 A \ o8.ll.71 8. Calculation device according to claim 7, characterized in that that facilities are provided to convert the calculated duration of use into a payable To convert the fee. 9. Calculation device according to claim 8, characterized gekennfc indicates that facilities are provided which the Accept payment for the fee payable and which generate a signal or indication when the Payment of the fee to be paid is at least the same. Io. Calculation device according to claim 9, characterized in that that the signal is used to open a barrier. 209821/0656